Andrew Mellor

June Update

End of April Update

 According to the walking God that is Strava April was a productive month.  It says I walked 165km, was moving for 31 hours and 18 minutes, and climbed 797 metres (the height of Haycock in the Lake District).  On that last statistic - climbing a hill in Cumbria  whilst walking in Cambridgeshire is not to be sniffed at.  Additionally, as a side challenge I entered the ABF's 'Walk 75 miles in a month for Monty'.  It being the 75th anniversary of D-Day (last year).  I have attached an image of this gigantic gong!  I am not sure if I will manage to walk so far in May (the walking regime changes a little).  In the meantime.  Follow that nice Mr Gove's advice and exercise daily - so far as you do it on foot from your home...

End of March Update

Well, what a difference a month makes. As politicians grapple with the appropriate way to deal with Covid-19 and shut down the economy as they do so.  As the news simply lists numbers of dead (rather like the success measure for offensives in the first world war - deaths continue to rise but the curve is flattening...).  And some countries (Sweden, Belarus, and Brazil - not usually found in the same sentence) take a more sanguine approach.  I have purchased new OS maps of my local area!

According to Strava (which has miscalculated because it does not know I am miserable at remembering to charge my mobile phone sufficiently) estimates I have spent 14 hours walking and covered approximately 70km in March.  Which is good, but I do have to walk 100km in three days (assuming October is a good time for communal events...).  I am, you will be pleased to know, on track in April so far!

Finally, if anybody actually reads this, keep safe.  And, thank you for donating.  If you would like to add another contribution then that would be great since charity receipts have plummeted in the past month.  And, if you can give blood - stocks are already down 15% xx

February Update

So, I have not really followed my training plan!  I blame the weather and events.  Anyway, I did manage half a dozen of the one hour to one and a half hour walks - but I need to up my game.  So, I am endeavouring to follow the March training programme!  Luckily, the real training is not expected to start until July - when I hope I will have raised the outstanding cash (although donations are a little slow).  If you did donate since the last update - then, THANK YOU (and thank you too to all you early adopters).

First Blog!

So, although the walk is over eight months away, I have a training schedule. This is not the 'actual' training schedule that starts twelve weeks before the event; this is the pre-training. Which considering my post-Christmas/New Year condition is more than needed.  Over the next few months, I will keep you in touch with my progress (which I will also try to remember to record on Strava).

So, for February I propose to focus on going out regularly for shorter walks of forty-five minutes to an hour with a slightly longer one of two to three hours once a week.  I should be walking three or four times a week.

There is a suggestion I should enrol in a pilates or yoga class... but that may be a step (no pun intended) too far.  However, I will commit to improving my core, leg, and upper body strength with a few 'high planks', 'lunges', and 'bicep curls'...

Anyway, I will, as I say, let you know how it all goes.  My next post should be at about this time in February.

I am fundraising for ABF The Soldiers' Charity

I'm taking part in the Frontline Walk - a 100km trek to commemorate the sacrifices made by those who fought for our freedom whilst helping to support the soldiers and veterans of today.

I will walk in memory of my Great Uncle Ronald Thomson (the profile image), a tunneller who died in January 1917, after being wounded near Vimy Ridge. His mother was at his bedside.  And, Joe Connelly, the Great Uncle of my wife, who died in the spring offensive in 1918, he had wanted to be a jockey.

It will be a physically and emotionally tough challenge, but I'm doing it all for a great cause: ABF The Soldiers' Charity, the National Charity of the British Army. They support soldiers, veterans and their families when they need it most.

Please cheer me on by making a donation towards my target - I'll be forever grateful!