Friday night he went out to dinner and drinks with some people from work. Apparently after some yummy Indian food and while the beer was a flowing he agreed to participate in a 51 kilometer walk on Sunday. Yes I said 51 kilometers. And for all us Americans who stink at the metric system, that is 31.69 MILES.
I got an email Saturday night saying that Matt was having to stay the night at someone from work's house because they had to be at the walk at 4:30 am, with flashlights, and the trains do not run that early. The walk would take 12-15 hours. I informed him to make sure he took his cell phone so someone could call the ambulance when he passed out. While Matt is in decent shape, you need to keep in mind he hasn't trained for this and he wanted to take a taxi back home from a morning run.
Interestingly enough, someone failed to mention to him that the walk started at the bottom of Rokko Mountain in Suma and ended near Osaka, all via the mountains.
Matt managed to finish the walk in 13 hours. He said there was 3,000 people in this walk and there were only 10-20 westerners. They ate granola bars and got water from vending machines along the way and basically did not stop. His feet and ankles were already swollen. I can't wait to hear how he feels the next two days. I guess maybe this is why Japanese people do not worry about what they eat nor is there a rush on diet pills at any time. Who needs to diet when you walk 30 miles on a weekend?
Matt sent me a few emails during the walk. Here are his pictures, with his own captions. Try not to laugh too hard. Even though it is kinda funny.
What was I thinking?
Holy Sh--. This is nuts. I am just over half way. Up and down mountains.
Finish line - That is definitely the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. My whole body hurts.
15 comments:
Matt, Good Job on finishing. What a feat!!! speaking of feet...... how are your dogs?? hahah
Sorry for the delete, had an issue with user name! what it said was...
OMG, I would have died. Well done Matt. At least he had some great scenery.
Neil and I still can't stop laughing. It's the funniest thing I've heard in a long time, but tell Matt that I can very well see him doing something like that -- ha! :)
I do hope he isn't sore for too long...but maybe it's good punishment, too? :) (Sorry Matt, I'm not a nice Val, am I?)
He is brave! I would have chickened out!
He is brave! I would have chickened out!
WOW that is just CRAZY!!!
That is so amazing that he finished....YEAH Matt!!
Too funny on the captions ...LOL!
well first let me say I am so proud of you! I know you don't know me but I feel like I know your family thru your wife..ha
Also I just had to laugh due to a similar experience I had last fall..to make a long story short, she had ask for years for me to hike Mt.Leconte in the Smokies (where I am from) it's the 2nd highest point in TN..I put her off for years, finally committed...bought all the equipment major $$$$'s...started about 4:45a.M. PEOPLE that were in their 60's were passing us like we were sitting still...I am so competitive I would have made it or died tried...we took 2 trails..8 miles up & 5 down spent the night at the top in cabins, got hypothermia, thought I would die...AFTER I finally got cell phone service with my stretched arm to God, I finally reached my family to tell them I was the top and I loved them..phone goes dead, I go back to cabin to freeze somemore..12 degrees not including wind..can we say stupid? and for what? I climbed it..that's about it..ha good job!!
Amazing! You get to do it next year right? ;) The scenery is breathtaking, but I doubt he needed help in that department. LOL.
WOW! I'm impressed that he finished! But i would have asked more questions about the walk before agreeing to it. LOL!
Good Gravy, Matt! What WERE you thinking? Oh well, you made it... and I'm impressed! Nice job.
I had to laugh.....I bet he'll ask next time a little more information what's all involved!! HAHAH
Oh wow... What rugged terrain. Beautiful, though, isn't it? I hope he's able to enjoy it, despite swollen feet.
Oh man! That is crazy! Had to laugh, just a little! :) Way to go on finishing it, Matt!
If they get you tipsy first you don't HAVE to do it. That is my motto anyway ;) That is a feat to accomplish! Good job and next time chose carefully who you drink with ha-ha
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