Let me start by telling you how proud I am of my boyfriend tonight. He has a habit of deciding to do things and, because he is just bloody stubborn, somehow managing to achieve greatness (Glasgow to Edinburgh cycle ride being one – he does it every year with virtually no training, and always beats his friends and comes home with no side effects). I could take a leaf out of his ‘giving up is not an option’ book. I have to admit I thought he’d bitten off more than he could chew when he announced he was taking part in Photoplod (www.photoplod.com) – a 42 mile walk all along the South Downs way, starting at midnight and finishing some time the next day, especially as he’s been so busy recently that training seemed to consist of just the one 12 mile walk in the run up to the event (don’t worry, I stocked him up with vaseline and blister plasters before he went yesterday, but it doesn’t sound like he needed it). The website says that teams normally finish by late afternoon, so how surprised was I to get a text at 1pm this afternoon, saying that they had finished, and he’d managed to do 38 of the 42 miles before his knee gave up in protest (it never has enjoyed going downhill) and he’s already decided he’s going back next year. It’s just something I could not even contemplate doing – 42 miles is bad enough, even before you add in sleep deprivation! So, Andy, if you ever read this, I am totally in awe and proud of you, although I do think you’re crazy. 
It took me about three weeks before I stopped feeling randomly sick all the time after the 11 mile cycle ride and I’ve not been back on the bike since for a number of rubbish reasons like work and sheer laziness. I don’t know if dehydration can do that to you or if I was sickening for something anyway, but I haven’t felt so strange for a long time.
Still no news on the flat – there were loads of snags still when I went for a look round a couple of weeks ago and I’ve not heard a dicky bird about it since. It’s annoying because it’s in the middle of a conservation/wooded area where it would be safe for a nervous cycler like me to potter about on my own. Fingers crossed I’ll be in by August.
Just looking at booking a holiday in Tuscany – feel free to tell me about any good walking areas around there. I don’t know whether to pack my boots or not!
Congratulations to fellow recruit Emma – you’ll have to visit her blog to see why (and it’s totally unconnected to the fact that everyone around me seems to be getting pregnant at the moment, before you jump to that conclusion!)
The Trail thing is now officially over, and looking at the write up of the last expedition in the magazine, I’m quite glad I didn’t go. Looks like they walked a long way carrying a lot of kit and had a very uncomfortable night. I love the outdoors, and I enjoy camping, but I don’t believe in making things even more difficult for yourself! It’s a shame it’s over, and I appear to be the one who got the least out of it, but such is life. I’m not going to beat myself, or Trail, up any more about it.
