Ps. My face upon finishing, having stuck to something for once! If the donations hadn’t have been there, there were quite a few days when I would have likely given up, thank you for spurring me on!!
Taken me a while to find the words for the final day update (perhaps I’ve been unconsciously not wanting it to end!).
Completed the 15,000 steps on the final day. Started out in daylight and ended in darkness! Got caught in a downpour of rain and nearly trod on a frog. All in a night time walk!
Over 220 kms walked during May, over and above what I would ordinarily walk.
Walking has been a positive thing for my mental health and I plan to continue, although pleased not to have to do it every day if I don’t want too 😆
This challenge has given me the opportunity to talk about Mum, and that’s been huge for me, it’s also given me lots of time to think and that has also been helpful.
During the last walk of this challenge at one point the girls came running towards me on the beach and I hugged them so tight. How lucky am I to watch them grow.
Brain cancer is such a cruel disease and Mum, like many, was taken far too young, I really do miss her every single day.
Thank you Brain Tumour Support NZ for being there for those facing such a difficult journey and their loved ones.
Thank you so much to all of you who have donated, shared kind words and read my updates, I appreciate it more than you know ~ much love, Heidi xx
Can only upload one photo each time so I’m adding an extra update to share this photo, such beautiful skies today 🙂
Timed it just right today. Got back from walking just before dark. Misty walked some of the extra steps with me. At 15 1/2 years she still enjoys a walk but is very slow these days. Last day of Brain Tumour Awareness Month tomorrow (I must fit in 15,000 steps). I hope it has had positive outcomes for Brain Tumour Support NZ. Thanks for helping me try to play a little part in memory of our Mum x
What a walk! So much rain today. I was as happy as a duck in a puddle until the rain seeped completely through my ‘waterproof’ coat! I’m sure I said at the start of this challenge that I was going to get organised and walk earlier in the day, admittedly that hasn’t happened often, but that’s okay! I walked around the town centre and the loop. 20,000 steps in total today. That leaves me with just 5000 to make up from the days I missed. With only 2 days of this challenge left I’d better get a wriggle on. Thanks again for your support all x
I completed my 10,000 extra steps close to home both days but didn’t really have any words to share. I took the opportunity to listen to a few episodes of the ‘We Can Do Hard Things’ podcast whilst walking. Just pīwakawaka’s for company, they come so close 😊
Whoops! I titled day 25 as day 26, and although this is the entry for day 26, I’m writing it on day 27!!
I was pretty unorganised during the day, so it was a late night walk to complete the steps. Always walk faster in the dark!
Busy day ended with a late night walk up and down the local marina to get today’s extra steps in. I could hear little blue penguins calling from their burrows 😊
Spent the afternoon locally yesterday and had a good walk around with the girls, here there and everywhere! Didn’t have many steps to make up by the time we got back home, so that was good 🙂
Not feeling 100% and with a sore foot today. I didn’t want to walk the extra steps but I did them, rather grumpily 😆
I read a story shared by Brain Tumour Support NZ today as part of awareness raising month. Andrew Sloan wrote about his journey of living with a brain tumour, “I see life and the journey I am on as one that is very much invisible to many around me”.
Brain Tumour Support NZ provides a space for people to share their stories, to promote connection. I’m so thankful that this charity was created which can help people feel less alone in their journey.
“Be the best version of yourself everyday, always”
— Andrew Sloan
I had to get a bit creative today as Gareth was working and I therefore needed to complete the extra steps whilst with the girls. We went for a walk locally and I walked around in circles each time they stopped to explore (pretty much every 2 minutes!). We later drove down to the marina and the girls scootered whilst I walked and then we created a game, a bit like human Pac-Man using the lines in a no parking area under a street light! I twisted my ankle and took a tumble later, a bit bruised but nothing majorly hurt thankfully. Managed 15,000 extra steps today, so still 15,000 to make up from the days I missed, getting there 🙂
Walked the Whananaki track today as planned. Amazing coastal scenery for much of the way. Other than passing a couple of people at the start I didn’t see anyone, but plenty of fantails / pīwakawakas for company (see the photobomb!). The track isn’t as long as I had thought and I’d walked just over 10,000 steps by the end. I carried on going into Whananaki South and tried to find my way to the Whananaki footbridge (which is the longest footbridge in the Southern Hemisphere) but ended up coming back on myself somehow! There was a bonus in this as I’d walked just over 20,000 steps by the time Gareth and the girls came to meet me.
It is so quiet around here at this time of the year and I didn’t see anyone as I walked up and down the beach today. I was on a bit of a go slow, here’s hoping I find some energy this weekend when I’ve the additional 30,000 steps to make up 😅
The reason for setting myself this challenge was to raise awareness and funds for Brain Tumour Support NZ, in memory of our Mum, but it’s also proving to be a gift to me. I’d been sedentary for far too long and it’s given me the motivation to get moving.
It’s also given me the opportunity to talk to Leila & Maya about why I’m doing this, and in turn to talk about Mum. Something that hasn’t come easy to me over the years. Although I don’t have any memories of Mum, I tell them how much she would have loved them.
