"No Pain, No Gain"

It was supposed to be so easy
A simple across London stroll
Twelve miles to Wingate and Finchley
Not a difficult goal.
I knew I'd be in trouble
A few weeks before
Walking three German friends round our city
My feet were really sore.
So it was with some trepidation
That I left Champion Hill
By the time we hit Archway
I'd already had my fill.
Pretending I wasn't hurting
Pity my poor plates
Suddenly discovering sponsored walks
Are among my number one pet hates.
I've never driven motors
Walking is what I do
Public transport takes me everywhere
And Shanks's Pony gets me through.
This walk has really hit me
I'm scared of getting old
Can't face a future of immobility
If the truth be told.
There's an old saying
Of  'No pain, no gain'
If I couldn't cope strolling ten miles
It would drive me insane.
So many ordinary walks I've not done
Imagined them all in my head
Will I ever get to do them
An armchair bound cripple instead?
Today's the morning after
Can't even run for a bus
Struggling to hobble once I've sat down
Don't want to make a fuss.
I'm sure, give it a day or two,
I'll be right as rain
Able to stroll wherever I want
Time to dream again.
I'd love to do the Thames Path
Going stage by stage
Following the guidebooks
Religiously  page by page.
Taking seaside walks
Photographing as I go
Sharing them all on Facebook
Putting my snaps on show.
My ultimate would be Jock borders
Hadrian's Wall coat to coast
If I could still manage it
To me that would mean the most.
But now I'm getting older
I'm suddenly past my prime
All those things I want to do
Running out of time.
In walking to Wingate & Finchley
I'm pleased with what I've done
But if walking long distance hurts this much
I'm glad I don't own a gun.
If I were a horse
They'd put me down as lame
Part of me wants to do that now
Such is my strolling shame.
I'm sure I'll be more cheerful
Once my legs no longer ache
Then I'll go kid myself
A ten miler's a piece of cake.
At the moment I'm hurting
But I can still dream and achieve
Lot's more strolling from A to B
Carry on and believe.
As it stands I'm so proud
As well as totally numb
The pain has all been worth it
To raise such a tidy sum.

Dulwich Poet 23rd April 2017

(Yesterday I walked just under 12 miles, a sponsored walk from Dulwich Hamlet FC to Wingate & Finchley FC.  The money raised is to be split between our fundraising [the 'Inter City 125'] to get our team over to Germany to play our friends Altona 93 in a special 12th anniversary game of both clubs] & the homelessness charity 'Shelter'.  I found it quite tough towards the end. I am unfit anyway, and I'm not getting any younger...)