I signed up to do the Bloody Long Walk (a nationwide challenge to raise money for Mitochondrial disease) a few months ago, knowing I needed to set myself a little personal challenge. And why not try and raise money for a cause along the way. And when I say needed, I mean I wanted to push myself a little further and see if I could do it. Walk for 35kms non stop.
Why wouldn’t I be able to do it you might ask?
Because 5 years ago my feet looked like this:
I actually elected to have a double foot reconstruction. What sort of a crazy person decides to have both their feet broken (at the same time), replace bones with screws and reconstructed?
Me. That’s who.
It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but after meeting with GP’s, podiatrists and surgeons, and booking in family support (recovery would take 12 weeks - and 6 of those were to be on the couch not bearing weight) I decided to go ahead with surgery to correct very painful bunions.
Yes, bunions. Of all the traits my dear family could have handed down, that’s what I got. Not dad’s black hair, or mums cute nose, or perfecting nana’s hedgehog. Nope, I got very ugly, very painful bunions, and I could never wear nice shoes because my feet were so damaged, and I was embarrassed about how they looked.
In any case, after the operation, l did the physiotherapy and rehabilitation and learned to walk on my newly reconstructed feet in hideous hospital issued black velcro shoes, but I have never fully trusted that they’d be okay in some circumstances. I can wear heels (just not super tall ones) and I can walk, jump, stretch etc but I wasn’t sure if I could walk the longer distance.
Turns out, my feet were fine. They made it, and so did I! I didn’t have a major rush of endorphins at the end of the walk, but I did feel a huge sense of achievement at completing my personal challenge.
I absolutely love walking - any distance. It gives me time to think, time sort out my very busy head (thanks anxiety, motherhood and creativity) and time to enjoy nature. I rarely get bored even though I stick to the same suburbs most of the time.
I am super happy for completing my little mini goal, and am already plotting the next one!
Have you ever had a personal mini goal? Share it with me below.
