Ouch that hurts!!

Medical Update. After the walk at the weekend, Bryn's knee is really sore. Unfortunately, the knee is still swollen and after going to the G.P. Rachel took him to hospital for an X-ray today. We just don't know whether he will be able to take part in the walk. Please keep your fingers crossed that it isn't anything serious and he will be back in training soon.

Weekend Tracks added

The routes walked on Saturday and Sunday have now been added to the Flickr account. This also includes the altitude and speed profiles for each day. Check them out via the link below.http://www.flickr.com/photos/staffswayinmay/

1,000,000 steps to Kinver

Another day, 6 walkers still prepared to walk a second day across the Staffordshire Countryside in preparation for the charity event. With 24 miles already under our belts, we all met up on Cannock Chase for the drive back up to Rocester and the start of another walk. Comparison of aches and pain was like an exercise in oneupmanship, but despite this, we were all prepared to put our bodies through a second day of stiles (over 100 according to Paul), farmers fields, tracks and footpaths.

We started out in glorious sunshine and were again blessed with good weather throughout the walk (it's got to rain sometime - let's just hope it isn't at the end of May). We had the obligatory welsh sheepdog join us for part of the walk. We went the wrong way, again obligatory. Ross tried to share his blisters with us - no, please no! There was malt loaf, Kendal mint cake and jelly babies. How would we complete these walks without them?

So almost 50 miles was completed by each walker over the weekend. I am now sitting in front of the computer, my feet ache but the pain is dull compared to the shin splints in my left leg, excruciating. The things we do in the name of charity.

Most of all, what this means is that we have proved to ourselves that we can walk long distances on consecutive days. Three months ago we targeted this weekend for selection of the team for the charity walk. In the end everyone who walked over the weekend, Paul, Dan, Rachel, Bryn, Ross and Graham, will be part of the team for the charity event. Thanks to everyone that helped by ferrying us to Leek and Rocester.

The title of this post reflects the number of steps the team will take to have any chance of completing the challenge.

4 Weeks to Go!

The big weekend of training is upon us. Today we walked from the north end of Rudyard Reservoir down to Rocester, a distance of 24 miles. The weather started dry but we were soon practising putting on (and taking off) waterproofs as the fickle English weather swapped between rain and sunshine during the morning.

We were joined by Mizzy and her new dog, Zac for the first part of the walk. They had kindly transported some of us from Rocester to the start of the walk. Zac was in his element, so much so that he decided to roll on his back in one of the many cow pats that crossed our path!

The walk itself was very scenic, but much more hilly than was expected. The first day of the challenge event, which includes the section walked today, plus the climb and descent of the Cloud, will be very hard.

Now all we have to do is get up tomorrow morning and walk another 24 miles, OUCH!!

32 Days to go

The biggest weekend of training is just 4 days away. On Saturday we will walk 22 miles from Rudyard Reservoir (nr Leek) to Rocester, returning the next day to walk 24 miles from Rocester to the Glacial Boulder on Cannock Chase. Selection of the team members to complete the walk at the end of May will take place following the weekend.

None of us are sure how we will cope with the riguors of walking these distances on consecutive days. Our previous consecutive day walking was only (only!!) 16 miles on each day. We have come a long way.

Here's hoping for dry weather and good walking.

New Photos and Maps

I have added more details of our earlier walks, as well as some more photos (thanks to Dave B-P for allowing me to use his photos).

New Tracks and Maps

Details of the last few walks have been added to our Flickr site. These include a map of the route taken, altitude, basic statistics and who walked. Click on the images in the slideshow to view the maps.

42 days to go

Training Update - Our first multi day walk.

Taking advantage of the easter weekend we arranged two 16 mile walks on consecutive days. We were all wondering about the accumulative affect of multi day walking on our bodies.

We met at the Fox and Anchor pub at 8.30 a.m on Friday for a "brisk" walk up to Rodbaston, over to Brewood and back. Paul eyed the canal footpath with mild irritation, it seemed that the walks always seemed to involve large sections of either the Staffs and Worcester or Shropshire Union canals. We were all beginning to dream about long stretches of water!!

The walk itself was a 'tour de force'. We completed the 16.4 miles in under 4 and a half hours, at almost 3.7 miles per hour overall. Our best ever speed!! The drinks and food in the pub afterwards were well deserved.

The next day it was off to Highgate Common for the second walk. We were minus one; Dan had 'family' commitments. Rachel, Bryn and I thought it would be 'nice' for Ross and Paul to experience the end of the Staffordshire Way. The weather was interesting; a solid layer of cloud over the West midlands; blue sky over Staffordshire. It was though someone had drawn a line with the edge of the cloud.

We walked passed Llamas, and then it was the climb to Kinver Edge. If we manage to complete the walk, the last section will be a real sting in the tail!

By the time we reached the viewpoint we realised that the proposed route would take more time than we had; The Stoke City supporters had an appointment with Newcastle United at 5.30 pm. OK improvisation needed. We cut short the walk by using lanes but still had the 'pleasure' of the Sheepwalks at the rear of Enville Hall. Ouch, my legs still ache, but what views!

Day 1 Route
Of course I know how to use the self timer on my camera!! (Ross, Bryn, Rachel, Paul, Dan and Graham)

The story so far

An innocent invitation, from the Deputy Chief Executive, asking if anyone was interested in taking a little walk in May!! The Council, as a first responder in the event of civil emergency, was invited to participate in a community engagement event organised by the 22nd Signal Regiment. For our part we were expected to walk for a charity of our choice, collecting a minimum of £100 per walker . We have now chosen to support the Midland Air Ambulance Charity.

If you want to support our efforts please visit our Just Giving webpage and sponsor us. Thank you for your support.

In January 8 colleagues met to discuss the invitation. By the end of the meeting we had agreed we would enter a team for the event. Now for the hard part!!

Training started on Sunday 8th February on a cold, crisp, sunny day, as 9 intrepid walkers met at the Council Offices to walk 8 miles to Brewood and back. The highlight was definitely the drink in the pub at the end of the 2+ hour walk!!

Since then some people have come and gone, but despite the increasing intensity of the training we still have the necessary number of people interested to enter a team. We have now completed two 26 mile walks over the preceding weekends. We are under no illusion as to the enormity of the task, not only to walk 30+ miles on day one, but to follow it up with another 24 miles on day 2 and a whopping 36 miles to complete day 3.