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Last year I walked 72 miles over two consecutive weekends (42 and 30 mile challenge walks organised by the LDWA) in tribute to and memory of my guy, Ian, and to raise funds for MHRUK.  I was overwhelmed by the generosity of family, friends and colleagues.

 

I continued walking and am still walking – including 50 miles last October in 16.11 hrs and 50 miles again 28th April. The first attempt qualified me to take part in the LDWA 100 mile challenge walk this year - 2nd June. The second attempt completed in 15.54 hours, including breaks of course, was to check out that I wasn’t kidding myself - that limbs, foot power and mental determination were still in acceptable order.

The 100 mile challenge is to be completed within 48 hours. It is a linear route in and around London starting in the east from Hackney near the London Stadium, finishing in Windsor and encompassing Box Hill in Surrey. I have a strategy – breaking it up in my mind into four trips between home and work with a longer break at the midway point in the dark hours of shear endurance – all sorted; no problem then!!! I am reliably informed by other 100 milers that when it comes to the crunch ‘strategy’ is out of the window and ‘mind over matter’ is what counts.  Such 'madness' is to raise funds for MHRUK - Mental Health Research UK.  And, of course, Ian, who never strays far from my thoughts, will be in my heart and mind with every step, as are all who suffer similarly and silently.

 

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So please dig deep into your pockets, purse and piggy bank to support me in my 'madness', and MHRUK, with all that you can afford.

 

 Saturday 9th June

I cannot quite believe it but100 miles have been walked in 44hours 28 mins. A week ago at this time – Saturday 8.30pm - it was still fine and the going steady away/good. We had walked through London, seeing the sites of which I took a number of pics. Early-mid evening we were in the Surrey countryside and it was still fine. It was in the early hours of Saturday morning when the scenario wasn’t quite as rosy. It was dark. It had been raining since 10pm; we had been sliding along in mud – almost a river of mud down one slope - and we were now walking up the longest, steepest gulley through woodland approaching the 42 mile point – not even half way. My appetite had faded; my feet were wet and I had felt the first blister a while back. I was walking with an LDWA friend, Marie, and we had grouped together with three guys, also from the north east and completing their 5 100. The rain did eventually stop on Sunday & a highlight was to sit outside a pub in Chilworth – the guys supping pints; Marie & I stuck to juice.

 

The climbs and descents were many and not of the undulating kind that, from the route description, I had expected of the North Downs. The last eighteen miles seemed to drag on for ever as we had difficulty trying to find out way through more woodland and trying to find the elusive penultimate ‘check point’ at Sunningdale. But finally we were on the last 7 ½ mile stretch to Windsor Park and our finally CP – except that the walk didn’t quite finish at that point as would be expected. We had to walk back a further 2 miles to the end point at Trevelyan School in Windsor. We were cheered as we walked through the door, as was everyone who completed, though I think we were almost past any feelings of elation. It was more the relief that our legs & feet could be still at last. There was hot food – except I couldn’t eat anything immediately; dry clothes to change into and an opportunity to sleep - I dozed for an hour on the gym floor, though had no sleeping bag -  before I was kindly given a lift to the station for the train back to King Cross.

 

Of the 524 who entered 383 finished and 105 retired. When I look at the map and the route I still cannot quite believe I have done it – 100 miles sure is a long way. My strategy didn’t quote go out of the window. While we looked towards the next CP and the next, I did break up the distance into 25 mile bundles, the last bundle being the longest of course. The longest stop was about three quarters of an hour. I hadn’t expected so much rain, so much mud, so much woodland and so many sheer climbs – perhaps just as well. Glorious sunsets, moon lit skies and sunny dawns that I had hoped for escaped us. Since then the one or two blisters have healed quite quickly; my legs didn’t stiffen up but I did need to catch up on sleep.

 

Will I do it again? I said to my sister, Bridget, when she called at one point to see how I was doing that definitely this would be the first and the last 100 for me. BUT I did glance at next years 100 mile challenge - coast to coast across Cornwall. We’ll see? – next year is a whole year away, long enough for the memory of the endurance to become hazy!

 

And the reason for all this madness? – as emblazoned on my T-shirt I was walking for Ian – for those memories that never dim with time -  and to raise money for MHRUK; and with the kindness and generosity of you all - family, friends and colleagues - my target and more has been reached.  Thank you so very much – it makes the pain and tiredness so worthwhile. What would Ian make of it? – he would know that having set my mind to the task that I would see it through – albeit with some ‘expletive deletives’ thrown in to the mix as the strain was felt; BUT mad, quite crazy without doubt!