Our first weekend on the Downs and the plan was all to get together for the first time - the walkers (Claire, Emma, Ruth & Jaci), the support crew (Suzie, Nadia & Chris). Ruth was unable to join us as she was off on a last minute trip to Guatamala with work & Chris was off on a charity bike ride, pulling a trailer, so then there were 5.
We all arrived at Suzie's parents farm feeling both excited and nervous (we talked loud, fast and were full of adrenelin...). The Fordes did us proud, rooms for everyone, home cooked food, hot water, animals to fuss over and alcohol (and it was a training weekend). On Friday night, Emma took over in the kitchen and sorted energy filled lunches out for us for the weekend. The military operation has begun. We agreed on routes (walk & car) and tried to get some sleep.
Saturday morning and off we go to Checkpoint 2 (Hilltop Farm), the walkers set off in good spirits and the support crew set off to make lists, buy boxes for each walker to put our spare gear in etc. All good on the walking front until lunch (15k) but after the short stop, Jaci has feet problems, continues but pain is setting in and the concern is for knee, back etc but through gritted teeth, she continues until support team meet up between CP 4/5 (24k from start). Quick change of socks, shoes, blister treatment for Jaci & food for all and off we go. Suzie & Nadia plan to join the walkers for a while with Mrs Forde collecting them later in the route. The intrepid three are now flying (must be the energy drinks), Jaci is a new woman (you can teel, she has strated to talk again) and they are too fast to keep up with. We make it to CP6 - just over 40k in 7 hours (inc stops) and are all feeling great and very proud of ourselves. We meet a couple of other Trailwalker teams & are riding high.
Quote of the day: Jaci asking another Trailwalker Group "Do you know where we are?" just as we approach Botolphs, they did give us strange looks
Back to the farm, showers & pub all still on a high. Back to the farm & Mr Forde celebrates with us by opening a 1977 bottle of Port - it was fab! Off to bed, to sleep feeling good.
Sunday morning, we had the bright idea of setting off walking at 6am (no idea why?) so up at 5 and back on the trail by 6.30 (I think that was the port). Nadia joins us and we strat at CP6 planning to go to CP9. This bit we will do during the night in July, so we are all keen to see what it entails. It strats with a steep hill and then another and another, oh and downs in between. Yesterdays excitement as gone and today is another day. All (except Claire of course) are feeling a little jaded and Jaci is at 80% exertion to Emma & Claire's 50 / 60% up the hills and Nadia is doing great & todays chief motivator. Well, it is training and none of us rest on the hills (or anywhere else) and we all recover well. The sun is hot and pollen count high & this affects Claire. We detour at Devils Dyke (oh well we needed the hill training), set ourselves straight and head on to Jack & Jill (a pair of windmills). At this point, we call Suzie for a new pick up point, we have been ambitious on our walking times and need a rethink. By Ditchling Beacon, we have all had enough and head down to Plumpton - another day over (22k today).
We are then spoilt by a roast lunch at the farm. A good weekend, some highs and heading for lows but we learnt a lot & are moving forward.
Sponsors are still coming in but if you have not donated yet, please do so, it is a great cause & we are all working hard for this - support team included. Thanks to Suzie, Nadia and all at the farm (animals included)