How did they do that!

Blog no sooner posted than the adverts start bombarding my netbook to plug Asics.  They'll probably do it again when this is posted!

New shoes on the block

Kept to the plan and got along to Up & Running (no, this is not a plug for them but they were really helpful!) in order to get new shoes organised in readiness for the long walk.  High Street chains? Forget them, this was service with necessary skills and a ready smile.  And it took a while!  We've all been customers of high street sports emporiums where it feels as if the assistant doesn't know one end of the shoe from the other (I suppose they do mostly sell nothing but England (sorry!) kit), or the difference between a cross trainer and a cross-dresser.  Try U&R, immense knowledge and interesting assistance with the latest video evidence of what your feet are actually doing when you walk.  I came away with some shiny new Asics in my case.  All I've to do now is the training, no excuses, just get stuck in.  Modest to start with and then longer sessions so that come the day they will look well worn in and from any angle no longer new.    Are they the right boots for my my pads?  Chris Cale certainly thinks so and he's a man who should know - he's going for his 10th finish, pretty cool that.  So far all they have done is trek round the house (well he said I could change them if they still looked new!)

Next outing of note is the 20k this Saturday.  Too soon to test them in anger me thinks but after that they'll be hitting the roads for sure.  Must remember no long trousers on Saturday!
Thanks Chris for your help from another Parish Walker sorted hopefully to travel and to arrive.

Next Up

The Winter Walking Leagues have ended!  Some liked them, some I met hated them but for anyone wishing to get that easy introduction into Race Walking I would strongly recommend them.  And they provide a good reason to get up early on some chilly Sunday mornings to give it a go.  They have been very enjoyable with great camaraderie and sportsmanship.  Me? I gave them a go to see if I could maintain fitness over the winter months and get a headstart with my training for the Parish Walk into the bargain.  Has it worked?  Obviously only one day in June will really tell me that but here's hoping.

I wanted to see the final results of the leagues before posting this to see if they gave me any pointers for next steps on the path to fitness but I wrote this post over a week ago, whether or not it's me or the MH website I can't access them so need to get this out before it's completely irrelevant  sorry for the delay but not my fault - honest!!
  

Next step - the shops

It's about the time now for anyone hoping to do all or much of the Parish Walk to think about the training necessary - if they haven't already started -  I'm off to buy new trainers nextweek to get them ready for the long walk in June and one tip I can pass on is that the last thing anyone should do is start the event in shoes that are brand new or put on for the first time on the day.
I actually know someone who did this.  They shall remain nameless, they know who they are and I sincerely hope they don't read this.  Trust me, after 19 miles these feet were some of the worst damaged I have ever seen and there have been some pretty gruesome outcomes in that department, just look at Dermott O's book of the Parish Walk to see what can happen!  You need all the help going to get it right on the day and starting early with good shoes looking well worn on the day,  gives you at least a chance of avoiding this schoolboy/girl error.  I'll let you know how it goes and the recommendations and then start talking about doing some mileage not too much!  Till next week.

The bug.

It's usually about this time of the new year that the notion of entering the Parish Walk enters peoples' minds, mine too usually; my family tells me I'm mad and I sit down until the feeling goes away.  The trouble is, the Parish Walk is one of those things that gnaws away at you and in no time at all the feeling comes back again. It must be the addiction gene eventually mind gets thebetter over matter and the entry gets lodged. Having decided to go for the challenge, the next issue is how to get the right sort of training to be fit enough for the challenge.  More of that another time.

This year it's been very different. The Winter Walking League has been a fun way to keep a moderate degree of fitness over the winter months and somehow the PW doesn't seem so daunting. Why I haven't entered the league before is probably down to idleness (come on who of us is usually so pushed on a Sunday morning once in a month!?)  I would recommend it to anyone wanting to have a serious go in June.  Probably not necessary if you're going to Peel and have a reasonable fitness from  some other sport but for anyone planning on going further give it a go over the winter!

Sadly, the last round is now upon us on the coldest weekend of the year but ho hum it's still got to be done!  There was a moment of concern for me after the last round until I spotted that my time had been loaded with an extra ten minutes.  I'm slowly getting the hang on the pace (well my pace not the fast guys) of these races and a handicap is one thing but adding more to mine seemed harsh!  Many thanks for the adjustment to timings folks!  It's been great comradeship and you make a lot of friends along the way.   See you Sunday bright and early!