After yesterdays exertions the last thing the legs wanted to do today was put in a round with plenty of ups and downs but I'm stubborn and they will do as I tell them.
So it was the circuit of Trentham Park, Quarry Ridge, Seven Sisters, Kings Wood, Spring Valley, past the Monkey Forest and up to the Monument, A34, Tags Meadow, Trentham Village and back to the car.
The pull up to Quarry Ridge is about 300 metres of 60 degree climb which really gets the quads pumped although the 65 degree descent into Spring valley pretty much trashes everything else. Then a trail runner blasts past, how can he run downhill like that and not faceplant, it's just disheartening as I sidestep and slowly work my way down.
Once down it's a quick clatter over the footbridge before another much shorter quad shaker and its onto the "High Ropes Adventure Centre" and a decision. Stay on the roadway to emerge at the Monkey Forest entrance or go right up another steep pull and gain the monument. The sensible thing would be the first option. I choose the latter and once more my legs hate me, but now they are joined by the feet who are developing a secondary picket in support of the legs.
Whatever, I'm committed to it and eventually I gain the A34 where a mile of walking puts me level with the top of Trentham Village at Tags Meadow and I take the gap in the hedgerow, walk into the Village which is busy despite 90% of the outlets being shut. I pause and debate whether to join one of the long queues for a coffee, see the take away price is £3, decide I can get one from McDonalds for 99p and elect to give it a miss.
I shuffle through the Village past the garden centre, through the courtyard and once outside the gates a 200 metre, though it felt like 2k, walk and I collapse absolutely knackered into the car.
On reflection after yesterdays walk I maybe should have taken an easier option, but as a yardstick of where my fitness has gone since I began the challenge. I'm glad I did it.
Time 2h 55m 31s Distance 5.9 miles inc 500m total of ascent and descent. Steps 12,765 Cals 3107 that ascent makes a difference eh.
After yesterdays exertions the last thing the legs wanted to do today was put in a round with plenty of ups and downs but I'm stubborn and they will do as I tell them.
So it was the circuit of Trentham Park, Quarry Ridge, Seven Sisters, Kings Wood, Spring Valley, past the Monkey Forest and up to the Monument, A34, Tags Meadow, Trentham Village and back to the car.
The pull up to Quarry Ridge is about 300 metres of 60 degree climb which really gets the quads pumped although the 65 degree descent into Spring valley pretty much trashes everything else. Then a trail runner blasts past, how can he run downhill like that and not faceplant, it's just disheartening as I sidestep and slowly work my way down.
Once down it's a quick clatter over the footbridge before another much shorter quad shaker and its onto the "High Ropes Adventure Centre" and a decision. Stay on the roadway to emerge at the Monkey Forest entrance or go right up another steep pull and gain the monument. The sensible thing would be the first option. I choose the latter and once more my legs hate me, but now they are joined by the feet who are developing a secondary picket in support of the legs.
Whatever, I'm committed to it and eventually I gain the A34 where a mile of walking puts me level with the top of Trentham Village at Tags Meadow and I take the gap in the hedgerow, walk into the Village which is busy despite 90% of the outlets being shut. I pause and debate whether to join one of the long queues for a coffee, see the take away price is £3, decide I can get one from McDonalds for 99p and elect to give it a miss.
I shuffle through the Village past the garden centre, through the courtyard and once outside the gates a 200 metre, though it felt like 2k, walk and I collapse absolutely knackered into the car.
On reflection after yesterdays walk I maybe should have taken an easier option, but as a yardstick of where my fitness has gone since I began the challenge. I'm glad I did it.
Time 2h 55m 31s Distance 5.9 miles inc 500m total of ascent and descent. Steps 12,765 Cals 3107 that ascent makes a difference eh.
Day26 OMG do I really have to get out and walk today.
Well a little like golf it's not a case of how but how many as the usual Thursday stuff threatened to get in the way. In fact at 4pm nothing of note had been achieved challenge wise, mainly due to my legs not wanting to go anywhere, and I resigned myself to finishing under the headtorch again.
However thanks to some car park circuits whilst others were doing their stuff by 6pm its looking good and the Trent River Path from Boothen to Hanford followed by the dance of death across Hanford roundabout, yes there are traffic lights and crossing points but traffic just regards these as an inconvenience, then its just the "Michelin Mile" back into Boothen and hey ho target reached.
Today was always going to be a light day in consideration of the previous 2 and hopefully now the rest of the challenge will be straightforward.
The missus has just revealed that we have a fully working foot spa in the back bedroom, wtf, like she couldn't have remembered that 20 odd days ago?
