Thirty Eight - Oh - Four Was my Number...

...right now, no-one else has that number
(with apologies to Toots and the Maytals)
The big day came at last. Steve picked me up around 9.30 and we drove over to Sutton. The town was already getting busy with walkers, runners and joggers.

On the car park we met up with my sister - she had entered as a jogger but unable to do it because of a recent illness - and brother-in-law. We weren't sure of the location we were meeting up with "Team Samaritans" but a quick call to our organiser set us in the right direction and we made our way there to find just one of the team, Ann, there before us.

The team gradually began to build on the front terrace of a pub whose owner was friendly and welcoming - as all the people we met on the day seemed to be. T-shirt bearing Tim and Mandy arrived after a while and there was a flurry of changing of tops and pinning on of entry numbers - you've got mine!

As the start time got closer, there was some anxious wondering about people who hadn't been seen yet, but eventually everyone was accounted for and we started to make our way down to the start point in town. We didn't manage to stay altogether though, and once we'd started off, I didn't really catch a glimpse of any of my team till after we had finished, except for Steve and Sue who were walking with me.

As a newbie to Fun-Runs, I was pleasantly surprised how many people had turned out to watch us go by and the cheers, applause and encouragement they gave, which was certainly appreciated. Some had garden hoses and sprinklers spraying out into the route which was a pleasant cooler on this warm, dry, sunny day, and was particularly popular with one small child, part of a circus-themed troupe who were walking in aid of a local hospice that were in front of us for about 3 miles (until they all stopped at an ice-cream van in the park!). It was shortly after this point we discovered my Mom and my partner Mel waiting to cheer us on in the company of a couple waiting for the supporters of said hospice.

The four mile marker was encouraging, but in contrast the "half way" marker that came just afterwards prompted the thought: you mean I've got to do that much again?!

As we proceeded, we became aware that there were very few people behind us now, especially after we had spent a few minutes sitting on a bench consuming a large bottle of water from one of the trackside stands. We were definitely amongst the stragglers as we wended our way through the park.

Back on the streets of Sutton Coldfield it was extremely inspiring and quite touching to find there were still a number of people waiting to cheer us on, and as we neared the town, returning Fun-Runners and drinkers outside pubs gave us many words of encouragement and some hearty rounds of applause.

Finally, after nearly three and a half hours, we reached the finish line and received our medals. Now to deal with those aching joints.....

Chasing Around...

With just a few days to go before "The Big Event", this week's walking practice took us to Cannock Chase, starting near Milford Common and going in a big loop that went along the canal from Little Hayward and across the grounds of Shugborough Hall.

The 6.5 mile route proved quite a struggle, despite it being good walking weather, evidenced by the large number of people (and dogs, some horses too) taking part in that activity. Maybe the ground was too hard, some being paved ground, but even the unpaved surfaces unyieldingly dry. Looking at the "Fun Run" route, maybe that was appropriate practice!

I can't say its really getting easier, which I hoped it would. Moving about has been difficult since, and even sleeping has been impaired by foot and leg pain. I knew I'd scaled back on walking for a reason. I suppose it has other health benefits.

Pawel and Kamil, of course, were my unstinting supports. The guys are quite excited about the fact that they have raised over £5 on their own fundraising page http://www.everyclick.com/walkingpoles. Today's picture shows them taking a break from walking!

Arden the feet...

This morning we set off to Henley in Arden for our next adventure into the world of walking. It was a bright and dry day, but seemed fairly cool.

Our walk started in a car park at the end of the town which led directly on to a part of the Heart of England Way.

There were just a few other walkers out - some exercising dogs and others whose more serious intent was signalled by their maps and rucksacks. The seriousness of my intent (to be fit to walk 8.5 miles in the June 6th Fun Run) was signalled by the presence of my supporters Pawel & Kamil (the Walking Poles).

