I’m not just talking metaphorically here! The last couple of weeks my feet have been red hot!

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No I’m not into human combustion, but I am quite passionate about walking so when my other half decided to run the Beachy Head marathon, which mainly follows the South Downs Way, I had no hesitation in walking a chunk of it. In fact, a large chunk of it! 16 miles to be precise, up some horrendous hills, (the 7 Sisters) and through a sprawling wood with very little signage.

Apart from being out in the fresh air enjoying some beautiful autumn scenery, it’s amazing what you find out about human nature! For instance, you expect the runners taking part in the race to be competitive, but not your walking companions!

(Hubby being competitive - amazingly he's still smiling with 10 miles to go!)

I set off with four others. After the first mile, me and one other were left in a cloud of dust! Well perhaps that’s an exaggeration, but you get the idea! Probably not a bad thing in the end as we had time to stop and “smell the roses.” It’s about the journey say I, not the destination!

(What you can see when you stop and smell the roses!)

Feet still simmering, a few days later and they were Morris dancing around a local primary school hall! Now this was more like it! The side is a very active women’s group who went out of their way to initiate me as painlessly as possible! If you want to exercise body and mind then I can highly recommend. As well as my feet throbbing afresh, I also suffered brain ache trying to remember the different choruses and verses. (That’s what the dances are built around).

That brings me up to last Sunday. Sanding off the hard skin from under my big toes, I loyally joined hubby in the Shepshed 7 for er … 7 miles of off-road fun. Well I think it was fun, the starter told us to enjoy ourselves, but I’m not sure my feet agreed! They very bravely supported me throughout the race though and I didn’t quite finish last!

Next time around I’m taking up knitting!