Al's Trailwalker Ramblings: July 2008

Sunday 20 July 2008

We've only gone and bloody done it!

Well it took the longest 28 hours of my life but we crossed the finish line in just under 28 hours after we started!!!

I thought I'd just wack down a few thoughts and feelings so that both my readers can get an idea as to how I am feeling and felt at the time.

I was so up for this from the start. The prospect of not finishing never once crossed my mind, even months ago. The thought of crossing the finish line and getting a medal was always paramount. During training we'd walked a few long walks, the longest being about 35 miles, and I'd never thought that this was beyond me or that I would fail. Even during the low points, which for me was never really that low, just a "bloody hell, this is getting harder" type feeling, I knew I'd get there. It's amazing the motivation of bragging rights over a brother will provide!

So, to the event! At the campsite we really didn't ever get ahead of the game. We didn't get there early enough, we took aged queuing etc, even missed the start!! Next time will be different. :) It rained all night and whilst I slept OK, thanks perhaps to earplugs and an eye mask, I think the girls both had bad nights, which can't have helped.

I felt good about the first half of the walk. I would have liked to have gone a bit faster (didn't like being overtaken all the time!) but we couldn't. On my live update I was moaning about this 10 hours in I see!

My feet tend to start to get a little sore after about 15 miles then just stay a bit sore, and the walk was no different. I'm not sure of the value or not of Nurofen, but everyone else was taking them so why not me! Maybe it helped, I don't know. it certainly didn't harm! My legs eventually got tired, but were never in any pain, even now, a day later.

Tiredness definitely got us all. Jo, star support crewer noticed how we kept going to the cars to get something, only to go back a minute later for the same thing! By CP7 at about 12.30am I was properly tired. THe walk there had been very slow and the wind on the ridge was freezing. I had a bit of a sense of humour failure there, telling Katie that we couldn't afford to walk that slowly again, I was just too cold and couldn't generate any body warmth. To give her her massive dues, even though she was suffering she picked herself up and put in a great leg to CP8 with Colin (thanks mate!)

After CP8 there was a killer long leg, made only a bit more bearable by the fact that the sun was coming up, and that once you finally made it to CP9 there were just 2 short legs to go. Sasha was having big problems with her little toe at around CP8 but was not going to quit, she just needed to crack on as much as possible, which she did with Colin whilst I walked with Katie, bringing up the rear.

So overall, the first 30 or so were fine top CP5 (we knew they would be, that was training distance, and Colin's brother kindly brought us all Chicken Chow Mein - perfect!) the next 15 or so to CP7 were when the going got a bit tough (and cold!), CP8 was good for me personally as I blasted it with Sasha (or it felt like I did, will look at our times another time!) but 8 to 9 was tough, made worse by me getting a painful blister at 51 miles (see pic!!) which was helped by compeed and nurofen but definitely put a cramper on my walking for a while!. 9 to the finish were slow, but the nearness of the goal kept us going! Baby steps were talked about a lot - just keep moving!

As for now, I keep talking of next year as i feel I have unfinished business - 24 hours deadline is taunting me! Also, knowing the event now will make for better planning.

More later as I get time and have more time to reflect!