Sadventure Completed #42: couch to 50k to couch...

"Why don't you train for an ultra-marathon?" she said.

"Because I value life. Besides, I've walked just over 30kms twice recently in one go and it took me days to recover."

"You'll need a good pair of shoes," she said.

"And a hip replacement."I said.

"You don't have to run it. Just walk it in 12 hours."

"Still will hurt."

"You'll have to train. And you'll have to use a proper distance training app. No more of your ludicrous make it up as you go along stuff."

"Winter's coming."

"Wear gloves."

I hate losing arguments. I'm to walk 50 kms in less than 12 hours by February using an app to train with.

+++

Right! I have done some proper research on Google and everything. It turns out there's no "0 - 50k app" that I can find and a lot of the walking/running apps only have free trials. This seems like a good enough reason to try one new app a week, and have a (good grief!) planned training plan on paper.

So....

Week 1

App: MapMyWalk

Tells me to connect my Smart Shoes. I don't own any smart shoes. Allows me to skip the 14 day free trial and go straight to the counting page.

Training Plan

4 x 10kms walk this week.

+++

10k walk 1

Turns out I have a maths problem rather than a fitness one. I figured out what I thought was a 5k distance, only to discover it was a little over 7k, and still had to walk back.

Thus:

Time taken: 2h, 59mins,

Distance: 14.48kms,

Calories: 882

Steps: 21181

Ave. pace: 12:26km/hr

Fastest km: 10:42

Slowest km: 14:59

The App: Great for stats! Much better than Strava which isn't as in-depth when you're using it for free, but after all, it's free. This one will have to be bought at some point.

Each hour it interrupts your listening (currently Brené Brown's Braving the Wilderness) to tell you the distance covered, the time taken and your average speed which is sort of good and sort of not good. I think I'm in the rather not know camp.

It also has suggested walks although nothing in my area.

Walk 2

Time taken: 1h, 55mins,

Distance: 9.8kms,

Calories: 609

Steps: 13245

Ave. pace: 11.46km/hr

Fastest km: 10:18

Slowest km: 13:49

I know my slowest time split will improve once I stop foraging blackberries on the way around. Realised that once I've done a third walk, I will have 'earned' an extra day of daily recommended calorie intake . Not that I'm on a diet, but any justification for pudding goes.

Walk 3

Time taken: 1h, 50mins, (faster)

Distance: 9.8kms,

Calories: 609

Steps: 13171

Ave. pace: 11.25km/hr

Fastest km: 10:21 (slower)

Slowest km: 13:16 (faster but only because I foraged fewer blackberries)

Starting to appreciate the booming voice from MapMyWalk which updates my stats periodically. Does work to help push on rather than dawdle which is what I'm apt to do.

Walk 4

Have a cold brewing so very glad I still managed to get out although I didn't push myself.

Time taken: 1h, 52mins, (slower)

Distance: 9.8kms,

Calories: 610

Steps: 13279

Ave. pace: 11:30km/hr

Fastest km: 10:32

Slowest km: 13:42

Week 2

Okay, so this one doesn't have a day of rest between walks, and worse, my cold is now officially 'heavy', any worse and I'd call it a frozen. In fact, I was so ill I couldn't muster downloading another app, so I stuck with MapMyWalk.

My proper walking boots have arrived so I've been wearing them in. Hopefully the blisters will have hardened by the next time I put them on.

Training Plan

3 x 10kms walk this week.

1 x 15kms

+++

Walk 1

Time taken: 1h, 56mins,

Distance: 9.8kms,

Calories: 596

Steps: 13547

Ave. pace: 12.01km/hr

Fastest km: 10:57

Slowest km: 14:14

Really under the weather. The walking does clear the sinuses somewhat but ruins the evening because one is so knackered. Worse, I overfilled the bath with hot water, which had long since run cold. A luke-warm bath is just pants.

Walk 2

App: Kamoot

This looks sleek, and it's free although more enhanced paid-for services exist, e.g. planned routes and voice inputs. You can also follow other people's adventures. But the free bit is simple: select the activity: hiking, running, cycling, mountaineering, alpine biking, road cycling and other acts of self-harm. Then select your level of fitness - I chose couch potato, and then your current location.

It was most useful when I was lost in a field and I could see where to go as it actually has footpaths indicated. Take that, Strava!

