Phase one Complete!!! / Two socks or Not Socks!!

Sara Killey Memorial Walk

Nerves were certainly kicking in last night but never the less I checked, rechecked and checked again my kit for the morning and to be fair was in bed and asleep by 930!!!!!!!
An early rise on Sunday morning at 6am, shower, dogs sorted and car packed and changed making a decision to wear two pairs of socks! We hit the road to collect a friend in Ramsey and my brother in Sulby to head our way out West to the start at the Fire Station in Peel.
We were one of the first there and quickly signed in, sorted numbers out and then played the waiting game till the start at 830am sharp!!!!
It was great to meet Ed Walter who I have only conversed over the Internet blog and it was also nice to see him at the finish line !!!!
So on with the day, the weather was ok in Peel a little chilly and I was toying with the idea of swapping my short sleeve top to a long one, I'm glad I didn't though because true to form it was cracking the flags in Andreas!!!!! (as it always is).  Was I nervous before the start, I can honestly answer no, a little apprehensive but not nervous at all, I had my best mate with me and since we have been walking together the relationship with my brother has flourished, there was no rivalry between us just one common goal, get to the end!!!!!!
So it started Up the hill from the Fire station at Peel in a direction,  The top boys and girls hit the front from the start turning right passed the chip shop towards Kirk Michael before we had reached the junction by the police station!!!  These lads and lasses can certainly walk anyone who can walk 50k in 5hrs is superfit! Well done to the overall winner Michael George in a very impressive time of 4hr 52min!!! and also Richard Gerrard breaking the 5hr mark at 4hr 54mins!!  Whilst I'm at it well done to the first female back Michelle Turner 5hr 26mins.
Anyway back to it, the first four miles were tough (although the last four were worse!!), my legs felt tight and shins felt like they could snap at any moment, I took some comfort to be fair from my brother who said he was in the same boat, by the time we reached Glen Wylin we were warmed up and still knocking out minus 12mins 30 second miles, the clouds above Kirk Michael were black and it was trying its best to rain!!! Fortunately for us the route took us to Gods Country in the North where its always sunny!!!!
Kirk Michael came and went and before we knew it we were at our first support stop just outside Ballaugh where my sister in law was waiting with bottles and energy bars,pouches to replenish our old stock.  Whilst Im on the subject of support drivers, I did vow to myself and my brother that I wasnt going to mention this in my blog but it became highly irritating during my walk but i think it needs saying.  There were a few around us that had support drivers which is a great idea but surely you dont need a support driver for EVERY 1/4 mile!!!!!!! and I mean EVERY!!!! cars would be abandoned and drivers and passengers would bomb burst from the vehicle like they just stole it and were running from Cops! to go to the back of the vehicle and without thought to ANYONE else other than their walker run across paths of other walkers in order to get to their walker and hand them a piece of fruit (No fruit mentioned it would give the game away!!!)  This went on for the whole race!!!!!! 1/4 mile what a JOKE!!! I had three support stops, Ballaugh, The Lhen, and Andreas plenty of a race of this size.  What are they going to do should they tackle the Parish??? their fuel bill alone will be enormouse!!! (RANT OVER!!!) Whilst on the subject of support  I must thank my support,  my sister in law, my lovely wife who gives 110 % support of which I thank her for and my two girls who made me a banner and were jumping up and down at the Lhen and Andreas shouting "GO DAD GO!"  Very touched - Thanks it got me through some hard miles!!!!!!!
Back to the day - Ballaugh came and went and so did Jurby to be fair without incident, I was looking forward to getting to the Lhen on familiar walking ground and to see my support!!! My brother hit a low point after the Lhen and was seizing up saying his legs were tight, we were still knocking out 12 minute miles at this point with our fastest then at 11.36, I slowed down with him and told him to put his music on and get through the pain, easier said than done i know!  Another mile or two passed and I found myself pulling away from him not by much but enough so we werent in speaking distance.  I felt good and picked up the pace into Bride and on the road back to Andreas, To be fair it was as if I blinked and I was at the island, training roads, good music and chuckling to myself about other peoples support drivers!!!!.
Getting through Andreas I met my wife and children who were again shouting as I went by, only stopping to collect drinks I ploughed on towards Sulby.
I hit the wall around St Judes!!! I felt like my legs would give up they hurt, my neck was sore and generally felt awful but I was close and I was determined to get under 6 1/2 hours!!!!  I must say thank you to a friends support driver who passed me some jelly tots and slices of mars bar between St Judes and Sulby Bridge they helped lots!
So I was onto the final straight, 4 miles from the finish, totally exhausted i managed to get passed Lezayre Church and looked at my watch which said 30 miles!!!! I was convinced at that point I had 2 miles to go!!! I picked up the pace and came passed Ramsey Grammar School thinking I haven't got another mile I'm at the finish!!! Turning left towards the fire station I could see quite a few people on the road, pavement and grass next to the fire station, one last push and crossed the line in 6hrs 24mins 47 seconds by my watch (still awaiting official times!)  The last mile I completed in 11mins 28 seconds my fastest mile of the whole race!!!
Exhausted but majorly happy with my achievement I eagerly waited for my brother who was only just behind me and then a friend and walking buddy Mark shortly after that.  A quick thank you also to the IOM Fire Service who have run the event and their hospitality was second to none, thank you to all the marshalls and people who gave up their Sunday to support the event.
I thoroughly enjoyed the day it was ace and little over 1/3 of the distance for the Parish makes it daunting but also doable, Maybe not as quick though!!!
Just awaiting official timings and placings to be published which I will post as soon as I have found out.
A cold bath then quickly ensued followed by a hot shower, my legs were tight I had a blister on my left heal, two small blisters to my right toes and one of my left toes was bleeding, I put this down to wearing two pairs of socks! my fault I bottled out and didnt have faith in my kit, I have walked 20 with no issue with one pair of trusted twin skins, this time for whatever reason I went back to a thin pair of socks and my twin skins (wont be doing that again!!) hence the title to the blog!
So there we are, phase one of the four challenges for the year complete, well happy with my time and the way i walked it need to work on my food for the big one in a few weeks.  Next stop Race the sun (leg 2) which is mid may so need to get out running in the next week!
Thank you everyone for your continued support / messages etc its all great!!!

                                                                        (Kit deciding!!!)

                                                                  (Fresh Faced!!!!)

                                 (I am there honest, just finishing with the yellow vest on far right!)

                                                            (All Home Safe and Well)