Entrants training for this year’s Manx Telecom Parish Walk got some top tips from experienced competitors and coaches at a ‘Strictly Parish’ event this week. A panel of endurance walking experts were at Keyll Darree Education and Training Centre near to Noble’s Hospital on Tuesday evening (February 25) to answer questions from more than 50 guests. Topics covered in the Q&A session included all aspects of training with advice ranging from tips for experienced competitors looking to complete the 85 mile race, to complete beginners aiming to get to Santon or Rushen. There was also advice on footwear, nutrition and hydration strategies on the big day, and even some useful pointers for those acting as support crews for competitors.
On the Strictly Parish panel were 2013 Manx Telecom Parish Walk winner Michael George; race walking coaches and previous finishers Bridget Kaneen, Elizabeth Corran and Allan Callow; Race Director Raymond Cox; 2013 finisher Dale Farquar who explained the difficulty of balancing diabetes with endurance walking; and Tracy Cook who whose perseverance paid off when she completed the full Parish Walk distance at her eighth attempt. The evening included tips for support crews on how to help friends or family members to reach their goals.
Ray Cox, Race Director, said:
“Strictly Parish was a great way for walkers of all levels to speak to some experienced competitors, but also to get a novice’s view of the event and how to prepare for it. Holding an advice evening such as this early in the year allows many participants to get some extremely useful guidance as they start to build-up their training. Thanks to everyone who supported the event.”
For anyone who wasn’t able to attend the Strictly Parish event there’s a video showing highlights at this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xodjwNnfas or you can find it via a search on www.youtube.com for ‘Strictly Parish’. The Manx Telecom Parish Walk organising committee also plans to hold a coaching session for novice walkers in early April. Dates and further details will be posted on the Parish Walk Facebook and Twitter links in due course.
The 2014 Manx Telecom Parish Walk takes place on Saturday June 21. Entries opened on December 1 and will close on May 11. Entry costs ?30 which includes a commemorative Manx Telecom Parish Walk technical tee-shirt and goodie bag. All entries must be made at www.parishwalk.com
To encourage more young people to take part there are new trophies this year for teams of three aged 18 to 21 walking the 32.5 miles to Peel. The winners will be the team with the fastest combined time of all three walkers. There will be separate prizes for men’s and women’s teams. This year’s event will again feature a Corporate Challenge category for teams of four who must all be bona fide employees of the same company, with no team having more than one member who has previously completed the full 85-mile Parish Walk. There is also an overall team competition with the rule that no more than two of the four team members have previously finished the full Parish Walk course. All participants - including those for the team and Corporate Challenge events - must enter individually. To enter the team events, entrants simply put the name of their team or Corporate Challenge team on the online entry form.
Photo - The expert panel at the Strictly Parish event organised by sponsors Manx Telecom at the Keyll Darree Education and Training Centre.
