Sequence Never Shortened

A year ago, I set myself several New Year Resolutions. I had good intentions, but thanks to a relapse in January, only two resolutions survived the first month: to walk 1000 miles in 2011 and to drink within the recommended limits for alcohol. Unit by unit, my resolve crumbled regarding the alcohol target, but I kept up with the walking.

The idea behind aiming to walk 1000 miles was to encourage me to get outdoors more. In this respect it worked well – over 2011 I have walked in Snowdonia, Dartmoor, Peak District, Brecon Beacons, Cotswolds, and South Downs, as well as thoroughly exploring the countryside near me.

The challenge has also produced a few unexpected results. It has meant spending some quality time with some great friends – both old and new, and has lead to me experiencing new things like wild camping and outdoor swimming!

There were times where the daily requirement to notch up a few miles felt like a chore – and with a very mild relapse over the summer and an increased work load, I began to slowly slip behind target. Towards the end of November I had almost reached 900 miles – this left me needing to average 5 miles a day (fairly acheviable with a hour long daily dog walk and a longer hike at weekends).

I suppose that part of my reason for taking on this challenge was that I wanted to prove to myself that being diagnosised with Multiple Sclerosis at the end of the previous year does not effect what I can do. However, as December approached, I began to realise (or perhaps accept) that it does. Not in a major way – I can still climb mountains and do 19 mile walks, but I end up a lot more tired as a result, and need more time to rest afterwards. The Spoon Theory (orginally used to describe living with Lupus, but applies to other conditions like MS) is a great analogy at explaining this fatique. Day to day I do not suffer that much from it, but the cumulative effect of regular walking started having an impact on other areas of my life.

Since diagnosis, I have had an ongoing temptation to push my body to find it’s limit. This is not without risk – pushing too much could trigger a relapse. It still remains unclear medically exactly what causes an MS relapse, but factors like not eating properly, illness, stress, and overdoing it all play a part. Recently I have realised that a relapse does not just affect me – it has an impact on my partner, family and friends.

All this considered, with just over 100 miles to go, I pulled out of the challenge. Sense and acceptance finally prevailed! 900 miles is still a fantastic acheivement that I am really proud of. A massive thank you to everyone who supported me throughout. I would also like to congratulate Tim (@ukjeeper) who completed the year having walked 1042 miles.

A year ago, I set myself several New Year Resolutions. I had good intentions, but thanks to a relapse in January, only two resolutions survived the first month: to walk 1000 miles in 2011 and to drink within the recommended limits for alcohol. Unit by unit, my resolve crumbled regarding the alcohol target, but I kept up with the walking. The idea behind aiming to walk 1000 miles was to encourage me to get outdoors more. In this respect it worked well - over 2011 I have walked in Snowdonia, Dartmoor, Peak District, Brecon Beacons, Cotswolds, and South Downs, as well as thoroughly exploring the countryside near me. The challenge has also produced a few unexpected results. It has meant spending some quality time with some great friends - both old and new, and has lead to me experiencing new things like wild camping and outdoor swimming! There were times where the daily requirement to notch up a few miles felt like a chore - and with a very mild relapse over the summer and an increased work load, I bega