Time: 2h, 59

Distance: 9.55m

Pace: 3.2mph

Ascent: 225ft

Descent: 250ft

So the info about the activity is limited. And I can't see how to change it to kilometres but Strava, which I'm also running by way of comparison, says:

Distance: 15.55km

Elevation gain: 196m.

Average Pace: 11:38km

Fastest Split: 10:42km

I did miss the booming voice of MapMyWalks.

Walk 3

Another 10km walk on my usual blackberry route, with a improving cold. Someone offered me a lift, very kind of them, but I thought that might be cheating. Walked in my shiny new walking boots without too much trouble, except for a stone in my shoe. That made me hobble a bit. Think I should be able to do all walks going forward in them now.

Someone rang and we chatted on the phone for much of the walk. Suddenly realised how weird I must look seemingly yelling to myself over the windy bustle. Was glad when I found myself in a mobile blackspot. If you see a waddling, sweary, middle-aged, unfit woman scoffing black berries whilst raging down the road in new hiking boots - that's probably me. And I'm on the phone!

Kamoot

Time: 1h, 52

Distance: 5.99m

Pace: 3.2mph

Ascent: 100ft

Descent: 150ft

Strava

Distance: 9.87km

Elevation gain: 113m.

Average Pace: 11:23km

Fastest Split: 10:00km

Walk 4

Was trying to summon up the energy for a 10k walk when the phone rang and I was invited over for afternoon tea. Not one to pass up an opportunity, I figured if I walked there, I could get a lift home and then eat as much as I liked!

This is where Kamoot came into its own: I keyed in my destination and it came up with a route that was all bridleways and rural footpaths. Five hours, and 18 minutes was the suggested time. Then as I hacked along, it boomed in instructions for when to turn - making it so much easier to navigate my way. I only got lost once, and even then I was guided back into good walking order. Although when I saw this amazing fella on the way, I thought I'd diverted to America. As it was, it was a gorgeous Harris Hawk being exercised.

Kamoot

Time: 3h, 21

Distance: 9.15m

Pace: 2.7mph

Ascent: 450ft

Descent: 225ft

Strava

Distance: 15.47km

Elevation gain: 234m.

Average Pace: 13.30km

Fastest Split: 9.35km

Week 3

Training plan

2 x 10km walks

1 x 8km walk in less than 1h, 30

1 x 15km walk

+++

Walk 1 (Kamoot)

Squeezing training in first thing this morning, then to bath, then to pop out for lunch means I didn't have time to download a new app. Still, this did not hamper me posting my slowest ever 10km walk yet. I really thought I was doing a brisk pace as well.

Kamoot

Time: 1h, 58

Distance: 6m

Pace: 3.1mph

Ascent: 75ft

Descent: 150ft

Strava

Distance: 9.87km

Elevation gain: 113m.

Average Pace: 12.12km

Fastest Split: 10:47km

Walk 2

Motivated by reading various books on the PCT, after getting gripped by Cheryl Strayed's Wild, I looked forward to doing the 15km hike today. Compared to the thru-hikers 50km plus days (once they get trail fit), I figured a nifty 15km is a cinch. It's not for me. My feet ache like I'm walking on marbles in the last 5km. Still, I found a really cool hiking spot through woodland and open fields which was lovely.

It was also my first run out with AllTrails my latest app for the week. It's also very handily shows all the bridleways and footpaths local to me. Easy to use. Easy to set up. And full with final data at the end - split times for each km, elevation gain per km and calories. So...

Time taken: 3h, 09mins,

Distance: 14.6kms,

Calories: 1,641

Ave. pace: 12.58km/hr

Fastest km: 10:46

Slowest km: 15:42

Elevation: 365m

Walk 3

Time taken: 2h, 04mins,

Distance: 10.6kms,

Calories: 1,084

Ave. pace: 11.46km/hr

Fastest km: 10:45

Slowest km: 13:19

Elevation: 380m

Thanks to AllTrails showing me lots of little walks nearby, I found a lovely new route for my 10km practice runs - a combination of tarmac, gravel, fields and woodland. I even get to bound across a wheat field - I may be of political calibre yet. What's particularly good about this app is that it's spot on to where I'm walking, which makes it easy to find the footpath signposts which are often covered in vegetation.

