Sunday 29 April 2012

Not long finished a 17.53 mile walk.  Im pretty exhausted!  It was a very cold and windy walk.  It felt like the wind was constantly blowing in my face.  I almost didnt't go out today as I just was not in the mood but I really had to push myself to go out as I have had a very lazy week.  I walked into the city centre and did a loop back round through Portobello and Musselburgh.  I almost got on the bus numerous times and very nearly cut the route shorter but I had a word with myself and pushed on.  I was walking through Leith Links minding my own business when I got smacked on the leg with a football. I bas bare legged from the knee down and it was cold so I can only describe it as being a stinger.  Im pretty sure its going to leave a mark!  I decided to walk on and not even look back to keep my dignity! If the ball had been closer I would have kicked it back and aimed for his face, instead I just walked on pretending nothing had happened and trying not to look at my calf with the ball imprint on it.  All in all I cant say I enjoyed the walk today but its another few miles added.  My legs hurt already so I know the next few days Im going to be hobbling around.

xx

Sunday 22 April 2012

I did a little 8 mile walk this morning, I never thought I would be saying that!  I didn't really feel like doing a big one today as I was working yesterday, myself and Mary were doing two chocolate schools yesterday.  Yes you can come and learn how to make chocolate with us!  Its quite a tiring day so I was pretty tired.  I thought I would have a nice long lie in this morning but couldn't sleep past 8.30 so decided to get up and go for a walk.  I actually really enjoyed it.  I felt very good and it only took me 2 hours and 15 minutes.  I made sure I stretched properly when I came back and its amazing the difference it makes.  Feeling a bit more confident this week.  I need to try and do a long one sometime this week but I have a busy week coming up and finding the time is hard.
Just a little shout out to Scott's auntie Heather who ran the London Marathon today.  Amazing.  She was doing it for Alzheimers Society so well done to her.

xx

Sunday 15 April 2012

Oh also just to say thanks very much for all the comments I really appreciate it.  I hope everyone is enjoying the blog.  Andrew is passing on any facebook comments as I am not on there so they are gettign to me. 

xx
Well folks I have bettered my walk of 13 miles last week with one of 15 miles yesterday.  Alison and I decided we should go for a long walk together to get some practise in.  I met Ali at the top of Leith Walk, this is a stones throw away from the centre of Edinburgh.  We then walked down to the bottom of Leith and along Seafield towards Portobello.  The sewage works are along the seafield route which made us walk slightly faster due to the smell!!  We walked along the promenade at Portobello and then onto Joppa and a straight road to the little town called Musselburgh (an old fishing town with a harbour, hence its name).  The first part of our walk was pretty cold and windy, especially along the prom.  There was a lot of sand blowing in our faces and the waves were crashing.  As we walked in Musselburgh we could really feel the heat of the sun and I wished I had brought some sun cream (im a little red in the face today!).  We were both feeling ok at this point and as we got to the end of Musselburgh racecourse we swung back round and started the journey home.  I think its always at this point that psychologically I start to think its almost over!  I tried really hard yesterday not to do this though.  We wlked a slightly different route back and walked the top road, parallel to where we had been.  We gave ourselves a target of reaching the chip shop before having a boost (chocolate bar) and then ate them like mad women when we reached there.  Just after we had eaten the boost and were crossing a little side road Alison got really bad cramp in her calf and was hopping about like a mad woman trying to get on the pavement!  I know its cruel but I got the complete giggles.  I managed to tell her how to stretch off her calf through the giggling though so Im not completely awful.  We were about 4 miles from home at this point so it was not looking good.  Alison managed to stretch it and carry on though.  We had many discussions about how bad we were feeling and how we couldn't possibly think of doing anothe 11 miles when we would reach our destination.  We alos discussed whether once we have done all our training are we going to get to the point where we dont feel bad until the 20th mile or so.  Through the pain neither of us could see it! 

Alison is now cursing the day she said yes to my proposal of doing this moonwalk.  We were both at the stage where stopping was not really an option in case we got cramp so we were trying to time every road crossing to happen at exactly the time the green man came on or when there was no traffic and we could cross.  We did well at this and the relief was huge when we could see our end point.  All we could manage at the end of the walk was a high five and a bye with no stopping.  I got to the car and had a stretch (6 second rule obviously!) before climbing in and driving home.  I sat down to relax and did a good stretch a couple of hours later.  During the rest of the night I decided to keep stretching and I think that really helped.

All in all I dont feel too bad today.  I have a little stiffness and Im a bit sore but Alison is feeling exactly the same.  Its usually a couple fo days later that are worse for me so I will see how tomorrow goes!  So a good weekend in general, and my football team beat the champions to go into the final of the scottish cup where we will play our local rivals Hibs.

xx
This is one of the paths I have regularly been walking on.  As you can see its narrow and also very uneven.  Makes walking with McArdles that little bit harder.  These are things you wouldn't even think would make a difference.

This was a view of Longniddry beach on my way back on the 13 mile walk last week.  I used to come to this beach a lot with my granny and sisters when we were younger.  Im pretty sure there are still photos lurking somewhere of us going into the sea with no clothes on!  Nice embarrassing photos your family have!  Not sure where they actually went!

xx

Sunday 8 April 2012

Happy Easter!!  I have just gotten back from a 13 mile walk! Very tired but feeling ok.  My muscles are tired but not McArdles sore so I dont feel too bad.  I walked out to a place called Longniddry and did a loop which brought me back running alongside Longniddry beach. The problem with this was that its a very fast bendy road and there is no pavement so I had to walk on a path just up from the beach which was bendy and hilly and had sand on it.  Sand is a very difficult surface to walk on at the best of times but when you have McArdles it is worse.  Yes I was in second wind as I had already done 6 or so miles but I could really feel the difference with the different muscles that I needed.  Luckily it was not very long and I was soon on the the concrete again.  I noticed the road surface really can make a difference and even if its just that the paths are not well maintained and there is loose gravel etc.  Going from a flat surface to a hill can be a bit tricky as well.  all is well though and I did enjoy myself.  I was struggling a little bit towards the last couple of miles but I got there!!  I will attach some pictures later.

xx

Friday 6 April 2012

Hello all,

What a busy week it has been.  The gorgeous weather turned into snow!!  What the....  Scott (the ball and chain) forced me to go out for a walk on Thursday.  It was the last thing I wanted to do after work and in the cold weather but I went and he came with me.  The first part of our walk is on a steady incline.  I found this bit not too bad but as I reached the top where it flattens off I could feel the heart going and felt a bit dizzy.  I had the same feeling a week or so ago when I did a walk and had to stop at the shop for a sports drink and some wine gums.  This made me feel so much better.  Luckily I had taken some orange juice with me which helped but I see the real need to be eating properly.  Scott gave me a wee telling off so I have been told now and I am looking into the best foods for energy etc.  I eat fairly healthy and I know that I am going to need fuel especially on the longer walks but I have not really been following my own head.  I must make the effort to have an eating plan.  Its nine weeks until the walk and I am starting to feel pretty nervous.  I am becoming more aware that people have very kindly sponsored me so I dont want to let anyone or myself down.  Im planning to be doing atleast two long walks a week, hopefully 10-15 miles or more.  Its just very time consuming!!! 

Hope everyone has a good easter, I am so sick of the sight of easter bunnies/eggs etc etc we started to produce our easter stuff months ago, it really puts you off!!

xx