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Background

Wozziz then? 69 and ¾ years old wrinklie loses his marbles and decides to attempt completion of the South West Coast Path (which is from Minehead in Somerset to Poole in Dorset, i.e., 630 miles) within 30 days. Why?

 

The idea is to combine my life-long hobby of running with a taxing challenge and the South West Coast Path seems to fit the bill. The glory of its outstanding coastal scenery is legendary.......as is the fickle nature of the weather but if I can persuade the forecasters to  switch off the Atlantic gales  and  plug the the rain clouds for a few weeks then I’ll stand a better chance of galloping over the hills and far away.

 

The secret weapon for the amount of time required is of course retirement and as my wife, Pat, is retired and I’m more or less 3/4 retired, we should be able to find time for the event. As the longest national trail in the UK it’s going to take quite a lot of running, jogging, walking (have you seen those hills?) and even crawling, especially over some of the wind-swept cliff tops. But with a strong wind behind me and a professional back-up team (Pat) to keep me on the straight and narrow methinks there is a good chance of success.

 

I began “Coast Path” training last December and so far, apart from a couple of nasty falls, I’ve been lucky to avoid injury. Camberley and Guildford’s North Downs have been my  training grounds together with the municipal sports centre. Guildford’s hills are certainly challenging but the one thing I haven’t been able to replicate has been the kind of “Atlantic” weather I am bound to get in the South West. I reckon a few rain dances will have to be practiced over the next few weeks.

 

And finally there is the fund-raising which hopefully will raise sympathetic donations for Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children. The charity choice has been almost as difficult as the training but the clincher was the fact that I and people like me have been very fortunate when the “health cards” were dealt out and although we all eventually fall victim to the passage of time at least most of us  have been able to experience life to the full whereas so many children are dependent on charities to pull them through their plight and help them, too, to fulfilment.