Getting started

Since writing my last blog, I've really started training. I haven't done any walking previously because for the last few Months I've been here, there and everywhere and I'm now on the Island untill Febuary.



On Thursday 11 December, I walked in total, 3 hours 15 minutes and this includes walking home from work. (which takes 30 minutes). I left the house at 18:00 and returned home at 20:45. I wanted to avoid the usual winter running route which I do but it involved walking on some really dark streets with little lighting which I probably shouldn't have done and probably won't do again because at times I felt un safe despite wearing my fluorescent bib. I walked around the streets of Douglas where the street lighting was fine but then I headed out to UnionMills up Strang road and back to Douglas passing the new hospital. I then walked up by Kirby Garden centre and along the back road by B&Q which lead to the Quay. I walked along the prom which was annoying. (I forgot cars could park on the prom during Christmas and then I was going to walk to Onchan but it started raining heavily so I chickened out and walked the most direct route home.



On Friday, 12 December I walked to work and back-1 hour in total. (I don't see this as training but I am later going to tally the estimated miles I have walked since my previous blog.)



On Saturday 13 December, I met my friends in town for 12. Although it only takes 30 minutes to walk to town, I decided to leave at 11 and take a longer route. I was going to start earlier but I got distracted. I was on the internet looking for possible walking events/races I could do between now and the Parish but this wasn't sucessful. Everything I found was after June which doesn't help, and I was disappointed when I saw all the races I could have done recently- Syd Quirk which is a half marathon walk or run in Castletown and Peel to Douglas but I was away for these events. I did find a walk in St Johns on Sunday 14 Dec, sign in time 09:30 for a 10:00 start but have dancing at 12 in Douglas and wouldn't have been back in time.



Sunday 14 Dec, I was at my boyfriends house in Kirk Michael and I decided to walk to Douglas via Peel (for saftey) in time for dancing which starts at 12pm. My timing was perfect. I left Dan's house at 8:10 and arrived in time for dancing at 11:50. A total of 3 hours 40 minutes and a distance of 16 miles.



Since Thursday, I have walked roughly 37 miles. Which is a good start, I just have to keep going, untill June.



I felt fine whilst walking to dancing today-I didn't get any blisters, my muscles/bones felt fine and I wasn't tired iether. Which is a real confidence booster. However later when I got home I discovered rash marks on my skin from where my clothes had been rubbing and although it didn't hurt at the time, it hurts now and probably would have started hurting had I carried on for much longer. This is usually something I suffer from but it could have been worse than normal because I wasn't really prepared and didn't have the clothes I would usually walk in. I had to borrow Dan's Liverpool jacket-which was huge. (He's 6ft 4 and I'm 5 ft 2)



I think it is quite handy that Dan lives in Kirk Michael because, I will be able to see him more often whilst fitting in my training at the same time. For example, I could walk to Peel straight after I finish work and on Sundays, I could walk to or from dancing which I have just done. I think this method suits me better because I actually have a destination in mind and I can't take a short cut home and there's a purpose to the walk too. The problem with this is, I often start running, to get there quicker which defeats the whole object. But this was a while ago when I suppose I didn't really see it as specific training for the Parish.



Right, I will leave it there for today, but before I go, I thought I would mention the reason why I have highlighted the distance in which I have walked. It is to keep an easy record of exactly what I have done. The aim being, that hopefully, I will continue doing this and a few days before the Parish walk event, I can record what I have done on a piece of paper and bring it with me. It will give me confidence because I have done the training and will also be a security for when I am struggling. I will look at the piece of paper and the training and preperation that I did and it will keep me going. (Or that is the plan).