' Fitness with Gru ': There and back again, A tale of constant soakings!

So what I am writing about today? I'm writing about my latest charity challenge that I completed to raise funds for a very worthy mental health charity on World Mental Health Day to mark the significance and importance of the day.

I also undertook this challenge in memory of my Mum, and as part of the 'WWMD What would Mum do?' fundraising legacy I set up in Mum's memory.

I am writing this as a mental health awareness blog as opposed to my fitness blog. Although I have also posted the original on my running and mental health blog 'Running for my health' elsewhere.

Either way it will is also be viewable on my 'The Gru' blog @Wix.com.

Introduction to the challenge. Just where do the mad ideas come from?

This challenge came about as some years I host a charity event/challenge titled the Seaside24. It usually involves a group of like minded charity runners who get together to do a seaside based charity challenge usually based around Southport my hometown.

In recent years I haven't organised one as I lost my Mum a couple of years back and I have been concentrating on charity challenges in my Mums memory every year in Snowdonia.

I also suffer Anxiety and recent years have been too hard to be responsible for organising challenges that involve groups, as I am personally responsible for all the people that are involved and this can be mentally taxing on me.

This year I saw an advert from the Young Minds Trust advertising their campaign title 'Time to shine', encouraging people to wear yellow on World Mental Health Day 2019, which is always on the 10th of Oct each year.

The hash tag #HelloYellow may be familiar to a few people as it has been used in other years too by the Young Minds Trust.

Also they were encouraging people to actively go out and raise funds for Young Minds on the day with bakes sales, charity challenges, collections etc etc, our 'Time to Shine' as such.

Obviously my mind clicked and I from somewhere considered Blackpool a challenge, but because it's not easy to get back from without lifts etc I considered getting back under my own power, as well as getting there. Twice the challenge, twice the difficulty but likely twice the donations too due to the extra difficulty.

Those that know me well, know that I usually run for charity, and run further and further as the years pass. Each year requires a bigger challenge in order to gain donations for the charities I choose. This has it's consequences.

My knees are better because of my running and fitness, but all the mileage I have to do to try and train properly to succeed, pushes my physical bodily limitations too as I age. My knees have never been great and I know they suffer with wear and tear, they do repair but more and more slowly and I guess less and less.

I decided as I didn't want to ruin my knees with endless training miles running, that I would try hiking fast, or hiking with a little running so it didn't take forever and so I could genuinely cover more ground.

The plan was hatched #70milesonfoot for Young Minds on World Mental Health Day 10th Oct 2019!

The training. How hard can it be, I'm only walking?

I knew I obviously had to put a lot of miles in on the same day as practise, but just how do you practise and train to walk? The thought of endless miles on my days off along roads or even towards the route itself did not thrill me one bit, and I physically and mentally need my days off work to chill out my brain as well as my now 50yr old body.

I like trail running and I like scenery, I also like beaches around Sefton, but I wasn't going to walk around them endlessly. I did do a few runs with hiking around the local dunes etc but found the runs where just too taxing for me to even consider mostly running with some walking and over such a large distance.

I had last year done a random run down the Leeds to Liverpool canal from Hesketh to Liverpool as a training run for an Ultra that year, so decided I would do this as a Hike/run for a long days training. A total of 5 miles to get to the canal and 21 miles down the canal.

My strategy was 5k hiking fairly fast and then 2k run fairly fast, and repeat..over and over..until I reached my destination. It actually worked really well and gave my legs variety in action as I regularly changed from hike to run to hike to run etc..etc..

It turns out you don't really need breaks as you are not straining yourself as much, and you certainly aren't taxing or pushing yourself cardiovascular/breathing wise. This all kids the brain into thinking you are ok as you do your little 5k/2k 5k/2k etc.

I took lots of pictures of a scenic canal to kid my brain into thinking I was on a mere day trip and sightseeing, and this too really helped me mentally and physically as I suffer with mental health issues, mainly Anxiety.

Just being out there is a tremendous reliever of stress and pressure and indeed Anxiety once you are actually out there. It's not always so easy to make that step out the door though, but that is why I do my challenges.

My challenges give me my drive and my sense of purpose, my here, my why, my God given reason to be on this Earth.

I push myself to help others, they keep me going, I keep them going by fund raising to help them.

It's a cycle of life & purpose for me, a win win, which cannot be dismissed by the Jones's etc etc (No disrespect to anyone named Jones!).

I did further hike runs to Wigan too of 33 miles and a couple of weeks later 40 miles by going to Wigan and back and finally a marathon distance run down country lanes and back to Bretherton and back.

