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!