Tracey & I set off before 7 this morning on our 16 miler....

I have been making a conscious effort to eat better as I have struggled in my walks recently....have to try everything!! So it was the trusty old tuna hash & rice for dinner last night & a triple dose of my training juice...some before I even left the house....I have also started leaving a second bottle in the front garden to pick up as we walk past during our seventh mile....

Good job really as today was HOT. I wish I'd worn my hat but had got my sunglasses with me which helped hide the pain & struggle showing in my eyes......yes, today was HARD.

To try to avoid the usual wooden-legs-walking, I decided to do some exercises & stretches before I left home....this at least was a success! Legs were fine.

The thing to remember is not to start off & worry about the fact that you have got to walk 16 miles....just think about the mile you are walking...I managed to do this....& as usual, was happy reaching the halfway mark....all good so far.....I even managed to walk with my head up, made it easier as well....

At 10 miles, we reached the High Road & set off for the final 6....the good thing being that you walk 3 miles out & have no alternative but to do the 3 coming home.....I have had battles with these 6 miles both this year & last year. It was along here that I hit my "wall" last year & the same thing happened today...

Miles 13, 14 & 15 to be exact.

No, I don't do things by half do I? Don't just have a mile struggling, no, that would be boring, hey, why not have 3?????!!!!

Nightmare.

Tracey was off, walking fantastically well.....as I approached the 3 miles, she was on her way back, I think I surprised her by carrying on to the marker. I guess I could have just turned with her, but I felt that I HAD to touch that lamp post for 3 miles.....it was all in the mind. I just had to do it.

I just ached, my hips were killing me, every muscle seemed to be reminding me that I was struggling.......but, I kept going. By this time, I just wanted to keep my pace going as much as possible although I did feel that I had slowed down a few times but, somehow I managed to push off my feet & get a bit of a spring in my step once more. It was a real battle.

At about 10.5 miles, we pass the church in Walton & on our way out to the High Road, I noticed it was about 9.08 & I made a mental note that I hoped to be walking back past it in good time....

During the 15th mile, the church clock was my target...I thought that if I walked past it at least by 10.20/25, I would be really happy, it would mean that I'd walked about 5 miles in 1hr 12-17. not a bad time considering I was having the walk from hell.......

So, imagine how pleased I was to pass it at about 10.14!! It meant that even though I had struggled, I'd managed to keep my pace going & do 5 miles in a pretty good time.....I was happy!!

I got a bit of a bounce back in my step & reached the 16 in 3hrs 36 minutes, to say I was chuffed is an understatement!!! Tracey had done hers 4 minutes quicker than me, so imagine how fast she would do it if she was on her own.....scary!!

So, the wall has been reached & climbed (kicking & struggling) over.......it was an experience that I feel I needed (NOT BY CHOICE!) to go through before the 20 miles of next Sunday & of course the big night itself......

Positive Mental Attitude rules!!
xx