http://www.stephenfry.com/2013/08/07/an-open-letter-to-david-cameron-and-the-ioc/

Almost there

Not the walking, that bit is done. The fund raising. I have almost collected every penny  promised. A couple if colleagues are on holiday but once the dust has settled and the gift aid is added you wonderful people have given almost £1000. Of course it would be great to break the grand but I really cannot thank you enough. That's a lot of nights safe and warm for a significant number of young LGBT+ people. Thank you.

Post strollmatic toe disorder?

Had the dressings off my toes today. One toenail gone three to go I reckon. I still can't quite believe what we did, or how much we raised between us (which is somewhere around 3.5 grand) for our various charities. My toes will heal. We are already talking about another challenge for next year and hopefully a few lives have been improved by our efforts. 

If you still owe me money I need it ASAP (19th July) I'm getting round to you all as quick as I can. Now.....I have a holiday to plan.

Team BBSS, the photos

Five team BBSS and Gareth who we adopted! 

Two more team BBSS who finished a bit before us! 

Now you know what we all look like!

Here be dragons

So four days on and thinking back I already feel like some old world adventurer telling tales of daring do. It's surprising and wonderful the respect people have given to myself and my team mates for what we did over the weekend.

 When you're sitting in a damp marquee at one am crying from pure tiredness and trying to decide where the energy will come from to get you through the night walk it feels like a very big thing but here today, though it feels hard enough on my aching calves and blistered toes, it feels like a very small thing to so for those young people who would otherwise be spending a night on the streets or selling themselves just to have a bed for the night. So what I'm a bit stiff, I'll get over it I'm alive and able to take care of myself and for that I'm thankful. 

I want to say a word about Linda. She tore a muscle in her back weeks before we set off and I told her I'd stick with her as far as she could walk always at her pace. I have to tell you it was a 50-50 split on the encouragement and she got me across the line as much as I did her. 

What strikes me about the whole event is  not the feat or the endurance but the people. It takes a special kind of person to undertake this kind of thing meaning those we met who cheered us on, shared our stories and gave each other so much. You need food? Water? Plasters? A torch, a buddy, pacemaker, company to the next rest stop? All freely given and gratefully accepted. The most commonly heard word this weekend was thanks. 

Those last few metres onto the track, down a set of stairs no less, were harsh. Cruel and unusual punishment but we made it. A big thank you to our supporters for carrying our bags the last few metres, fro putting up with the swearing and staggering incoherence and for forgiving us anyway and taking us home to look after. 

The feet.....After Shot

Sorry I was slightly incoherent yesterday evening but after about ten hours sleep I'm feeling much better. I'm still stiff and will no doubt be making liberal use of massage and ice packs for a day or two.

 

These two faithful puppies were severely mistreated over the last two days but thanks to the most amazing Red Cross staff and sports therapy students from various universities we were all patched up and pummelled to the finish line. My special thanks to Linda, we kept each other going and crossed the line together.

Was it with it? Well every painful km was worth about £7 for the Albert Kennedy Trust (sponsorship is still open for a month or to, go on you know you want to) which means that over the course of 100k that's just less than 50 nights I've helped keep someone off the streets. I'm sure there are more reflections to come and I will update you. Now I'm going back to sleep then a warm bath. Ahh! 

Arrived Sheffield 31 hours 30 minutes.

Yes that's all it took for me and my chum

Linda of team BBSS to cross the finishing line.we were not last that honour goes to Tom and his daughter from Nottingham. We were pretty late in though but our loyal support was there in force.

Yes I made it. Champagne . Check. T shirt. Check. Medal. Check. 

Lasta Pasta

Eating for the walking. It's all about the carbs this week. The estimate is over 6000 calories burned over the full challenge so don't judge me. 

Final preparations and team talk

Some of us met this morning. Apparently I'm not the only one who's worried. One of our number hurt her back in a roller coaster accident, another has a knee injury. One more is a marathon runner who can't seem to slow down! The plan is to meet the night before for a meal then bright and early for a seven am check in! There will be few photos on the day but if you want to track my progress I'll be using map my tracks on the day. 