No time today due to me not working the Fit Pro properly Distance 4.94 miles Steps 10,217 Cals 1689
Day 26 not to be confused with yesterdays Day 26 which of course was the deliberate mistake to see who was paying attention.
Nobody apparently, because either no one spotted it or, and this is the more likely scenario, nobody reads this drivel.
Anyway it was back to the fleshpots of Westport Lake today partly because it's flat with plenty of wildlife to look at, rest places if needed and an ice cream van. Partly because I had hopes that the afternoon sunshine may entice the odd yummy mummy to put in an appearance.
In the end I had to be content with an amazing encounter with a robin as the fearless thing sat quite calmly as I observed him from a distance of no more than 6 inches. It then proceeded to hop onto my left trainer and sat there for a full 20 seconds only moving when some kids came noisily past. Absolutely incredible.
The steps themselves were uneventful and mundane and apart from the robin really uneventful. The Geese sh4t everywhere, the swans hissed and threw menacing shapes at those who ventured too near, and the seagulls beat the ducks to all the bread. Hmm perhaps there's a microcosm of human existence in those very observations.
5days to go and I'm actually thinking I might miss it all when it's done and dusted.
Total raised so far plus pledges £625 plus gift aid. Not bad for a fat boy from Stoke.
Thanks to everybody for your support and encouragement.
Time 2h 14m 22s Distance 4.92 miles Steps 10,045 Cals 1639
I expected today to be a bit of an embuggerance and certainly wasn't disappointed. No actually scratch that, that's a selfish way of looking at something that I'd said I would do because it's the right thing to do
I'd agreed to take some elderly folk for their 2nd vaccinations but in the manner of such events it turned out that they were at different times and different venues. However, such things are no reason to not meet the challenge.
Truth be told I fully intended to get up early and knock the steps off but I just couldn't find the motivation, whilst nothing was painful, everything just ached. Consequently I only got about 3,000 in before I had to make the vaccine journeys, still not to worry should be done by 3.30 so plenty of time after eh?
Well no, trying to get from Hanley to Stoke proved problematic as the roads became congested due to some poor soul threatening to jump onto the A500 from a bridge, fortunately as an ex delivery driver I know all the rat runs, back alleys and options so at least the inconvenience was only temporary.
However, it did mean that I got back home about an hour behind schedule which just compounded the situation. The only solution was to stay local and so Six Towns Park and Fenton Park bore the brunt of an aggressive power walk which wasn't best for already knackered legs but necessary to complete before dark. At least tomorrow there will be an extra hour of light.
Anyway another one in the book, bring on tomorrow.
Time 2h 49m 51s Distance 5.05 miles Steps 10,146 Cals1770
Day 28, yup that's right 4 weeks done. Doesn't time fly when your having fun ?
The day started somewhat strangely with the missus waking me some 2 1/2 hours before my alarm was due to go off and by 9.30 I'm transporting Son in Law and Daughters dog to the emergency vets.
Yes it is a 2 man job as the dog in question is a Rottie / Dog de Bordeaux cross weighing in at about 10 stone with a bad attitude to travelling and a penchant for misbehaviour
So that wiped the morning out which had been allocated to getting the bulk of the steps in and that combined with a prior commitment meant that at 4pm nothing had been achieved so cue Westport Lake again where I parked up, kitted up, made sure the missus was ok with a book and a cup of coffee and went for it.
Phew, managed to complete the challenge but once again at the expense of really blasting round which has left the knees in a bit of a state. Still only 3 days left to go and then I can chase up the money and pledges.
Once this is complete it's 2 days off and then I've decided to use the 28 days from the 3rd to the 30th April inclusive to do an Everest challenge. Using stairs/steps based on a local railway bridge and a local retail park the objective will be to climb 44,000 stairs to equate to the 8,800 metres of Everest.
The stairs have been measured at 20cm so 5 stairs = 1 metre with the railway bridge having 32 stairs and the retail park 76 stairs.
This is NOT for charity it's simply to get some hill / mountain training in and allows for rest/recovery days and will be used in conjunction with gym work after April 12. Oh and yes just for authenticity I will be carrying 10kg in a rucksack.
Time 2h 08m 22s a new PB Distance 5.04 miles Steps 10,466 Cals 1861
29 down 2 to go and hello sunshine and goodbye outer shell as a base layer and a mid layer ensure total comfort for the duration of todays challenge.
It was back to Westport Lake again complete with small social gatherings rule of sixing it around bottles of wine and hastily prepared picnics, sods law would determine that on the best day in ages the ice cream van was absent.
