Auctions for charity

In order to raise some extra sponsorship money I am handing over any money made between May 1st and May 31st from my ebid shop to Walk The Walk. If you are of a crafty nature and want to bag yourself a bargain whilst doing your bit for charity, then take a look at http://uk.nine.ebid.net/perl/main.cgi?mo=user-store&title=Crafty-Bees-Crafty-Corner

And remember, if there is nothing you want, well you can still sponsor me anyway at www.justgiving.com/paulacowperthwaite

Thank you xx

Just an update

I haven’t posted a walk on here yet, because I haven’t been walking L

After my 17 mile walk over Easter, I developed yet another nasty blister which was half hanging off on my right foot little toe. I’ve been trying to walk barefoot wherever possible to toughen my feet up, and unfortunately, there was such little skin left on my toe that dirt must have got in around my toenail (which is clinging on for dear life) and I got an infection. The clue was when my little toe got twice as big as it should have been and went red. So off I limped to a walk(hobble)in clinic near work to get it looked at. It’s a bit hit and miss as to whether you get a decent doctor or not. I didn’t. His grasp of English was poor and he didn’t understand what I was trying to say about being in training for an event. When I asked for some general advice, he spoke to me like the blister on my toe was the only one I had, so at that point I took the prescription for antibiotics and left. I also decided not to walk at all for a week. A good friend of mine pointed out that it didn’t matter how many miles I could walk, how quickly, or how fit I was, if I couldn’t bear to put my feet down, I wasn’t going to get far past the start line. Consider myself told. I haven’t walked the whole time I have been on antibiotics, last day today. I’m also going to substitute the long walk this weekend for a number of 6-8 mile walks. The problem has been that I have created a blister early on, then walked on that blister until it is so bad, it can’t recover before the next walk. So I’m going to concentrate on speed and technique for the next couple of weeks, and just try every trick known to man on how to prevent blisters and/or heal them afterwards. It’s getting so bad, I’ve had a voucher for plasters on my Boots advantage card LOL

Anyway, on to more cheery stuff. I’ve had my bra/t-shirt/cap pack through. I think I ticked large for the t-shirt, because I’m a 14/16 and I like big t-shirts, but when they said large, they meant large. If I take some tent poles, I can probably have a sleep under it at the end. And the bra doesn’t fit, it’s not the style I usually use. I tend to go for full cup or balcony style, but this is a cleavage enhancing style, and I really don’t need more cleavage. I ran on the spot for approximately 35 seconds before I fell out of it. Won’t be using that one! However, I do have an old white cotton bra which I don’t wear because it is slightly on the small side. It is more supportive though, so I think I will use that instead.

I’ve also got what I need to decorate my bra. I’m going for ‘shiny disco balls’ and I’m going to provide the disco balls for all the strictly dancers. I’m hopefully getting together with a few other moonwalkers to do a group decorating session, which should be really good fun. And I’m also getting together with the other moonwalkers to do the 20 mile walk over the bank holiday weekend. I think that is one long walk I have to do if I have any hope of getting over the finish line on the night.

I have really been enjoying all the training I’ve been doing for the Moonwalk, and I’m gutted that I’m having so many foot problems. I was thinking about doing the Edinburgh one next year as it is somewhere I have never been, and I spend every working day in London. But after the last couple of weeks, and pleading from my husband, I have decided that it’s just not worth the grief. I might just volunteer to help out next year instead. A shame for me, but good for them I guess. I need to work on the positive thinking as well, think I used it all up doing the last three miles at Easter LOL

Back from my jollies and ready to get cracking

Well I am officially ‘in training’. I have received my pack with all the info in it. The 12 week training plan started on 23rd February, but I was in Malaysia on my jollies. As I have been walking 3 or 4 miles a couple of times a week up until I went away I figured I was ok to miss off the first week as that was only 3 mile walks anyway. But then the 2nd week didn’t get off to a flying start, I missed my first scheduled walk due to a migraine – which I think was just the jet lag etc catching up with me. But I managed a four mile walk round Ashford last Thursday. It took me a while because I was still on holiday sauntering mode, and not manic London mode. Then on Sunday, I picked up a fellow Moonwalker, Diane, and we went to Chartham to follow this route
http://www.kent.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/377BA4C8-D24E-4415-BFA2-16C4C2627316/0/walksineastkentchartham.pdf
Now it says 5 miles, but according to Diane’s pedometer it was just under 7 (I forgot to take mine). We went wrong a couple of times due to the lack of clear instructions, but we only went ½ mile out maximum. Nevermind, every little helps and it was an extra 2 miles on the total.

So I start with a vengeance this week, with a 10 week countdown to work through. I am also going to make an effort to do some stretching like it says in the training plan, and I desperately need to get back to my pilates class as the time off for my holiday is playing havoc with my bad back. So I’d like to get a couple of pilates sessions done a week but I just need more hours in the day.

I’m also overweight and a classic yo-yo dieter, so I’m taking the next 10 weeks to follow the Paul McKenna weightloss plan. I’ve bought the book and the 90 day journal, so obviously it will run for a couple of weeks after the walk, but that’s fine. So long as I look presentable in a bra on the night it will all be hunky dory. Ish.

