26 Miles of Walking

I’m not an author and wish to kinda write this as if I’m talking, via my mouth and brain.......so that’s what I shall do. Proofreaders not required...........

Background

So Jim’s Gym is a local community based gym, very different to the normal steroid infused gyms of the norm. Run by an ex-army guy, with a different perception of gym and a man that sets crazy challenges for him and others. It’s a great environment with some really solid people, that take part in various classes and events. Check out more on the website, in my 'Lovely Links'. Anyway he does free community walks that culminates in the 26miles Spire & Steeples event in April, taking you from Sleaford to Lincoln’s beautiful cathedral. These weekly walks take in various routes to build strength, body awareness and getting miles in your legs, ready for the big walking marathon.

This years walks started early January (I think, maybe wrong), I umm’d and aaargh’d about doing them......the usual excuses and then found my ex-girlfriend was doing them and I couldn’t be doing with that. Although the relationship ended mutually it was still very new, change is difficult and my brain was not coping one bit. I loved her and wanted to try to dig deeper in finding a way for it to work. This blog isn’t a diary, it’s just a part of me and I’ll write it in various ways, so I may revisit this another time. So anyway, I wasn’t doing walks alongside her and therefore this event was totally out of the question for me.

We are now roughly getting to the end of March. I’d been having life coaching with Jim (from early Feb) and doing gym classes, finally actually enjoying them. It transpired that Jim and 5 or 6 others were not only doing the event on the 26th April but were staying over and walking back the following day. I did say this dude was crazy! So Jim was like ‘Carey, fancy meeting us on the following morning and doing the walk'......’No you twat’ said I. ‘Why an earth would I want to do that?’. Jim knew where I was at with the ex situation, so it was kind that he understood me and the situation. Also from my point of view, she had committed to this event and training, so it was her thing, not mine. By the end of my 45min Strength and Conditioning class, I had agreed and that was that. Oh and you don’t go back on committing to a Jim’s Gym event.

Training

There wasn’t much time, maybe four weeks at tops. So I was walking at lunch, did a couple of local circuits of 4-5mile. Then 10miles......and this is where the worry set in. My calf was wrecked and my feet blistered, how and earth was I gonna do 26miles with experienced walkers? So a week later when feet were ready I did 8 miles with a friend. The previous walks were just me, walking with someone is a different experience and I had renewed hope. However, calf and feet were not acceptant of this new challenge. I mean I hadn’t walked a serious purposeful distance since I was in the Boys Brigade. What’s that 37ish years ago?

So my mental health was at an all time high and like I said, i’ll reflect on the lows and other days at another time. I was ready for this......well I was mentally ready and the first time, maybe ever, that I was mentally in control of my shit and this challenge. However and this is a big one.......I knew my body did not have the optimism of my brain. My body was not ready, my body did not want this, my body was very unhappy with brother brain. Could mental beat body, who would win out......only one way to settle it.......FIGHT!

Saturday 26th April - Official Walk Day / My Walk-Eve

A day of preparation and reflection; those that know me and I guess that’s most reading this, will know I’m generally pretty organised (I have to have some good points!). So my bag was near enough packed, the gym’s ‘what to pack’ list was taken with the seriousness I felt it should. If I was gonna get through this I had to give myself the very best chance. This list would consist of things like blister plasters, fruit mix, ibroprofen, spare socks and even skittles......oh & from the fridge in the morning a couple of chicken, salad, onion and chilli rolls! That side of things were set, now for a few pints but not too many. So while at the pub I was hearing updates and seeing videos on social media.....40 odd people trekking towards Lincoln was a lovely sight and a great community feel. Word came through a couple of people were struggling, one of which my former girlfriend. I came to learn that if you named the body part, it hurt and at less than halfway she contemplated quitting. However with the gym community is tow, her own determination and resilience, she made it. I was proud she reached her goal, now it was my turn. But first...... Carey needed a Curry, so that’s what was picked up as I headed home for a night of not really sleeping.