They were great days out and I took some fantastic pictures too, especially when the sun set at the end of the evening each time.

You can find the picture albums on my Facebook page 'FitnesswithGru' and also posts with links on there with 'Relive' route videos to watch which incorporate a selection of the photo's too, with a musical back track. They are only 3 mins or so long.....

This is a link to my 40 miler to Wigan and back via the canal system;

https://www.relive.cc/view/vrqodWV7gKv

The evening lead up to Midnight departure...

I had already trained in running gear with a running backpack so I could run fairly comfortably and still be comfy hiking too. I had to carry enough gear to have several layers of clothing available for temperature changes and the fact I would be hotter running and colder hiking.

This would be difficult with condensation and sweat building up as I ran and then having to hope it evaporated, as opposed to soaked in as I hiked.

On the day the forecast was extremely poor to say the least and I knew that I didn't think there would be a time when I could strip off my waterproof top or bottoms if I needed to cool down and let them dry out inside.

In the hours before set off time at midnight, the first forecast 'Light rain' shower passed me by as I was preparing in my flat. I soon realised this was no 'light rain' and running in a lightweight running waterproof and long legged running tights was not going to cut it on an all day challenge. I couldn't afford to be soaked to the skin and walking and cold for long periods as I tired.

The decision was made to wear a heavier weight fully waterproof walking jacket and a pair of fully waterproof over trousers and carry more spare clothing than planned. This would limit comfort with running sections and likely make me sweat like mad underneath, but I had to go with it. It also made my backpack a lot heavier than I would have liked.

Midnight and the official start of World Mental Health Day..

So my time was up, I had been on a day off from work all day so that I could be rested and eat whenever I wanted, and I was glad it was finally time to leave my flat.

I took a photo in my flat with all my gear on to show how I was kitted out prior to leaving, at the very least so people knew what I would look like if they would be passing on the way to Preston and Blackpool for example.

Midnight and time to go. I set off from my flat, started my Suunto Ambit3 running watch to record my journey and set off for the outskirts of Southport at a brisk pace.

I couldn't believe how long it actually takes to walk out of Southport to Crossens and the Plough roundabout. It's just over 3 miles and that was the shortest route! I started feeling like I was getting nowhere fast and whether or not I should have got dropped off at the outskirts instead. But the challenge also stated 70 miles as well as the headline 'Southport to Blackpool and back'. So I had to watch the total mileage.

I finally got on the A565 towards Preston from Southport and carried on my slog. I pretty much decided at that point, that as it was raining on and off and I didn't want to sweat loads, that I would fast hike through the night at least until daylight and the supposed clearer dry spells of weather.

I knew I could crack out a decent pace and the run sections in training didn't gain me much advantage other than a bit of time, of which I had plenty.

Southport outbound...

Having finally got out of Southport and now on the main road towards Preston the A565, I started to settle down and enjoy the silence so to speak. The peace and quiet was occasionally broken by the odd car and the odd really annoying sound of approaching rain (Yes it was that loud, I could hear it!).

The wind forecast was also 40+mph throughout the night, but although I could hear it, I didn't really feel it. I'm pretty sure it was helping me along to be fair and I was genuinely thanking God for watching over me and helping me out. Especially as the rain showers were infrequent, but fast enough to arrive that I couldn't risk taking my waterproofs off.

Mere Brow was reached after a while and then Tarleton where the A565 joins the A59 to Preston, and the black and white stone bridge over the River Douglas, which always feels like the half way point to Preston.

I took photos of major road signs as I went showing which village etc I was passing on the road and posted it to Instagram, which then shared it to my personal Facebook profile. I must of looked a bit odd to a fair few drivers standing there with my camera flash taking pictures of road signs!

Much Hoole I think came next, then maybe Little Hoole, then Walmer Bridge where I could see a parked Police car on the opposite side of the road and I found myself trying not to look suspicious as I carried on.

It was starting to feel a little tedious with no running so I decided that I would try lamp post run intervals. So I would run from one to the next, then walk to the next, then run to the next and so on.

I was actually really enjoying it to be fair and it felt really easy on my legs, which was a sign they appreciated the change.

After I while after getting carried away, I realised my legs were now showing the first signs of tiredness, likely due to the extra drain of the running intervals which I was still doing. I also noticed everytime I stopped running I would start to sweat under my waterproofs and I could feel my base layers getting damp. With no guarantee they would dry fully while under my waterproofs I decided it wasn't a good idea. So I stopped doing them as It was also way too early on in mileage, perhaps 12-13 miles in out of 70.

