It Takes Determination.

 Let me begin by apologising to those of you who got in touch to check that I was alright. How kind of you to do so. I did not make a thing of my being away, I was so sure that where I was going I would have no problems with internet. As it turned out the signal was weak and writing a blog became a big no.

I am back feeling that I have achieved much. In the time I was away I ran each morning, 6 miles. On one day I then walked for four hours, another I walked for five hours, and another 3 hours. I have very nearly completed the whole of the coastal path. I am making my task more difficult by the method chosen. I am parking my car and walking out then returning to my car. Once I have done the whole path I will have completed some 180 miles of walking. Now that may not seem a great deal, but I can only walk with the aid of painkillers, having had so many injuries to my feet with years of running mountains. After my accident falling from my caravan roof I never though I would mange to run or walk again. It has taken a lot of determination.

As Walt Disney said, “It is kind of fun to do the impossible.”

On one of my walks I saw a young girl walking towards me on the path. (When I say path I mean a trodden path not a made up track). She was certainly not dressed for walking. Thin trainers on her feet a bright pink t shirt and fluorescent green shorts with the obligatory tops of the underwear informing me she was wearing, “Girls Boxers,” in bright red. She had a number of piercings and tattoos, one on her hand that read, “Believe.”

She stopped to ask how far she had to go to reach her hoped for destination. She was a bit down when I told her how far she still had to go. She had set out to prove to herself she could do it. I asked about the tattoo reading believe. She told me it was there as a reminder to her that she was not useless and could and would achieve something. I felt greatly moved. She was a girl with a mission and a pleasant personality. I left uplifted and I heard her hum a tune as she carried on her way. I had no doubt she would reach her destination. To make sure she did not have to walk back I slipped her the bus fare.

Somebody once said, “You have to be determined to be determined.”

My father always told me that to do something you have first to tell yourself that you can, if you do not then you will be telling yourself you cannot.

"My mother taught me very early to believe I could achieve any accomplishment I wanted to. The first was to walk without braces." --Wilma Rudolph 1940-1994, Olympic Gold Medallist.

The other great joy of my last few days is that for the first time in two years my weight slipped ever so slightly below the 70kg mark head towards my target running weight.

I hope you are all well and be assured I missed you and will catch up with all your blogs over the next two days or so.

Have a great day and reach you target destination.

This is the way of the Tao.

This blog is linked to my other.  The Mirage

The Blind Leading the Blind

I have told you about my friend Andy and his wonderful guide dog Eddie. I was reminded of a story he once told me. While I was on holiday, I visited a lovely little village, called Soamo. It was not far from the caravan park and a number of other caravan parks and yet seemed to remain undiscovered by tourists. A little haven for locals. It had a little inn serving local produce and a fine ale. I loved to finish my afternoon walk or cycle sitting there in the sun watching the locals at their day to day business.


One day I watched an old lady very very slowly walk past. She was using two walking sticks and was moving with difficulty. It was three in the afternoon and she was still wearing her dressing gown and night clothes. She did this walk every day at around about this time, determined not to let frailty beat her. I was told she dressed for evening meal after this adventure.

Another day I watched an old man cycle up to the inn, nothing odd about that. He got off his cycle with difficulty laid it against the wall and unstrapped two crutches which he used to walk into the inn with. The innkeeper then came out and took the basket from his cycle and un loaded the vegetables the old man had gathered from his allotment.

Two amazing people showing a determination not to be defeated by age.

Now back to Andy. Eddie his dog was having an operation on a small cyst. Andy determined not to be kept at home ventured out. He tells how he was standing on the kerbstone of a busy road hoping somebody would offer to take him over. There was a tap on his back. Then a voice said, “I am blind would you help me over the road?”

Andy took his arm and the both crossed the road safely I think Andy sensed my amazement, he said, “What could I d? I took him across the road it was one of the biggest thrills of my life.

There are times when we think we cannot do something and so do not stretch or take a risk. Being forced to stretch and take a risk can often help us to reduce our dependencies (on others, or our own personal safety mechanisms), and to discover new excitement and capabilities. Also with the things we do, it pays to take risks to venture beyond the unknown.

What awaits? The biggest thrill of your life.

This is the way of the Tao.

This blog is linked to my other where I discuss the artwork used. The Jazzman