So in my head, by the time I’ve finished the walk (and recovered) I should be a lean, mean, walking machine. In reality, we may have to see how it goes.

Strolling around and drinking chai latte

So not much training then!

Last Saturday I went out for a wander with my husband on the seafront at Hythe. This wasn’t a training walk as we weren’t walking fast, but we did do 2.5 miles. I also did it in my cheapy trainers and had no side effects at all. So now I’m torn, do I walk in my cheap trainers and risk making my ankles worse (I am going to go to the doctors about them when I get back off my hols) but not suffer the instant side effects of blisters. Or do I continue in the trainers that make me walk properly, but make myself miserable by ending each (short at the moment) walk in pain. I know which one I’m leaning towards at the moment, it’s just whether it’s a good idea in the long run. Ho hum.

Here is the obligatory photo of the seafront as we walked along it.

And on Sunday I went to meet Diane and Amanda, fellow first time Moonwalkers from Kent. We added another to our ranks, Sam came along to meet us as well, and as she did it two years ago, we spent most of the time picking her brains. It was really nice to chat about it without boring the other person (I can see the glazed look that crosses my husband’s eyes occasionally). And I think once I get back off my holiday, it’s going to sink in pretty rapidly about exactly what I’ve let myself in for!!

Stop Press! Trainer Update

Ok, so it's not actually THAT exciting, but still, I said I would update on the trainer/blister situation.

I took my trainers back to the shop where I bought them, Run and Become, and explained my problem with the blister in the same place over and over. The lady I spoke to was REALLY helpful. She asked me to put the trainers back on and walk up and down in them a couple of times. Firstly, she re-laced my trainers from the usual criss-cross to some complicated weaving type lacing. To stop my trainers rubbing I had just been pulling the laces tighter and tighter and this was just making my guiders ache. So, the new way brings the laces further round my ankle for more support, but also allows them to be looser over the front.

Then she explained that, although the trainers I have had support in them to correct my ankles, I was still pronating over the top of that support, tipping the side of my foot into the side of the trainer and causing the friction. Unfortunately, the trainers I have are the ones with the most support in them so my only option was a pair of £24 orthotic liners.

She put them in the trainers for me and I had a walk in them and could definitely tell the difference. I couldn’t even feel the blister I currently have. So she then said if I could produce a receipt for the original trainers, I could have them for free. So she put them to one side and I went back with a receipt the next day and got them. I haven’t tried them out yet but will do at the weekend. I sincerely hope they do the trick.

Whilst I was there I had a look at bumbags as well and have bought one for £15. It looks like it should fit everything I want to carry on the night.

The First Walk

I thought it was about time I got cracking with a bit of training. It was my birthday last week and the neighbours bought me a walking survival kit. Consisting of scarf, hat, gloves and a brolly LOL It also had a WW pedometer in which will be very useful (and so will the other things if the weather doesn’t change!)

So I packed my new walking trainers and my pedometer in to my work bag with a view to going out for a wander at lunch. But the heavens opened and showed no signs of closing, so I went down the gym and did it on a treadmill instead. I set my pedometer up to ‘average’ for a female of my height, but judging on the results that won’t be accurate as I will be power walking, not pottering around. And it came in at ¾’s of what I walked so I will need to do the manual measurement I think.

I did a warm up and then walked a couple of miles (even though the treadmill measures in kms – grrr) I did the first mile in 16 ½ minutes and the second mile in 15 ¾ minutes, and then cooled down. I didn’t think that was too bad, my aim is a constant 15 minute mile through the whole walk, so it’s going to be my stamina I have to work on, not my speed. Hopefully.

By the time I had set my pedometer up, warmed up, walked two miles and cooled down, I figured I ought to head back to the office. My feet were a bit sore so I’m going to take my 1000 mile socks next time. But apart from that it wasn’t so bad. Watched ¾ of Wife Swap whilst I walked so that passed the time a bit, once I’d got the hang of the screen controls anyway. I go to aerobics classes quite often but it’s a while since I went in the actual gym.My aim is to walk 3 or 4 miles twice a week until Christmas, then I’ll start to build up the distance a bit I think.

Got the trainers

Well step one of the Moonwalk is complete - buying the trainers LOL


There is a shop near where I work called Run and Become. They suggest trainers for you, and then make you run up and down the street in them to assess whether they are suitable for you. Always an amusing site watching suited and booteds running up and down in bright white trainers.

Anyway, I digress. I went in and explained my needs - a wonky little toe which means I basically walk on top of the toe and squash it in to a blister over any distance (why this didn't occur to me when I hit apply, I've no idea), very pronated ankles, and a lingering wobbliness from the sprained ankles I had a few months ago. She got me a few pairs out and made me walk up and down in them, and I settled on these
























I'm wearing them round the house a bit to break them in. But I'm really pleased with them. I've also bought some 1000 miles socks based on a couple of recommendations, they sound very clever so hopefully they will prevent my blisters.


Now I just need a pedometer and a bumbag and I'm ready to go.