Yes, I have done it!
I walked “Nijmegen” for the 14th time. I -as a woman – am allowed to walk 40 a day in order to receive a medal, yet I walked 50 kilometers a day, with the men. For the first time, as a challenge. It was tough, but I loved it! Pro: More space to walk my own pace, less crowded, more attention of men ;-D. Con: the ‘extra 10 km’ loops – compared to “the 40″ – we had to walk: very little people at the side of the road, very boring. Normally – read: along the 40 route – the crowd is the perfect distraction from pain (muscle-ache, blisters, knees). They clap and cheer and support the walkers. I was happy that I took my walk man with me, cause sometimes it was so boring that only the music on the radio to kept me going. Very con: the starting time: 4 AM!!! Which meant I had to get up at 2:45 AM. A quarter to three in the morning! Normally I go to bed at that time.
No blisters, no painful muscles, but the weather was the biggest problem: typical Dutch summer days. Day 1: sun and rain; day 2: fog, sun, rain, thunderstorm; day 3: fog, sun, tropical heath; day 4: thunderstorm, rain, sun, tropical heath… Anyway: I made it. 4927 others – of 44638 people who started the first day – did not make it to the finish.
ps. Yes, I know I promised daily updates, yet there was no internet-facility at the place I stayed and I was to tired to go out and find one.
