Struggling with training? Here’s an uplifiting message from Steve

Steve’s wife Sarah was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2005 which is why he decided to Walk the Walk. Having walked London twice he decided to become a Volunteer. This is Steve’s 3rd year as a Volunteer in London and it will be his second year in Edinburgh and at the SunWalk.

He managed to persuade Sarah to Volunteer in Edinburgh last year and has gone one better by getting her and 2 others to walk the London Half Moon this year.

Steve is well known on the forum and offers ‘SteveHugs’ wherever he is stationed around the route.

“I wrote this last year but make no apology for posting it again in the hope that it will help you if you are struggling with your training or if you start having doubts on the night.

I will be somewhere on the route with my team and as always Hugs will be available, no matter how busy I am.

I too had doubts when I did both my Full Moons. What got me round was remembering………….
Remembering the day my wife and I got told she had an aggressive form of Breast Cancer;
Remembering the following day when we had to tell our 10-year old son why he couldn’t go on holiday in a couple of weeks’ time;
Remembering the day my wife went into hospital for her mastectomy;
Remembering taking my son to the hospital every day;
Remembering the chemo and radio therapy;
Remembering that the only meal my wife could face after each chemo session was a baked potato with cheese (and remembering that when chemo was finally over, she couldn’t face a baked potato for over two years! );
Remembering the relief when we came out of the 5-year review;
Remembering the worry when the re-construction operation didn’t take, which meant another 3-hour operation in the middle of the night;
Remembering the amazement and joy on my wife’s face when she first saw the result of the re-construction;

I suppose what I am trying to say to all you wonderful people is that when you get to a low point on your walk, remember why you are walking. If someone close to you has been afflicted by this horrible disease, remember how they got through it but remember to remember the good times as well as the bad.

You are bound to have doubts if you are doing something way outside your comfort zone. People have been having doubts for the past 16 years of Moonwalks, yet over £83 million has been raised.

Don’t under-estimate the power of 15,000 walkers and many hundreds of volunteers who will know how much effort it has taken to get you to the start line and don’t under-estimate your own capabilities.”