Not The Sloc!

After a few swapped texts on Friday evening it was decided a route would be chosen at the NSC on Saturday morning. Richard, Andy, Stew and I met Dave Walker, who had managed to fly back home a day earlier than he had expected from the UK, and Sam Fletcher who was also free to walk due to his babysitting commitments not starting, this weekend, till 12 o' clock. It was decided, so Sam could make it home in time, that the Sloc was the best route to follow. Sam had arrived in his Mini Bus so this was the chosen transport down to Ballabeg (Sam's house) he could then turn at will and head back for home to meet his timetable. The weather was perfect for it, nice and clear, if not a little cold to start, but this didn't stop Sam wearing his usual wife beater vest. Not to speak for anyone else but I ridiculed him on his choice of attire, it was only at the top of the Sloc, at the round table junction, that I realised his choice was far better suited to the now sunny, warm weather and pace than the layers I had wrapped up in. We continued on the Parish route to Peel, Sam had turned Dalby side of Glen Maye for home, where the rest of us stopped at a café for breakfast. After refilling are water bottles we set off back, on the main road, to Douglas and the NSC.

With doubling up training Wednesday and Thursday my mileage this week, after yesterday, was up somewhere close to where it would have been without the short break in Brussels. I must admit to feeling a little empty at the bottom of Ballakillowy yesterday morning but I had walked on Friday, late afternoon, and hadn't really eaten much Friday evening apart from a Salad. I think both these factors played their part early on Saturday. For those that are doing the Firemans Memorial Walk, on Sunday 23rd April, who have not walked a similar distance before it really is important, not only to eat and drink on the day, but to eat and drink ( no.. not alcohol, oh.. ok... maybe just one or two! ) in the week leading up to the event. I normally eat  Pasta, Rice and Potato type meals the week before and drink more water than I normally would in any other week. Again, this works for me,  but if it is your first long walk and indeed its being done as training for the Manx Telecom Parish Walk itself then it is an ideal opportunity to try and eat and hydrate well the week before and find foods your  happy with and sit well in the lead up to the event.

Note to Self - Read this before your next South African Centurion event!!

There is only one week left now to enter the Firemans Memorial Walk, entries close at midnight on the 13th, so get them in so not to miss out.

http://www.firefightersmemorialwalk.com/