Jump to content

Recommended Posts

I trained for and did the Oxfam Trailwalker event (100Km over the South Downs Way). I basically walked home from work (then Temple to West Norwood) as often as I could and did (as far as memory serves) 4 all day training walks with members of my team so that we could learn to walk in pace with each other in order that we could keep together and give each other lots of moral support. I found that the best training walks (usually between 12 and 20 miles) were those we did on the actual course we were going to be walking as that made it feel less daunting - plus the S Downs Way is beautiful!


The thing which i did least well on the walk itself was eat...I know it sounds bonkers but having started walking at 5am, by the time it got to 10pm that evening I couldn't eat anymore and then I had a massive energy bonk in the middle of the night (which is definitely not what you need). Luckily I had a very patient and supportive team and managed to eat something new at one of our middle of the night stops so it was a bit better after that.


I'm sorry that I'm not doing any serious training at the moment so can't invite you along for the ride but good luck and I hope you find someone.


S


PS have you tried listening to the Rambling series with Clare Balding on the BBC iplayer - i've just started and it's making me chomp at the bit to get out and do more lovely walks.

I managed to do a 26 mile walking marathon without blisters but I did see some people in agony with them. I've never hiked as far as 100km in one go - guess I've done about 13 miles in a day in hiking boots but I've very rarely got blisters then either.


I think in both cases it's a mix of


- getting the right socks. In trainers I wear one pair of well fitting socks, no seams in awkward places (seam free if possible). In boots I wear an inner thin liner sock and an outer thicker sock with cushioning. The idea is if there's an rubbing it takes place between the socks and not your foot and sock - after nearly 20 years of hiking and most years no blisters I think it works.


- getting the right trainer / boot.


Hiking boots I always buy a size up - helps give the space for the extra sock and being enclosed all day your foot needs the space to expand and the toes need space to stop them bashing at the front of the boot when you are on the way down any steep hills. I was away in the peaks this weekend and there was a new girl with too tight boots who ended up with bleeding toes after the first day and the second day we had to cut the walk short as she was in so much pain. Depending on the terrain I would be careful with my choice of boot - because I do some awkward rocky paths I have some which are pretty stiff with pretty solid soles so they last for years, but you can get some lighter trainer/boot hybrids with more cushioning that wouldn't last for as many years, but would be more comfortable for doing lots of miles in one go. I got some gel insoles from Cotswold Outdoor which make my boots more comfortable. If you need hiking boots, go to somewhere good like Cotswold to buy them and get proper hiking socks from a similar place.


Trainers you don't necessarily need a whole size up but you do need plenty of room for your toes to avoid losing nails etc. If you are doing that much training you might want to find a trainer you like and ones you've got enough miles use in them to be confident in them, go and buy a second pair as the first one should be pretty worn by the day of the event. Although don't switch on the day itself - wear newer pair in a it beforehand. Although having said that, I had done all of my training for the Moonwalk in a pair of running trainers but the day dawned wet and cold and so I switched to a pretty new pair salomon trainers which were relatively new and had goretex in and merino socks in the hope of keeping my feet dry, and got away with it. Depending on the path you are doing you might get away with something like this for the south downs way - I've done the bit over seven sisters a number of times in hiking boots, but the path doesn't really require the ankle support and trainers are more cushioned and so much lighter.


I used some compeed stick on my feet before the Moonwalk, would recommend giving that a try. Also took some compeed plasters in my bag just in case - they are significantly better than a regular one and if used right can protect a blister for ages.


If you do sign up for a walk they should send you plenty of advice on the right footwear for the terrain. The Moonwalk team sent us a training plan (which I was a bit lazy and didn't follow in full but did a fair bit of) and plenty of advice on footwear.


Good luck.

24 hours is a good pace. We got blisters. They weren't that bad. I think having toughened the feet with lots of walking in the boots I wore before helped. I've also heard that vinegar baths can help to toughen the skin but didn't try that myself.


When a blister was acquired I used compeed which is ace.


24hours on the flat is feasible without killing yourself.


You'll need good support crews with a variety of foods and excitement to keep your spirits up. and folding chairs and tables...makes all the difference to be able to have a 10 min sit down. We also all used poles from about 20km in why was v helpful but don't know how feasible on the Thames path. Practice with them beforehand though.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • We’ve got a gap on the roof of our shed that needs patching  don’t want to buy a huge roll so hoping someone has some leftover  happy to collect/reimburse 
    • I never said I thought it was targeted or deliberate. There also has never been a “stand off” or confrontation, we’ve spoken to them in a friendly manner about it. Our experience is they don’t seem to care. That’s the frustrating thing for us, if someone politely raises a concern at least take a second to reflect. Treat others how you would want to be treated.  I don’t want them to lose their job, far from it. But considering it could cost me a days work to fix any damage, I’m within my right to try prevent it.   
    • The SE22 Evri delivery family are lovely, and always say hello wherever we spot them in the area. We gave them a box of chocolates during Covid as they were working their socks off at Christmas
    • What was he doing on the stage at Glastonbury? Or on the stage at the other concert in Finsbury Park? Grinning like a Cheshire cat whilst pissed and stoned 20 somethings on the promise of free internet sung-- Oh Jeremy Corbyn---  What were his policies for Northern mining towns with no jobs or infrastructure? Free Internet and university places for youngsters. What were his other manifesto pledges? Why all the ambiguity over Brexit?  I didn't like Thatcher, Blair or May or Tony but I respected them as politicians because they stood by what they believed in. I respect all politicians across the board that stick to their principles. Corbyn didn't and its why he got  annihilated at the polls. A socialist, anti imperialist and anti capitalist that said he voted for an imperialist and pro capitalist cabal. He refused to say how he'd vote over and over again until the last knockings. He did so to appease the Islington elite and middle class students he was courting. The same people that were screaming that Brexit was racist. At the same time the EU were holding black and Asian immigrants in refugee camps overseas but not a word on that! Corbyn created and courted a student union protest movement that screamed at and shouted down anyone not on the left . They claimed Starmer and the centre right of labour were tories. He didn't get elected  because he, his movement and policies were unelectable, twice. He turned out not to have the convictions of his politics and died on his own sword.    Reform won't win an election. All the idiots that voted for them to keep out Labour actually enabled Labour. They'll be back voting tory next time.    Farage wouldn't be able to make his millions if he was in power. He's a very devious shyster but I very much doubt he'd actually want the responsibility that governance requires.
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...