Now it's come to my attention that some people question whether P & K are real people or not - some have said they are mere cartoon characters who cannot leave the screen or page to enter the real world - the guys find this quite hurtful! So here's a picture of them in action on today's walk - and I have to say, I found them a great support.

There was a longish steep climb near the start of the walk, which was a challenge for the knees of both my brother and me, and where both pairs of Walking Poles - his remain curiously un-named - proved their worth. The view from the top was worth the effort.

This was quite a "stylish" walk - that's to say, there were quite a number of stiles, another challenge to our not so supple limbs.

One of these led us into a field that was home to a very "friendly" horse and sheep who greeted us so enthusiastically that the awkward climb over the stile was as nothing compared to fending off their welcome. They were probably pet animals who associated visiting humans with being fed, and the horse, probably not believing anyone would try to enter his paddock without food, decided he had to taste every bit of body, clothing or equipment that came into reach. We eventually managed to persuade them to return to the other end of the field, though when we reached the gate the sheep came running up determined to leave by the same means as us. It was quite a struggle to keep it in the field as we exited.

It was shortly after this that we lost our planned route, though a while before we realised. We decided to continue and navigate by sense of direction and roadsigns, as it was apparent that we would now have to complete the circuit back to Henley mainly by road. This was not without attractive views though.

We eventually reached the car park we had started from. We estimated our route had been a little shorter and that we had done about 6.5 miles. We made up for this with a short walk to the town and back where we enjoyed fresh and very reasonably priced baguettes washed down with coffee/cider in one of the town's hostelries.

Pawel and Kamil also had a rest!

We're thinking of Cannock Chase for our next major sortie.

From Pole to Pole?

Well you never know what to expect, do you? That flash of insight when I realised that it was really not on to keep talking about two walking poles and gave then their names.....blow me, they've only gone and set up their own fundraising page http://www.everyclick.com/walkingpoles - can you believe it?! When they said they were going to support me, I thought they were just thinking of taking some of the weight off my knees.

Incidentally, when I was ambling about one of the West Midlands fine suburban shopping centres this afternoon, I was asked if my feet were better, as I didn't seem to be walking so awkwardly. I realised that my feet were no different to usual really, but my knees had improved - is my investment in fou-fou tablets starting to pay off? Come tomorrow's walk it may be a different story!

My Plan

The next phase of my plan, started last week is to flood my body with natural anti-inflammatories - things like ginger and turmeric - I know, that sounds like eating loads of curries, which would do for me, but complicated when you live with someone who really doesn't like spicy food - rose hip etc. which I've bought from my trusted food supplement supplier (I used to scorn such things, but years of trying to manage with healthy eating and conventional medicines - very little help from the NHS! has led me to try herbal and natural remedies, most of which I ditch as ineffective after trying them for a couple of months!). So far it's not been a particularly good week in terms of joint pain and stiffness, but mostly I'm just realising that there were very good reasons why I scaled back on walking and carrying.

This week I've been off work, but with two funerals, two theatre trips, one AGM, three Samaritans shifts and a museum visit, there's not been time to fit in a walk yet (have done a couple of walks to the shops etc. and the museum trip did involve a lot of walking though not continuously).

So the next "proper" walk looks set to be Sunday when a seven mile walk around the Henley in Arden area is being planned. Provided that the weather is dry that should be a nice day out. Seven miles is quite a jaunt and I don't doubt will cause some pain, but it's only about 3 weeks to "The Big Day" now and I've got to be ready for that. If I can do 7, I won't be worried about 8.5!

Oooh the pain...the pain...!

Just to say I spoke to soon about my knees! Monday when I wrote I was feeling fine, but by Tuesday morning I could hardly move!

My feet and knees hurt so much, as well as the muscles in my calves, and my wrists. It was pain at a misery-making level and I was glad to creep into bed at the end of the day. I had a routine appointment at the doctors, but was kept so long in the waiting room that I didn't have time to discuss my walking progress and whether the doc could help me with my mobility (some hope!). I just had to accept the good news about my cholesterol etc. - the stuff they bother about (= get paid to do) then dash off back to work so as not to exceed my allotted medical hour.

