Analogies

OK, we're well into February now and training and mileage is starting to ramp up somewhat. Every year in February when the nights become a bit longer, an unconscious realisation kicks in that its only so many weeks until the Parish Walk.
For some, this is a complete kick up the back side as they haven't even donned a pair of trainers up to this point. (A)
For others, it's a realisation that the PW is only so many weeks away and they have only walked 57 miles in four months and mild panic will ensue. (B)
For yet others, it's a realisation that the PW is only so many weeks away even though they are doing perhaps 30 - 50 miles a week and OMG, OMG, OMG............! (C)
Now is not the time to panic. That will come all too easily in June regardless of which category (A - C) you are most comfortable with.
For those falling to bracket (A), well, what can I say? If you are only heading for Peel, fair enough; you'll be fine as long as you start to get out soon and slowly build up the miles. For those looking to finish, especially for the first time, you may have left it too late. I say "may" as there are exceptions to every rule but those are few and far between. Possibly the best example of this rule would be David Collister who does no training whatsoever but regardless has 30 consecutive PW finishes to his name.
However, for the average 'man/woman in the street', training to enable you to achieve a sporting challenge is essential. Natural ability, enthusiasm and luck will only get you so far.
For those in (B), it's not the end of the world. You have obviously intended to do a bit of preparation and got distracted at some point, probably four months ago due to the fact the focus of your training was "half a year away". A natural feeling and one with which I am familiar. You need to start training in earnest now as it not too late to get some useful training under your belt in order to finish this gruelling event. As a rule of thumb, by the time clocks go forward in spring, its too late for a serious attempt at finishing but between now and then, there are a few weeks in which you must really make a start to enable you to make a serious effort at doing well and achieving your goal.
Let's face it; it's not a surprise. The event has always been staged on the weekend nearest the longest day of the year, which is June 21st.
Option (C). This is those not falling into (A) or (B) and is perfectly natural! You are not alone as I have felt this same feeling year after year and I'm sure Vinny, Rich, Michael, Robbie etc. do too. This is simply a natural fear of failure and of being undone by under training, over confidence and apathy.
As I see it, if you have prepared mentally, trained over the preceding months, have a good back up crew, spare clothing and food and drinks that work for you, then you will achieve your goal regardless of what that goal is.

Thursday 20th
Pyramids aka "Such fun"
Meeting at the NSC, Rich, Vin, Dave Walker, Brian Wade, and I kicked off a pyramid session.
This is a really fun way to absolutely knacker yourself within an hour or so but, oddly, feel absolutely brilliant about it afterwards! You feel you have achieved something although you have gone nowhere.
The idea is to do a specific distance (100m, 200m 300m, 400m etc.) at your own race pace or just under race pace (with 100m recovery in between) and to progressively increase the distances as the session goes on. So, doing 2 x 100m, 2 x 200m etc. up to 500m and then all the way back down to 100. This gives the body a great work out and gives the lungs (and mental focus) a chance to recover between reps.
At the end, you feel like you have had a good work out even though you have only travelled about 7km!
Can recommend

Thursday 20th (part 2)
Yoga aka "Pain"
For the past few weeks, I have been having a go at yoga in an attempt to make me more supple. I would like to be more bendy but age and apathy are probably against me in the 'touch your own toes' challenge which, for some, is easy.
One of the routines is to bend forwards with straight back and legs and place your hands on the floor. Although I can see the floor, I haven't been able to touch it in this manner in oodles of years.
I am getting closer though as the weeks progress.
As one stretches the muscles in a particular way and to then hold that particular pose for a period of time, it becomes strenuous, which is probably the whole ethos. Practice makes perfect and all that.
I will not give up and the inevitable "muscle wobble" kicks in as the strain becomes intense.
Next to me was Dale Farquhar. At one particularly intense stretchy/bendy moment in which I was in some distress but persevering, he observed and thoughtfully informed me that I "was shaking like a shi**ing dog". Whilst this was probably an accurate analogy, I had never heard it before and lost any mental focus I had and promptly fell over. From that point on, every time I thought of the comment, or started wobbling, I smiled and lost focus again.

Saturday 22nd
A planned 22 mile excursion from the NSC via Baldwin through Druidale to the 'sheep pens' at top of the hill (which drops down to Ballaugh) and back. A great route as it (oddly) is mostly  uphill. The section from the 'first cattle grid' after Injebreck reservoir to the 'second cattle grid' (half a mile further on) is particularly hideous because it is as steep as a very steep thing on a particularly steep day and even when you get to the second cattle grid, there's a bit more "up-age" to go before reaching the summit (of whatever that hill is called) and descending to Brandywell.
From Brandywell to The 'pens' is, perhaps an undulating 4 miles.
Coming back  to Douglas on the reverse route from the sheep pens, it is another 11 miles which are (oddly) mostly uphill!
Somewhere on this island, there must be a 'mainly downhill' route which I have yet to find. On occasion (for 'occasion' read 'usually') regardless of which direction you are walking in, the wind always seems to be in your face therefore, by analogy, there will always be hills to climb. regardless of where you are heading. Which whilst useful as a training medium, can be tiring.

Saturday 22nd (part 2)
Unbeknownst (<-- word check was happy with this!!) to me, my wife of almost 25 years had arranged a fancy dress party for my 50th birthday. Being gullible, I had no suspicions whatsoever, even though I was dressed as John Lennon in a fetching green Sergeant Pepper outfit (as one does). I had been lured to the Ascot Hotel under false pretences being led to believe it was a party for a colleague of my wife's.
Needless to say, I was totally stunned by the surprise and also by the number of people who were there. I had a great night and I really enjoyed it, apparently.
There were a lot of hippies on show and everyone there had made a great effort.
Sunday was a blur.