Calories, kilos and kilometres

A slight break in continuity, but I did warn that this would be rather erratic…

Some of those very close to me are a little concerned at the idea of me walking many miles every day for a fortnight or so. Their concern is not because they think it’s a daft idea, but is aimed at my physique. Yes, it’s true, I do have one…

The point is that I am no Charles Atlas. I may stand 178cm (5ft 10ins) but I weigh, on average, 61kg (135lbs). That, for the record, is about 500g more than I weighed 50 years ago, and it has varied little since then. I confess I’m a touch proud! This has its upsides – for example many years ago when I learned to climb, I found some tricky manoeuvres easier because I wasn’t lifting much weight up the rocks. When walking, it definitely helps not to be carrying the equivalent of a loaded backpack all the time. The downsides include an increasing difficulty in finding trousers that fit me.

I also eat and drink pretty much whatever I like, without it having an impact on my weight. That includes healthy wallops of meat, fish, potatoes…an enjoyment of good wines…and chocolate when I feel like it. So now, go on, you can all hate me!

However, just 61kg at the start of the long trek may not last the course, and I might end up a mere stick by the end. Taking the general advice of my doctor not to let my weight fall while still eating healthily, and the specific suggestion from my wife to build some more kilos both for training and before the walk, I’m now taking on extra rations. Time will tell if that leads to extra weight.

Socks again

Following an earlier post, my two pairs of new Bridgedales (“Hike”, medium) finally arrived. They don’t feel quite the same texture as the “Trekkers” so I am eager to stick them on my feet and test them over a good distance. That experiment may wait a few days, as things are getting seasonally sociable, making it trickier to disappear solo for hours on end.