However the total comfort I sought was more a case of discomfort, and a little soreness, as a failure to use the Step One, the Sondico or the Under Armour range of dynamic skin wear in the most vital area has allowed chaffing to evolve. Whilst carpet burn of the gooch is not a strict medical term its a flippin seriously painful condition😫😫😭😭.
With the weather forecast looking good for tomorrow I'm hoping that really lightweight will suffice as I aim to crack the 2 hour barrier, something I haven't yet achieved, as the final walk on Wednesday is going to be a bit of an epic . Really feeling the difference in my fitness from when I started, granted it's still the beginning of the journey to get properly fit but 4 weeks ago it was a rest every 500 yards now it's maybe 1 every 2 miles or so.
Still drinking very little alcohol and eating healthier, that combined with the walking has led to a 1 stone weight loss over the 4 weeks without recourse to dieting or meal plans. Hurrah yes? Well maybe if there still wasn't another 9 stones to lose. Still I'm into vertical training on April 3rd so that should see more lbs shed.
As usual thank you to everybody who reads this. You keep me motivated and accountable.
Time 2h 15m 34s Distance 4.93 miles Steps 10,342 Cals1885
Fabulous results on the weight loss front. That must be a great feeling, along with being able to tell how your fitness is improving. Really well done Mark. As for the rest of the weight, yes sometimes the sheer scale of the task ahead seems disheartening and daunting. However, you have already got over the initial hurdle, the most difficult in any regime/life change, acceptance that something needed to be done and getting started on making yourself healthier and fitter. From experience I can tell you there will be days when you falter, don’t be to hard on yourself when you do. You are human, these things happen, for a variety of good and bad reasons. You just need to find the inner strength, which you now know you have from doing this, and start again. It will not be a quick fix, you will have to make choices about what you eat and drink that will have to become lifetime changes. You can still enjoy the odd treat here and there, but you need to know in your own mind that treat, is no longer an everyday norm. I’ve been so impressed by your efforts and am so happy to see your results, although probably not as happy as you I wager. I had my own walk yesterday, down into Pompey and back to get my first dose of vaccine, managed 19000 + steps. First time in a while I’ve been out and about. Keep going, you’re an inspiration. Nick
Fabulous results on the weight loss front. That must be a great feeling, along with being able to tell how your fitness is improving. Really well done Mark. As for the rest of the weight, yes sometimes the sheer scale of the task ahead seems disheartening and daunting. However, you have already got over the initial hurdle, the most difficult in any regime/life change, acceptance that something needed to be done and getting started on making yourself healthier and fitter. From experience I can tell you there will be days when you falter, don’t be to hard on yourself when you do. You are human, these things happen, for a variety of good and bad reasons. You just need to find the inner strength, which you now know you have from doing this, and start again. It will not be a quick fix, you will have to make choices about what you eat and drink that will have to become lifetime changes. You can still enjoy the odd treat here and there, but you need to know in your own mind that treat, is no longer an everyday norm. I’ve been so impressed by your efforts and am so happy to see your results, although probably not as happy as you I wager. I had my own walk yesterday, down into Pompey and back to get my first dose of vaccine, managed 19000 + steps. First time in a while I’ve been out and about. Keep going, you’re an inspiration. Nick
Comments
After yesterdays exertions the last thing the legs wanted to do today was put in a round with plenty of ups and downs but I'm stubborn and they will do as I tell them.
So it was the circuit of Trentham Park, Quarry Ridge, Seven Sisters, Kings Wood, Spring Valley, past the Monkey Forest and up to the Monument, A34, Tags Meadow, Trentham Village and back to the car.
The pull up to Quarry Ridge is about 300 metres of 60 degree climb which really gets the quads pumped although the 65 degree descent into Spring valley pretty much trashes everything else. Then a trail runner blasts past, how can he run downhill like that and not faceplant, it's just disheartening as I sidestep and slowly work my way down.
Once down it's a quick clatter over the footbridge before another much shorter quad shaker and its onto the "High Ropes Adventure Centre" and a decision. Stay on the roadway to emerge at the Monkey Forest entrance or go right up another steep pull and gain the monument. The sensible thing would be the first option. I choose the latter and once more my legs hate me, but now they are joined by the feet who are developing a secondary picket in support of the legs.
Whatever, I'm committed to it and eventually I gain the A34 where a mile of walking puts me level with the top of Trentham Village at Tags Meadow and I take the gap in the hedgerow, walk into the Village which is busy despite 90% of the outlets being shut. I pause and debate whether to join one of the long queues for a coffee, see the take away price is £3, decide I can get one from McDonalds for 99p and elect to give it a miss.