As I walked along with my girls today, I thought, as I often do, how fortunate and thankful I am to be here with them.
“While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about”
~ Angela Schwindt
10,000 steps done and $145 raised for such an important charity (biggest thank you Kathryn ❤️).
Woohoo, target nearly met! 😀
Started out walking during the last of the light today, barefoot on the sand and in the rain 🙂
It got dark sooner than I had expected. Gareth, the girls and Misty joined me with torches for a short while. They then sheltered in the car and shone the car lights onto the beach for me and I walked around in circles, soaked through, with the rain dripping off my nose!
With steps still to make up I then walked along the roadside and Gareth slowly drove behind me to light up the road. Had anyone been around to see, it would have looked somewhat odd! Thankful for my support crew ❤️
A frog sat in the road stopped me in my tracks. Girls hopped out of the car and operation watch the frog cross the road commenced! The nearby farmer arrived home at the same time and wondered what we were up too all huddled at the side of the road!
All in all, an eventful evening and 10,000 steps done! 🌧 🔦 🐸
Bracing myself for the Whananaki track at the weekend.
Back to it, albeit slowly 😬
Managed 11,000 extra steps on road / beach / bush / street - and mostly in daylight 😅
Seems to be a lot of illness going around here so whilst I’ve felt really wiped out these past few days, I’ve got off lightly.
30,000 steps to be made up and I have a plan!
There’s a coastal track nearby called the Whananaki track which is 16+ km. We are soon to become well-acquainted!
I’m disappointed and sorry not to have kept to ‘every day in May’. I will make the steps up during May, and hope it can be considered that I still complete the challenge (just a bit higgledy piggledy!).
I’m so thankful for your support and funds raised for Brain Tumour Supoort NZ x
Disappointed not to have completed the extra steps yesterday or today 👎
I’ve got a cold and feel sapped of energy and miserable with it.
Am sorry to skip these days. I’ll walk 20,000 extra steps for two days to make up for it. Hopefully starting tomorrow if I’m feeling well enough.
In the meantime, a recent photo taken during golden hour 🙂
Made up my remaining extra steps by the light of the moon once again. I should have been an owl ~ always my most active at night!
Thankful it was a clear night, I managed to capture a few of the stars 🙂
The girls have been asking me often, “have you done your steps Mummy?”. Cute!
Very nearly didn’t manage the extra steps 😅
Just before the day ended I was marching up and down our road in a race to fit them in!
It’s a rural road and I was thankful for the clear night sky and the light of the moon. Saw a shooting star and pretty sure a morepork flew overhead.
I took a photo of this sign as it made me laugh - my very own warning sign!
Ps. Angie, I miss you more xx
Thought I’d share the sound of the beautiful dawn chorus of the tui that I captured whilst out walking my extra steps this morning 😊
Brain Tumour Support NZ was formed in 2019 in response to the severe lack of information and support for brain tumour patients and their families in New Zealand.
It goes without saying that the information, support and guidance they provide to patients and their families is so important.
They help people to have the best possible outcomes and quality of life. I truly appreciate your support of my fundraising efforts for them, thank you x
I’m having trouble uploading the video unfortunately, but I’ll keep working on it! In the meantime a picture of the road I was walking on instead!
20,000 extra steps walked today to make up for yesterday. Took me a while! Started in the daylight and ended once again walking the streets by streetlight in a neighbouring tiny town. The girls joined me for the first part and then ran out of steam. Busy day ahead tomorrow so I’m going to head out early and hopefully get the extra steps in before the day really begins.
OMG!! Well done Heidi.. Miss you all very much xxx
Confession to make. I didn’t manage my extra steps on day 9 as I wasn’t feeling very well. Double the amount, so 20,000 extra steps day to be walked on day 10. I hope that makes up for it.
Mother’s Day in New Zealand today. Always a day of mixed emotions. Walked on the beach and also the street. I had a little chatterbox at my side for much of it 🙂
It’s the weekend! I walked up and down the beach many times today! So fortunate to have access to such a beautiful coastline. I hadn’t really considered how long walking 10,000 (extra) steps would take when I set myself this challenge and I’m having to be very conscious about fitting it in. Week 1 complete 😀
Day 6 and $75 raised. Biggest thank you for the support. It means so much.
The girls go to a nature school on a Friday which is close to the centre, so after dropping them off I was able to get my extra steps In early by walking around the central loop.
Lorraine Jean Preston
09/09/1946 - 05/05/1984
Always loved, always missed ❤️
I didn’t manage to get out for a walk during daylight hours today unfortunately. I went to the marina again this evening as it is lit by streetlights. I must have looked somewhat odd walking up and down repeatedly in the pouring rain. I didn’t have a coat and got very wet! Splashed in a puddle on the way back to the car for good measure!
Walked the extra steps during daylight hours today, much better! Leila joined me to walk, and talk and talk! We live in such a beautiful place. I wish we could share it with all those we hold dear.
Need to get organised and walk earlier in the day. Walked in the dark by the light of streetlights today and still got spooked by a seahorse shaped post box and a duck landing in the water!
Got my extra steps in today at the local marina. During daylight and in the dark!
