Difficult times before I leave, difficult times ahead

Lucky, keep safe heart gem loaned to me by Chris to take on my travels















Some essentials - Passport, insurance, journal/pen and mp3 player

Sadly Nicola, my stepmother, died Friday 27 August 2010. I managed to be with her when she passed. Dad and Stuart her son, held her hands. This was so difficult to watch. I don't think what has happened will hit me until I return from the Sahara Desert charity trek commencing 4 September. What with rushing around, working long hours, training whenever possible, long sits with my stepmom while she was in St Mary’s Hospice, then moved to Sheldon Care Unit, (which was a period of seven weeks) it hasn't really sunk in! My heart goes out to these two men. Nicola was a loving centre of their lives, as dad and Stuart were for her. They are truly at a loss without her. There have been and continue to remain difficult times ahead.

I'm not sure if I will be here for Nicolas funeral, it may take place when I'm in the Sahara. The funeral date has not been confirmed. Due to dad wanting a Requiem Mass the earliest date available is 13 September, my lovely nans birthday, rest her soul. I have thought long and hard about not going ahead with the trek, cancelling all arrangements to enable me to attend Nicola's funeral, but I know I have to continue with my plans. It also can be said, before Nicola lost all physical and mental abilities, she was pleased I was going away and congratulated me in advance for even signing up for the event. She was excited for me.

Since my divorce in 2002, learning to live as a singleton again, I had promised myself every year I would travel somewhere new abroad and write my “Bucket List.” I've been fortunate to see many wonderful places by cruise with the family and when married, and so far travelled alone to Malta, Goa, Bangalore and Sri Lanka. I also wanted to at least once in my life time participate in a charity event abroad. Not sticking to my "Bucket List ." missing travel abroad for three years, I decided March 2010 to get back on track and kill two birds with one stone to catch up. Hence, the Sahara a new place and for charity this year. Nicola could see I had decided to start to make an extra effort to stop putting things on hold and move forward again. Actually, I'm starting to get upset writing this, the reality creeps in every now and then that I will never see Nicola again and things will not be the same. Oops tears and sitting at work typing this during my break, not good, I must get myself together Quick! Anyway further motivation, when I travel the Sahara she and many other special people will be walking with me in mind and spirit.

Right! so my dining room is upside down, kit everywhere. I have booked Friday off to pack properly and start winding down from work. I've received fantastic support and have many people to thank for various donations and help. From financial to morale support, loan of kit, tips, newspaper article photo, lucky charms, cards and a journal. I remember reading a quote another charity challenger had written "The marathon has changed my life when initially it was about changing other people's." I am recognising and feeling this already.

Gracious Gratitude

The Narnia lampost, located at my starting point by Malvern Hills.
It always makes me think of the Chronicals of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.


















My magic trekking boots, they will do all the walking for me leaving me striding effiortlessly, blister free and feeling like I'm walking on air















Malverns





























Since my last diary date I have completed another Malvern Hills visit. Sunday 22 August I attempted my second 20 miles walk, as suggested on the trek training programme provided by Jim. I'd worked out ideally I needed to achieve 50000 steps on my pedometer, when I got home it had recorded I'd done 48775. As always I gave myself a hard time about this. Eventually I had to remind myself not to have the 'half empty glass' attitude and be pleased with the work I have put in to date. For 15 weeks I have gone out every single Sunday and walked for hours amd hours.

I haven't been overly keen on the hills walk, although I can feel some improvement, and when I arrive at the top of the hills the views and space is amazing. I love my towpath walks, getting away from the city and sometimes forgetting how close the hustle and bustle is. It has been quite a change this summer for me. Not long now and I will be trekking the Sahara sands :o)...I'm still a little nervous about my fitness level, but I'm starting to look forward now to this once in a life time mini adventure :oD...

I think after the trek it will also make working with the children at Acorns Hospice feel even more special. Some of those children teach quite a few of us adults to have gracious gratitude, and enjoy some of the simplest things in life. My Sunday walks have also been a blessing to me, getting out and about, time to slow down somewhat and let all the busy chatter in my head calm down. It been a very difficult year watching my stepmom and dad go through a horrible time. As for Stuart, my step brother, I cannot even image how difficult it has been since last July to date. Finding out his mother (my step mom, Nicola) has a brain tumor, told 6-12months to live. July his grandmother has passed away in her sleep after becoming so over whelmed seeing her daughter Nicola, taken into St Mary's Hospice the day before. He had to plan the funeral, go through the funeral and visit his mom everyday watching her fading and not even knowing who he is. I wish I could make ths all go away for him.

This trek feels even more worth while since I've been visiting a hospice in a totally different way to my normal routine. Never did I image during the times I spent volunteering and working at Acorns with the children, I would be visiting a relative and on the receiving side of feeling so thankful for the wonderful nurses, volunteers and all at St Mary's taking care of Nicola. Those people are angels walking the earth, and it's made me realise I should accept the little pats on the back given when I play my part at Acorns again.

