Sunday, February 22, 2009

WET T-SHIRT COMPETITION!!

Today we walked in the rain - well, we didn't start off in the rain but the last 45 minutes it really came down! I wore my RSA shorts and top that I'll be walking in and we all wore our boots and backpacks.
Val, Marion, Linda, Joy and I started from uShaka Marine World on Addington Beach. The clouds were rolling in, the wind coming from the south, and all the signs were there for heavy rain. We meandered our way through the development around the canals at Timeball Square, all the way to the construction fences surrounding the new harbour pier. Then we
headed north towards the Umgeni River.
By the time we'd walked about 6km it was starting to spit. Linda and Joy turned back but us hardy three peregrinas continued, outwalking the rain all the way up to the Blue Lagoon. We had a short rest on the wall - watching herons on the sand - and then headed back south. It wasn't until we turned around and walked back that it caught up with us.
First were the sounds of thunder, then a darkening sky, then sprinkles of rain that got stronger and stronger until it felt like we were being struck by small hailstones! I pulled my little black weather jacket out of my backpack and put it on to protect my camera which was in my waistbag but Val and Marion thought the rain would pass quickly and left their raincoats in their packs. They got soaked! By the time we reached uShaka at 9h15 we all looked as though we were taking part in a wet t-shirt competition! Val and I went back to the car and got our change of clothing before joining Linda and Joy for a coffee at the Java Coffee centre.
Equipment update: The boots came up trumps - staying dry even in that heavy deluge.
The socks got wet though - perhaps we should take our gaiters after all?
And, the little black jacket worked really well, repelling the rain and keeping my precious bag with the camera in it quite dry. A good training walk today.
Next week, the Pot 'n Kettle walk. Arrrghh ... a really tough walk up and down steep, sharp hills including a section of dirt road. Can't wait!!


Monday, February 9, 2009

TRAINING WALKS AND CHIN-SPLINTS!!

Photo by PauloCesar

We talk so much on our training walks that we are in danger of developing chin-splints rather than shin-splints!

I walked with Cheryl and Val walked with Linda and the jaws were going ten-to-the-dozen! (Marion couldn't join us as she has family here from England.)

Although yesterday's trek up and down the hills of Umhlanga and La Lucia gave Cheryl shin splints within the first hour of walking the rest of us only huffed and puffed a bit.

Cheryl isn't one of the three walking in June but she is a camino peregrino and enjoys walking with us on our Sunday training walks.


We started at the Gateway shopping centre at 6am. There was a reason for choosing a shopping Mall - Val needed to look for a lightweight fleece top and we were sure that we would find one for her at one of the many stores in the mall.

We walked through the built up area around the shopping centre and then down Armstrong to the La Lucia Mall, up to William Campbell and back down again. Then it was up-up-up Armstrong back to Gateway.

Gateway is quite a smart, up-market mall so Val brought a change of clothing and had to change inside the car. (I just changed my boots for slip on sandals.) We did a few km inside the mall window shopping before having breakfast at Sam Brown's. And then hit the shops. More trudging from shop to shop.

Nothing at Woolies, de nada at Cape Union Mart, zilch at Due South, lutho at Sportsman's warehouse.

So we drove down to the Crecent and hey presto! Outdoor and Camping had a rail full of Cape Storm, lightweight fleece pull overs. Val bought a charcoal top and after visiting a couple of other shops we headed home.

In a few weeks time will start doing back-to-back training walks including a few three day walks with backpacks.

3 months and 25 days to go!!