Thanks again for the money already given and still to come. X

Poles apart

If you wondered what I was going to do for core fitness today it was an hour or so  and three and a half miles with Nordic poles. Legs fine, arms aching. That's the plan every day for the rest of the week until I head into Manchester to meet team BBSS! 

Scan the code for my just giving page. 

A week away

Woke up this morning (de der de dah *blues riff*) with the realisation that if all goes to plan this time next week team Big Breaths Small Steps will be heading towards the Don Valley Stadium to complete our walk. Do I feel ready? Not really but I'm as ready as I'm gonna get. 

This is to be a week of short walks and final preparations. Jerky is being dried, blisters healed, my rucsac is packed and overnight stays at either end booked. 

Supporters are welcome at certain stops along the route (though not all) and definitely at the end so if you felt the need to cheer please do. 

I'll post some last minute photos and some from the walk itself but not as we are walking as we have to save phone battery unless you know if a solar charger for an iPhone five? 

Massage to you?

I noticed this morning that my hairdresser and general beauty consultant's (don't laugh  even i need my hair cut) place The Penthouse in Ormskirk had a late opening for a hot stone massage. I just had to book it. I almost fell asleep on the table! They did say if I can't make it up the stairs after next weekends walk (8 days! When did that happen) they would arrange to have me carried up for another massage. Penthouse.....it's upstairs. 

Halfway there...

Not a line from a Bon Jovi song but accompanied by a Bon Jovi fan (the wonderful Michael Fowler Personal Trainer) today was the final long walk. 7.30 am through to 5.30 pm, or there abouts. 

Approx 27 miles non stop. Well, we had 20 minutes for lunch. Meols Cop, round Churchtown, coast road out to Formby Point back via Ainsdale and Birkdale. 

The last mile was kicker as we passed a shop selling recliners at that point. I have one blister! (Sorry to the squeamish to impose that on you) 

Today I covered over 40 km. that's damn near half what I'll have to do in ten days or so. Tonight is a warm bath, some food and a small glass of red.

A million thanks for the sponsorship. I have beaten my £400 target but don't let that stop you! 

Slip, slap, slop!

In preparedness for the weather staying as it had been today I took a quick jaunt into town in search of ridiculous head gear.....no actually in search of sun protective head gear. This hat, though labelled as the latter, appears to be the former. My pretty red neck hopes it works! 

Last minute hitches?

So this was planned  as the team building long hike. One of our number put her back out (on a roller coaster I believe) and a couple of the others made their excuses so just lonesome me again. I'm off to the beach to work on my hill climbing muscles. 

Our numbers and check in info arrives yesterday and this is all getting a bit real. If anyone still hasn't sponsored me but would like to please go to Just Giving and search for Ursula Curwen. 

The Albert Kennedy Trust shouldn't be needed in the 21st century but it really still is. When this country is claimed as caring and righteous by some who then damn gay marriage and would see teenagers having to turn tricks to get a bed for the night just because they're gay. Where's the compassion on that? (Flame over) do take a look at what the Trust do and take the time to put even five pounds into my fundraising. That's not even three cappuccinos! 

More photos later. 

Twenty three four zero that's my number

This arrived today! Two weeks from now I will be eight hours into the challenge (it's about four in the afternoon). One more long hike later this week then it's short walks and pasta all the way to the start line. 

Toes

I just thought you should see the damage I've done to my toenails.

Worried

I have to admit I'm worried about the impending challenge. I feel underprepared especially when I hear what my team mates have been doing this week. Then again I know I've some more than others. 

This has been an emotionally challenging week and I've let the physical training slip. Next week back on track. 

Thanks again for your support and sponsorship. 

Bank holiday blues

This has been a tough week. Can't say why but I missed posting about my walk on Bank Holiday Monday. Just a quick 3-4 miles to meet an old friend for coffee and the same back. 

I realised almost immediately that I had properly damaged my toenails through my feet swelling on the long Sunday walk without breaks. I limped to MbarK for coffee and did not refuse a lift home in the rain, my waterproof started leaking. 

I did manage to bag a bargain jacket later in the afternoon though. 

Today one team mate returned from holiday and two more are off on a ten hour yomp. Me? I'm going shopping for food. Maybe tomorrow. 