Towpath Walks

I am starting to really love my long walks, in particular when nobody is around. There are times when I get lost in the music on my MP3 and no distractions from other people. I also love to capture a photo of an advance long route and not a soul in sight.



















The section of canal near to our old Snowhill offices when we worked on St Chads/Snowhill road infrastructure. Brings back some good memories of working with a great team.














Spooky tunnels :o$















AAaaaagggrrrhhhhh - That is me in pain and extremely annoyed with myself *boo hiss - bad Lisa.*

Two weeks ago, when planning my Malvern Hills walk, I thought how I could make the walk more challenging to prepare for the Sahara trek. I think I've tried to push myself over the past months, and certainly have followed the trainning programme provided by a trek expert. However, a heavy concern has been the fact it is impossible to prepare for the heat and sand that awaits. We all know heat and trudging through sand can zap energy levels extremely quickly. I mulled over with humour asking if my Fitness First trainer Adrain, could organise a treadmill in the sauna for me, but we all know what the answer to that one would be!

Anyway, the only way I thought would toughen up the training was to carry 8litres of water filled in 2litre bottles I've saved in my rucksack, and then attempt to find and walk as many steep points as possible. MISSION ACHIEVED!!!! I walked continously for 4hours, it was tough and two weeks later I am still suffering. I've had three visits to my osteopath due to damaging my back. I AM SOOOOOO STOOOOPID!! Why, oh why, I over do things to the point of injury I do not know, and I never seem to learn.

I have had weeks of very disturbed sleep due to pain. I've walked around my flat at early hours crying with it, rolled on my lounge floor trying to get rid of the pain (why I thought this would help I question myself!?). It would not be so bad if it was on and off providing a temporary break and relief from pain, but this pain is constant, runs from my neck, to shoulder, down to my elbow and finger tips. It also can make one feel a little nauseous.

I have missed quiet a few of my week day gym sessions which worries me. Although I have managed to continue my one to one two weekly sessions with my personal trainer, and my long distance weekend walks.

Sunday 8 August, I reduced the ridiculous weight to my backpack and set out on my programmed instructions to complete a 20miles walk in 8hrs. Another tip told was to allow myself some breaks and not think I need to walk non-stop for 8hrs. I set out from Digbeth walking a very unattractive route to Fort Dunlop. When I arrived at the Fort I had a short coffee break and quick review of my Sunday paper before trekking back to Birmingham. At Satley junction I joined the towpath, this canal is not very pleasant infact I find it a little creepy. Eventually I arrived at Fazely Street which takes me to either leave the towpath and join the highway to Digbeth, or continue on the towpath to Gas Street Basin. For a preferred senic route and to extend the journey. I had another quick break and then joined the Worcester and Birmingham Canal route leaving at Bournville and walking from here to St Mary's Hospice to spend some time with my stepmom. I stayed for a while with my stepmom and then walked from the hospice back to Digbeth. Deducting my 3 breaks I had walked for 8hrs 10mins and according to my pedometer had walked 51014 steps, a total of 20.28miles......YAY!!!!!!!!

Unusual sights along the way

The Somalian mugger alert is not something one wants to see when walking towpaths alone















The mad hatters clock long lost















Wow! Incredible art work



































This is stunning

Sunday's Training

Henry Heron


















I'm sure I walked at least 15miles or more Sunday 18 July. It was the easy walk session so I did my usual towpath walk. Along the way I saw a heron, it was absolutely fasinating to watch and I just about managed to snap a photo of it. When I arrived at Gas Street Basin I took a quick coffee break before heading to St Mary's Hospice to visit my stepmom, who was taken in to the hospice Friday.


I walked from the city to the hospice stayed with my stepmom for a few hours and then headed home from Selly Oak to Digbeth. By the time I arrived home my feet were well and truly aching. Oh well, may as well get used to that, 6 continual days of walking awaits me in the desert in September!

Snap Happy

Dear Desert Diary................

Although I haven't updated you for a while, I have been training HONEST!!! :0$ Ok so what have I been doing? I've followed the training programme guide Jim passed on to us from the Malvern Acorns social/trek meeting. Jim was our guide for the trek and provided fantastic tips to help us during the Sahara event.

Jim suggestead each week at least 3 days general training and a Saturday or Sunday focus of increasing distance and duration. Alternative weekends of steady to hill walking is also recommended. I've choosen Sunday as my longer training session walking the towpaths of Birmingham one weekend (this allows me to do a spot check on the Selly Oak project ;o) ). I think my longest walk to date using the towpaths is 12miles. The 'hill' weekends I set out to the Malverns, day pack weighted down with 6litres and try to hit the steep sections to increase fitness. I'm not sure of distance but timed my last weekend resulting in 3hrs 30 mins. Anyway this goal of getting prepared for the actual trek and trying to increase my stamina and tone is taking me to many beautiful places. Along the way I've captured some sights, which I probably wouldn't have seen had I not signed up to help Acorns. I've put some on my site to reflect on my little weekend journeys.