#Stoma66

Another new challenge, well you know me, I love to START new things, its finishing them that is tricky.

This time I am asking for your help to keep me focused at the task at hand by sponsoring me.

(I know there are many worthy causes and Just Giving pages out there to support so please don’t feel under any obligation. Raising money is good but so is raising awareness.)

I’ve signed up to #Stoma66 “66 days to reach 66,000km and a BETTER YOU”.

Thankfully I don’t have to walk, swim, cycle or even drive that distance all by myself. It is a joint effort as Colostomy UK’s big push to help ostomates live a healthier lifestyle and raise funds for the charity.

Colostomy UK is the national charity offering support and advice to people with stomas. Research shows that it takes on average 66 days to form a lasting habit, so if people are active for 66 days they are more likely to carry on afterwards.

The first 500 participants to sign up got a free Tshirt and pedometer – FREE STUFF – how could I refuse that?

Now there is as ever a twist in the tale… there have been some delays in getting the packs out, so I sent a polite email to enquire where my pack was….

An apology was sent and then my pack arrived in the post about an hour later! See it pays to complain – politely of course!

Although the challenge officially finishes on November 20^th my 66 days will be up in the first week of December or thereabouts. A year after having my life saving surgery and getting my stoma. What perfect timing, I explained in my email to say thanks my pack has arrived.

“That would make a great story for our website, can you answer a few questions?”

Never one to turn down an opportunity to tell my tale I promptly replied. Obviously, my answers were in essay format, but they have been neatly edited (thanks Oliver). You can read my story here - http://www.colostomyuk.org/sarahs-stoma-66-story/ 

This challenge has taken on a life of its own and I really have to complete it now or I will let myself and everyone  else down – oh the pressure! Hehehe – it’s really the push I need. As I said I am not good at finishing things.

Once my pack arrived I immediately pulled on my walking boots, clipped the pedometer to the waistband of my leggings and strode out into the sunshine to re-explore old ground. Memories came flooding back of school cross country runs, tracking with the Brownies and Guides - using twigs to make arrows and a sponsored walk once undertaken.

I managed just over 4 kilometres and was very proud of myself. Tuesday, I did a Zumba gold class – the pedometer measured that as three and a half kilometres. I then had two quieter days, but you have to build these things up slowly and I don’t want to overdo it! Me and my sofa are still best buddies. Today the distance didn’t add up but I did some gardening in the rain, so that’s still getting exercise.

Besides I have not set a measurable goal, I just need to be in some way accountable to push myself further and commit to getting out and being more active. Perhaps if week on week I do a little more, then if I get my coloured pencils out maybe I could draw a graph and convince myself I really have achieved something.

I’ve always resisted the Fit Bit revolution; I don’t want to be a slave to a mini computer chip on my wrist dictating my steps… but a pedometer…. well that’s a little different, a bit old school in the grand scheme of things.

I guess my main aim is to be able to keep up with my old walking buddies next time I visit. The 3 mile walk we did last time I met them was a killer! I am now so unfit, not that I have ever been in the super fit Olympian category.

Hopefully in 66 days, give or take, I might be back to the fitness level I was at before major surgery, and a year on that will be something special to celebrate.