What's also really good about this app is that it shows you the split times for each kilometre - great for someone who is training: like me.

Day 4

The one I've been putting off til last - 8km in 1h, 30 or less. Tried yesterday, but was out by a good two minutes.

Anyway, if you're following Person Irresponsible on Strava, you'll see I did a measly 6.34km, in 1h, 13m. Absolutely this calls for a myriad of excuses....

- I forgot to eat breakfast first

- I miscalculated my route

- my legs still ache from yesterday

- I can't walk past my house and keep going when there's coffee just feet away

- I got lost and had to keep stopping to find my way

- I need to conserve energy to tidy my getting very neglected garden

- I have a big walk planned for Wednesday

- there were too many stiles and other speed-impeding impediments...

In reality, I knew I was going to overshoot my time by quite some way, at least I needed another twenty minutes or so to complete the last 1.67km, assuming I'd be able to manage a pace of 11.5km/hour. So I quit.

I have no regrets...

Time taken: 1h, 13mins,

Distance: 6.2kms (note the variation from Strava!)

Calories: 637

Ave. pace: 11.45km/hr

Fastest km: ?

Slowest km: ?

Elevation: 78m

For some reason, AllTrails isn't showing splits for this session.

Week 4

Training plan

2 x 10km walks

1 x 8km walk in less than 1h, 30

1 x 30km walk

+++

Walk 1

My last trek out with AllTrails - which I have found useful. Legs very stiff this morning from gardening yesterday, I guess. I elected to do the wheat walk route again, and again committed to getting 8kms done in one and a half hours. Alas, I missed out by 200m.

It is also the last sunny day for aaaaages. <sob>

Time taken: 2h, 06mins,

Distance: 10.5kms

Calories: 1,098

Ave. pace: 12.06km/hr

Fastest km: ?

Slowest km: ?

Elevation: 94m

Walk 2

Following two rest days, one deliberate and one because, quite frankly, there were three rugby world cup games, a formula one race and a friend to see meant Sunday, the usual start of my week, was

cat's contribution> ?@@@@@@@@@@@@@@"£

a write off.

With Monday otherwise occupied, Tuesday was my Walk 2 day. I downloaded Walkmeter. Can't say I was wowed by the graphics, the map was basic and the stats simple. For £10 a year, you can upgrade to more funkiness but I'm not enticed to.

I was relieved to see that it was overcast but not raining, but still it would be a good day to start preparing for winter training issues - How many layers? Do I need a hat? Can I wear glasses or shall I revert to contact lenses? How waterproof are my hiking books?

I selected a thick pair of tracksuit bottoms, ones covered in paint splatter, because they are fluffy on the inside, and a thick long-sleeve top that isn't quite a jumper, or a sweatshirt, but not a t-shirt either. I threw on a bandanna because it was dry, and some thick socks to prevent blisters.

Every skin cell was drenched by the time I had completed 1.5km. My glasses were foggy and my walking boots waterlogged. Still, I am training to be #hardcore I figure. On the plus, I wasn't cold.

The rain hammered it down as I got to the wide open space of the wheat field, but on I ploughed! I waded through ponds, trudged through rivers and straddled quagmires. I was astonished to find that finally, I had completed my first 8km in 1h, 24m. On the one hand, it makes sense: when training for 0to5k I found that after I'd strung together a number of rest days after I'd suddenly pop in a faster time. On the other hand, all the dilly-dallying around giant puddles and slip-sliding through trails meant I had no intention of doing the first 8km in less than 1h 30m.

Walkmeter

Time taken: 2h, 03mins,

Distance: 6.61 miles

Calories: 506

Ave. pace: 22.45 mins/mile

Fastest km: ?

Slowest km: ?

Strava

Distance: 11.45km - total fabrication it's my new regular route.

Elevation: 121m

Ave pace: 10.42km/hr, again rubbish me thinks

Fastest km: 9.25km/hr. Nope. Just No.

And thus, I must concede that I probably did not do 8km in one and a half hours. In the battle of the walking apps, Strava has failed me.

Walk 3

The thirty! Oddly I was looking forward to this. Well I was until the alarm went off at 6:00 and I had to get out of bed. It was reasonably dry but still I knew to take an umbrella. I forced my feet into my still wet trainers, selected a woolly top and some light tracksuit pants.

