Three times Parish Walk winner Jock Waddington made a special visit to Barclays Wealth to help inspire staff who are taking part in this year’s event. Barclays Wealth has a team of over 50 people registered for the event who are walking on behalf of their chosen Charity of the Year, Hospice Isle of Man. A large group gathered to welcome Jock in the hope of gaining some inside knowledge to help maximise their chances of reaching their personal goals in the marathon 85 mile walk which takes place on the 25th June. Jock said: ‘I first entered the Parish Walk in 2004 when asked by a friend to help raise money for a charity in memory of a close friend who had passed away, this is the reason a lot of people enter and then they get the bug! ‘In training, I managed 3 miles before I started to struggle with my feet but after much perseverance I was walking much further and was convinced I could complete the course. On the day, I began to feel ill at Peel due to drinking too much isotonic drink and had to retire at Kirk Michael; I hadn’t reached my goal and was very disappointed. Following this disappointment I entered the End to End in September and finished the course. I then visited race walker Alan Callow at the NSC who helped me prepare for the Parish in 2005. ‘In 2005 I knew what to expect and had prepared well for the race, I managed to finish in 21 hours 44 minutes and it was an amazing feeling which has not been superseded by any of my wins since.’ Jock went on to complete the walk again in 2006 and 2007 before securing his first win in 2008. He said: ‘2008 was an awful year in terms of weather; it rained solidly for the entire day. I probably didn’t realise how bad it was because my hood was pulled so far over my face! Battling through the elements was tough at times but I was delighted with my first win.’ Jock then went on to win in 2009 and 2010 and is hoping for a record 4th consecutive win in 2011. At the end of the session Jock answered questions from the Barclays Wealth team and listed the areas he feels are most important for success in the event: • Shoes – Do not wear old trainers! Everyone is different so find something that works for you • Socks – Wear double skinned socks so that the layers rub against each other when you walk and not your feet • Clothes – Don’t wear a plain cotton t-shirt, instead go for a tech shirt which will wick sweat away from your body • Food and liquid – Eat what works for you as everyone is different based on their metabolic rate. I visited a nutritionist who helped me find foods to suit my style • Training – Again this is dependent on your individual goals. Cut down your training in the weeks leading up to the event and try to train with a friend where possible to help motivate yourself • Blisters – bite the bullet and pop them straight away! Some people use surgical spirit to toughen their skin and others fill their socks with lubricant! I rely on good blister plasters • Lubrication – Petroleum jelly is a must for areas that are prone to chafing! • Back-up – make sure you have a good support vehicle which will stay with you for the duration of your walk. As well as them having supplies for you, make sure they have enough food and drink for themselves ‘The best piece of advice I can give is to not try anything new on the day. Whether its trainers, clothes, food or even sunglasses, you can’t predict how your body will react and it may just impact on your performance.’ Jock’s visit forms part of a number of events planned by Barclays Wealth to help support its staff walking on the 25th June Walkers have already had their walking style accessed by experts and have received a motivational talk from local gym instructors to help focus their training. Rebecca Stride and Suzanna Ogden are organising the Parish Walk events. Rebecca said: ‘We were all very excited about meeting Parish Walk legend Jock. He gave us some great hints and tips to help us get that little bit further in the walk on the 25th June. We are all raising money for local charities with many entrants walking for our Charity of the Year Hospice Isle of Man. Barclays Wealth will match our fundraising ? for ? so we hope to be making some large donations.’ As well as the team entering the walk, Barclays Wealth will also be manning two refreshment stands along the route at Marown and Glen Maye where they will be handing out bananas, chocolate and water to competitors. ENDS