Further on I passed Little Hutton where the A59 goes over a bridge of sorts or a big hump and the only incline on that route albeit a very short one. Beyond that I reached the Lancashire Police headquarters at the big roundabout outside Hutton. This is where the A59 takes a right turn towards Penwortham and Preston.

For some strange reason I thought that was the 20 mile point, and I was well annoyed when my GPS watch had only recorded 14.6 miles! I was doubting the accuracy of my watch and panicking at how I was going to explain this to everyone if my mileage came up way short.

In the end I realised it was 20 miles from Blackpool to there, not from Southport to there.

Penwortham came next and a slow descent to the outskirts of Preston where the flyover is and a time on my watch of 3:45am, not too bad a pace I thought, who needs to run!

A left turn here as it started lashing down again, and I was heading over the River Ribble and another left towards Riversway docks. At this point I was now getting signs for Lytham and St Annes and the A583/4 and I was starting to feel progress had been made.

Within only a couple of more miles and now around 16 miles in as I was leaving the Preston Riversway area, I started to feel despondent at how physically tired I was starting to feel at only the halfway to Blackpool point! In my head it was all about getting there to Blackpool at 35 miles. I knew I could do this as I'd done 40 miles down the canal, and I had pretty much convinced myself that 'well I can just walk back if I'm knackered!' as I've got all day!

'What a fool' I thought. 'What if I can't do it?'. I genuinely started to doubt myself and started for the first time to think what excuse I could give if I didn't finish it.

I started to remember why I was out there, who I was out there for, who I was raising money for, who I was raising awareness for and finally that I was one of them and that I wanted to prove that we may not be classed as normal by a lot of people, but we damn well can do amazing things because our troubles make us stronger, not weaker damn it!

I kept telling myself 'Suck it up buttercup!' which is something you should really never ever ever say to someone with mental health issues as it's really not helpful.

A few miles further and I was finally on the A583/4 towards Freckleton and then Warton. The path went non existent just as I was thinking this tarmac is boring as hell, so I really should of kept my thoughts to myself. Miles of wet muddy grass later and very wet feet I hit Freckleton and a total lack of path of any description alongside Freckleton, just roadside uneven grass verge.

I struggled past this and finally got to Warton and signs of life as people were starting to come out to set off for work etc and I sat at a sheltered bus stop just as it started to lash it down again. I could feel a blister on my right heel, likely caused by the wet shoes and socks and the miles of uneven surface on the grass verge further back.

I took out my first aid kit, inspected my heel and put a Compeed plaster on my heel and got ready to set off again as the rain subsided. Just at that point a woman sat at the bus stop and said 'Your starting early!' thinking I was going to work or on a run maybe. I just said 'You could say that!' as I didn't really have time to explain the madness of what I was doing.

Through Warton and the first signs of daylight where in the sky behind me, but still way off. A little further and a McDonalds prior to Lytham. I didn't go in, no matter how much I would of appreciated a strong black coffee, I just wanted to get on and get there.

Lytham green was next and the famous Lytham Windmill where I stopped for a quick picture at almost dawn looking a little like a zombie at this point.

Along the rest of the promenade to St Annes via the main road and how bloomin long is that place?!

After a forever journey just trying to escape St Annes, daylight had arrived and school kids abound sat at bus stops etc, and lots of cars. Not far now and I could actually see the Big One and the Blackpool Tower.

I was now considering what I was going to do for food, was I going to stop somewhere? Difficult as it was only just after 8am. I also realised my mileage wasn't as long as I expected and my planned getting to South beach and turning around as soon as possible seemed unlikely as again I was worried what would I do if I clocked several miles under my 70 miles stated? I was still doubting I'd finish, never mind getting back to Southport and feeling like I have to walk around clocking mileage to round it all up.

I got to South beach Blackpool and despite the horrific wind which had now been in my face since Preston, I decided to plod on to South pier and take a picture there with the tower in the distance and have a break.

My legs were now pretty damn tired and my muscles were tightening and really aching as you would expect. Also my blister felt far worse.

I got to the South pier at about 8:35am I think it was and took my pics and sat down to eat a flapjack, it was all I could manage. All I'd had on the way was two 200 calorie choc coated plant protein snack bars, and 2 x 500ml bottles of water with 200 cal Tailwind energy powder in, and I was feeling a little bit sick too.

