We’d like to
introduce you to the inspirational David Hawkins. At the magnificent age of 80
years old, David has joined us on eight occasions always doing the 60km at our
Just Walk events, meaning he first joined us at the mature age of 72!
Being out in
the fresh air, chatting with new people he meets along the way, and keeping fit
and active are what drives David on each year. Read on to find out about his
greatest moments and the secrets to his success…
“I took up walking approximately 11 years
ago after retiring from a period as a Local District Councillor where my busy
schedule didn’t allow me the time to enjoy many hobbies. When I retired, I
started walking a little bit everyday and soon found I really enjoyed myself. ’I
decided to join the Leadon Vale branch of the Ramblers and managed to get
elected as a Malvern Hills Conservator. I also became a walk leader for the
Annual Malvern Walking Festival and the Herefordshire Walking Festival and so my
newly found hobby soon became my passion. Most days now, I’m out walking or
popping down to my local gym for my spinning class. I’ve always been quite a
determined person and if someone questions if I should be doing something, I
like to prove them wrong where I can.”
“Once I realised that I enjoyed walking,
especially the longer hikes which suit my walking pace and style, I started
looking for walking challenges to set myself a goal and have something big to aim
for. I started walking with other organised walks and was looking for other
challenges when I was recommended Just Walk.
For the last 8 years I have taken on the Just Walk 60km route, I’m not going to
lie it doesn’t get any easier and in fact the last year was my toughest, but I enjoy
making new friends, walking across the stunning route and completing my personal
challenge. The Just Walk challenge has given me the opportunity to raise
substantial funds for many very worthwhile causes. In recent years it has been
for a local Hospice where, my daughter, Becki was a hospice nurse but is now a McMillan
nurse. It is a great way for me to raise much needed funds as well as give
something back to my local community.”
“Even though I regularly cover many
miles on a weekly basis it still takes a lot of preparation and training in the
lead up to my 60km walk. I generally start my training just after Christmas,
taking myself up to the ridge of the Malvern Hills near where I live in the
West Midlands where I walk the 12 mile length of the Hills and back. The
demanding undulating terrain provides an ideal preparation for the challenging
Just Walk ahead especially the dreaded Bignor Hill. George Mullery carried out
all his training on these in preparation for the attempt to conquer Mount
Everest in 1924. I find it helps to train on hilly terrain to help prepare
myself for the Just Walk event as it is very different to flat road walking for
example.”
“It is important to train properly so come
the day of the event you won’t have anything to worry about, and can simply
enjoy the day. The atmosphere is truly amazing, with everyone socialising and
talking to you so it doesn’t matter if you are walking by yourself (like I do),
or if you are in a group, as everyone supports one another. I had my lovely
daughter Becki and her friend Wendy come to support me last year, which was
fantastic. They waved me off at the start line. They met up with me at the
Arundel ‘Power Station’ then at the top of the challenging Bignor Hill and
eventually at the finish. In 2015, the year before last I was surprised to be
informed at the end of the walk that I had finished in the top 25 of the 75
walkers doing the 60 km walk. Last year I had hoped to exceed this achievement.
To my surprise at the start of the walk to celebrate my 80th
birthday the Just Walk organisers wonderfully feted me hence the 007 number. In
view of this I was determined to do well and finish in a triumphant manner. However,
things did not work out well. A long-term problem with my shoulders returned
about half way around the course and I was really struggling and instead of
finishing at around 9.30pm as the previous year I even struggled to finish by
11.00pm. Obviously, my daughter was very worried and wondered what had
happened.”
“I look forward to my walk every year,
and have so many fantastic memories from each one. One of my best memories was
of the 60km walk I did a couple of years ago, where I saw a group of army
cadets in their early twenties run off all guns blazing (not literally). About
three quarters of the way around the route, I came across one of the lads
literally hanging on to a fence saying he couldn’t carry on. Not one for giving
up, we started chatting about Newcastle on Tyne, a common association we had and
ended up walking around the course together. A little further on, we came
across two more of his group, sitting down, complaining of serious cramp and
blisters. After a few words of encouragement, we all set off again and continued
on as a merry band of men. As we came to the home straight, I urged them to
cross the finishing line together to huge cheers from the crowd whilst I
followed at a discreet distance behind, and felt proud to have helped them to
that point. It was a special moment when afterwards they came back to me and
said “Thank you David, we wouldn’t have been able to finish the walk without
you”. It just goes to show you that age is just a number!”
Will David be
walking the 60km in 2017? He says “I’ll wait and see.”
If you feel
inspired, and would like to walk one of our Just Walk routes (you can choose
10km, 20km, 30km, 40km or the BIG 60km), then click here to find out more and book your place
today.
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