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Day 149 Has seen 14.3 miles walked Walked with sea, sand, people wonderful nature and birds playing the bagpipes!

An elder duck
An elder duck

But to get to the start I had to take 3 buses. As I travelled through Edinburgh and out the other side on the No.10, Then the No26, then the No124 with a short walk and navigational challenge between bus stops done fast enough to connect with the next bus I suddenly realised that I was getting plenty of cognitive training and was really pleased with the way the journey had gone and how fast I was managing to think but I hadn’t met one person. Not one. I even offered my seat to a gentleman but he didn’t want it. So it was a lonely but busy journey of navigation ensuring I got off at the right stop each time until I reached the bus stop for the No 124 in Musselburgh. I couldn’t see the bus on the electronic arrivals board so checked with a lady sat in the bus stop that I wasn’t missing something. I wasn’t! It just wasn’t a Lothian bus so wouldn’t show on the board. ‘But don’t worry it will be along shortly’. She was so pleasant that I felt I had to introduce her to the challenge. The bus was coming so I was quick but then I learned that her husband worked for the British Red Cross and her grandson had a brain tumour which took his hearing but the tumour is no more. He is healed. Great news!! I wanted her photo but the bus arrived so I had to hop on and wave goodbye. But soon I was in Aberlady with a smile on my face and a Mocha in my hand while sat in the ducks inn as I orientated for the walk. As I sipped my Mocha a group of 7 or 8 golfers walked in. They had a beer each and were thoroughly enjoying themselves with the sort of friendly banter that made me smile and quietly chuckle with them but it was time to get walking so I paid up, put on my kit and went to leave. As I rounded the corner from the bar in which we were sat I had a sudden urge to go back and introduce the challenge to them. But I stopped and wrestled with the idea and decided against it as I heard their banter. They just wouldn’t be interested. I went to the loo instead and was irritated with myself for being so shy but thought it was for the best so imagine my surprise when I found myself walking back into the bar with my heart in my mouth and just standing there with a flyer in my hand as I looked around the room from one to the other. They were big and hearty men but suddenly they stopped talking and all turned to look at me expectantly. I cleared my throat and rather nervously tried to say hello. But it came out rather high like an adolescent whose voice was breaking. The golfers were already loosing interest so I tried again. ‘Hello. Please forgive me for disturbing you all but I just felt that I couldn’t leave without introducing you to the challenge. In December 2012 I left the Army and just 9 months later in September 2013 I was diagnosed with a Brain Tumour resultant from a blunt force trauma sustained during my service 12 to 15 years ago.’ The room was deathly silent with every pair of eyes fixed on me. ‘This is terminal’ I went on. ‘But I’m not prepared to accept that so I have launched myself on a challenge to Beat the Beast while trying to improve the lives and life chances of as many people as I can. With every day God gives me for as long as ever I can’. I asked them to pour a glass of wine and google beat the beast challenge and caused much laughter as I implored them not to forget the word challenge and how unfortunate the search results could be if they just googled beat the beast. You could hear a pin drop as I came to a close with a plea for them to get behind the challenge and do all that they can to help me raise awareness and improve the lives and life chances of so many more people. So I thanked them for sparing a couple of minutes of their time and was met with many handshakes and glad tidings as I made my exit wishing them a good game of golf. I bounded up the road to the start of the walk in high spirits. I had captured their imagination and very much hope that they do come and join me on the journey. I just wish that I had taken their picture. 

Mary
Mary

Then as I went to turn onto the walk I saw the Aberlady post office. I needed a map so popped my head in and there was the map I needed. As I went to purchase it with unusually not another soul in the post office I was immediately captivated by the post office relief worker. I knew that I had to introduce her to the challenge and before I had even got to the bit about the video I understood why. Her sister is fighting throat cancer but successfully so and other members of the family had beaten cancer by not giving into it. It was an encouragement after encouragement after encouragement which ended in a very determined, ‘Archie – Just don’t give up the fight. You have to keep fighting. Just keep fighting!’ she exclaimed as she pumped the air with a clenched fist. ‘Keep fighting.’ So I asked for a photo and then cheekily a selfie and as I took it I did start to wonder how she knew my name.

