We can go the distance!!

Yesterday we completed the 7 Bridges Walk, along with Don, Sharon and Shane.

Thanks to Sharon for suggesting it. Great company, festival atmosphere, cheery camaraderie between walkers, and a worthy cause, raising money for cancer. Thanks to friends who supported us and the Cancer Appeal.

But it was also an awesome way to see Sydney. We saw parts of Sydney we have never seen and would be unlikely to encounter. Many surprises for the day.

Think we crossed more than 7 bridges, but who was counting. Amazing to see all the walkers - all ages, sizes, walking styles and abilities, but by far the most common thing for the day was the vast array of sports/travel gear - Lycra gym outfits, travel pants/shorts, wicking style shirts, elaborate backpacks and colourful shoes.

We started shortly after 7.30am, established a steady pace, which was closely monitored by Shane. Our goal was 5.5 hours, with average pace of 12 min kilometres. We started off faster, knowing the back end would be slower. After the first 'pit' stop, he was pushing us to make up the 80m we lost. What a slave driver. After the next one, with l-o-n-g queue, and 6 minutes behind, the plan was out the window.

New goal. Finish whenever. We only stopped for necessities and supplies, fearing that if we sat down we mightn't get up. Finished the walk before 2pm - 26.9 km in 6 hours 12 minutes averaging 13.8min kilometres. Great effort by all.

In the end - a few aches, a little stiffness the next morning (but easily walked out), but NO blisters. A FANTASTIC result I say.

Lessons for the camino - we will probably aim for a slightly slower average pace giving a more time to soak it up and 'smell the roses'. We CAN walk that distance in a day and have time at the end of the day to enjoy the social life on the camino, but think we will break the day stopping for meal breaks. We managed quite a few hills in the route, but they are not the Pyrenees. Just another challenge.

26.91km..... An average daily walk in our camino plans. So we can do it for one day, just need to back up for approximately 30 more days! Another challenge.

 

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