Walk Day

6am alarm, not for me but hey it was time to get going! Greased up my feet with some anti blister stuff and applied plasters on where I’d had issues from the previous walks. Shorts it was as the forecast was very good, grabbed them rolls, water and backpack, downed a protein shake.......it was off time! My friend and Landlord Nelly had kindly agreed to drive me to Lincoln via Mark, another walker, to pick him up (he had also done the day before) and head to the Lincoln Premier Inn to meet the others. I’m not a morning person and fuelled by anxiety I had no wish for journey chit-chat. So the fact Nelly & Mark were old RAF colleagues, was a welcome distraction, where I could listen and mong for half an hour!

Clapping eyes on Jim’s eyes as we entered the hotel was, well, an eye opener. That guy must have been hammered last night. After guiding 40 people the day before, I guess a celebratory drink was in order but that looked like more than one. Frenchy, who had participated in said drink was also looking a tad fragile. It was only last week that Jim had tried to convince me to meet them in Lincoln that night and bunk down with them ahead of the walk. In general as the years have passed I have NOT become wiser and I have NOT matured greatly. Well praise the imaginary lord, on this occasion I hadn’t succumb to the booze invitation and by the look of them two, it was a brilliant decision. So it was time, a quick briefing and then the automatic doors opened of the hotel, like in an episode of Stars in Their Eyes........Tonight Matthew, performing as a non-prepared, unfit, novice walker......its Carey Preece.

Here we go!

In general I’m not a hugely nervous person and if ever I am, once I get into the rhythm of whatever I’m nervous about, them nerves dissipate. This however was different, it felt different......looking back, I think it was the fear of failure, of letting the experienced guys down and of my body giving up.

The pace was quick, I liked that, I realise this wasn’t day to day walking but I walk with purpose. There is always a reason I walk, it’s to get from A to B and do what you need to do. I at no point require to do this slowly, I’m still mobile and I have longish legs.....so let’s do it quickly. Of course this was 26-Miles, not a trip to Tesco. Would this pace be ok for all 26 of them?

3miles passed and everyone was in high spirits, chatting loads, reliving the day before and previous challenges, accept one......ME. I was in a world of anxiety, questioning all that I had previously questioned and that the calf was also twinging at me. This was going exactly how I imagined it and I did not like it one bit.

I really should have written this earlier or made some notes, however the thought of blogging at this point hadn’t even been thought of.....actually I lie, I had thought about if for some time but only really started to delve into doing it seriously since mid-May. So yeah this hasn’t got much more legs in it, a bit like mine at the 10-12 mile mark. Scopwick was the place, beautiful scenery until Aide took his socks off on the bench and I, unknowingly, had sat in duck poo. However this place, this stop, this moment was pivitol in not just the walk itself but the day, my head, my attitude.....it was game changing. Yes the village was stunning, I had opened up and becoming more social but the calf was killing and half way was not yet reached. However in the famous words of top terrorist Hans Gruber ‘You asked for miracles, Carey. I give you Ibu-pro-fen.’

30 mins later I felt high....... well I think I did if I knew what being high was like. That’s right, my weapon of choice has always been beer.....ok ok, maybe the odd sprinkling of Malibu & Pineapple but the drug scene had never really been the path I wanted, a bit like smoking. Maybe it was more money than anything else. Anyway, where was I .......I was now ready to conquer the world.......well 13ish miles of it, at least.

The rest of my day was, basically a pleasure, yeah I was tired and the legs were heavy but it was now in no doubt that I’d be completing this walk. The calf issue was now a distant memory and taking in the scenery, forging new friendships, banter and fun chats was how the second half of the walk went. Lincolnshire is beautiful, in fact this country is and I really need to go see more of it.

As we approached the edge of Sleaford it was looking like we would be slightly short in distance for an official marathon. Yesterday’s walkers were of course doing it the other way around and finished at the cathedral but today’s start was from the hotel so probably cut off roughly half a mile. So once we arrived at the market place, had a team picture, Jim and a few others walked with me around town so I could complete the 26.2 mile marathon distance.

A refreshing cider was had in the Marquis as I and those there reflected on the day, the achievement and the ultimate fun we had just had....yes I did say FUN! If silly old me could do this, then for sure anyone can. It felt good and I want that feeling again.

Well done to everyone that did what they did that weekend and achieving their goals. Thanks to those that reached out and supported me through messages and kind words.

And finally thanks to YOU for reading this..x