After a 10 min break I decided to set off back as I was planning to stop at the Beach Cafe at St Annes and getting some decent food there. I started off but my blister was really hurting so I found somewhere to sit almost out of the wind to check my feet. I had a sore spot on my left foot so put a preventative Compeed on there, and then checked my right heel, only to discover a 2nd bigger blister with pus next to my plaster from earlier. I stuck a 2nd and 3rd plaster on the area and changed my socks and hoped for the best, and set off back to St Annes.

The long haul home....would I, could I make it?...

I'll keep the return journey report a little shorter as obviously I went almost the identical route back, but I had a few friendly faces on the return occasionally.

I took the scenic yet windy and yes still rainy at times seafront route back past St Annes pier and to the Beach cafe at St Annes beach. This is a busy and popular cafe even at 9:30am I think it was.

I originally thought I might be able to get a veggie breakfast without eggs or something, but knew I still couldn't really stomach any kind of meal. First thing I did was pick up two more 500ml bottles of water for mixing my Tailwind energy drink in, and then picked up one, then a second choc brownie as I figured I could manage them with a large black coffee.

I had about half an hour in there in total I think and could feel everything seizing up, so I got all my stuff back on again after catching up with some Facebook posts, as I'd not been able to check posts from supporters and friends etc.

Further down the promenade at St Annes you get to Fairhaven lake which is a nice scenic stop point if you are ever in the area. It was exceptionally windy today though, but the wind on more on my shoulder and slightly behind me now I had turned back toward Preston from Blackpool.

Lytham came up again and this time I was going along the coastal path alongside the Lytham Windmill, so I got another selfie. It was a bit hard managing a smile when trying to focus on the camera lens with the wind etc.

Back through Warton and the downpours were back again and my legs and blisters still screaming at me. The dull grey scenery was getting repetitive now and despite it being daytime I didn't take any pictures on the return through there because of the poor weather.

Freckleton was back up and I decided to head a little into Freckleton this time as I was fairly sure I could head down a straight road through the outskirts and pop out at the end near the 2nd roundabout at the bypass. This meant I didn't need to spent so much time on a wet grass verge getting my feet soaked again and having to lift my feet up so high on rough ground.

Thankfully the gamble paid off and I came out back on the by pass and the limited roadside tarmac for a while. It wasn't long though before the non existent maintained path from Freckleton via Clifton to the junction with Lea gate was upon me again, and it was wet feet time again.

I really needed this like a hole in the head as my blisters were my serious concern at that point. I was also getting a little hungry despite sometimes feeling off as well. I had a 5 minute break under a tree during a downpour and managed half a flapjack bar.

I finally got through that section and off the A583/4 and had now reached the right turn towards Preston at the Lea Gate by the traffic lights, I was now at about the 50 mile mark.

It was lashing down again power shower styli and I saw someone approaching me on foot. It was fellow charity Run or Caker Helen Shaw, who had pre challenge offered to come down and walk or run with me for a while while her husband Bill drove down the road a bit and waited.

I felt sorry for Helen having to come out in the rain, but was grateful at the distraction as we continued on and she engaged me in conversation as opposed to me thinking about the almost constant pain and discomfort.

We made our way to Riversway docks at Preston and I nipped into the garage at Morrisons to get another bottle of water for my next sachet of Tailwind energy powder.

Back on our way again and back over the Ribble Ribble and up the hill to Penwortham and through the local schoolkids by now getting out of school and causing mayhem on the pavements on their bikes.

I Passed a fair few dairy farms along the way and could smell the sh*t and despair of the poor enslaved animals imprisoned on the farms. The dairy industry has a lot to answer for and the enforced impregnation of dairy cows year on year and kidnap, murder or enslavement of their offspring really isn't acceptable in the modern age. We have only being doing it for the last couple of thousand years as a race in Europe and prior to that we were all actually lactose intolerant, so there is nothing 'Natural' about it.

I for one normally don't drink or consume dairy products and my health is far better for it as an athletic person as much as just a human. Obviously helps that I don't contribute to their suffering either.

Past the dairies for now and back at Hutton and the Lancashire Police headquarters at the major roundabout that heads back down the A59 towards Southport.

Shortly after this after my feet getting wet again a lot I started to feel skin discomfort under my right foot, this time just below my toes mid foot. This was a concern as it felt like it had blistered and split all in one before I'd even noticed.

I ventured on, all the time with Helen chatting to me, but I couldn't distract my mind from the thought that my foot was losing skin under the sole of my foot, and that it got really bad it could force an end to the day.

We carried on and I stopped to pull my sock up as they were dual layered and quite thick, so there was a small chance it could have just been a fold in the sock irritating the sole of my foot.

