Dove Step Rehab

 

79 miles - 2 days - Dove Step Rehab - another journey for Turtle Doves 

On the 02nd July 2020 I was hit by a car. I was cycling in a cycle lane, it was my right of way, I am 5' 11 and pretty hard to miss - but the driver did not see me. They ploughed straight into my left leg and specifically left buttock. I take some comfort from the fact that my backside broke a headlamp, leaving a bit of damage to the car. I escaped without any broken bones, albeit with a massive haematoma and resulting muscle and tendon issues. Getting hit by a car, on the back of the Covid restrictions has made 2020 a catastrophic year in Dove Step terms. Putting our intended output back at least two years. The initial impact put me in hospital for 3 nights and 4 days whilst the resulting rehabilitation is ongoing. 

I am writing this in mid November and I am only now able to return to anything remotely approaching normal exercise, with returning mobility and function. I guess I am at about 30% of the fitness which allowed us to deliver Dove Step 3.1 just a year ago;  a 163 mile cycle followed by a marathon.

For me, Dove Step is a now mindset and a way of life. As such we are not going to let small matters like global pandemics, hospitalisation or lengthy rehabilitation halt a relentless ambition to drop miles and funds for Operation Turtle Dove.

The furthest I have ever walked in a day is 50 miles and the furthest I have ever run in a day is 50km (31 miles). The St Edmunds Way footpath runs past my front door and connects Maningtree on the Suffolk - Essex border with Brandon on the Suffolk - Norfolk border. It is published as a 79 mile route, however, once we have added in accommodation and logistics the route gifts the perfect opportunity to drop a 50/50 output. Dropping 50 miles the first day and 50km the second. Perhaps even setting a fastest known time for the St Edmunds Way in the process?

As you would imagine given the Suffolk location, the route doesn't include any nose bleed inducing ascents, but there is a surprising variance from sea level to 100m repeatedly from estuary level at Manningtree and back down the the river Little Ouse in Brandon. 

The exercise here isn't to deliver a world beating effort, as we did on Dove Step 3, when we covered the whole of Spain, 704.5 miles in 28 days. The objective here is to ensure we are back 'Dove Step fit' after the unpleasantness of 2020 and to raise further awareness and much needed funds for Turtle Doves. 

The route also takes us through a number of known Turtle Doves spots, so for the first time since Dove Step 2 (the crossing of France) we could actually be clocking miles and Turtle Doves in beautiful unison! This would be particularly gratifying as I only saw the one local Turtle Dove in 2020, at the last of my traditional breeding sites:

So, in June 2021 we hope to right the wrongs of 2020, drop more miles and raise more funds for Operation Turtle Dove. To date Dove Step has supported habit creation in the Eastern Region, research on the wintering grounds and more habitat creation in North Yorks National Park. We have raised £19k - the dream would be to tip the fundraising over the £21k mark in the year 2021! 

79 miles - 2 days - Dove Step Rehab - another journey for Turtle Doves