Maureen and I
Maureen and I

On I went to start the walk. It was delightful walk with weather fair and foul but I was back out and walking. No pain. No discomfort. No seizures. Just walking and enjoying the sound of the waves flopping into the shore and breathing in the sea air as I crunched along the shelly beach was a delight. And to top it all off was the wonderful chorus of the bird life playing in the long grass and sand dunes. I am not exactly sure what birds they were but I am utterly convinced that their wonderful chirping chattering chorus turned into a recital of the Quick March of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers ‘All the Bloe Bonnets are O’er the Border’  I had to stop, turn my head and listen intently. They couldn’t be. Could they? It wasn’t the bagpipes obviously but the wonderful lilting foot stomping melody of the tune was unmistakable. And then I met Mary. She was right over the far side of the beach but called out to me with a wave and lured me in. I pulled out my last flyer, gave it to her and introduced her to the challenge. She was a wonderful woman and I had found it slightly unusual in the manner in which she had called out to me, somebody she had never met before, over such an expanse of sand. Yet after telling her about the challenge we explored what the connection might be. I discovered that she was linked to the Douglas family through cousins but that wasn’t it. She had a faith but not a strong one she said, so that wasn’t it. She knew of somebody who was struggling with cancer but it was a very distant connection. We couldn’t fathom it but as we parted I really hoped that Mary would come and look at the challenge. Like what she sees and decide to join the journey and help me raise awareness. Perhaps she will realise the connection as she reads through the posts. I was thoroughly enjoying this walk. Tiny wee kits taking to their heels and running for cover. And then a hare lolloped out in front of me before bolting for cover at some pace. And then, as a rare treat for me I saw whole flocks of eider ducks in the wild out at sea just bobbing along on the water. So on and on I walked to complete the 6 kms of the Aberlady walk before then continuing, after lunch, taken while looking out to sea, on what was supposed to be another 5km in a loop taking in Gullane and the Black Rocks. But I was enjoying the fresh air so much I extended the walk even beyond Yellowcraigs, almost to North Berwick before looping back on myself through some wonderful woodlands and back to Gullane having completed 12.75 kms. So I took the bus back into the city and then decided to jump off early and walk the final 4.31 kms. A total walked today of 23.06 kms and it felt so jolly good walk so many miles and to meet so many people.

I have a big walk on Saturday so taking a physical rest tomorrow so no post tomorrow.

So the challenge in numbers in total since the start
Days completed: 149
Total Miles Cycled: 660.84
Total Miles Walked: 790.58
Total Miles Run: 111.5
Total Miles Paddled: 7
Total Distance Cycled, Skied, Run and Rowed in the gym: 42.17
Total Distance Swum: 3,780 metres
Total Miles covered under own steam.1,615.79
Total Height Gained under own steam: 53,074 feet
Mountains Climbed: 6
Hills Climbed: 22
Days of Voluntary Activity: 8.5
Organ tunes learnt and performed: 5
Salmon Caught: 0!
Bats Found:0!
Curling Matches played in: 8
Curling stones placed on the button (the centre of the target): 3
Weight Training Sessions: 12
Weight shifted: 10kgs lifted over 318metres or 6360kgs moved over ½ a metre,
Aerobic Circuit Sessions: 8
Press Ups: 561
Pull Ups: 100
Sit Ups: 826
People Met and Hands Shaken: 444
Pots of tea shared: 30
Prayers joined on the top of a hill: 2
Prayers joined in the street!: 4
Prayers joined in a Train Station: 1
Prayers joined in a Café: 2
Pills popped: 852
Days until Driving Licence (lost to epilepsy) possibly Returned: 729 (Re-set as a result of today’s seizure)
And most importantly – Money Raised as at Week 39 – £7,714

Considering I started this challenge 6 months ago very quietly with no target beyond a fiver, thanks to the brilliant advice from a friend of mine, I am absolutely thrilled and again thank you all. That is £52.83 for each and every day that I have managed to find the will and energy to do something worthwhile and my goodness it has been worth it for my peace of mind, for my healing and for the five wonderful charities you are supporting through your generosity. Long may it continue. May I also ask however that if you are not sponsoring me to please consider it for as much or as little as you can afford. My rate of revenue raising has slowed from £70.00 a day to £60.00 a day to £54.02 a day so please sponsor me and encourage your friends to as well.

Thank you all for your incredible comments and support. Please continue to spread the word.
If you see me around do please give a cheery hello and shake my hand or toot your horn and give a cheery wave to show your support and encourage me on.

Thank you for joining me on my own personal journey and encouraging me to walk, cycle, climb, paddle, sport and do good deeds each day to ‘Beat the Beast’ while helping to improve the lives and life chances of so many more people through sponsorship. The Five Charities that I have selected to support are:

  1. Cancer Research UK – My Father Succumbed to Lung Cancer; a couple of friends are currently fighting cancer and I am fighting a brain tumour. Let’s Help to Beat Cancer Sooner.
  2. The Prince’s Trust – Inspiring and preparing disadvantaged Young Lives for success.
  3. British Red Cross – helping those in need around the UK and the world whoever and wherever they are.
  4. World Wide Fund for Nature – For a Living Planet and a Future Where People and Nature Thrive.
  5. Help for Heroes – Support for our Wounded and their Families. To learn more about my story that brought me to this point, how I plan to ‘Beat the Beast’, what activities I plan to do within the challenge and why, please see my welcome video on this page.

How to Sponsor Me

Findra Island
Findra Island

The Beat the Beast Challenge is self funding through my own contribution while keeping costs to a minimum with voluntary support and corporate sponsorship in kind. Therefore the entirety of every penny donated will go directly to the 5 charities listed above.

Please sponsor me by completing a standing order form either through your own personal internet banking or by completing a hard copy standing order form in your branch of your bank and then handing it in to the teller.

It is entirely up to you how much you would like to and are able to sponsor me for so do please give as much or as little as you can. Every penny will be very gratefully received.

While I hope you will encourage me to keep going by sponsoring me for every day I survive and am able to find the cognitive and physical capability to complete a day’s task designed to improve my chances of ‘Beating the Beast’ or improving the lives of others, 5 days a week, four weeks a month, for as long as ever I can. Any One off Cash contributions will be most gratefully received and distributed in exactly the same manner to the five charities as the sponsorship. Any one off donations can be made by BACS or cheque.

Thank you for having enough faith in me to sponsor me.

Yours aye

Archie