As I took my shoes off I could see the steam rising through my socks! I didn't look underneath or remove my socks as I didn't want to lose the other blister plasters which now felt like they had all come off.

One end of Walmer Bridge was next and Helen and Bill said goodbye after a long stint supporting me. I was truly grateful for their company and support, even if it didn't show at the time as I had serious brain fog by now as I'd obviously not slept for a long time.

The rain came down again and as I struggled to cross the road by the Walmer Bridge roundabout, my brother pulled up to give me a bit of verbal moral support as he had just got back from Newcastle for work. It was good to see him, and as it was his birthday the next day I wished him Happy Birthday then because I knew I'd be sleeping in bed all tomorrow.

As I was talking to my brother, another running friend popped up, Alan Melia. He was going to do the next 5k or so with me back to Tarleton.

We had a good chat as we went about running in general and he complemented me many a time on my pace and walk speed, as I was consistently walking quick as opposed to walking slower and slower or crawling etc as he had expected.

We got to Tarleton and onto the A565 towards Southport and somewhere around there had hit the 60 mile mark.

Alan carried on with me to Mere Brow before he nipped off back towards home, but only after ensuring I was going to be ok.

I was glad to have a chance a sit down shortly after that as I knew I needed to try and sticky tape engineer my feet, as I still worried even at this late point that they could stop me succeeding as they felt that bad. More the long term damage I was thinking about, as I knew open sores could get infected and it would take days and days for skin repair before being able to wear shoes again for work etc.

They didn't look as bad as they felt and the plasters were still on. The blister under my foot didn't look like a blister either, just split deteriorating skin due to being constantly wet, a bit like after hours in a bath. But it was still really painful and as I set off again I was a lot slower.

I took one of my walking poles out to try and use as a bit of leverage and take some of the weight of my blistered foot. By now my calves felt like bricks and the tendons at the top of them were really painful and didn't have much give and take. The pole helped a bit with this as I could walk a little more straight legged and hobble more.

It also came in handy keeping me upright and from stopping me falling into the road on my right hand side as I went as well, as I could feel my concentration and balance going.

As I left Mere Brow I put a message on Facebook that I may well stop as soon as I get into Southport near the Plough roundabout at Crossens, and that likely my mileage would be short because of this.

I genuinely didn't think I could even consider going beyond Crossens and hitting nearer 70 miles, as I was physically and mentally done I thought.

I carried on from Mere Brow and it was dark again now but I was fine with that and now hobbled on with my walking pole.

When I got to the Plough I sat on a bench for a minute and messaged again , but this time saying I may go on and that I was at 66.1 miles I think it was.

A few minutes after sitting on the bench, another friend who had been looking for me Rachel Jane, pulled up and asked was I going on.

I said I think so but wasn't sure If I would go all the way to 70 miles as I didn't think I would hit it by the time I was back in town and almost home. She volunteered to walk with me for a while, and again distract me as we talked for a mile and a bit to Churchtown lights which was now 67.5 miles.

Rachel wished me well as she headed back to collect her car, and I plodded on in what was again another spell of heavy rain.

I finally got back to Southport town centre and realised that if I diverted out to the marine lake and along the promenade I may well just clock the 70. I was determined not to have to answer to myself or anyone else even in jest for not managing the last mile or part of a mile.

I got back to the Carousel on the Southport promenade, which was an unofficial finishing point I had mentioned I may well finish at in earlier communications with people. I wouldn't commit to it actually being the finish, as I truly had no idea if I'd finish, where I would finish and when.

When I finally approached the Carousel in the lashing rain desperately pushing myself along with by now both my walking poles, I could see looking through the little letterbox of my hood a dark figure standing by the Carousel, it was Paul Hill.

Paul had asked several times earlier where I was finishing , but I wouldn't commit to an answer, so many thanks to Paul for being there.

I got there with 69.90 on my watch and joked that I would have to now do a few numpty laps of the Carousel to clock the 70 miles properly. He kindly informed me his car was down the road a little so I could walk to that and he's give me a much needed lift home.

By the time I had reached Paul's car I had officially clocked 70.05 miles in 20 hrs 36 minutes with little breaks, and little calories compared to the 7000 I burned on the journey, and I hadn't had breakfast, second breakast, Lunch or dinner all day!!

It was a long day and a hard day, and although it was no unexpected journey, I certainly felt like quite an accomplished little hobbit by the time I finally returned to my shire. I think I've got the hobbit feet to prove it too!!..

Many many thanks to everyone who donated, supported and followed me on my journey. I couldn't have done it without you, and remember, you are capable of far more than you know!