I planned to stop every hour on the hour for a drink and a stretch. I knew when each hour was coming to its close because it would start raining leaving me the choice of sitting on the edge of an umbrella, or using it to cover my head.

I made pretty good time, despite my legs being a bit achy to begin with from yesterday's walk. They say that things start hurting at the three-hour mark, but I didn't start to feel the burn until the four hour mark when I stopped for lunch. After that I began to feel each lump and bump, or the shattering tarmac underfoot when I had to venture onto hard roads. The last two hours were extremely painful as I slowed to less than 2mph. I arrived at my destination, made two giant cups of coffee and fell into my friend's very hot bath! Lush. I want to point out, re-reading this, that my friend was not in the hot bath at the time, nor indeed had she run it for herself.

I used Komoot to keep me on the straight and narrow...

Time taken: 7h, 20mins,

Distance: 18.7 miles

Calories: ?

Ave. pace: 2.6mph

And Strava:

Time taken: 7h, 35 mins (!)

Distance: 31.21km

Elevation: 281m

Ave. pace: 14.36

Fastest split: 11.12

Walk 4

Got a phone call that Fierce Fanny is back in action...hurrah! Can't look a gift horse in the mouth and not take advantage of using it as an opportunity to do some more long distance training...it's fifteen miles to her, so that's what I'm doing after one rest day. To hell with training plans , I say!

Decided that since the Nordic poles arrived at 5pm the night before, this was the perfect opportunity to complete another Sadventure: Nordic Waddling. Once again, I relied on Komoot.

Time taken: 6h, 24mins,

Distance: 17.2 miles

Calories: ?

Ave. pace: 2.7mph

And Strava:

Time taken: 6h, 54 mins (!)

Distance: 28.84km

Elevation: 173m

Ave. pace: 14.18

Fastest split: 12.17

Week 5

Training plan

1 x 10km

3 x 8km (in less than 1h, 30)

App: Walkmeter

Walk 1

I've had three continuous rest days...which is a bit naughty as I'm not supposed to have more than one. Today it was absolutely hacking it down so brolly at the ready, poles left idling in the cupboard. I couldn't decide which route to take, but in the end decided that the route that took me up to my old nemesis: hills Everest and Mauna Kea. I figured they would most likely be straight-forward, and puddle free. Streamy, yes but at least I'd not have to wade through a foot of water. And so I marched past my old turnaround point onward to I know not where. At the 4km point, handily located at the second telegraph pole on the right, I turned abruptly and made my way back - within the 45mins target time, despite lost drivers and large lorries forcing me to stop here and there. I got home in 1h, 25m. Yay!

Walkmeter

Time taken: 1h, 25

Distance: 4.87 miles

Calories: 368

Ave. pace: 16.42mins/mile

Strava

Distance: 8km

Elevation: 115m

Ave. pace: 10.46

Fastest split: 10.16

One day my apps will get into alignment but today is not that day.

Walk 2

Walkmeter

Time taken: 1h, 25

Distance: 4.94 miles

Calories: 410

Ave. pace: 19.03 mins/mile

Strava

Distance: 9.18km

Elevation: 118m

Ave. pace: 9.17km/hr

Fastest split: 7.07km/hr - that would be the kilometre I teleported.

Walkmeter won this hands down - I walked the exact same route as 5.1 and yet Strava has added an additional kilometre to the distance.

Walk 3

Woo-hoo - my apps are in alignment.

Walkmeter

Time taken: 1h, 53

Distance: 5.95 miles

Calories: 448

Ave. pace: 19.27 mins/mile

Strava

Distance: 9.66km

Elevation: 112m

Ave. pace: 11.33km/hr

Fastest split: 10.21km/hr

Walk 4

Annoyingly I didn't properly hit the start button on Strava, but thankfully I did manage to do Walkmeter. I can't say I'm wowed by walkmeter at all: it does have all sorts of bells and whistles but they are paid for, and I simply can't be bothered. The graphics aren't what you'd call 'snazzy', if you're inclined to use that word. Their boldness enhanced when one is battling a migraine as I am.

Walkmeter

Time taken: 2h, 24

Distance: 6.65 miles

Calories: 512

Ave. pace: 21.57 mins/mile

Week 6

Training plan

1 x 23km

3x10km

App: Polaris

Walk 1

I used Komoot again quite simply because I decided to walk an entirely new route to get my 23km training walk done and I didn't want to get lost in the outer Cotswolds, and I'm prone to getting lost in my own garden, small as it is.

