Thursday 22nd April

I decided it was time to get walking again, but realised I had to start small. It took me 10 minutes just to dress my feet for a 4.75 mile walk LOL. But it was worth it cause I have no blisters!! Well no new ones anyway.

I went around Battersea Power Station again with one of the people I work with. I’m getting a bit familiar with that route, but I figured on such a lovely day it was going to be packed in other parts of London, mainly with tourists who tend to stand still and move in random directions.
I went back to my proper New Balance trainers for this. I figured if all trainers were going to give me blisters, I may as well get blisters from the ones that were supporting my ankles. I think I might have cracked my problem with the blisters, my feet are just too warm. My feet get very hot very quickly, always have done. And even when they feel like blocks of ice, they are often clammy to the touch. So I’ve bought some Ice Cooling Spray from Daktarin and sprayed it all over my feet. It seems to have worked for 5 miles, not sure how well it will work for 26 – I’ll obviously have to stop and reapply, but taking off my socks and seeing the state of my feet is a real mental barrier which I want to avoid wherever possible. I’m going to do a longer walk at the weekend and try talcum powder as well. I think the powder and spray combined, and airing my feet directly before and after a walk (slightly more difficult whilst working in an open plan office but hey) then I might make some progress. And getting a bigger bumbag to carry everything!!

It took me 1 hour 10 minutes to do 4.75 miles. Not bad for saying I haven’t walked for 12 days. I hope to keep the same sort of pace at the weekend when I plan to do double today’s distance.

Things I learnt – nothing! The walk was a complete success – woo hoo!!

Wednesday 25th March

I nearly didn't make todays planned 5 mile walk. I was working from home today as I was waiting for our new sofa to be delivered (after 2 weeks without one) so was chained to the house for most of the day (8-6 delivery - how helpful). The sofa came just after 2, but up until then it had alternated between brief sunny spells and prolonged periods of absolutely chucking it down, oh and a quick hail storm for good luck. I decided I would finish work at 4 and go for a walk, but it was raining again at 4, my feet were sore, and I just couldn't be bothered. I decided to watch ER instead. But then ER finished and my husband still hadn't left work - we have a 2 hour commute and I knew it wouldn't take me that long to walk 5 miles. I looked out the window, and apart from the sun going down, it looked like a lovely evening. And although I'd already talked myself out of it, I decided to get walking. I think I must be ill or something, if I can find an excuse, I usually do.

So I togged up and set off. I realised that this is the first walk I have done since 'official training' started that I have done on my own. I've usually been walking at someone else's pace, or having a conversation on the way round. It's boring on your own isn't it? Thank god for Scott Mills podcasts, although laughing out loud when walking through residential streets is like, so like, not cool. I headed through Great Chart whilst it was still light (it's quite country lanish) and then back on to the main road. Then I turned left into Godinton housing estate. I'd never been past the chinese or the pub before, but it goes miles back and there were some of the biggest new build houses I have even seen up there (this is Ashford, all the houses are new build). By this time it was pitch black and absolutely freezing so I think that made me walk a bit faster. I then headed back to the main road on a big loop and headed home down a longer main road, and back to mine. I walked 5.4 miles in 1 hour and 18 minutes, which makes about a 14.5 minute mile. How pleased am I? Not sure I could keep it up for 26, but it's fastest I've walked so far.

My feet are covered in lots of little blisters, with particularly sore ones on my right little toe and one right between my big toe and the one next to it. Surprisingly the huge blister on the bottom of my foot isn't giving me too much trouble, and seems to be healing ok.

I got in the bath when I got home, just as my husband got home. Then as it was so late and I hadn't cooked tea (bad wife) we got a takeaway and settled on our new sofa to watch The Apprentice.

Sunday 15th March

Me and my husband had a lovely walk around the grounds of Leeds Castle today. It was a beautiful morning so we got kitted up and made our way up the motorway. Our annual tickets had expired so we had to buy new ones, along with most of Kent judging by the queues.


The first part of the walk mostly consisted of getting stuck behind big groups and avoiding small children careering round on little trikes. Yes, I am one of those people I used to pity who just couldn't slow down enough to appreciate the beauty around them LOL. Oh well, I'll appreciate it next time we go.


Normally we do just stroll around the castle and gardens, so I didn't appreciate how short the paths are, usually it seems so long cause we walk so slowly. We went right round the back of the gardens, and then got back on to the path back when I realised I'd done just over a mile. So we climbed over a fence and went over to the far side of the lake and up into the fields on the other side. We walked just over a mile and then turned back as we weren't sure whether we were supposed to be up there or not. Then we took the long way back along the return path and headed back to the car.


In all, we walked 5.1 miles, which wasn't the 6 I was supposed to be doing, but there was a hell of a lot of hill walking in this one, and I did get out of breath a few times, so I'm going to say it's ok because it all helps towards my fitness.


Here's a photo I took before my battery ran out