“If I can do it, anyone can do it!”

I have set myself a goal for summer of completing a 10 km walking event! I enjoy walking but have never completed a walking event other than the Colour Run (well it was actually a 5 km Colour Walk (with some rolling in the coloured powder) for me, but I had lots of fun, and I’m hoping to take part again in 2017).

I know that many people don’t need to train for a 10 km walk, but for me, this is a big challenge. In 2015 I had to stop walking due to a foot injury, I spent five months in a Moon Boot.

I had months and months of physio and a long, slow recovery, but now my foot is well enough for me to start walking again.

But, I’m nervous about injuring it again. So, I decided that to help me achieve my goal of completing a 10 km walking event this summer, I needed “Team Heather” a group of people who are there to support me. My wonderful family are always on hand to provide encouragement, but I decided that I also needed some extra support to help me achieve this walking goal.

So I have also recruited two other special people: Marcelle who is a sports massage therapist, I have had a few sessions with Marcelle for my “Warrant of Fitness check-up”, this was to identify any wee niggles so that I could get them sorted before they develop into an injury.

My other special support person is Rachel who is a personal trainer, Rachel has worked out a walking training programme to help me prepare for my walking event, and we have one session each week to make sure that I am pushing myself. I have a tendency to cruise and go easy on myself ! I’ve registered for my first 6 km walk at the Skechers Auckland event in November. One month later

I’m having a mild case of panic over my upcoming 6km walk which is now “gulp” four weeks away. When I initially signed up eight weeks seemed such a long way away, now, I’m not quite sure where the time has gone.

My fitness journey for this walk isn’t going as smoothly as I had hoped. I’ve hit a little bump in the road called Plantar Fasciitis which has put walking on hold for the last few weeks. But, the good news (it’s always important to look at the glass half full!) is that this latest little hiccup has enabled me to add two more team members to “Team Heather”.

We have now welcomed a lovely Podiatrist called Heidi and a lovely Physiotherapist called Debbie and it has also given me an opportunity to try out our Plantar Fasciitis Night Splint!

My little “Team Heather” is growing and all of this support is needed just to keep me injury free and get me active and walking once again!

But I’m viewing this support as an investment in my future because I know that getting active once again will help keep me happy and healthy. I’ve learnt a lot from the experts in my team. Most of which, if I’d known before, would have prevented the plantar fasciitis developing.

But the good news is that I now know what I need to do.

Next week I hope to get the all clear to start walking again and increase my walking distance from 2.2km to 6km in four weeks so that I know before the Skechers 6km walk that I will hopefully be able to finish it. I’ve started researching 10km walking events as that is my next goal, I stumbled upon the article below about the Great Walks in New Zealand and thought it might inspire you. Completing all of our Great Walks is another goal of mine, quite a bit more training will be involved for those, but I’m hoping to complete them all eventually, just one walk at a time. Two months later I did it! I completed my very first organised walking event and am feeling very proud. I know it was only 6km, but it’s a start!

I had so many bumps along the way in preparing for my first walk, the Plantar Fasciitis which I’ve mentioned previously and then a huge bump of a nasty triple bout of Tonsillitis, Bronchitis and Ear Infection two weeks before the walk!

But then I discovered November’s quote

“When something goes wrong in your life, just yell “Plot Twist” and move on”

I’ve been yelling “Plot Twist” a lot over the last month and it helped me realise that for me it isn’t about the time it takes me to do these walks, for me it’s more important about just giving it a go and hopefully finishing them.

So, the photos above are the proof that I finished it. Phew, we finished. I feel great that I did it and am now on the hunt for a 10km walking event that I can do next.

If you’re thinking of doing a walk yourself I highly recommend it, the feeling of satisfaction at the end is awesome and believe me if I can do it, anyone can.