"What do you eat when you go for a long walk?" absolutely no one asks me. "Well," I don't answer, "Today's fare is half a loaf of Soreen Malt Bread with lashing of butter." Unfortunately, I'd put it in a Tupperware that I'd previously used to store washing powder on my trip last year to Scotland. Despite many cycles in the dishwasher, Soreen with essence of Ariel was had for lunch in the pouring rain. I'm just surprised I didn't froth at the mouth.

It was windy, rainy, sunny, cold and bitter or any combination of them at any one time. I got to Long Hanborough quite quickly though, partly protected by a long stint in some woods, with tracks of mud and rotting falling leaves. I am glad of my purchase of Nordic walking sticks, which saved me from going arse over tit on several occasions. Didn't save me from straining my knee though and I had to limp back 7 miles as the wind whipped up more and more. As I crossed open fields, heavy rain struck me hard in the face, which, if nothing else provided distraction therapy from my ailing knee. I've a feeling this week's training plan is to go awry.

Strava

Distance: 23.07km

Elevation: 298m

Time: 5h, 33

Ave. pace: 14.27km/hr

Fastest split: 13.32km/hr

Walk 2

Knee feels amazingly unpainful after one rest day and the purchase of one knee support thing so I thought I'd try to catch up on my missing 10km walk by doing double. Got to 8km and knee was crippling. Alas I still had to walk back. Then, despite the weather promising to be dry all day, with just a 10% chance of rain, I discovered I was walking through the 10% bit. Glad to get home and have a hot bath. I know you're supposed to do RICE but I'm not a fan of the cold, so I'm going to do double R!

Strava

Distance: 16.48km

Elevation: 233m

Time: 4h, 23

Ave. pace: 15.59km/hr

Fastest split: 13.56km/hr

+++

Decided it was best if I did the adult thing and properly rested leg for a number of consecutive days so skipped walks 3 & 4. Figured it would be best if I re-started week six next week in fact...

+++

Week 6 rebooted

Training plan

1x 23km

3x 10km

App: Polaris

Walk 1

Visited a friend for coffee over in another village, thought it would be a great chance to walk a new route. I packed up my walking boots and a flask of coffee. Left friends house and realised that I'd not even considered taking an umbrella. Worse, I'd let my headphones at home. I gave up on my 'great' idea to do a new walk and instead walk my favourite route, which can easily extend to 23km, as my legs felt fresh, it was no longer raining and I was in the mood.

Only I dithered at home, took a phone call or two and didn't leave the house in plenty of time - a fact I only realised when I was 1h, 45 minutes away from home. So I turned back. leg still felt okay and only started to ache in the last hour. Came home, had a hot bath, and limped out the house...

I tried out Polaris for the first time. Polaris, I fear, is too sophisticated for my little brain - it looks very, very sexy with it's spider web of tool symbols. Eventually I found the 'record' button and it asked me to name my hike. Then it changed the circle to a square but otherwise did nothing. No map nor indication that the timer had started. Then as I rested for a coffee break, I'd hit the square button, but alas it didn't pause but stopped recording altogether. Today as I'm trying to find out what else it does, I have discovered that although it looks so so so sleek, it's actually not all that great. It only records your distance, the other bits are to tell you sunrise and sunset, a compass, how many satellites are overhead (kinda cool in a one off thing) and your bog standard google map. Simple, free and not helpful for training.

Polaris

Time taken: No idea

Distance: 4.329 miles 'there', not back!

Calories: No idea

Ave. pace: No idea

Strava

Distance: 13.65km

Elevation: 208m

Ave. pace: 14.51km/hr

Fastest split: 11.04km/hr

Walk 2

Decided today was the day my knee like it or not, was going to do the 23km walk, although that depended on my knee. I'd been challenged to use Kinesiology Tape so this seemed like a great opportunity to see if it lived up to its hype.

I used #AllTrails as my app because it indicates lots of little trails around the place so thought it would be fun to just go in a random direction and see how I got on. I got on great - 23km despite rain, wind, ambushing dogs, a stamping ram and waterlogged fields.