Today is not so bad, though I was conscious of the effort of walking about. Some of my friends think I'm barmy to do this. Who am I to disagree! My supportive mates Pawel and Kamil (the Walking Poles) say they will make every effort to support me in any way they can - what do they mean?

Progress...

The poles arrive and look as though they're going to be up to the task in hand.Too busy even for a walk to the shops though...a walk around the supermarket is about all I can fit in till last Friday when once again the leg-powered shopping trip makes it onto the agenda.

My brother Steve has found us a circular walk for Sunday morning. It's 3.5 miles, I think he says - so a step up from what we've done so far, but still less than half what we have to do on the big day!

Saturday, there's heavy rain for several hours, so I'm expecting the going underfoot to be a bit soft - OK, I'm thinking it might be a mudbath! But come Sunday morning which is fairly bright, but also fairly cold and breezy - but overall comfortable walking weather - though the puddles on the canal towpath where the walk starts are like a miniature Lake District, there's actually not much mud.

So the two poles get their first outing - the extra length makes them much more comfortable on the wrists and I also think they support me better, so that my knees and back both benefit. They've done such sterling work that it seems rude and heartless to keep referring to them as "the two poles" so I've decided to name them Pawel and Kamil after two Polish students who worked in our office a while back.

At one point in the walk Steve tells me we have a choice of routes, one of which is a kilometre longer - I opt for the longer one, thinking I don't want to do less than the 3.5 miles planned, but when we've passed through woodland, park, nature reserve and residential street and reached the final leg of the walk which brings us once again to the canal towpath, he tells me the walk I've done is over four miles, and with the two 'detours' - okay, we got lost twice! - we've probably done over 5 miles. I'm glad to be finished, but pleased with what we've accomplished.

Afterwards, once we've rested a while, I don't feel excessively fatigued, sore or achy, and today, I think my knees feel better than at any time since I started this walking malarkey. Glad that I bought those knee supports (which were comfortable) and recruited Pawel and Kamil to my team!

Keep on walking....

Following my unplanned Sunday outing, my joints were pretty hot and sore, knees especially, hips somewhat, and my foot pain was near the high end of its normal range. As I sometimes say, I can have this pain without doing anything....and I use that as justification both for doing, and not doing certain things - cunning eh?

So for a couple of days I'm moving noticeably awkwardly but by today, Wednesday, the joints are less painful, though there's some new muscle aches, but anyone would expect that. So a walk to the supermarket and back seems like a reasonable idea. Bit of a slow uncomfortable plod though!

After the weekend I researched the poles and the supports. Managed to find a pair of longer poles on eBay for £10.50 and decided on a pair of knee supports - they arrived today - impressive looking `items that are probably intended for weightlifters or something!

Getting Ready...

Things to think about then! Proper shoes, for a start off....and as a vegetarian of many, many years standing (not to mention the years sitting down!), of course I don't want leather...an ethical wares website has a pair that look as though they mean business and don't cost an arm and a leg (turns out they are made by Hi-Tec - I was aware they have a number of non-animal shoes in their range). In the course of reserching these I find out that the heels of shoes for running and for walking are quite different (one slopes out the other slopes in...I don't remember any more detail).

My brother (older) recommends I should get walking poles and tells me he got a pair for twenty quid, which doesn't sound too bad - chuffed to find a pair on ebay for a tenner. While I'm in this frame of mind I order replacements for my very well worn orthotic heel inserts and start thinking about supports for my joints - fairly sure my knees will need some, what about my ankles? And will the wrists want support holding the poles - no problem there as I already have two different types of wrist support which I use at work according tto the state of my joints, the job I'm doing etc. Decide my ankles will probably be ok and defer buying knee supports for the time being.

Better start doing a bit of walking then! Start with a walk round to the cash machine at the local supermarket and a loop round the back streets home. I like to think its over a mile, but probably its really only about half! Enough for the first week...

