Twenty Miles (the long one)

Distance Walked: 20 Miles

Time Taken: 4 Hours 55 Minutes!
Location: New Forest
Aches and Pains: Hip again, 3 blisters and sun burnt shoulders.

James and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary yesterday and so we decided to get away for the weekend, to a friend's house near Southampton. A trip to my chiropractor on Friday to get my pelvis de-tilted- which as a result made my shoulders straight again - meant Saturday was out for walking- needing 24 hours of rest.

Having purchased a leisure map of the New Forest James sat down with a piece of string and a pencil to plan us a twenty mile walk. The New Forest has loads of traffic free cycle paths - which we decided would probably be suitable power walking terrain without the added dodge the car element.

Our 8am set off time became 8.45am and we made our way south to the forest. On the way, somewhere in deepest Hampshire, we came across a group of about eight women. I saw them in the distance and thougth could it be...? And as I got closer and spotted the hats, and then the T-Shirts. A group of Moonwalkers, already part way through their long walk. A mixture of euphoria and jealousy hit me as I beeped the horn and waved. Bloody weirdo I bet they all thought.

Neither James or I were particularly enthusiastic about our walk, grumbling and groaning. It was a warm muggy day, and we'd probably had too much red wine the night before. It was great to be in a different place. As we put one foot in front of the other again and again and again, I started to think about why I am doing this, who it's for. I started using the visualisation techniques in the booklet. Visualising my day in two weeks, my preparations. I thought about how I am going to decorate my bra. Yes I still haven't done that. And I found myself in my own little world. We walked though a campsite - well two actually - and talked about going camping, and the next tent we're going to buy. We saw horses, and foals, and birds. And eventually we stopped at about mile 7 for a quick refuel. Jelly Babies and Bananas on board we set off again with the mid point in mind.

At half way - marked on the map with a big splodge we collapsed for a few minutes, stretched and munched - treating ourselves to Oaty Bars. A quick check of the watch showed we had been walking for two and half hours. On target for those mystical 15 minute miles.

Somehow starting the second ten miles brought a spring to my step. Pack lighter, head clearer I marched on and on. We passed a bemused couple who we'd seen earlier in the day, the guy staring at me as if to say what on earth are you doing. I started to flag about mile 17, we stopped, had some more food and James showed me on the map how close we were. An on we went -noting the location of the ice cream van for later. The last mile lay out in front of us - a re trace of an earlier bit of road, and my feet were on auto pilot, eyes fixed.

The car was a welcome sight, I grabbed my phone to look at our time. 14.55. 4 hours and 55 minutes since we'd set off. Job Done.

I couldn't have done it without James. There is no doubt that training is so much easier with two. Alice struggled, not due to fitness or pain, but due to boredom. I am sure that in two weeks time that won't be an issue, and adrenalin will carry us round that last 6.2 miles.

Walking somewhere unfamiliar helped too - knowing that there was no short cut to home, or the house is just over there, or I should be doing this that or the other meant that I was totally focused on the walk, and finishing it.

I'm feeling alright - fit and healthy, astounded by my own body's abilities and ready to Moonwalk. A lighter couple of weeks of training follows now, plus that all important Bra Decoration! I'll post pictures.

Hannah x