Back to the Chase

Easter Monday found me revisiting the Cannock Chase walk that we undertook last year. We started from a different point this time and may have actually gone a bit further, taking a scenic detour to avoid some road-walking. It was a warm and sunny day, and in fact today I'm wondering if the bad headache I've had all day is from too much sun, or maybe exposure to a lot of tree pollen.

Last year this walk was our final warm up before the main event, and I'm wondering if it was wise to do so much so early. I'm certainly moving stiffly today, and my partner says I'm banned from entering any more Fun Runs! The terrain, I think is perhaps more hilly than the Fun Run location.

There were plenty of people out enjoying the bank holiday weather - walkers, runners, horse-riders, canal-boaters and some people splashing about in the river - its either the Trent or one of its tributaries that runs past Shugborough and the Haywoods (Great and Little). 

We were walking I think for over three hours, so I'm guessing we won't be smashing any records on June 5th!

First Steps

At last the day of the London marathon arrived. So what, I thought - I'm off for a couple of miles walk around Sandwell Valley!

We met brother Steve on one of the car parks. It was a great day, bright, warm and dry. This was pretty much the same walk we did to start off last year, but where we had a choice, say of going one way round a pool or another, we tried to do the opposite (if we could remember) of what we did last year - nothing if not adventurous!

The walking is reasonably easy - proper paths, the ground is dry anyway, there are some slopes, but nothing too steep. However, by the end of the walk I'm moving noticeably slower that the pace I started out at.

As we arrive back at the car park we hear a terrific thud! closely followed by another. Coming out from among the trees we see a three vehicle shunt on the lane. It looks as though the first car stopped for some cyclists and pedestrians crossing between two car parks. A woman in the third car, which has the worst damage gets out and the air turns blue with her voluble cursing of the first driver. I know, as someone who isn't as nifty and nimble as in my youth, which driver I would prefer to be bearing down on me if I was crossing there!

By the end of the day I'm foot- knee- and hip-sore, yes after just a couple of miles walk. Next day I'm weary and stiff jointed. There's some way to go yet!

Ooops! I've done it again...

I probably should know better but I've gone and signed up for the Great Midlands Fun Run again!

Once more Walsall Samaritans will benefit from my efforts to get round that 8.5 mile route - and just to leave you in no doubt, it will definitely be at a walking pace!

After last year's event, my brother Steve asked - "Do we keep on with the walking?" I replied that I thought we would, perhaps once a month......so a month after the event, we did go for another walk - I can't remember where!

Since then.......

Well, you know how it is....good intentions and all that!

But here we are, we've both registered again and tomorrow is scheduled for the start of our "training" and we plan to repeat our trip to Sandwell Valley which started the big build up last year. If it is a day like today, it will be perfect walking weather - bright and clear and not too warm.

So I'll be digging out the walking shoes and the knee supports, and the Walking Poles will see action again (probably incognito at this stage - Pawel and Kamil haven't yet decided whether they will be making any guest appearances this year).

So I hope its all going to be worthwhile - I've got of to a good start with a generous £20 donation and about £4 raised through "Give as You Live". If your reading this and would like to help me turn my leg-work into money for the Walsall & District branch of Samaritans, please click through to my fundraising page - if you're unable to make a donation, you can still help by doing some searches or online shopping from my page - the good folks at Everyclick collect money for the cause from the sites you visit - even if you're not shopping every two searches you make earns a penny for the charity!