Virtual Challenges and Vitamin D

As part of my latest resolve to write more often, here I am again with another blog post and today I wanted to share a potential achievement with you and tell you why I do it. I am now just 30 miles short of my walk 1000 miles in 2020 challenge which started in January. This will be the third year in a row that I have done this and quite frankly I’m really enjoying it. Its sponsored by Country Walking Magazine and is one of the many virtual challenges you see online which have gained in popularity due to the real events being cancelled.

So how do these things work then I hear you cry! Its quite simple really, you sign up for a challenge and agree to run, walk or jog a certain number of miles, you pay some money (usually between £15 and £20), some of which usually goes to charity and once you have completed the miles you tell them and they send you a shiny medal to mark your achievement. Although you often need to provide proof, its mostly done on trust and a spreadsheet of your miles is enough if you don’t have a fancy watch that tracks your miles. So I could cheat then? Of course you could cheat, but every time you looked at your medal you would know you got it under false pretences, you cheat!

Why would you do that? You’re just buying a medal for £20 surely. Well this is why I do it. Some of you out there are super motivated, and love running and walking and being all fit and active and showing off your lovely physique whilst stretching in your lycra shorts. But some of us need a rocket up our backsides to even walk to the car. I’m nearly 54 and have spent most of those years being lazy and finding an excuse not to exercise. I worked out fairly quickly that the wii fit works just as well if you wiggle the controller about whilst sitting on the sofa drinking a beer. But around four years ago, or 3BC (Before Covid) I decided I needed to get out and get away from some problems I was having personally so I went to Snowdon. I was hooked. But after a few months of excitement over my new found ability to walk up hills I soon got bored and needed something to push me forward.

That’s when I came across the Action Challenge events organised up and down the country and I signed up for a couple to motivate me to get out and what’s more you get a shiny medal at the end! Soon I had a few medals which I started to display on my wall. Not to show off, or to let anyone else see them, just to prove to myself that I had achieved something. Its weird how a grown man gets excited at being given a piece of metal on a ribbon, but there you have it. Next thing I see the Walk 1000 Mile challenge in a walking magazine where you have to walk 1000 miles in a year. So I thought, ‘I reckon I can do that’. There’s a facebook community too so you get to share your story with others and encourage each other along. I was hooked again.

Then I discovered there were other virtual challenges available. I signed up for a Hadrians Wall Walk, where you have to walk the same distance as Hadrians Wall. There’s even a little map on the website showing where you are on your route. How exciting. Of course once Covid hit us earlier this year and all the real events were cancelled the virtual challenges became even bigger and now everyone is doing them. And I can honestly say it has really helped motivate me to keep going. There are usually facebook groups to help you with accountability and where you can find inspiration when things are tough as well as the thought of another shiny medal at the end of the line. Another thing I have achieved in a world that seems to be slowly falling apart.

So why does it matter that I’m getting outside? Why not stay in and hide from the nasty virus until it gets fed up and goes away? Well its all about your health isn’t it? Both mental and physical. The outside is full of vitamin D and we know how good that is for us, also exercise increases your blood flow and helps you get fitter and stronger and more able to fight diseases, even Covid. I mean I could write a whole blog on why walking is good for you, in fact watch this space over the next few weeks! Also being stuck inside doesnt help your mental wellbeing. Stress and anxiety are hightened, your body fills with cortisol, and everything starts to fall apart. But once you are outside in the real world, with fluffy bunnies and birdies you can feel a sense of peace, of relaxation and that everything will eventually be alright. Remember the phrase, whatever happens, this too shall pass.

So over the last few months I have amassed a lovely cache of medals and am starting to feel like I can get through all this weirdness. Drop me a message if you would like any more information about the companies that run these events and I’ll be happy to share.

Until next time…

S 🙂