Clearing the first hurdle!

It is with a great deal of pleasure that I can announce that we have managed to clear the first major hurdle in this year's Trailwalker UK Challenge!

However, the use of the word "we" is somewhat controversial, in that I am not talking about total number of training miles that we've walked or pace achieved, I am talking about monies "raised".

Even the word "raised" is open to question, as we haven't really raised the money at all. The money - i.e. the £1,500 minimum fundraising target - has been kindly given, by our dear friends, colleagues & associates. 'Given' in times when money itself is scarce. 'Given' generously; 'Given' kindly; 'Given' without preconditions.

That being said, the donations do come with an expectation that we will complete the Challenge, and not decamp to the pub when the going gets tough.

[On this latter point I should point out to any fellow Trailwalker UK competitors that there is a very inviting pub at Devil's Dyke at the end of Stage 8 of the walk. Depending upon a team's start time, it is feasible that it may be still open as some of the faster teams reach it. After having already walked 40 miles in the July heat, with Brighton seemingly only a stone's throw away, what would be nicer than a quick pint or two, before completing the Challenge? Well, do not & I repeat DO NOT do it! There will still be another 23 miles to walk, and once THAT is done you can have all the beer in the world...or possibly even better, a large mug of tea!]

Anyway, as I was saying, with the generosity of our friends, comes an expectation, which in turn brings us motivation. When we are tired; when we want to pull out; when our blisters have blisters, and our legs feel dead; when we get slower & slower & more and more teams start to overtake us, each and every pound that has already been given will motivate us to continue. We will not want to let people down, we will want to carry on!

However bad we may feel during that one day, pales into significance when compared with the hardship endured by those who will be helped by the money raised.

So, to date, we haven't achieved anything, but our friends have achieved a great deal. They should receive any accolades going. Now we need to match them both in training and on the day.

We are proud of our friends! On the 16th of July we hope that they'll be proud of us!

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