I think this is called cold feet. I am terrified. I am wishing that I’d trained more. But apparently have done lots – so others tell me. Am nervous for the team. But we’re having big team bonding next weekend. And much needed – we’ve got together every month in one form or another but this Oxford to London long distance relationship has meant if someone missed a training walk for whatever reason – they missed out on contact for a while. And it’s definately the team thing that will get us round. I do know people who’ve stood in for others the week before though – and they made it. There’s no room for failure, as our friends in the QGS army would say.

Tori and I took to the hills on the ridgeway last weekend – that was the last big walk – we did 26 miles a bit by accident. But good. Missed the other guys but was good to spend some proper time with Tori. Often walking in groups you don’t get to the centre of things with one other person. So was nice.

I wish I had the pics – but Tori’s got them. Will get her to post.

This weekend, the members of our trusty support crew travelled to Oxford with the aim of assembling themselves into an eclectic but steadfast team. We had a weekend of enforced bonding with riverside walks and a big slap up BBQ, and a glorious time was had by all. (Except our team red-head, Rachel who was dismayed to discover the team T Shirts are orange. She may not forgive me… but we all know she’ll look lush in it regardless!)

When half our team lives in London, and half in Oxford – it was a bit of a decision as to whether to spend this precious time together on a bg stomping walk and build our leg muscles. Or have a more tame weekend with the support team – but I know we made the right decision. I would reccomend to anyone to get your support crew together before the big day. It was jolly. We got to talk over hopes, fears and foibles. Plus worked out important stuff like logistics and who dirves/sleeps when. But mostly we started to feel like a team. I have a tear in my eye! Also hopefully they will be more understanding of our nighttime tantrums as a result.

I absolutely heart our support crew to death. They are going to make this event. I can’t wait.

Right so – I’m a little nervous. We had a cracking day on Sunday – absolutlely stormed round the course of the Oxfam Cambridge Walk – 26 miles, all of them really well marshalled and signposted, and the day drenched us in some blistering sunshine. However it is to be noted that this was a bit of a race against time – we had three routed to complete, of 13 miles, 9 miles then 4 miles before 4.30pm. This is the closest to Trailwalker we’ve come so far, and we were some of the fastest folk on the course – but still loads of people overtook us. It was because we stopped loads on checkpoints. We did some great work for our stamina and had a brill aerobic workout but mashed up our feet going superfast and then had lots of blistercare, so didn’t gain anything in terms of time. Ouch. Don’t want to do that on the big day. Our team is resolved to talk about pace- find out what’s best for us. And keep practicing! We barely stopped to take pics cos we were so completley nails, but enjoy the few photies all the same.

yesterday I walked with another team… and I liked it. I hope my team will forgive me. Of course they will! It was cool. we did 15 miles round and about Oxford. So that means no hills – but good training anyway. From 8am til 1pm.  prooves how much you can get done before lunchtime!
Next week will be reunited with Jane and Tori to walk the first few bits of the route. fun.

Far be it from me to state the obvious but it’s not easy getting four people to agree on what’s best to eat for lunch, much less how to get round a 100k challenge with our far-flug personal objectives intact.

Nonetheless I wouldn’t give it up. Each member of my team is a gorgeous and spirited and wonderous human being and I can’t wait to see them again this weekend in cambridge.

To fill you in on what’s been happening. Roughly… we’ve completed a full stretch of 22.3 miles. We did checkpoint 5-9 route and it was full on tough. I can’t wait to do it all again, in the dark, under pressure of time.

However – the credit for us getting round in a mind blowingly competent 7.15 hours has to go to Laura P. She kept us to time the whole way. Map-read like a dream. And reminded us to strech down. We were joined by a cracking Support Crew member Helen who is in fact a total star, and Brighton local who looked after us very well. And in return we made her walk further and faster than was really fair – but she rose to the challenge!

Here’s the pics…Love Kim

Laura talks about the tough training schedule. In her pyjamas.

We’re aching today. But it’s so brilliant to have pushed ourselves. It was punishing. AND, I read the map.

Jane was absolutely overjoyed with most of the day. And considering it was 17.3 miles – yes miles – we were in pretty good shape at the end. Only slightly grumpy.

For any Lostingarsington fans out there (Mum, that’s you) check out our video interview with staunch team member Laura P which you can watch. What fun.

Bye for now love Kim

Well… what can I say? Full of anticipation, hope and excitement about our first training walk, we set out for a 13 mile hike to Lewknor. But two loops round Garsington and a merry dance later, we stop for lunch and realise we’ve walked about 10 miles in the opposite direction.

Thwarted? No. Well yes. But after eating possibly the biggest display of lasagne and fried potato products I have ever seen, our spirts are lifted enough to stretch off and start the trek back. We even resist the offer of tea, cake and a lift home that’s extended as we pass by our friend Lucy’s house. Nerves of steel. It’s clear that we’re not just here to set the standards for outdoors fashionistas, but we’re also going to make a staunch and hardy team.

Then, after getting directions off Lucy, I’d say about 30 metres from her house we’re lost again. Tori throws the map away in some kind of manic fit of defiance. And in the ensuing confusion - for what is an all-girl team – the unthinkable happens…

Support crew member, Hugh takes the map. Being either good, or I suspect sensible, enough not to gloat too much, it becomes apparent Hugh’s the only one in the group who can read a map. The fact he’s the only boy is more annoying than I care to admit and resolve to familiarise myself with the alien concept of ordnance survey maps… It is clear there is a lot to learn.

But I can’t wait.

I’m really, really looking forward to all the ups and downs and depressingly inevitable wrong turns that the next few months has for us.

Walk #2 Parrots and Pirates  

There weren’t really any pirates. But we were pretty amazed to see parrots in London to be honest. So that was enough for us.

This was jolly training walk, a flat-but fast paced trip from Chiswick to Hampton Court with about a million people in tow. Including Hugh’s Mum and Dad, which makes for a heartwarmingly family-type day. Really nice. They impart some walking wisdom which is much needed. And make us laugh as Hugh’s dad sneaks a few cheeky cigarettes. Role reversal.

The other notable things that happen are that we name the team. We start to get to grips with the reality of walking 100k. We don’t feel remotely like we’ve walked the 13 miles that the map says we did – which is unnerving.

We think we’re probably going to run into trouble when the hills start rolling ahead of us on the South Downs. We add a few more walks to the training schedule. We’re a bit scared. 

Tori, defiant again, cheerfully walks an extra 5 miles all the way back to Richmond. We get the bus home.

More soon… love Kim

22nd March… Today I decide to plug some of the skills gaps in this team, and learn to map read. I pull in some contacts. My dear Old Mother Rowe and our pal Lorna, who teaches the Girl Guides. She knows a thing or two about getting from a to B, so we set off on a navigation lesson, along with my faithful hound The Smasher. Aside from my tendency to mix up East and West, I’m a promising student.  I never have got to grips with left and right either. So am sure this won’t hold me back.