Now Its My Turn To Walk the MS Mile

After several weeks of training the big day arrived. 12 September, now it’s my turn to walk the MS Mile.

Getting there

My training was walking 100 yard lengths with my Rollator. I felt huge benefits from the exercise, I feel more positive and my balance is now so much better. I am now walking distances that I had not done for three or four years and I was proud of myself.

The walk started outside M & S in Berkhamsted High Street, which is only a short distance from our house. My back up team, wife and daughter Meg, brought wheel chair and rollator to the start while I zoomed there on my Travelscoot.

The start

Suddenly it was 11.00 and we were off. There were plenty of other walkers but I was definitely the slowest person there. Immediately I was tail-end Charlie but I didn’t care. There were quite a few of my friends and neighbours there offering me moral support.  We met other friends along the way; we formed our own peloton.

I cannot multitask. My job was to walk and that took all of my concentration. The further I walked the more I had to concentrate. Think about keeping my left knee soft otherwise it hyper-extends  Making sure my foot did what I wanted it to do.

Each half

The first half of the walk was relatively easy. Turning round and I knew I was on my way back home. On the other hand I was walking into new territory distance wise. I managed another hundred yards then my left foot stopped co-operating.

Over halfway

Louise, a physiotherapist from the MS Therapy Centre was a marshal at the walk, she was a tremendous help to me with my walking. On my way back nd it was at this point that she took over and made me use my wheelchair. I was now more than happy to push myself along in it. Also it was slightly down hill, just enough to provide that little bit of help. This also gave my left leg a much needed rest.

I was within 300 yards of the finish. I was determined to walk from there to the end. Yup it was a struggle but the applause when I reached the end made all the training and effort on the day worth while. Yea, I had a real sense of euphoria.

The finish

A friend had bought some Chelsea buns from my favourite baker in Berkhamsted, Darvells. Sitting down, eating the buns when I had finished was immensely satisfying. That was the furthest I had walked for more years than I care to remember. It was definitely worth the effort.

In the afternoon we retired to listen to Berko Fest. A one day music festival in Berkhamsted in the grounds of the local cricket club, a glorious setting in the Chilterns. Not many days can be better than that, rates as 5* in my opinion.

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