Cheshire (Straight) Lines

Yesterday day was a long and quite boring 15 miles. I trod the Southport end of the TransPennine Trail which runs form Aintree to Marine Drive. I opted to walk from Old Roan s access to the path is easier there when using public transport so off I went on the 9.30 train out of Ormskirk.
It's not hard to get onto the track and despite the early hour there were quite a few folks about. This trail also forms part of route 62 of the national cycle network (it's the anorak in me I have to give you these facts)so there were a few bike bells warning me to get out of the way and signs telling horse riders cyclists and walkers alike to play nicely. The route runs pretty close to houses between Old Roan and Maghull so there were parents with babies and 'mature' cyclists all using the track for a constitutional.
Arriving at the Cheshire Lines section was different. For one thing this is a long straight path with a few intersecting footpaths but essentially it's a way from A to B. for me though it brought back som memories. Before reaching my current not very elevated status I used to work for West Lancs council in the leisure department. Some time about the turn of the century (don't press me for an exact date) the idea of the Trans Pennines Trail was mooted and Sustrans organised a cross country trek for willing volunteers who took nine days to walk from the east coast to the west. Day eight saw them cross our path and I was the officer charged with the task of organising the cream tea and brass band. They thanked us for that as, they said, no one else had really bothered. The route I was taking was their day nine. I can imagine that after their slog across country this would have been a disappointing end, unless of course there was ice cream! Everything is better with ice cream.
The whole route took me just under five and a half hours. I learned many things. My hands and feet swell significantly if I don't have a lengthy rest stop. (1/2 hour) I must cover the back of my neck so it doesn't burn (French foreign legion type hat will be bought) and long straight paths walked alone are boring, in reality as well as in life.

Watching the rain

It just started heaving down and reminded me that yesterday one of my team mates was chatting happily about not needing boots if if was fine for the next few weeks. Apparently we will be doing much of the walk along old roman roads and well made pathways which is reassuring.

There's a month to go and that is quite scary. The practice walks are getting longer and the sponsorship total is getting closer. It looks like team Big Breaths Short Steps will be six in number. The plan is to get out for a long walk as a group next weekend. Mind you if we discover that we hate each other at this point it's a little late! The team reward  arrived in the form of a 'buff' scarf from the organisers.

Things still to do include more walking, booking a hotel to collapse into at the end and sorting out how best to arrive at the start point in Didsbury and  some more walking just to be on the safe side. 

To Tesco and beyond

So today I walked the six and a half miles to Tesco in Burscough and back. The lovely Carol on the check out has offered to goad and cajole her colleagues into sponsoring me so I just nipped over (on foot) to drop off some sponsor forms and info about the Albert Kennedy Trust. 

There's been a light drizzle this morning which was actually quite cooling. (A good thing when those tropical moments hit) I made the return trip, with a brief stop to drop the forms, in two hours twenty. 

For the record the last two or so miles are gently uphill. I can really tell the difference in my fitness since I started this challenge. I recommend walking to rack and everyone of you. It's cheap and easy to do. 

It's for charity people

In case any of you haven't sponsored me yet and would like to you can find my page at Just Giving (Ursula Curwen). Or text BBSS61 £amount to 70070. If you're wondering who it's all for check the photo.....

A bridge too far?

4.8 miles today around Arnhem city centre. It do involve lunch and a small bier but walking is walking. 

Loenermark

So it rained yesterday and the cycling didn't happen but today was another story. Erik and I went to this national park and did a quick 8k walk over the hills (!) looking for wild boar. They were hiding and daytime is not the best time to see them but the wall was great and we had a little detour into the Dutch national war cemetery which was very moving. The picture below is the wooden chapel at the centre.

Sponsorship....the reckoning

So today was the day that the first half of the sponsorship money had to be delivered to the Albert Kennedy Trust. Thanks to my wonderful sponsors I had more than enough promised to cover this. Of course I'm only at 67% of my target (£400) so any more that I can raise     is more than welcome. Get over to JustGiving and type in Ursula Curwen they will lead you through the rest. 

I'm on the Dutch leg of my training just now tomorrow, cycling for a change. More later as they say. 