I shuffle through the Village past the garden centre, through the courtyard and once outside the gates a 200 metre, though it felt like 2k, walk and I collapse absolutely knackered into the car.
On reflection after yesterdays walk I maybe should have taken an easier option, but as a yardstick of where my fitness has gone since I began the challenge. I'm glad I did it.
Time 2h 55m 31s
Distance 5.9 miles inc 500m total of ascent and descent.
Steps 12,765
Cals 3107 that ascent makes a difference eh.
https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/markwalks
PLEASE DO NOT FEEL UNDER ANY OBLIGATION TO DONATE.
Have a great day, stay safe.
Mark
Good effort by you both.
I hope you can keep it going in some form after March, and reap the benefits in the future.
Good luck, Ed.
Well a little like golf it's not a case of how but how many as the usual Thursday stuff threatened to get in the way. In fact at 4pm nothing of note had been achieved challenge wise, mainly due to my legs not wanting to go anywhere, and I resigned myself to finishing under the headtorch again.
However thanks to some car park circuits whilst others were doing their stuff by 6pm its looking good and the Trent River Path from Boothen to Hanford followed by the dance of death across Hanford roundabout, yes there are traffic lights and crossing points but traffic just regards these as an inconvenience, then its just the "Michelin Mile" back into Boothen and hey ho target reached.
Today was always going to be a light day in consideration of the previous 2 and hopefully now the rest of the challenge will be straightforward.
The missus has just revealed that we have a fully working foot spa in the back bedroom, wtf, like she couldn't have remembered that 20 odd days ago?
No time today due to me not working the Fit Pro properly
Distance 4.94 miles
Steps 10,217
Cals 1689
https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/markwalks
PLEASE DO NOT FEEL UNDER ANY OBLIGATION TO DONATE.
Be happy, be lucky, have a great day.
Mark
Nobody apparently, because either no one spotted it or, and this is the more likely scenario, nobody reads this drivel.
Anyway it was back to the fleshpots of Westport Lake today partly because it's flat with plenty of wildlife to look at, rest places if needed and an ice cream van. Partly because I had hopes that the afternoon sunshine may entice the odd yummy mummy to put in an appearance.
In the end I had to be content with an amazing encounter with a robin as the fearless thing sat quite calmly as I observed him from a distance of no more than 6 inches. It then proceeded to hop onto my left trainer and sat there for a full 20 seconds only moving when some kids came noisily past. Absolutely incredible.
The steps themselves were uneventful and mundane and apart from the robin really uneventful. The Geese sh4t everywhere, the swans hissed and threw menacing shapes at those who ventured too near, and the seagulls beat the ducks to all the bread. Hmm perhaps there's a microcosm of human existence in those very observations.
5days to go and I'm actually thinking I might miss it all when it's done and dusted.
Total raised so far plus pledges £625 plus gift aid. Not bad for a fat boy from Stoke.
Thanks to everybody for your support and encouragement.
Time 2h 14m 22s
Distance 4.92 miles
Steps 10,045
Cals 1639
https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/markwalks
PLEASE DO NOT FEEL UNDER ANY OBLIGATION TO DONATE.
Have yourselves an amazing weekend, stay safe.
Mark.
£625 is a brilliant total!
I expected today to be a bit of an embuggerance and certainly wasn't disappointed. No actually scratch that, that's a selfish way of looking at something that I'd said I would do because it's the right thing to do
I'd agreed to take some elderly folk for their 2nd vaccinations but in the manner of such events it turned out that they were at different times and different venues. However, such things are no reason to not meet the challenge.
Truth be told I fully intended to get up early and knock the steps off but I just couldn't find the motivation, whilst nothing was painful, everything just ached. Consequently I only got about 3,000 in before I had to make the vaccine journeys, still not to worry should be done by 3.30 so plenty of time after eh?
Well no, trying to get from Hanley to Stoke proved problematic as the roads became congested due to some poor soul threatening to jump onto the A500 from a bridge, fortunately as an ex delivery driver I know all the rat runs, back alleys and options so at least the inconvenience was only temporary.
However, it did mean that I got back home about an hour behind schedule which just compounded the situation. The only solution was to stay local and so Six Towns Park and Fenton Park bore the brunt of an aggressive power walk which wasn't best for already knackered legs but necessary to complete before dark. At least tomorrow there will be an extra hour of light.
Anyway another one in the book, bring on tomorrow.