The following week when I have to fetch my prescription from the chemist, I walk up town and come back by a circuitous route - more circuitous than I intended in fact, as I don't really know where some of these roads lead, and it beomes apparent that I can't just take a right turn and find my own street. I actually don't really know where I am for a while, though I am pretty confident I haven't wandered into the next town and eventually I do work out where I am and which road will lead me home....at least 2.5 miles, surely?....well maybe not...

The shoes, poles etc. arrive and I arrange to go for a walk with the said older brother at a local country park. The weather's great - bright and dry, warm, but not too hot. Discover that the poles I bought don't extend to the same length as his - can this be right? They do seem to help and are fairly comfortable to use, but by about two thirds round the route, I am thinking I would want wrist supports - speculating whether I could use them with my most robust supports which have a kind of splint in them.

By the end of the walk, I have definitely had enough for one day. I ask my brother how far we've done and he says he thinks its about two miles. Two miles! I'm thinking - four times that on June 6th! I would have sworn it must be more than three....

Still there's time to build up. We'll do another walk next week, maybe a little further.

But I don't have to wait that long. The reason I'm supporting Walsall Samaritans is that I'm a volunteer there. I get a message that one of the volunteers due on duty that day is stranded overseas due to the Icelandic volcano that shut down most of Europe's airways. Trouble is we're not quite sure what shift that volunteer is booked on, and can't contact the one person who can tell us. Eventually I decide to go over to the Centre to try and sort things out. My partner is out in the car, so I walk up town to get a bus....which I miss by just a few minutes. There's an hour before the next one, but if I start to walk, I'm sure that other buses join the route further on. This proves to be true, but studying the timetables at each stop, it always seems to be at least 40 minutes till the next one (I am puzzled by three buses that pass me between stops, which don't seem to correspond with any listed times). Eventually I walk all the way and arrive 10 minutes before the expatriate volunteer would have been on duty, so am able to take their place. My joints are really protesting by now....convinced that must be 4.5 miles, tell myself well its probably only 3 or three and a half.....so I suppose its just 2.5 then! Oh well...

Unexpectedly, without really planning to, I found myself agreeing to take place in an 8.5 mile Fun Run. Fortunately there was an option to enter as a walker - running would really be out of the question for me!

The walk is called the Great Midlands Fun Run and is taking place in Sutton Coldfield on June 6th (a Sunday) for what I think is something like the eighth year running (pun unavoidable - sorry!).

I'm one of a group of two dozen or so participants who are taking part to support Walsall & District branch of Samaritans. It's a voluntary organisation that totally depends of fundraising and donations so getting sponsorrship is important to all the Walsall Sams Fun-Runners and Walkers!

Agreeing to take part set me a few things to think about - like the 8 miles more than the 0.5 miles I might normally walk.

Now, I have done a sponsored walk before - many years ago, when I was a mere secondary school pupil (about 13 I guess) I walked 24 (yes 24!) miles and raise something like 30s. - it was that long ago, old shillings - 30 shillings being about £1.50 in todays money, but worth a whole lot more of course - people sponsored you for things like a penny a mile in those days....

And over the years I've done my share of walking - a memorable walk from Durham to Newcastle on Tyne, having missed the last train comes to mind - but that was in my youth, as was the walk from Bloxwich to Rugeley - I can't remember why I did that, must have had time to fill. And in my younger adult years lots of walking on holiday etc. of a more sensible kind - public footpaths in scenic areas and so on.

But the thing is, over the past few years, my various body parts, especially those involved in the ambulatory arts, have complained so much that I've virtually stopped walking anywhere, or in fact much at all that involves bearing my weight on my limbs.

So what to do - no way out now - I've started collecting sponsor money - I was amazed how quickly and geneously people responded when I sent out messages to some of my Facebook friends with a link to my fundraising page http://www.everyclick.com/andrew-walkingforsamaritans and then there's the paper sponsorship form that some people have signed up to...