Started off at 4.30am at the harbour. Sunrise was 4.06 so it was still pretty dark, just starting to get light. It wasn't long before we started the climb up to the cliff paths. That was a shock to the system, would've been nice to get into a steady pace first, but it was also good to get the cliff paths out of the way first.
As the sun came up, it started to get really warm - and it was still so early! I had factor 50 on, but was starting to worry about just how hot it was going to get. Luckily, by 7am it had clouded over and was much cooler.
The sunrise itself looked fantastic. Much better than the pictures show. Out of the two, I much prefer sunsets, but there is no way I was planning on being still walking at sunset!
Guernseys cliffs are on the south coast, the rest of the island is pretty flat, and we were walking clockwise so once the cliff paths were out of the way, the second half of the walk was pretty flat all the way.
But first I had to tackle the cliff paths. I really didn't think I'd make it across them. So many steps, both up and down. This part of the walk was slow, and hard. It took me 3.5 hours to do the first 8 miles. I had walked Jerseys north coast before, and it was tough, but it didn't compare to Guernsey's south coast. Whoever it was that told me this walk would be easier, lied! The 10 miles or so of cliff paths in Guernsey involved almost constantly going up and down steps. Some of those steps were 2 feet up. Consequently I was jarring my knees and hips all the time. I can cope with steep climbs up ramps etc, but steps really do kill me.
There were times when I felt like I was going to fall back down one of the many sets of steps. Times when I thought they'd have to send the helicopter in to get me as I just couldn't climb any more steps.
But then I got to a water stop and was told that it was now an hour to the half way point and pretty much flat all the way. Which meant the cliff paths were almost over! Maybe I could walk a little further then.
At this point, I was going to get to the next checkpoint, at the end of the cliffs and stop. My legs had had enough. I wasn't fit enough to do this walk and had underestimated just how hard it was going to be.
I got to the 3rd checkpoint at about 11am, 6 and a half hours into the walk. And about 18 miles - the half way point. I was so happy to have got this far. Had a delivery of a very welcome bacon roll, tended to my now sore feet and started off again.
I had company for a mile or so now, which was good - chatting took my mind off how sore my legs and especially my left hip was - I had realised that I naturally lead with my left foot when I'm on stairs. This meant that is was my left knee and hip that was taking the most strain, and my hip was hurting. A lot.
Whilst I was glad to be off those horrendous cliff paths, they were at least interesting. Now the rest of the walk was flat. It was cloudy still, but now the wind was picking up too. The view was grey and miserable. Which really didn't help to spur me on. Now was the time for painkillers to help my hip, and for loud music - My Chemical Romance was just what I needed at this point!
Now, it was a case of just making it to the next checkpoint. That was all I could focus on. I couldn't think about ever getting to the finish line. Or even making it out alive at some points. It was hard. I wanted to cry. I wanted to curl up in a ball and go to sleep. It was then I realised that today was the day my stubbornness was a strength rather than a weakness. It was my stubbornness that kept me going when my head and my body was telling me to stop.
It seemed forever in between check points. I had no clue what time it was or how fast I was walking. I got to checkpoint 5 at around 3pm. This was at the top of the island and meant I had walked 29 miles, and had 10/11 left to go. Now the sun was back out again and it was really hot. I was going through fluids very quickly, was hurting, and needed sleep.
I had some more company from a friend so we chatted about 'stuff'. I have no idea what, I'm not sure I could string a sentence together but on I walked.
I reached the last checkpoint at about 4.45pm. 4 miles left to go at this point. The end was in sight. Whilst I was in a lot of pain, and was very tired, I was in much better shape than a lot of people. I wasn't limping and didn't have many blisters. It could have been a lot worse.
That last stretch back into town, was probably the longest. It was really hot, I had been walking for 12 hours, with only 5/10 min breaks at some of the checkpoints for food etc. My bag seemed to weigh a ton, and my legs felt heavy.
For the last 2 miles or so, I was walking around the bay, and so could see the finish line ahead of me. I think that really helped as I knew I was almost there. That quickened my pace and I found a last minute burst of energy - I wanted to get to that finish line as soon as possible!
When I got to the end, there were people cheering and clapping, there were balloons everywhere and I nearly collapsed on the spot.
I had made it.
Given I had wanted to give up before I even reached the half way point, to have actually completed it was a major shock - I really didn't think I could do it.
But I did. And I have the medal to prove it. It took me 13.5 hours I think in the end. But I finished it.
No comments:
Post a Comment