Mark McCormack, Malin to Mizen walk, Day 3 – A Premature Ending
Day 3 – A Premature Ending
In accordance with the original plan I was going to be writing this entry from my friend’s girlfriend’s house in Athlone, instead I’m at home on my couch. The day did not go to plan.
We were up early enough and at the drop off point outside Enniskillen for 7.20. Getting out of bed this morning was a serious effort, the body didn’t feel recovered and in fairness to it, I had just managed 5hrs sleep.
Into the second mile I knew I had a serious issue with my knee. I wasn’t able to put much pressure on it at all and in addition, the morning sun was sweltering. The weather the first 2 days had been kind to me but not this morning.
After 10 miles I was dragging my left leg rather than using it for support and called Shiv to let her know that it didn’t look good. Mentally, the very least I wanted to do was to get to 100 miles and after walking 86 over the previous 2 days, I was left with 14 to meet the minimum target.
Stumbling along the road to Swanlibar I met a man out strimming his hedge who saw the state I was in and offered me water, tea and an apple (in that order). He’s a Born Again Christian and pulled a religious leaflet out of his pocket which he gave to me for inspiration.
He told me that the ‘Lord would be beside me’ so onwards I walked, hoping for the best. I managed to get to exactly the 100 mile point from Malin Head, the home of John and Philomena McManus.
The reason I know that is that I was parched and called up to the house for a glass of water (I had just run out). I phoned Shiv to let her know that my knee was done for.
It’s funny the range of emotions you go through at a time like that. I felt both shame and embarrassment, shame for not being able to carry on and embarrassment for the fuss I made about the walk itself.
We said we’d go down to Longford to get the knee looked at by a physio but mentally I was spent at that point. Acknowledgement to Mark Usher in Ardagh who took our booking at the drop of a hat and endeavored to get me into some sort of state to continue.
Both he and the doctor that we subsequently went to see agreed that my knee, in its current state, would not support the challenge I had set myself. The reason we ended up with the doctor was more that I was having trouble breathing and had headaches and nausea, rather than the knee itself. Overall, I wasn’t in a good place and based on the advice received, called it a day.
The target was 339 miles and I managed a 100. I’m sure at some point I’ll look back and have some sense of achievement for walking 100 miles in 2 and a half days, but I’d imagine that will be a while down the road (if you pardon the pun).
Final thanks to the support team Shiv (driver, co-ordinator, all round sound wife), Michael (my father who never got to use his sign for the roof-rack of the car), Ann (my mother cos it would be rude to not thank your mother) Noel Molloy (chief fundraiser and feeder of our cat), Mark Carroll (training advisor), James Heffernan (for joining the walk) and those who I leaned on for mentoring (Bernie Comiskey and Gerry Duffy).
Lastly in the thanks category there were a number of hotels who I haven’t mentioned but were going to give us discounted room rates (because we were raising money for charity) - Great National Abbey Court (Nenagh), Charleville Park Hotel (Limerick), Springfort Hall Hotel (Cork)
There is a Latin saying which I like, ‘Per Ardua ad Astra’ meaning ‘through adversity to the stars’. I didn’t get to the stars, but it wasn’t for the want of trying. Over €1,200 was raised, thanks for the support!
Contribution and contact details:
www.mycharity.ie/event/malin2mizenwalk
www.facebook.com/malin2mizenwalk
malin2mizenwalk@gmail.com
- See more at: http://www.westmeathexaminer.ie/news/roundup/articles/2014/06/23/4031087-mark-mccormack-malin-to-mizen-walk-day-2/#sthash.gpZ27kLs.dpuf