The moment I left the house with a map which wasn’t detailed enough, I knew this was going to be a rubbish training. I was in a rush and with a brief glance on the map, I thought: “Oh yeah I can just memorise that like McGyver”. I couldn’t…
Off I went to Hillversum to walk the “Voetstappenpad”. Hilversum North Train Station was my starting point. TomTom told me I was close and I thought: “oh I’ve got to get to the other side of the station”. So I just ignored good old TomTom and drove off. I arrived at the Station, and after asking about 20 people where the start of the “Voetstappenpad” was, a policeman told me that I was at the wrong Station. Yay for me…
So I started driving again (I was already pissed off because I just lost time) I couldn’t find the proper address on my iphone, so just followed the original TomTom instructions. I actually ended up calling my girlfriend at home (I was already in a hissy fit by then):
“damnit, I can’t find the F***ing station”.
“I don’t know where I am!!!”.
“I am about to come home now”.
“This is just rubbish damnit!“
She kept her cool and directed me to where I had to be. You may think this conversation went really smooth, it didn’t. I still believed that since I was driving and actually seeing the streets, I knew best. I didn’t.
After following her instructions, I arrived at the starting point of the “Voetstappenpad”. And had no clue where I had to start walking now. Yes I called her again and yes I got more and more pissed off.
Finally I found the first sign of the path and knew I was on the right track. YAY! So I toddled off and started feeling happy again. On a side note, it is a beautiful walk if you’re able to follow the signs properly …
…. because obviously I didn’t. I ended up somewhere with no sign to be seen. I searched and searched and figured that I was at the beginning of the path again and about 20 minutes walking from my car. I just did a little loop.
Who did I call? And all the frustration just came out, my girlfriend told me to chill and she would direct me. But I didn’t listen anymore..so we started having an argument…
Me: I don’t know where I am, this map is just stupid.
Carolien: If you would just please listen to me for a minute
Me: no!, Listen to me, Listen to me..grmbl grmbl…
Carolien: Okay, whatever, do whatever you want!
Me: Ok, well I will!
I walked back to the car. And felt like a proper Idiot.
What have I learned:
A) I know I need to have a proper map because I am the most useless person with any map. So from now on I will walk only the bikepaths. Walking from number to number… I can do that!
B) I should listen to my girlfriend, she knows stuff.
C) I wasn’t even able to walk the “Voetstappenpad” and I know, someone out there will read this now and think: you idiot.
D) I went to a flowershop and bought her flowers to say sorry.
My Trainingschedule said I only had to walk 15km today, I wanted to do 28km and did 9. We are having a beer now and are laughing again 
.
On to next week! And yes, I will walk 15km tomorrow