Unfortunately, after one of my stops I forgot to re-set the app so walked quite some way without it recording, although I estimate at least 2 or 3 kms.

AllTrails

Time taken: 5h, 56mins,

Distance: 21.1kms (at least)

Calories: 3,046 (woo-hoo extra Nutella for me)

Ave. pace: 16.37km/hr

Fastest km: 13:38

Slowest km: 22.23

Week 6 rebooted, re-taped and rested

For absolutely no reason other than I didn't disengage CBA mode, I didn't complete week 6.2 either. I planned to: I really really really did but it's been so rainy and the sofa is sooooo comfy, and I've been so tired. Instead, I decide to eat a training day's worth of Nutella several consecutive days in a row. So, I've still to conquer week 6's training plan. A reminder:

Week 6

1x 23km

3x 10km

App: I used #AllTrails again.

For once it's been a dry day. Yay! My knee is taped up and I'm (sort of) raring to go in a 'Well-I'd better-crack-on' attitude . I decided to simply bimble in a directionless route of random trails. Nearly came a cropper with this crocker! Not what you expect to see in the cosy Cotswolds.

Clearly it's a vegetarian crocodile! Or alligator. Who knows?

AllTrails

Time taken: 6h, 10mins,

Distance: 22.9kms

Calories: 3,218

Ave. pace: 16.12km/hr

Fastest km: 11:46

Slowest km: 19.03

Walk 2

Just a quick 10km walk around the usual place on a rare but gloriously sunny day. And although it was only three days ago, I have absolutely no recollection of it. I do remember thinking I wanted to post my fastest circuit of it yet...so was pleased to do it in 1h, 59 mins.

Distance: 9.64km

Elevation: 112m

Ave. pace: 12.25km/hr

Fastest split: 10.37km/hr

Walk 3

Just a other quick 10km walk around the usual place on a dark dank and rapidly approaching winter's night. Alas, just as I got to the mid-point, I was asked to help out at short notice. I found a shortcut home, via the unlit A44 - a perilous thing to drive on a foggy, dark night, and even more so when walking alone jumping on and off the nettle-infested verges.

Distance: 7.69km

Elevation: 109m

Ave. pace: 11.47km/hr

Fastest split: 10.39km/hr

Walk 4 (yay!)

Finally! I've managed to fit my training in this week with a nifty walk to Chipping Norton thanks to a friend who'd invited me over for coffee and proffered a lift home after, so all kilometres demanded have been acquired. Hideous weather for much of it, meant I finally succumbed to plaiting my hair into two long ropes - usually I just throw a bandana over it and be done with it. "Hello Heidi!" He warmly welcomed me when I finally knocked on his door, thirty minutes later than my anticipated ETA. "Where's my jeffing coffee?" I returned the greeting.

I'd been overtaken by a fellow hiker, a woman at least 20 years my senior, as I'd ascended into the town. She'd started 5kms further away than me, at approximately the same time this morning as I, and left me for mud. I thought my pace had been pretty consistent today but that sure battered my ego.

AllTrails

Time taken: 4h, 07mins,

Distance: 15.3kms Calories: 2,143

Ave. pace: 16.09km/hr

Fastest km: 13:44

Slowest km: 18.15

Week 7

Soooo, the plan was to go a bit off plan. I should be doing 3 x 10kms plus a lightweight 13kms this week. But, but, but I've got the opportunity to do 2 x 30kms by over-nighting at a friend's house, which I'd rather do. I figured I'd managed a couple of 10kms on the Sunday and the Tuesday. However, I've acquired a very nasty chest infection and a broken-down boiler to contend with. Hence lounging around on the sofa with a hot water bottle. I'm still hoping to do the big trek though because I am starting to get addicted to this walking malarkey, and getting bored of the same routes around my house. Thus Week 7, like week 6 is postponed.

Walk 1

The Tuesday was a hair-raising day, time warps into slow-mo kind of day as I applied for the PCT, or Pacific Crest Trail, a 2,650 mile odyssey of blisters, bears and bewilderment. A trek between two borders - the Mexican and the Canadian.

Over 11,000 people applied this year for the initial 3,150 places. My ticket came in at 3,275 so it was a nail-biting couple of hours to see if I had won the jackpot. I did - March 24th, meaning I'll fly to the USA on March 17th. March the 17th is my divorce date, and also the date I decided to stop drinking alcohol. Clearly a very good luck day for me and I'm not even part Irish.

