Two Weeks On – and I Still Can’t Quite Believe I Did It
I did the walk two weeks ago today.
And I honestly can’t believe it was only two weeks ago.
In some ways, I almost feel as though I didn’t do it. I think I was in a little world of my own that day – completely focused on putting one foot in front of the other and getting to the end.
But looking back, one of the things that really stands out is just how much support surrounded me.
I regularly attend BNI at Woodland Grange in Leamington, and three different sections of the walk were accompanied by people from my networking group.
That was invaluable.
I also had a lovely friend who walked with me for two halves of one of the loops, and there were so many other little moments of support throughout the day.
People were sending messages and communicating what was happening, even though I wasn’t really looking at them as I walked. I knew people were behind me.
And then, on that final loop, I was on my own.
I was listening to an Audible book – I can’t even remember what it was called! – and somehow that gave me the feeling of having company.
Then, almost like a mirage, one of the girls from my group appeared.
She couldn’t walk the route with me, but she came to find me and was simply there.
It was such a lovely thing to do.
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One foot in front of the other
That last loop was hard.
Very hard.
By that stage I was literally putting one foot in front of the other.
I just about made it.
But I was determined to finish.
People had committed to sponsoring me. I knew there were donations still coming in. And some people who I didn’t even know had donated.
At one point, a lovely group of three people on the walk gave us some money.
Every single donation and every bit of encouragement mattered.
When you’re tired and you’ve still got miles to go, knowing that other people believe in what you’re doing gives you another reason to keep moving.
And that’s exactly what happened.
I finished.
My body has had its say!
I have to admit, recovery has taken longer than I would have liked.
I couldn’t do all the training I had planned because I was carrying an injury. I started with a problem in my left upper thigh and an issue with my foot, and I certainly didn’t help either of them by deciding to walk 30 miles!
Because let’s face it…
30 miles is a long way.
My recovery has been helped enormously by Jay Moore, my physio, and Stephen, who has been giving me sports massages. I’m now virtually back to normal.
My toenails, however, are not particularly happy with me.
But hey ho!
If it was easy, everybody would do a 30-mile walk.
And perhaps that’s the point.
Doing something unusual isn’t supposed to be easy.
I certainly won’t be doing another 30-mile walk – all kudos to the people who go even further. I heard about someone who had run 100 kilometres. One hundred kilometres!
That’s just… well… a different level of mad.
Apparently he also had the longest run-up to bowl a ball at cricket, so perhaps he just likes a challenge!
I hope he was raising money for charity – and I hope somebody gave him a lift home afterwards!
Thank you
Joking aside, I have been genuinely touched by everyone’s support.
The donations. The messages. The people who walked with me. The people who turned up unexpectedly. The people who simply said, “Keep going.”
It all made a difference.
Our fundraising page is still open because I know there are people who haven’t quite got around to donating yet. If you would like to donate, click here.
I’m delighted that we’re going to raise more than half of the £3,000 target I set myself.
When I first started talking about the challenge, I had £5,000 in my head.
Muna, the Fundraising Manager at SWFT, knows me well enough to realise she was probably only ever going to get me down to £3,000!
And I’m so pleased that we’ve got there.
This walk was about much more than the miles.
It was about supporting SWFT and giving something back – and discovering just how generous, kind and encouraging people can be.
So, from the bottom of my heart:
Thank you.
To everyone who donated.
To everyone who walked with me.
To everyone who sent a message.
To everyone who encouraged me.
And to everyone who believed I could actually make it around all those loops!
I couldn’t have done it quite the same way without you.
And yes…
I really did walk 30 miles. ❤️
Carrie on Caring – 30 Miles for 30 Years
The fundraising page will remain open for those who would still like to contribute – Click Here.
If you’ve ever been curious about aloe or you’re looking for something to support your wellbeing naturally, I’m always happy to chat.