Thankful Thursday: iWalk 3.41 miles 🧡👨🏻‍🦯

Hi Fitblitzers.

This Sunday is the big one…

50Km (31.07 miles), my longest walk ever…One continuous ultra around the trail that has become part of my story.

If you had told me a few years ago that I’d be preparing for a 50km ultra as a registered blind man, I probably would have smiled politely… and quietly looked for the nearest coffee shop.

But here we are.

On Tuesday’s training walk, I hit a problem. A large tree had fallen straight across the trail. Completely blocking it. No easy way through. For a moment, I just stood there thinking “Seriously? This week?”

Today, I went back out to check (photo at top of post) and it was clear. Fully cleared. Open Path and no obstruction.

That hit me harder than I expected. Obstacles don’t always stay planted in your way. Sometimes they’re moved before the biggest challenge of all. The timing felt like a gift.

Today I also did something intentional. On this final walk before Sunday, I stopped at every single Donation Motivation marker along the route. Every name. Every bench. I paused, thanked God for that person (you), and prayed for them.

Some of those markers belong to friends and supporters right here at home…And some belong to people much further away — even in Florida, USA, you know who you are, lol!…That blows my mind. 😲 

People across towns, across counties, across the Atlantic, backing a 50km ultra on a local trail in the UK. I didn’t rush those moments. I stood there and genuinely thanked God for each one of them/you.

This walk is deeply personal. I’m 50 years old. My mum died of MS at 50. So this 50km isn’t random…It’s intentional. I’m walking in her memory, and I’m walking so that other families don’t have to endure what ours did. MS takes enough. We need better treatments. We need breakthroughs. We need research that changes the future, not just manages the present. That’s why this matters. And it’s even closer to home because my lovely wife Sarah works for the MS Society and yes, she is genuinely the greatest. The work they do supporting families and driving research forward isn’t theoretical for us. It’s personal.

If you would like to support the challenge, click HERE for my JustGiving page. At the bottom of this post there’s also a QR code — just hold your phone up to it and it’ll take you straight there.

Every pound genuinely helps.

And because it’s Thankful Thursday, I want to say this clearly:

I am deeply thankful to God.

For strength in my legs.

For breath in my lungs.

For safety on the trail.

For the tree being moved.

For every donor.

For every prayer.

For Sarah — who supports every bold, slightly unhinged challenge I dream up.

Sunday will hurt. Fifty kilometres isn’t a casual wander. There will be heavy miles. There will be moments where I’ll need to dig deeper than comfort allows…But I’m going for it!

If you’re praying, pray for steady legs and sharp focus.

If you’re cheering, cheer loudly, even from Florida I’ll hear you, lol.

If you’re donating, thank you — truly.

Next time I write, it’ll be after my longest walk ever.

Scripture snack… 

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Let’s ‘FitBlitz’ 2026 Together! 💪🏼