The Awesome Art of Pride and Kiltwalking!

It's Saturday morning and there's a spring in my step, which feels like the first time this week.

I was up early as I had to go hunt and forage for breakfast as Holly and her pals Lauren and Clare, who stayed over last night after going to another one of their friends 18th Birthday party, were "hungry". Alcohol munchies perhaps?

In the old days nights like last night were called "sleep overs", which I never liked. Nowadays Holly just says "the girls are staying" so does that make them "stay overs?".

I never really liked when Holly had sleepovers as it also meant a night of disturbed sleep.

There would be around six of them and although Holly's room was at the bottom of the hallway, you could still hear them giggling as the game seemed to be "stay up all night and chat".

That bit was generally OK, however girls 'always' fell out resulting in one of them deciding they wanted to go home, at three in the morning!!

As bad as it was for me to take them, I did get a perverse comfort when I rang the parents door bell to see someone as cheesed off as me answering the door.

So why the spring in the step?

Well anyone who knows me will tell you I do enjoy a roll and square sausage and as I was out hunting for breakfast, or popping into Asda as some of you may call it, I couldn't resist grabbing some rolls for my sausage. I also took an executive decision and decided Holly and her pals would like a box of "Sweet filled Doughnuts" from Greggs, which I have to say knocks the spots off of Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

But that wasn't the reason.

It could have been that there seems to be a rather large shiny thing in the sky this morning, but I then reminded myself of TACC's inspirational words:

"Sun is temporary, Rain is forever".

So it wasn't that either.

No, the reason I have a spring in my step is due to reading Oor Geraldine's blog which is uplifting for several reason,s as it talks about personal achievement, fantastic sums of money raised for The Kiltwalk and finally the buzz of taking part in The Kiltwalk.

Geraldine is someone I've come to know through Social Media. I've always been a "media-itte" (just call me Ian nae pals) so a number of years ago I started talking to and following 'like minded people'.

These people, like me, seemed to spend a lot of time talking about great places to eat, or had great music listed on their timelines, were similar in age and could retort with a stinging comment or humerous line before you could say the word Twitter.

I first came across @duffwilma and had an instant picture of someone who was loud, proud and had plenty to say, about, well everything really.
It also took only a few days to note she liked hanging around in Oran Mor and talked of bumping into Bobby Bluebell. At first I assumed this 'bumping into' was physical and the result of too many Gin's, however I soon realised she knew him, so bumping into was just saying "hi".

With raucous Wilma, came a quieter, more reserved friend, Geraldine.

Geraldine seemed to have to get up far too early, get a bus into town from Great Western Road, where several cups of takeaway coffee were required to set her up for the day.

So was it the love of coffee that had brought Wilma and Geraldine together? As they both seemed to need the black stuff first thing in the morning :-)

However as the weeks past you could quickly tell that although the "quite one of the two", she was just as witty or caustic as and when required.

Unlike most people on Twitter, I've actually met the people who were previously unknown to me Wilma and Geraldine and they're an excellent pairing. Come to think of it I've met most of the people I tweet with i.e. Natalie, Wilma, Geraldine, Brian, Ronnie, Linda, Darren. I think I only need Sam and Janice and I've met them all.

There is of course Oor Ashley, but her full story will be revealed on another day.

So, it was Geraldine's blog that put a smile on my face and provided the urge to blipfoto today and I loved it so much, I've nicked the contents of it.

It's a great read and although raising £2,000 is an extraordinary effort, the bit that "got me" was where Geraldine talks about taking part in a 26 mile Kiltwalk, something SHE thought she would never be able to do.

It's the ability for Oor Kiltwalkers to 'achieve' something over a distance that suits them, helping Scotland's Children in the process that makes it a great day and a unique event, enjoyed by all Oor walkers.

Have a read at Gerladine's blog and hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

"How hard can it be? It is just walking!"

Famous words from a friend of mine when I told her I had decided to do the 26 mile Kilt Walk from Hampden Park to Loch Lomond! Yeh! Just walking!

Tell that to the blisters on my right heel that have finally healed. Now Elastoplast free and wishing I had bought shares in Compeed, time to look back.

So was it worth it?

Was all the training, hauling my tired self round circuits of Glasgow's West End and City Centre, hours spent on the treadmill at Western Health and Racquets Club or walking with Michelle and Wilma round Kilmacolm, worth it ?

Was the no I can't stay out too late tonight, I need to fit in at least a 15 miler tomorrow, just sheer madness? No to both. The training was well worth it. I only got the blisters because I put too much moisturiser on my feet the night before, rookie mistake!

Why was it worth it?

Warning soppy bit ahead

1. Team In It To Gin It smashed our target and with your help will raise over £2000 this includes Michelle and Amanda who didn't make it on the day.

2. It was a day out I would not have missed for the world even the rain at the start did not dampen spirits

3. The memory of seeing Mum and Maggie and their awesome banner at the end was such a huge joy. The look of pride on their faces when they saw us, will stay with me forever

4. The patter from Wilma (@duffwilma) and Mark (@gymguymark) as we walked from the city centre out to Loch Lomond was wide and varied. From Mark's history lessons to Duff hauling up her breeks every five minutes, there was never a boring moment.

5. The texts, phone calls, tweets and Facebook messages we got as we walked along, the number of people we knew were thinking of and supporting us was just staggering.

6. The encouragement from the people who lined the route, the car horns that got tooted, the signs, the waves, the wee woman who when I asked for a loan of her wheelchair laughed and replied " if I could give it to you hen I would"

7. The sudden sense of pride in our achievement, of setting a goal and hitting the target! It is the strangest sensation and one I genuinely have never felt in myself before.

8. Looking at the Kilt Walk medal and the charm my family gave me for my bracelet keeps the memory alive, the empty TACC sweetie packet pinned up on my desk that says Pain is temporary but Pride lasts all give me a wee boost now and again and remind me of why we did the walk and the hundreds of children and families who will benefit.

So next big question, would I do it again? Just wait and see.

One final set of thank you ...

To Carey, Ian and the rest of the Kilt Walk crew, Awesome does not describe you guys, thank you!

To my fellow walkers Mark and Wilma, thank you for the banter, the pills and the team spirit.

To those of you who I met at the end of the walk, especially Jill Dinsmore, apologies for not being very chatty, the emotion was getting to me!

And to all of you who believed that I could do this, like always I doubted my ability but you have taught me that belief is all and to take pride in what I achieved.

Now the next big challenge is in a month's time, getting into shape to look fabulous at fifty.

Bring it on!

To answer your question Geraldine then remember, once a Kiltwalker, always a Kiltwalker. See you next year.