Priory Arrangement

So today the walk was from home to the Ring O Bells then on to the ruins of Burscough Priory. Not usually accessible the ruins are on private land so to see them and have a local historian tell the tale was an amazing privilege.
An amazing turnout again! I reckon about 70 people.

Completely historical

So today's little wander took me from home to the Ring O Bells pub to meet a walking group c/o Lathom parish council. With out local historian guide we headed out to Lathom Park for a look around the pleasure gardens and the site of Lathom Castle, said to have been bigger than Windsor and 'the court of the North' in its day.
Organisers expected 30 people so125 surprised them a bit.any thanks to the ladies of the chapel (who live in the almshouses) for tea and cakes.
If you're around over the next couple of days there are more walks organised.
P

Pottering about

Still slightly knocked sideways by last weeks kidney infection I find that two or three miles was enough for me today. Still good to actually be back in my boots and looking forward to the Bank Holiday to get a longer couple of days in.
The marking pile is going down slowly and the donations and sponsorship are going up. Thank you one and all.
Tomorrow, the rowing machine! 2k with my arms, slowly.
If anyone wants to 'friend' me on Nike + to keep an eye on the training please feel free to do so.

On the map

So last week I decided to order a set of maps so I can see where I'm going at the end of June. Looking closely at the landscape it looks longer and steeper than I imagined but then again it's 100k what did I expect?
I've had a week of not being well and still feeling kitten weak but here I am planning the weekends walk. I have no plans to do anything too strenuous just to keep my legs moving.
I'm up to my ears on marking. (5 dissertations, 40 portfolios, 4 presentations, 28 reflections, and a heap of first year group reports...by the end of May) but I planned this year so the weekends are mine and I'm walking to work every day. I can't complain though I have a home and people around who support me. The young people who need the Albert Kennedy Trust don't. Your support means a lot so please just text BBSS61 £5 to 70070 that's only 5p a kilometre.

Gentle stroll

Well we did get the buggy out (it's a fantastic ATV affair) but ended up with a gentle stroll rather than a challenging test of my buggy pushing abilities. It was good to be out in the fresh air if only for a half hour or so.
I presume the antibiotics are doing their job as I'm feeling better. Hopefully I'll be back on track by the end of the week. I do seem to still have a weird nervous cough but the muscle weakness is largely gone.
Today my challenge is to mark some of my dissertation stack! It's marking month. Pretty much all I will be doing for the next four to six weeks is marking and walking.
I tend to be fairly grumpy during marking month, as Emma will witness, but if anyone fancies a stroll let me know. I could use the distraction.
Be careful out there.

Virus

Sadly this time not the computer kind. The antibiotics will kick in I'm sure but the reality is I am not fit to walk this weekend.
Still borrowed the baby though. Maybe his buggy will get some use tomorrow!

Sitting still is bad .....

Every joint aches. I have been doing a validation in Leicester which has involved two long train journeys and two long days of sitting still in a meeting. Sitting still is bad!
This weekend I have plans for a long walk which also involves my partner, a small child and a pram!
I have hit my daily target of 4000 Nike fuel points and then some. Almost made it the last two days.....maybe it should be 5000. What do you think?

The White Rose county

Today was a gentle but hilly stroll in the grounds at Hardcastle Crags Gibson's Mill in Hebden Bridge. Not equipped for the muddier paths we trod the main gravel trail for a couple of miles. My excuse was I did a lot yesterday and .... it wasn't raining when we left home. I can definitely feel the long but gentle hills on my thighs. Emma accompanied me and there was lunch if course! Last nights diner with friends on top of the Southport trip had left me more tired than I thought. Note to self....don't go out the night before the event and try to get an early night in your own bed the night before.

'Celebrity' endorsed!

Today was a slog from Ormskirk to Southport but at least the rain held off til
I arrived at Meols Cop Youthie. They're having an open day. When I arrived I was greeted by the lovely Emma and the one and only Captain Jack Sparrow! Now that's what I call celebrity endorsement!
Gonna spend some time here helping out with the fund raiser. Catch you soon enough.

Dental care...

