As already said in my first post it was the challenge of the 2014 End to End walk that got me off the couch and back into what I thought at the time to be hard training. I spent most of my evenings leading upto the event walking the short distance from Belle Vue Park in Peel down to the Marina and progressively built up over time the number of laps I completed of East and West Quay and over the foot bridge before heading back along Peel Promenade and up over the Headlands home.
When it came to the day of the event I felt I had done more than enough Training mileage to complete the full distance, which, after some encouragement around Dalby from one of the Islands leading Female Walkers Steph Quayle (5 PW Finishers with an 18hr 05min PB) I did, in a time of 8hrs 8mins and 22nd Overall. It was during the latter part of the race, when I could feel through chaffing (my shorts had become one with my groin area) and later, during the journey home (lying on the back seat of the wife's car with my legs locked with cramp hanging out the passenger side window) I decided that anything longer than 39 miles was just mental! The way I felt another attempt at the End to End Walk in the future was more likely never going to happen, Christine (the Wife) confirmed this later when coming to check on me found me curled in to the Fetal Position on the bathroom floor, a physical and mental wreck!
In the days after (the shorts had now parted company with my groin but the results of chaffing remained) I sent an email of congratulation to a fellow walker, Ray Beattie, who I had walked the last 3 miles of the event and crossed the line with a few days earlier. We discussed our own issues during the race and how we had been training beforehand and decided to meet up and start doing a few walks together, this is where I now feel the importance of a training buddy early on is essential as it keeps you motivated and committed to planned sessions as it feels you are letting the other person down if you bail. Rays firm plans before the event were to finish the E2E Walk and to carry that forward into taking part in the Parish Walk 2015 to gain his first full distance finish. I did not let on at this point that the thought of 85 miles to me was still hideous.
During October 2014 I decided I was going to take part in the Winter League 10K series to keep on top of the weight loss and fitness I felt I was benefiting from. I missed the first round due to being on Holiday but competed on the 2nd round at Ronaldsway Industrial Estate posting a time of 64 minutes. I learnt a short time after the race that Bridget Kaneen held a coaching session in Peel on a Saturday morning to focus on Technique which in turn would develop speed. I attended the first session the Saturday after the 10K and was immediately given encouragement and praise for what I had achieved on the 10K the week before, however this was followed by the honesty that my stride was to long and my arms where all over the place. the session lasted for around 90 minutes, after my first coaching session I walked home thinking that this walking lark could be for me, all of a sudden it became not just walking, but trying to develop a good technique to bring on speed..... I was hooked!
For those that maybe interested Bridget still gives up her time on a Saturday morning to coach Technique, meeting at the House of Manannan at 10 o'clock. Looking back now the progress I have made over the last 25 Months can only be put down to the help and advise I have received from a handful of people but without Bridget's help and encouragement initially it would not of been possible. These type of coaching sessions and the Winter Walking League are massively beneficial for anyone thinking of entering the Manx Telecom Parish Walk for the first time in 2017.
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