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Ok, it's official. I've lost the plot. Maybe it's due to the recent sunny weather...or too much walking...or those weird little needles Physio stuck in my backside in the name of acupuncture...who knows...
I've just entered the ballot for a place in the 2010 London Marathon.
Why the heck did I do that?! AND it cost me £32!
I should finish my Jogle at the beginning of September, and one month later I'll find out if I have a place in the marathon. Goodo.
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Friday, 24 April 2009
Ruff Wear Grip Trex Boots
What can I say...I'm getting my work (an online shop) in order for Sue, who's going to be holding the fort for me. Poor woman. I hand over to her at the beginning of May, and then spend a bit of time on and off with her making sure she's ok until I disappear off to John O'Groats. It's surprising how you think something will be straight forward and then all these complications appear...
Patch is doing well...we seem to have found a solution to her boots rubbing...there's a lovely lady called Penny on ebay (her ebay ID is; angelica1963) who has been just SO helpful and knitted us some fantastic boot liners. I can't tell you how helpful she has been - far beyond what you would expect. Penny has made some 100% wool liners that are padded everywhere except the sole, so they give protection over her toes, around the top of the boot and her dew claws, but they leave the sole simple so Patch still has stability underfoot. She's only worn them for 5 miles so far, but so far so good. I don't want her to have to wear them unneccessarily as I'd rather her feet toughened up a bit, but she DOES have some issues on pink skin area, so at least I know we have a fallback option. When I have days where I have a lot of roadwork, or some gritty forestry tracks I intend for Patch to wear the boots for maybe half the day - just to take the strain off her feet.
She may be a Jack Russell, but she's a big strong girl, and weighs around 9kg so I'm not planning to carry her!!
Patch is doing well...we seem to have found a solution to her boots rubbing...there's a lovely lady called Penny on ebay (her ebay ID is; angelica1963) who has been just SO helpful and knitted us some fantastic boot liners. I can't tell you how helpful she has been - far beyond what you would expect. Penny has made some 100% wool liners that are padded everywhere except the sole, so they give protection over her toes, around the top of the boot and her dew claws, but they leave the sole simple so Patch still has stability underfoot. She's only worn them for 5 miles so far, but so far so good. I don't want her to have to wear them unneccessarily as I'd rather her feet toughened up a bit, but she DOES have some issues on pink skin area, so at least I know we have a fallback option. When I have days where I have a lot of roadwork, or some gritty forestry tracks I intend for Patch to wear the boots for maybe half the day - just to take the strain off her feet.
She may be a Jack Russell, but she's a big strong girl, and weighs around 9kg so I'm not planning to carry her!!
Thursday, 16 April 2009
Just to update you...
The news so far....
After a fab weekend in Snowdonia, we had great fun conquering Glyder Fach and Glyder Fawr. Patch wore her new boots for the first time and coped very well - she was too busy trying to go faster than me up the mountain to even notice the boots. The problem we had though is her toe joints on the top of her foot were getting sore. Patch was wearing the Ruff Wear Grip trex boots with liners - the boots are fab, but I've just ordered some knitted woolen baby mittens to try as liners instead of the cotton Ruff Wear ones. Hopefully they will give a little more padding and will cope with wet conditions better.
I used ENGO Blister Prevention Patches this time in my new boots, and I have to say they were bloody brilliant! No irritation AT ALL on my heels - which is amazing considering how much these boots were shredding my feet before! It was a really good test for the patches, and they really came up trumps.
I'm currently planning campsites to stay at once a week or so. I'll be wild camping as much as possible, but if I can send a resupply parcel of food, maps etc ahead to some campsites to collect on my way through that would be good. Lorraine Finnie who has a campsite in Contin has been particularly helpful, and is giving me an alternative address to send my stash to as she's not there during the day. My hubby, John, is visiting 3 weekends, so that's some re-supplying sorted!!
I still can't figure out the easiest way to post my route on here other than putting it all on a google map (which I'm not having much luck with!). I planned the route on good old paper maps, so I'm not sure how to get them onto the web.