Time 2h 49m 51s
Distance 5.05 miles
Steps 10,146
Cals1770
https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/markwalks
PLEASE DO NOT FEEL UNDER ANY OBLIGATION TO DONATE.
Have a great day, stay safe.
Mark
The day started somewhat strangely with the missus waking me some 2 1/2 hours before my alarm was due to go off and by 9.30 I'm transporting Son in Law and Daughters dog to the emergency vets.
Yes it is a 2 man job as the dog in question is a Rottie / Dog de Bordeaux cross weighing in at about 10 stone with a bad attitude to travelling and a penchant for misbehaviour
So that wiped the morning out which had been allocated to getting the bulk of the steps in and that combined with a prior commitment meant that at 4pm nothing had been achieved so cue Westport Lake again where I parked up, kitted up, made sure the missus was ok with a book and a cup of coffee and went for it.
Phew, managed to complete the challenge but once again at the expense of really blasting round which has left the knees in a bit of a state. Still only 3 days left to go and then I can chase up the money and pledges.
Once this is complete it's 2 days off and then I've decided to use the 28 days from the 3rd to the 30th April inclusive to do an Everest challenge. Using stairs/steps based on a local railway bridge and a local retail park the objective will be to climb 44,000 stairs to equate to the 8,800 metres of Everest.
The stairs have been measured at 20cm so 5 stairs = 1 metre with the railway bridge having 32 stairs and the retail park 76 stairs.
This is NOT for charity it's simply to get some hill / mountain training in and allows for rest/recovery days and will be used in conjunction with gym work after April 12. Oh and yes just for authenticity I will be carrying 10kg in a rucksack.
Time 2h 08m 22s a new PB
Distance 5.04 miles
Steps 10,466
Cals 1861
Thank you to everybody for your continued support
https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/markwalks
PLEASE DO NOT FEEL UNDER ANY OBLIGATION TO DONATE.
Have a great day and stay safe.
Mark
29 down 2 to go and hello sunshine and goodbye outer shell as a base layer and a mid layer ensure total comfort for the duration of todays challenge.
It was back to Westport Lake again complete with small social gatherings rule of sixing it around bottles of wine and hastily prepared picnics, sods law would determine that on the best day in ages the ice cream van was absent.
However the total comfort I sought was more a case of discomfort, and a little soreness, as a failure to use the Step One, the Sondico or the Under Armour range of dynamic skin wear in the most vital area has allowed chaffing to evolve. Whilst carpet burn of the gooch is not a strict medical term its a flippin seriously painful condition😫😫😭😭.
With the weather forecast looking good for tomorrow I'm hoping that really lightweight will suffice as I aim to crack the 2 hour barrier, something I haven't yet achieved, as the final walk on Wednesday is going to be a bit of an epic
.
Really feeling the difference in my fitness from when I started, granted it's still the beginning of the journey to get properly fit but 4 weeks ago it was a rest every 500 yards now it's maybe 1 every 2 miles or so.
Still drinking very little alcohol and eating healthier, that combined with the walking has led to a 1 stone weight loss over the 4 weeks without recourse to dieting or meal plans. Hurrah yes? Well maybe if there still wasn't another 9 stones to lose. Still I'm into vertical training on April 3rd so that should see more lbs shed.
As usual thank you to everybody who reads this. You keep me motivated and accountable.
Time 2h 15m 34s
Distance 4.93 miles
Steps 10,342
Cals1885
https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/markwalks
PLEASE DO NOT FEEL UNDER ANY OBLIGATION TO DONATE.
Have a great day, stay safe.
Mark
As for the rest of the weight, yes sometimes the sheer scale of the task ahead seems disheartening and daunting. However, you have already got over the initial hurdle, the most difficult in any regime/life change, acceptance that something needed to be done and getting started on making yourself healthier and fitter. From experience I can tell you there will be days when you falter, don’t be to hard on yourself when you do. You are human, these things happen, for a variety of good and bad reasons. You just need to find the inner strength, which you now know you have from doing this, and start again.
It will not be a quick fix, you will have to make choices about what you eat and drink that will have to become lifetime changes. You can still enjoy the odd treat here and there, but you need to know in your own mind that treat, is no longer an everyday norm.
I’ve been so impressed by your efforts and am so happy to see your results, although probably not as happy as you I wager. I had my own walk yesterday, down into Pompey and back to get my first dose of vaccine, managed 19000 + steps. First time in a while I’ve been out and about.
Keep going, you’re an inspiration.
Nick
"19000 + steps" fair play to ye.