All the wrong gear and no idea!

It’s fair to say that my first couple of entries into the PW I had on some questionable gear! Although  you can walk in pretty much anything, it definitely helps having a few decent bits to make the miles easier. This doesn’t mean spending the earth on fancy garments, just find what works for you and stick with that. I only have a few bits that I wear/wash/wear/wash. If I find something I like to train/race in then I stick to it.

Trainers - I use to wear a pair of Adidas original trainers which although never gave me any bother or blisters, they didn’t really give me any support. Once I was serious about tackling the full 85 miles, I decided to get some advice on footwear. I went to Up & Running for help and there I went on the gait analysis treadmill which looks at how you walk.   The results from this are then used to find the right trainers for you. The guys in there were so helpful and made sure the fit, size etc were all right. I went away with a pair of Saucony Fastwitch trainers and I’ve never looked back. They are lightweight, breathable,  fit my feet great and also look good.  The only negative I would have is the 3 holes in the bottom of the shoe, as soon as you go anyway near water you feel it soaking up to your socks. I have found this is easily fixed by filling the holes with silicone, although I do believe these holes are not on latest model.

My trainers are the only thing I spend a bit of money on really. I’m not sure if I need to, maybe  a cheaper pair like my old faithfuls would see me round just the same. But the way I see it, the amount of time I spend in them, I definitely get my money’s worth and I know that they won’t give me any problems.

Socks - I use the 1000 miles double lined socks which I have always used. I’ve never tried any other kind of sports sock so don’t have anything to compare to but I find these great.  They aren’t too thick and the seem on the toe is really soft and sits on top of my toes rather than the end, which I find doesn’t cause any problems on long walks. I prefer an ankle sock rather than a trainer sock. I find that they keep out any little stones and gravel that fly up when walking.

I also keep my feet smooth and soft. I know a lot of people who let their feet go tough and swear by it, but I end up with problems if I do this. I don’t suffer with blisters or sore feet generally when walking which is lucky. I’ve had the odd little one that’s come out after the parish but nothing major. I  also cake my feet in Vaseline before long walks. Just make sure you have your socks to hand before you put the Vaseline on or you’ll end up crawling around on all fours so you don’t make a mess looking for them!

I suffer with my ears if they get cold. It’s the one thing I can’t stand when out walking. I use to wear a woolly hat which even in the winter became to hot and then I’d end up having to carry it. Worse still if it rained I’d be left with a heavy soggy head!  I now use the stretchy headband/snood things (unsure of the official name for them?)  which I find great. They are really versatile, use them as a headband, a hat, round neck (soaked in cold water if it’s hot) hair tie and when I don’t need it I can wrap it round my wrist so that if wind picks up I’ve got it.

I tend to stick to the same running tights as I know they don’t rub or annoy me. I’ve had ones in the past where the seems have aggravated my ankles and tummy on long walks and a pair that felt so comfy at home, seamless, sleek, looked the part, but as soon as I stated walking one leg would ride up towards my knee which really got on my wick!  Once I found a pair that suited I bough 2 pairs and stick to them for long walks or races.    That’s the same with the rest of my kit really.  Things that don’t seem like they be much of an issue will be when your 60 odd miles in. The Fireman’s Walk which is held in April, pretty much follows the PW route from Peel to Ramsey and is a great event to test out your kit (entries are now open). It’s a good distance and the time of the event fits in great as a Parish test run. It’s a good one for trying out different drinks and foods also. Especially if you are not use to taking on food while on training walks. 

Other bits I have which are useful are gloves, not sure if I needed them last year for the parish but always good to have just in case. They were definitely needed on the Fireman’s walk last April along the coast from Peek to Kirk Michael.  I tend to change my vest for a light t shirt around Bride. I find it refreshing to take off the sweaty one that’s covers in sun cream and whatever else and put on a fresh clean one. I always like checking into Bride as I’ve then passed my worst stretch. The use of the loo and a fresh top sets me up again and gives me a lift. I have a long sleeve breathable top which I layer on top later on. I’m rubbish when cold so I try to put my layers on before I feel the cold to save my body having to use up reserves to warm me up.  It also takes me ages to warm up from getting cold.  I have a lightweight jacket that’s a mix of mesh on the back and under the arms and a reflective wind proof  front. I like that it’s not fully enclosed jacket which stops me feeling too hot especially coming up that very long hill out of Maughold (I’m also rubbish at being too hot, never happy!)  My head torch isn’t anything fancy but it does the job. I took it out on a training walk beforehand to check what the beam and vision was like with it.  I have a couple of lights I’ve picked up over time which clip onto my bib and arms for the evening.  I have a waterproof jacket in my support car just in case.

I also pack spare everything!  The more the merrier. Tops (short and long), coats (thin, thick, warm) and hats/bands/gloves/spare batteries (for head torch). The only thing I don’t think I’d ever change or mess with would be my feet. I do always put in spare trainers because well, I don’t know why really but it’s definitely better to be over prepared than under. You don’t want to be 20hours of walking in and wishing you had your warm snuggly gloves or an extra layer.

My other must have is my watch. I have the Garmin Vivoactive 3 and although I only bought mine after last years PW, I’d be lost without it.  It’s made a massive difference to my walking.  I borrowed one for last years event and was surprised at how much of a difference it made. I was aiming to finish under 20hrs and had some rough times written out on paper for my support car. Having the watch made it so much easier to keep  me on track as I was able to see my pace and time. It was also a help going between checkpoints as I could see how many miles I’d ticked off and knew how far I was to the next. The downside to this watch for this length of event is the battery life is only 13 hours. There  is no chance of me getting back to Onchan in that time!  The upside is that it charges really quickly. I had a power bank charger in the support car and plugged it in for a about 40 minutes before the battery went and then it seen me right through to the end. It also kept the miles clicking along while it was in the car so it didn’t throw me when I put it back on. There are loads of watches out there and some that have 24 hr battery but with this the cost goes up.

Thanks for reading and if I can help out with anything give me a message.

Happy walking

L x