End to End Entry & Training Started!!

Training has started this week for the End to End in September, I was heading out for 4 slow miles as to be fair 3 weeks after the Parish it still felt like my legs were full of lead and no energy.  I started off at a steady pace on my favourite Parish Training loop which heads out of Andreas towards Blue Point and then follows the route for around 1/2 mile then back down towards Andreas.  By the time I reached mile one I looked at my Suunto and Endo and it dawned on me that it was going to be faster than I thought!!!! 12mins 36secs it felt remarkably good, no aches, pains, tightness and I was getting faster and faster.
Heading onto the course at the end of the Leodest Road I had flashbacks of what I was going through during the Parish at this point on the road and I can distinctly remember I was on the phone to the wife saying I was at the end of our road she panicked and thought I was already at the church, I remember thinking I wish I was!!!!!
Its been happening alot these flashbacks, I could be anywhere on the Parish Course and remember exactly how I was feeling, who was around, what time it was and what the weather was like as if it was yesterday, that is the beauty of it, memories of the day and what a great day more highs than lows.
Anyway back to the first training day, as I was saying I was getting faster and faster and when I hit Andreas village I was at 4 miles and looked at my watch and thought to myself that I could do the extra mile and try and get under 1 hour, adding heading out to the airfield and going around the back of the church back down the dreaded church lane! and heading up my drive is exactly 1 more mile, I stopped the clock at 1hr 59 seconds, very pleased with it indeed, it wasnt about the speed or the distance really it was getting back to training, the speed and the distance was a bonus.
Post first training walk, legs felt great, no aches, pains all in all a very positive start!!!

The other news I have this week is that I have officially entered the End to End my four and final challenge of the year, whilst I sip my tea out of my Parish Walk mug (brought for me by my finishing buddy!) I think how I am so proud of both of our achievements this year and it would be nice to round things off with another great victory!  By the way my Parish mug shows a picture of Simon and I approaching the finishing line (pretty cool really).

Finally all my fundraising money has been collected and I can reveal that I have raised a grand total of £1215 for the MSPCA, I cannot believe it, I am totally over the moon, I cannot believe peoples generosity especially in these difficult financial times!  the amount will be slightly more as there was a sponsor form at the MSPCA and I am waiting to be informed of that total.  I am taking the fundraising money to the MSPCA on Monday and I have been told that the press will be there!! I must do my hair for the occassion ;)