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Three weeks to go....

 Time seems to have flown by.  6 weeks ago I was barely walking a mile.  Now, I am up to 14.5 miles - and 4 miles with my 12kg backpack. My challenge now is to start doing the longer walks with the backpack, but I am concerned not to go too fast while my body continues to strengthen and heal.

At the same time, I am frantically getting the garden ready for 100 days of neglect, ensuring as far as I can that I help those at work prepare for my prolonged absence (although my extended sick leave proved a good run-up to that) - and seeing friends and family before I go.

I am certainly going to miss my family - my three precious daughters and two grandchildren. And my father, who I know will be glued to the maps watching my progress over the coming weeks and months.

I think we are all relieved that Martin is coming down to Cornwall with me for the first 10 days to support me as required - either picking me up early if I tire - or relieving me of the backpack for awhile.   But from around Padstow I will be on my own, so I hope by then I will be well established both physically and mentally for the challenge ahead.

For now it really is a matter of getting a grip of myself as the size of the challenge hits me - the problem with this planning phase is that by necessity you are looking at the whole and I am finding myself daunted and rather over-whelmed.... Once I start I will have to trust on all the preparations and simply go one day at a time, and pace, pace, pace...  In that sense, I can't wait to start.

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