Ian Does a Brilliant Thing

Fancy a little inspiration this Sunday? Today’s blog is courtesy of the fabulous Ian, who, as we speak is doing something marvelous with his new found body and freedom! Not sure if that is even a term but perhaps it should be as you will see if you read on below….. Have a great week folks, take some inspiration from Ian and know that things you’d given up hope of doing again are achievable and totally possible….at any age! You can feel better now than you have in years. Just take the first step.

With love Vic and the team
xxx

Now over to Ian…….

I guess I’ve bored most of you with the details of my Physiotherapy since the end of last year…

You know the stuff that says, “I couldn’t work out why I got up early every morning… and when I realised it was because it was too uncomfortable to stay in bed” I thought I should do something about it”!

So I went along for a free consultation to see whether the Physio in the Private Practice in Kingsbridge would be able to help. The answer to my questions in that connection was a very confident YES, so I signed up!

The third bedroom at home’s now taken on the look of a small gym with loads of kit like dumbbells and a training mat and bands of various tensions, as well as a TRX strap (which Tina’s dubbed my Bondage stuff)!

When after a few weeks of exercises and some attention from Victoria (my Physio at the Health Hub in Kingsbridge) I started to feel a great deal better (and Tina’s now being “attended to” and the improvement she’s having is even better than mine), I began to think how fortunate I am.

Then I thought that we’re both benefiting  from the Physiotherapy we’re receiving, but sadly it’s not the NHS… It’s private, and costs, but it’s so well worth it!

This brings me to the “Walk”.

As most of you who know me will be aware motorised transport’s always been my choice for travel. Why? Because it’s quicker, easier and less effort than walking; BUT, since I don’t hurt quite as much in the body, going for a bit of a stroll has become something that I quite enjoy (and it was all brought on when Tina – post Physio – started to walk along Slapton Ley and I started going with her).

So, now I’m enjoying walking and getting a bit fitter and so I thought, “What can I do with this new found bit of my life?”.
That’s when it dawned on me….

Walk the Pilgrims’ Way (Winchester to Canterbury) as a bit of an adventure ( for a grumpy old man who’s discovered that 60+ doesn’t necessarily mean being confined to becoming an expert on repeats of Escape to the Country etc.)!

So that’s what I’m going to do from September 14th to the 28th (inclusive), walk 130 odd miles for fun (well, for a challenge). It’s all going to be self supporting with some nights camping ( yes, I know) and some B&B, and some in local Inns (looking forward to those)!

It’s all quite exciting in the planning, and as the start of the adventure gets closer I wondered whether others (apart from me) could benefit from this bout of madness.

There’s one principle reason for this walk and that is,”Because I Can”, which wasn’t the case at the end of last year. So I’m hoping that I could raise some cash for a cause which I think is so deserving, and the links to Holistic Physiotherapy (which I now have a passion for recommending) are evident and compelling.
So i’m going to make a part of my walk a platform for raising some funds for a charity I’ve only discovered since researching “causes” and that is;

Brainwave (Unlocking Children’s Potential).

https://www.brainwave.org.uk/

I’ve set up a page on JustGiving…… and if you feel a  donation (however small) would be appropriate it will spur me on my way when the reality of what I’ve done hits home.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/oldpilgrimswalk2019

which I think sets it all out quite well…

I like the way Brainwave works and includes children with varying needs and provides assessments and support which is in addition to and in conjunction with the facilities that the NHS provides (but can’t always deliver in the way that parents might wish).

I know first hand how such collaborations can work, and so I think that Brainwave is just the sort of Organisation that I’d like to try and help by way of my good fortune in being able to even consider the (genteel) two week trek.

There’s also a nice link in that a grumpy OLD codger like me might be able to do a little bit of good for those who could benefit from some extra help at the BEGINNING of their lives.
I think that Brainwave fits that bill… Exactly!

Please don’t in any way feel obliged because of this note, but it would be so nice to think that I’ve actually done something to say thanks for my good fortune and rescued bodily mobility…. And I’ll tell you what, it’s brilliant when you realise that being 67 is the new 40 (in fact I reckon I’m fitter now (thanks to Claire – Health Hub Personal Trainer – and Vic ) than I was when i WAS 40!!!!!

Oh, I should say that I’ve just joined Instagram and there’s a page entitled,

“Old Pilgrim’s progress”  https://www.instagram.com/oldpilgrimsprogress/

Ian Old Pilgrim (@oldpilgrimsprogress) • Instagram photos and videos 1 Followers, 6 Following, 1 Posts – See Instagram photos and videos from Ian Old Pilgrim (@oldpilgrimsprogress) www.instagram.com

on which I’m intending to post a daily Blog of what happens when I’m let out alone with a tent and a challenge to complete. Anyone who wants to experience the (hopefully) triumph of hope over reason/ sanity might like to look in and see how it goes….  Just think, having to type a few words every night on a silly mobile keyboard! That might be even more challenging that the walk….

Thanks again to all for ploughing through this, but I’ve never really done a challenge like this, and who knows, if it goes well there might be another – one day!!

I you’d like to know more (or try and get me to see reason – too late hehe) I’d love to hear and I’ll try and explain what might look rather strange to anyone who knows me reasonably well.

In the meantime thanks so much for reading this plaintive missive… and I’ll try and keep up the “Blog” as I go along….

With Best wishes to all (and thanks in anticipation),

Ian

The “Old Pilgrim”

originally posted 3rd October 2019