Big thanks to Oak Dental Practice in Ormskirk this morning for putting up a sponsorship poster for me.
We're at around the 70 day mark now and I'm 40+ % into my sponsorship target. If anyone can spare even a fiver text BBSS61 £5 to 70070 to donate. Bigger sums and smaller sums are also welcome just change the amount after the pound sign. Thank you.

Just wanted to show you this!

Photo from lady week's excursion to Rivington!

Life's a beach

Well today the walk was a beach. Form by to be exact. Good to contribute to saving the red squirrels by paying the National Trust to park at Formby Point and a good day to hit the beach. Not to blustery and the tide on its way out so we had a good couple of hours squelching through wet sand. Flat but still stretching the muscular vocabulary.

Rivington Pike

Not an elegant climb in the snow at the top but wow! It was a great day out with Linda and the ex marines we hired to push us.....and they did push us. (Check them out at Monkey Boy Self Defence Boot Camp they are guns for hire and pleasant on the eye and mind....)
A gentle stroll past the Yarrow reservoir,across the tussocks of grass and up the snow face to the top of Winter Hill the hard way. Lunch. We'd been going three hours by now.
Back down via the cairns and, of course, the tower on Rivington Pike. Thought the secret gardens, round the old workhouse and the 7 arch bridge to the car and a warm down.
Five and a bit hours. Three hundred or so feet up. Warm bath and pasta on arrival home. TransPennine Challenge? Bring it on!

Stretchy bum

And indeed stretchy knees! I have acquired a pair of walking pants with these attributes. Looking forward to being walked ragged tomorrow by the lovely Mike (Photos to follow) in a four hour or more wander around Rivington Pike where team BBSS will be practising our hill climbing and advanced bladder control!

Steady as she goes

Out alone this morning. Not much open being Easter but lots of traffic which made the roads a bit dodgy. A steady two and a half hours but no good bread as the bread shop has either closed or moved.
Nice to see people out carriage driving. Discovered there is a local carriage driving school that I've never noticed before.

Choc full weekend.

No it's not all about Easter eggs. My walk today was around Manchester city centre as I needed to talk to a man about a research project. I have however honestly done an hours walking and about 4 miles. Tomorrow I attack the tow path!

Frosting on the walk

Just an hour and a half today with Emma for support. Nice to end up in the excellent Hop Vine for a pub lunch. Feel better for trying out the camelback as I've never used one before.

Up a gear or gearing up.

They sent us a list of stuff we would need. I though I had a lot of it. So, apart from the boots, so far I have ..... a new rucksack (properly fitted, women's with 2L hydra pack), new micro fleece (old one found to be holey and it appeared to have shrunk!) and most excitingly a new sports bra.

Now for those of you who are not of team Big Breaths this last item may not seem essential but 100k in an ill fitting, narrow strapped undergarment is too harsh to contemplate. On the upside thanks to the wonderful woman at Bravissimo on Bold St Liverpool who took one of my sponsorship posters to put up in the staff room.

I have covered about 3.8 miles today so far and hope to smash my Nike+ total before tea time. If anyone is using a Nike gadget and would like to friend me or otherwise encourage me please feel free to do so.

Training starts here!

So, Monday, the usual walk to work (& here I should be honest I do two 15-20 minute walks everyday to and from work) but now with added walking boots! The guy in the shop told me I should wear them as much as possible and walk in them as often as possible. I may have to head back for more walking socks so I don't end up washing a pair every night.

The cold is almost gone. I'm only slightly snotty now so, no more excuses. In a nothing-to-do-with-the-uk-white-paper-on-youth-crime kind of way.

Excelsior! Or as they say in Lancashire, Uppards!

Things I forgot to mention...

The walk starts in Manchester and is to be completed in 24 hours (33 if you're really slow). I aim to raise money for the Albert Kennedy Trust. As you can see i have been out for a short walk today despite wheezing but now its time for a hot toddy and a bit of Warcraft.

Solstice on the transpennine trail

I asked the universe for a challenge and, boy, did I get one. We're doing this 100k charity walk, they said. You're fit, they said, so sign up! So I find myself 12 weeks away from a long walk across the Pennines just after the solstice. I'm setting myself a secondary challenge in keeping a blog about the training and the event.
I have the remains of a cold, a new pair of boots and a qr code on this page to take you to the sponsorship page.