Fundrasing is still lower than hoped, but considering I don't have a vast network of friends, and my family don't particularly want me to do this walk, then it's hardly suprising really! The amazing think is, most of the donations have come from either old friends from school who I haven't seen for about 20 years (who have seen my walk on my Facebook page) or customers from my jewellery supply business who I have never met - but I class them as my new "cyber friends", or complete strangers who have come across this blog or my Justgiving page by chance - and some people who have come across me on Twitter.
So, although donations are low I'm over the moon that there are so many lovely people out there who will donate and support a total stranger! That's something special.
After a fab weekend in Snowdonia, we had great fun conquering Glyder Fach and Glyder Fawr. Patch wore her new boots for the first time and coped very well - she was too busy trying to go faster than me up the mountain to even notice the boots. The problem we had though is her toe joints on the top of her foot were getting sore. Patch was wearing the Ruff Wear Grip trex boots with liners - the boots are fab, but I've just ordered some knitted woolen baby mittens to try as liners instead of the cotton Ruff Wear ones. Hopefully they will give a little more padding and will cope with wet conditions better.
I used ENGO Blister Prevention Patches this time in my new boots, and I have to say they were bloody brilliant! No irritation AT ALL on my heels - which is amazing considering how much these boots were shredding my feet before! It was a really good test for the patches, and they really came up trumps.
I'm currently planning campsites to stay at once a week or so. I'll be wild camping as much as possible, but if I can send a resupply parcel of food, maps etc ahead to some campsites to collect on my way through that would be good. Lorraine Finnie who has a campsite in Contin has been particularly helpful, and is giving me an alternative address to send my stash to as she's not there during the day. My hubby, John, is visiting 3 weekends, so that's some re-supplying sorted!!
I still can't figure out the easiest way to post my route on here other than putting it all on a google map (which I'm not having much luck with!). I planned the route on good old paper maps, so I'm not sure how to get them onto the web.
Fundrasing is still lower than hoped, but considering I don't have a vast network of friends, and my family don't particularly want me to do this walk, then it's hardly suprising really! The amazing think is, most of the donations have come from either old friends from school who I haven't seen for about 20 years (who have seen my walk on my Facebook page) or customers from my jewellery supply business who I have never met - but I class them as my new "cyber friends", or complete strangers who have come across this blog or my Justgiving page by chance - and some people who have come across me on Twitter.
So, although donations are low I'm over the moon that there are so many lovely people out there who will donate and support a total stranger! That's something special.
Thursday, 9 April 2009
The weekend approaches...!
As the long Easter weekend approaches we are preparing for a weekend in Snowdonia. I'm going to stick a big bale of hay in the field for the horses and let them get on with it while we have some fun in the mountains. The change this year is that my mother has agreed to look after our older dog (Artie) for the weekend, as these walks are getting a bit much for him.
Artie has done well so far..he's conquered 3 different routes up Snowdon (almost 4, but we had to turn back down the Watkin Path very close to the summit as one of our other dogs was struggling with the cold!), breezed Cnicht, and scrabbled up Moel Hebog in some pretty horrendous wind and rain as well as numerous other mountain walks. He's crammed in our backpacking tent, and put up with one of our terriers (Snowy) giving him a hard time.
Although I feel guilty leaving the old boy behind, I know this is definitely the best thing for him as he trundles into old age. He's a sweetheart, and he's going to have a great weekend being spoiled by mum, while we get blown off the Glyders and drenched along the way I'm sure.
I'm looking forward to it.
Have a great Easter all!
Artie has done well so far..he's conquered 3 different routes up Snowdon (almost 4, but we had to turn back down the Watkin Path very close to the summit as one of our other dogs was struggling with the cold!), breezed Cnicht, and scrabbled up Moel Hebog in some pretty horrendous wind and rain as well as numerous other mountain walks. He's crammed in our backpacking tent, and put up with one of our terriers (Snowy) giving him a hard time.
Although I feel guilty leaving the old boy behind, I know this is definitely the best thing for him as he trundles into old age. He's a sweetheart, and he's going to have a great weekend being spoiled by mum, while we get blown off the Glyders and drenched along the way I'm sure.
I'm looking forward to it.
Have a great Easter all!
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