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| The GB Para Climbing Team 2014 |
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| John & I discussing the best choice of Crocs for my Camino and also his climbing tactics |
... I found myself in Northern Spain in the September of 2014 coaching and competing as a sight guide to John Churcher (The GB Visually impaired Para climber) in the Gijon World Championships. We flew in for a week and came 3rd and John proudly won a bronze medal (which over time I began to realize was for his family).
I had only been working with John a few times and initially found our personalities to be quite different. But as we spent time together in Gijon in the day taking long walks sharing our lives and then competing together as his climbing caller in the televised spectacle of the World Championships, I began to understand him more and build a friendship and the trust that we needed to go out into the arena for the final in front of the TV cameras streaming worldwide and a packed international stadium.
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| GB VI Category - John Churcher and some handsome footwear behind... |
I told John that I was maybe not coming back on the flight and considering going for a walk in Spain. He found my idea as amusing as me as I only had 200 Euros to last the three weeks I thought my walk might take. I had training shoes, a pair of Crocs two sizes too big and my sleeping bag in my black waterproof coaching bag (well it was the stunt woman's actually - must give back!). Not well equipped for such a long walk. John and I wandered through Gijon looking for the few 'necessities' that I still required to take on my walk across the 350km to Santiago de Compestela: foam sleeping mat (7 Euros), blank pad and pen to keep a diary and that was it really...
... As team GB took their medals and prepared for the coach back to the airport, John asked if I would be available for competing with him in the World Cup in three weeks back in Sheffield in the UK, but all I could say was let's see how long the Camino takes me and if I can I will, but I didnt want to rush one minute of this truly spontaneous and personally inspiring adventure ...
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| The Way... El Camino de Santiago de Compestela |
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| Santiago de Compestela |
Three days from Santiago John text me and told me to hurry! He had booked my flight out of Santiago and I was to be in Sheffield for The World Cup. I made the flight, adjusted our calling strategy and John found his way to climb the best he had climbed in competition in front of his home crowd. I went back to Snowdonia...
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| Sheffield... |
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| Snowdonia... |
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