How did the 2nd meridian stint go Graeme & how were your feet at the end of it? This past weekend I was in awe of my niece who completed the 55 miles on Dartmoor for the 10 Tors event. There’s nothing to her and her feet were in bits by the end.
The 2nd bit of the GMT was easier than the first, thanks Guy - a lot less climb and my feet started out a bit harder. Three days of force 4 north-easterly were pretty unwelcome though. I’ve been busy with the chap stick since I got back and Mrs VB’s been sneaking up on me with Nivea gloop for my face. In the end it was 73 miles.
The feet are blistered again, but in different places. There’s a really weird one which runs all the way from the bottom of toe 4 on my right foot, up the gap between it and toe 5 and then right across the top. It’s raised with a lot of fluid and there’s some blood in it. The pain in the right heel is worse though. Sharp stabbing but confined entirely to the extreme outer rim. I’m 99% sure that there is just some sort of deep blistering under the callouses though, and it’s not Ritchie’s more troubling plantar fasciitis.
Respect and congrats to your niece by the way. The 10 Tors is supposed to be a brute given that you have to pack camping gear and provisions as opposed to just the overnight stuff I needed for the B&Bs. The boggy terrain is much more tricky too (Essex, Herts and Cambs are all baked hard) and there’s probably more climb. I’m afraid the only way to harden the feet up is to do the miles. If she waits until the worst of this is over and then goes out again she’ll find it easier next time. You might want to wait a while before recommending that to her though 
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VB
I think she’d done the preparation & had done the 35 & 45 mile versions in previous years. 55 with camping kit does seem a lot though. I doubt she’ll need to do anything like it again as she’ll be off to Uni in September.
Congrats on your effort. Is it one or two more weekend stints to get to the top of the meridian now?
These are called pinch blisters. The bones in the foot blistering it from the inside out.
Years of experience.
I went to Uni years ago and I still seem to be doing it I’m afraid 
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Yes, there are two remaining legs - Hardwick to Boston then Boston to the North Sea at a place called Sand-le-Mere, east of Hull.
Seems plausible. My right foot is smaller than my left so it moves around in the boot more and when I’m going uphill there can be a tendency for the heel to press down into the boot corner. The orthotics are tilted (heel higher) to ease my short calf issue but this does concentrate more impact at the heel too.
VB
how were the Herts B&B and pub?
They were fine thanks. Both the pubs (The Star at Standon and The Woodman Inn at Nuthampstead) were quieter than I expected. But Phil from ‘over the road’ in Standon, who was the only person in the lounge when I arrived, explained that there had been a village event (fete ?) on May Day, with Morris dancers and everything, and they had essentially drunk the pub dry. Fortunately the drayman had been in the meantime so my pint of Abbot was very fresh. It was certainly very welcome. By the time I got to The Woodman I’d done 51 miles in two days so all I wanted was, in this order, a shower, beer, dinner, sleep and breakfast before moving on. These were all delivered with perfect friendly efficiency. Couldn’t have been better really.
VB
Feckin’ veins 
. Mine are crap at the best of times but are extra shit at the moment. It took three lovely nurses two goes each to get a cannula in place today and I’m sure the thing has just blown out . Anyhoo here is a picture of the current state of play:
#hurtypaw
Ouch
Is the plastic cup ful of errrr…extract ?
It could have been worse. They could have let a doctor loose on you. The last one who tried it on me left me feeling like a pincushion.
VB
I’ve not had one there. The favoured doctor place (when the nurses have given up) was on the hand but between the middle and ring fingers, about 3cm back from the knuckle. That always worked first time.
My veins are shit as well. Last time I had a blood test I told the nurse this, so she went for a huge vein - easy target - which then bled and was bruised for two weeks.
On the upside…with the amount of hair on your hand there…you are a definite shoo-in if ever they remake Carry On Screaming. 
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They fitted me with a PICC line when they ran out of places to stick cannulae.
That and the need to get stuff into me without me actually eating anything.
All done. Nurse #3 was a superstar! Down with this yellow sort of thing!
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Can be an upside to the Farmers playing up a bit… if thats possible.
Doc checked out the prostate while he was down there.
At the moment (not wishing to tempt providence) its a happy bunny.
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Lucky old doctor 
Well I am now in hospital in preparation for my sleeve operation tomorrow. Have already had the fun of shaving my entire belly, which is now all stubbly
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Good luck Jon.
All the very best Jon.
At least you may get access to some post-op opiates, which should help when the election results come out. Whatever they are.
VB