First training walk

It was almost the perfect day to get out for my first proper walk today. At almost 22 degrees (Celsius) by midday it was, perhaps a touch too warm but it was lovely and sunny and if you hid under the right tree there was a breeze to be found.

Orakei Basin is nice and close to home and as we're still in holiday mode here in NZ, I knew I wouldn't have to fight anyone for parking like I would down at the waterfront. It also offers a fabulous mix of boardwalks, steps, shady patches, slight inclines and rewarding views.

The route weaves around the basin, beneath rather impressive houses, through bush, across water and along the rail tracks which takes travellers in and out of Auckland City.

Around a quarter of the way through you're rewarded with.....

...STEPS!! At this early stage I can safely say that I detest/hate/loathe steps. Be it one or many they are my greatest foe. I thought I was doing rather well until I reached the first platform when I suddenly lacked the ability to breathe quietly and as my gasps for air filled the air like the barks of a sea lion a familiar feeling returned and invaded my mind - the crippling thought that there's no way I'm going to be able to do this. How foolish of me to even consider walking 200 trails across the country when I can't manage a set of stairs 10 minutes from my house. But I'm trying some new tricks on this journey. Instead of walking with my head down just forcing myself forward, part of this adventure is to enjoy the scenery as I go and allow myself to stop and breathe and look. These walks aren't going to be a race, they're my chance to explore my corner of the world as I trek it. So I stopped at the first platform...and the second...and the third. I even managed a noise that sounded like "hello" to a friendly chap who bolted past me on his way down. And with a bit of luck and effort I might be able to make it to the second platform without stopping in a couple of weeks. Perhaps. Maybe.

By the time you reach the half way mark and the furthest possible point from the car, the boardwalk is a refreshing change of pace after the different levels of the bush and it's a chance to stop and try and work out what kind of fish are living in the basin, before I remember that I know absolutely nothing about fish and that I'm not fooling anybody by leaning heavily across the rail.

It really is a most amazing feeling though once you complete even a little walk like this. I don't know if fit, healthy people experience the same injection of confidence and happiness when they've finished a walk (or lets be honest, a run) as I can't compare but you forget the pain of the stairs and the embarrassment of tripping over your reluctant feet which is lucky otherwise this could have been the start and finish all in one but against the odds I find myself instead, looking forward to my next visit to the Basin.

My stats from today

And I won't have many excuses for what will be mixed results - but 11.49km/per hour is almost 4 times faster than a tortoise so there's that.

And my favourite track on the track today was BLAME IT ON ME by George Ezra

First day back at work tomorrow so the question is do I get up for an early morning walk or wait till evening. Such choice!

Here we go

Hi there and thanks for visiting my new blog!

Blank slates are always a scary thing to stare at, so I thought it was best to start with a little bit about how I’ve got to this moment…staring at an empty blog site imagining myself hiking effortlessly across 202 different trails.

Well firstly let me begin as I hope to continue - by being painfully honest. It’s not going to be easy. If it was it would be a very boring blog. I’m not athletic and by no means an ‘outdoorsy’ person. The thought of getting sand in my shoe almost makes me want to cry and getting wet in the rain magically transforms me into a grumpy sod. I am the most unlikely child of two camping, skydiving, bush tramping parents. Almost as if two magnets had come together and created their polar opposite. They did try to take me camping. Once.
But beneath the skin of this amenities-loving gal beats the heart of an adventurer. I just know it. And 2015 is going to be the year I break free of the shackles of these wi-fi hotspots and hot water showers and try to tap in to that. So I went out and purchased a copy of ‘202 GREAT WALKS’ by Mark Pickering (http://www.penguin.co.nz/products/9780143567950/202-great-walks) without much thought as to what to do once I had it but the tingle of anticipation was there and almost immediately I realised I could use it in combination with another goal I have - raising money and awareness for people with Parkinson’s Disease.

One of those crazy parents that I mentioned earlier, my Dad Tom, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s last year. The time that’s followed since has mostly involved learning what exactly that means. How it’s going to affect him and how, as his daughter I can support him during the stages that will follow. It’s (like many) a scary disease and I feel at times he’s dealing with it better than I am but it’s changing him, we both know it and for me the feeling of helplessness as that happens is overwhelming. I’m not a doctor and I have no magical powers that can cure him but I need to help. My personal journey with my Dad will be my own. He wouldn’t want any light on him while he lives with this but my effort to raise awareness for the disease and support Parkinson’s NZ is one I want to share. So here I am.

My goal is to use Pickering’s book as my guide and walk these 202 trails. Not over a week or a month - it will take time. Some I’ll walk on my own, others with my friends. I’ll be writing about the preparation involved and each walk as it happens. Sharing the highs, lows and sand in my shoe reflections as they happen. And along with that we’ll be raising money through my give-a-little page in support of Parkinson’s NZ. I won’t be asking a lot as I know it’s hard to spare but if a few people throw $1 our way with each hike we should be able to raise a nice amount for them over time. I am literally asking for people to give a little.
As we get closer to our first walk on the 31st January I’ll post more information on the fundraising page.

So thanks again for stopping in - I’ll try to keep it entertaining and fun as I get up and out for Parkinson’s.