Author Topic: A marathon walk and PBs for my wife!  (Read 601 times)

WhitstableDave

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A marathon walk and PBs for my wife!
« on: 18:58:05, 19/07/20 »
Last year, my wife and I did a walk through the countryside around Canterbury called, appropriately, the Canterbury Outer Ring. It was 22.6 miles, and it was the furthest my wife had ever walked. We took it fairly easy, stopping once to eat our sandwiches and twice for coffees.

Today, we set out to beat that walk by doing a full marathon. We actually did 26.6 miles, because it's much better to do a little more than a little less in these situations.  ;)  Not only did my wife walk 4 miles further than she'd ever walked before, but we didn't stop at all this time - we ate our snacks and sandwiches on the move. The walk took 7 hr 45m and our average speed was 3.44 mph.   :)

Our route took us through woods and across farmland before we crossed marshland to the coast. Then it was a simple matter of following the coast back to Whitstable and home.



The weather forecast was for light rain all day. However, it started very nicely, being pleasantly mild and with a fair amount of blue sky.



Above and below: the long, straight path through Thornden Wood that was probably once a drovers' track. This is the spot (below) that's been mentioned in the news recently as being where European bison will be introduced to help manage the woodland:



Paths through a tree tunnel, an orchard and farmland:



Nearing the marshes:



A pair of properties at St Nicholas at Wade - a thatched roof with thatched cat and mouse, and lots of unusual signs and notices next door:



The rain started just as we reached the sea wall - my wife putting on her waterproof jacket without stopping! We still had 10 miles to go...



(Left) Not yet minding the rain : (Right) Reculver Towers...



Beach huts at Herne Bay and my wife celebrating passing her previous best of 22.6 miles : Nearly home and we've done 26.2 miles!  :)



Me on the promenade between Herne Bay and Whitstable. I've become accustomed to BBC weather forecasts being overly pessimistic and on the one day that the weather was much worse than forecast, I took nothing at all that was waterproof. We spent about 3 hours walking in non-stop rain and I've never finished a walk as thoroughly soaked as I did today!



But the weather didn't spoil a thing - it was a fantastic walk. We're toying with the idea of doing 50km next...  :)
Walk, Jog, Run : our YouTube video channel.

Ridge

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Re: A marathon walk and PBs for my wife!
« Reply #1 on: 07:59:41, 20/07/20 »
Congratulations to Mrs WD

richardh1905

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Re: A marathon walk and PBs for my wife!
« Reply #2 on: 08:42:34, 20/07/20 »
Looks like a decent walk, despite the rain - and congratulations to your wife for breaking her record.  :)


PS - I remember running (mostly) up Lomond West (one of the Fife hills) one evening a few years ago (I was on a multi day course at the nearby mine rescue training centre) - the skies opened as I neared the top and all I had for protection was my light windproof cycling jacket. I had to use a newspaper to protect the seat of the hire car, and when I got back to my accommodation, I found that only one square inch of my underpants were dry. The wettest I have ever been on a walk/run.
« Last Edit: 08:48:41, 20/07/20 by richardh1905 »
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WhitstableDave

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Re: A marathon walk and PBs for my wife!
« Reply #3 on: 09:21:59, 20/07/20 »
Congratulations to Mrs WD
Thank you.  :)
Walk, Jog, Run : our YouTube video channel.

WhitstableDave

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Re: A marathon walk and PBs for my wife!
« Reply #4 on: 09:28:32, 20/07/20 »
Looks like a decent walk, despite the rain - and congratulations to your wife for breaking her record.  :)


PS - I remember running (mostly) up Lomond West (one of the Fife hills) one evening a few years ago (I was on a multi day course at the nearby mine rescue training centre) - the skies opened as I neared the top and all I had for protection was my light windproof cycling jacket. I had to use a newspaper to protect the seat of the hire car, and when I got back to my accommodation, I found that only one square inch of my underpants were dry. The wettest I have ever been on a walk/run.

Thanks Richard.

I wasn't going to mention my underpants, but they were just as you describe.  ;)

I'm usually overcautious with the weather, but I decided to wear light stuff that should dry very quickly in mid-July. The problem was that that approach doesn't work unless it actually stops raining for at least a short time!
Walk, Jog, Run : our YouTube video channel.

pleb

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Re: A marathon walk and PBs for my wife!
« Reply #5 on: 10:25:22, 20/07/20 »
HOW FAR??  :o :o :o
Whinging Moaning Old Fart

WhitstableDave

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Re: A marathon walk and PBs for my wife!
« Reply #6 on: 10:36:25, 20/07/20 »
HOW FAR??  :o :o :o
A tiny bit more than a marathon.  ;)
Walk, Jog, Run : our YouTube video channel.

 

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