TORTOISE 1, HARE 0
A month ago I wrote (here) about my struggles to get up to speed for the Kiltwalk in September. Time for another update. And another plea for people to donate a bit for the worthy cause I'll be walking for.
I've done another four walks since then, and keep learning about what my body can do now (hint : a lot less than it used to...). The first three were shortish, well under ten miles each. But last weekend I headed out to Balerno, and The Water of Leith Walkway.
That was the route I used for my 'virtual' Kiltwalk in 2020, which was also the last time I walked the whole of that route. It's slightly shorter and easier now, for the work that was taking place around the Dean Village has been completed and that avoids the trek up and down the hill which was previously required. Near enough twelve and a half miles if you do the full distance.
I did. But slowly. Very slowly. On previous Kiltwalks I've always walked non-stop. No loo breaks. No halts to have some water, just sling the bag off, slug from the bottle, and bag back on, with only a little drop in pace. Even at the provided pit stops I'd be shouting "Banana please" about 15 paces before I got to where volunteers were distributing goodies, so there'd be one held out for me as I passed by!
Not any more. If I hadn't had a few stops (I can't now remember if it was 3 or 4) I'm not sure I'd have made it to the end. Most were no more than a minute, a quick sit down to reset the limbs, and off again. Except the last one. By then my route was passing close to home, my back was aching, and I was soooo tempted to pack up and go back to comfy chair and a hot bath. So tempted. But around 3 minutes on a park bench changed my mind. Aches diminished, spirit restored. I walked on to the end.
Which meant I did the distance in around 3 hours 48. In 2020, on the slightly longer route, it was 3 hours 17. Oh well. This is who I am now. And accepting that, and forgetting about who I was three years ago, is going to be the key to doing the walk. That and trying to age semi-gracefully....
In 2019 I promised myself that in 2020 I'd try to break 3 and a half hours. I never got the chance to find out if I could, and now it's gone. It would be good to at least beat the 4 hour mark. Or maybe not. It no longer matters. Last weekend at least proved to me I will still be able do the distance, as long as I'm 'sensible'. (Yuk!)
But it's only worthwhile if I raise some money for Advocard, where I'm still a volunteer and providing advocacy for people who have difficulties being listened to. So if you've read this far... maybe you'd be ready to head over to my donations page and press the big blue 'GIVE NOW' button?
I did enjoy the walk. Being back on the Walkway made me realise that I've missed it, with so many lovely views along the way, and the impressive murals in Colinton Tunnel. If you're in Edinburgh and haven't been I recommend it.
