Bedford 20.4 Kms, The Pilgrims Progress and Making A Positive Impact Like Nkechi Colwill
22 July 2020Ban Chaining! Stop Torture! Prevent Destitution!
24 August 2020My experience during the 100km London to Brighton Challenge proved to me that one must carry out a comprehensive "Swot Analysis" before taking on any task. It showed me how costly ignorance can be.
The experience taught me an invaluable lesson. I questioned my sanity for taking on the challenge without proper preparation. The pain I went through was excruciating! I thought that those walkers with hiking poles were "posers" and show offs! How wrong was I???
Shortly into the walk, I began to realise that I was the ignorant fool who had gone to the war front armed with a cutlass while the "posers" were armed with an AK47 and grenades!!! The fact that I had to fabricate from the bushes along the way, two wooden poles to support ourselves ... the iconic "Moses Sticks" speaks for itself. I paid a very heavy price. Dehydration and blisters showed me pepper!!! Ducking and diving, we made it to the end.
Walking and encouraging my team mate Onyeka Onochie, who was in much more pain than myself (because I had the luxury of changing my footwear midway through the walk, to more comfortable ones which were better suited for the terrain). I watched him soldier on to the end wearing great balls of fire on both feet. This showed me what partnership and encouragement could achieve, when battling against all odds.
I felt great pride that I was able to single-handedly to raise over £1000 for Mind in Mid Herts - a UK Mental Health Charity, and collectively we donated £5000.00 to them.
The ultimate 100km Cotswolds Way Challenge was to me, the test of my life! I never knew I would make it to the finish line. I am to this day traumatized by the whole experience.
During the walk, I kept asking myself...Why?...Why??... Why??? What on earth made me undertake this challenge with my prevailing health conditions? Dr. John Akumabor was a massive source of inspiration. So were Onyeka Onochie and Ben Ivowi (who had a bad knee).
It was confirmation to me that together, we could climb the Mt Everest!!! It was also confirmation to me that "Mind would always prevail over Matter".
The sound of the tapping of my hiking poles on the rocky hills ("posers" lessons learnt from previous walk) is a sound that resonates in my ear to this day. The one consolation for all the pain and torture endured was that I was able to single-handedly raise over £1,500.00 for Mind Herts and collectively, we were again able to donate £5000.00 to our chosen charity organisation.
I am proud of what NAS Magna Carta has been able to achieve in terms of charity donations in it's relatively few years of existence. Once again, NAS Magna Carta is on the road, walking to raise money for Amaudo UK, another charity organisation.
I'm unfortunately not part of the challenge this year due to my extended stay in Nigeria, due to the pandemic lock-down travel restrictions. Although I'm not there in body, I stand side by side with the Walk347 in spirit and say..."Walk on my brothers!!! You are walking for a great cause"
Charles Okonkwo
26/07/2020