100km in 30 hours - Trailwalker

[kamion]

Hi guys and gals,

I'm ditching my SLR for the weekend, swap it with a video cam and
doing Trailwalker to raise funds for Oxfam. Basically, it's a 100km walk
in 30 hours on the South Downs.

To illustrate how far 100km is, take a look at this link to Google
Maps that shows the checkpoints along the trail. Basically, it's a
walk from Portsmouth to Brighton... and not in a straight line.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=114391688366368708116.0000011369ed85d8e2a83

There's a little video on the Oxfam website that shows what
Trailwalker is all about, and some "catch phrase" interviews with
participants from previous years.

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what_you_can_do/events/trailwalker/index.htm

Because the event was basically started by the Queen's Gurkha Signals
Regiment, the main aim of the fundraising from this event is to build
schools in Nepal, where the Gurkhas come from. Watch the video.

I think I've probably walked about 150km already in training. Just two
weekends ago, me and some of my other team mates went down to
"reconnaisance" the parts of the trail that we might be doing at night
(yes, we're not stopping to sleep in that 30 hours!) so we have a
better chance of not getting lost. We covered checkpoints 3 to 8...
about 47km.

Anyway, I hope you will support me by making a donation at my
e-fundraising website. Please leave your name and a comment - a word
of kind encouragement perhaps? Or just to call me crazy?

https://www.bmycharity.com/yanghan

Remember to tick the "Gift Aid" box if you're a UK tax payer (and only
if you're a UK tax payer) to make sure Gordon Brown donates 20p for
every £1 you donate.

Thanks!

 

[kamion]

 

[minimeeze]

Wow! That's some distance to cover in not a very long time. I walked 9 miles in a day and my feet died

Good luck, and I've sponsored you

 

[kamion]

Thanks Cheryl! Much appreciated! Will be thinking good thoughts of you on my walk.

 

[kamion]

Just an update - I completed Trailwalker 2007 in 29h50m5s!

It was the toughest thing I've done yet.

On approaching checkpoint 9 (roughly 88km in), it was just past 1pm (and the 30 hour limit is at 4pm), I was beginning to lose hope to finish it.

As I was registering at CP9, I saw my two other team mates leaving it for the final push (and the steepest climb on the Trail) to CP10 and then the finisihing line at CP11. Me and Harrison decided to just go straight through CP9 without stopping. Adrenaline kicked in and we powered up that steep climb and got to CP10 (5km) in 1 hour. I felt no pain, no aches - was really running high on adrenaline at that point.

From CP10, it's a 3km climb, but not so steep. And then another 3km+ to the finishing line that is basically flat or slightly down hill. It was at the top of the climb that my adrenaline tank ran dry. I couldn't call up any more. That's when my left leg gave up. I basically limped the last 3km to the finishing line with the strong sun beating down on me. That was the slowest part of the walk.

 

[Cobra]

Well done!

 

[ppp]

Well done mate, nice one.
















You know we have cars these days....

 

[kamion]

Yes. Now I truly appreciate what a car does for us.

 

[minimeeze]

Well done Kamion Do you still have any feet left or have they turned into one huge blister? You must be feeling very proud of yourself

 

[kamion]

Cheers min. Feet is still a bit sore at some points, but they didn't just turn into one big blister. More achy in muscles and certain joints really.