So, the next two days were an intro of what hiking a trail might be like. I'd planned a 19 miler away, and a 19 miler home the next day. I forewent sleeping in a tent because at this stage I don't even own one.

7h, 39 mins later, actually with breaks: nine hours, I stomped into my friend's house and enjoyed a very hot bath - luxury! Although my heating is now fixed, a full bath is never had in my own home. Chest infection still rampant but it not half shifted my cold. Then I did it in reverse the next day, only it took much longer: 8h, 23 plus about another 1h, 30 of breaks. With the stupid clocks going back thing that gets my goat twice a year, it meant I got home in the dark. My free trial of Komoot is also over, bad timing, but I was still able to pretty much discern the way home for the most part. Am knackered today but it's good to know that I can get my daily mileage done two days in a row. Now to work on seven days on a row....

I do have the most ginormous blister on my right foot. Left foot fine. Knee fine. Stiff as a board but this is not a problem for lying on the sofa.

Week 7, attempt I have no idea...

So the plan should have been four shortish but pacey walks of approximately 1 or 2 or so hours. Except a number of things happened: I got pneumonia (possibly) and was laid up for two weeks, although several of those were simply duvet days. Then some friends of mine got married, which was somewhat inconvenient to my training, and this compelled me to conduct best man/woman duties for the bride and groom. I was officially the best man, even though I'm female, but as I'm friends with both, I did all sorts of helpful things which mostly involved shopping and not exercising. Then I had to work in a shop for a week, which gave me time to chill out and catch up on all things paper-worky.

I should be back on it this week but I'm going to do another two-day trek, each of 19 miles assuming I don't get lost. And so week 7 will commence (again) next week....

Warm up to week 7

Two 19 mile treks completed, and actually the rest had done me much good because although I ached after the first day, I was nowhere near as hobbled as the previous time. It took me one hour longer to walk home than the day before, which was a vast improvement, despite how much more mud-logged my feet became. On the PCT, I will have to walk on average 16.7 miles per day, every damned day, just complete it so I'm pleased to have the confidence to do two consecutive days already.

Week 7 again

3 x 10kms

1 x 13kms

App: Strava (because I forgot to download anything else)

Walk 1

Finally, I'm free of tuberculosis, scurvy, tendonitis, and laziitus so I thought I'd pop in a quick 10km walk as it's dry and cold, albeit very muddy. Not a day to get lost in the woods, which is what I did.

Distance: 12.27km

Elevation: 119m

Ave. pace: 12.59km/hr

Fastest split: 11.27km/hr

Walk 2

Decided to do my normal boring 10km walk because I haven't done it for ages, and I'm bored of mud, and I can't be arsed getting lost again this week. Amazingly, I realised that I had forgotten to put any strapping on my knee during Walk 1, and my knee had caused me absolutely no problems. So decided to see if this was a fluke - and it wasn't! No more knee pain. So glad I ordered a lifetime supply of knee strapping on Amazon...

Distance: 9.89km

Elevation: 120m

Ave. pace: 11.51km/hr

Fastest split: 11.11km/hr

Walk 3

Glorious sunshine this morning! Yay! Except it had all disappeared by the time I finished my stretching exercises. Still, it was dry and I unwillingly gathered myself together to do another two-hour romp. Unfortunately, in a fit of household cleaning yesterday I had thrown all my running shoes and hiking boots into the washing machine, and they had not dried in time. They are, at least, less mud-strewn than before. And yes, the fact that I own multiple pairs of running shoes astonishes me. So I went in a pair of normal shoes #hardcore.

And now they are ruined.

Distance: 9.87km

Elevation: 120m

Ave. pace: 11.29km/hr

Fastest split: 10.23km/hr

Odd that I'm so much faster in non-running shoes!

Walk 4

I had a major CBA day because I did absolutely no training.

Week given up sequential training!

Was supposed to be Week 8 but as my training schedule has gone to pot, it's more of a week 7!

I'm struggling to find the time to do serious training, what with one thing and another: mostly preparing for the PCT in a non-fitness fashion. So I'm going to start a new thread...

https://www.mlconaquad.com/blog/sadventure-accepted-42-2-0-to-50k

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