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Hello everyone - Thank you very much for taking the time to open this up to read the first post on my first ever blog. It’s a little daunting and I’m not too sure how much I will have to offer but I didn't want to turn down the opportunity to hopefully try and help others who might be seeking to do the Parish Walk for the first time, improve on a previous time or distance, go for that first finish or just have a general interest in the event itself. 

On 1st November 2022 Jock Waddington got in touch with me and offered me the opportunity to share with you some of my 'top walking tips' - to which I replied... "If you really want me to and you think I'll be any good I will, but to be honest I just kind of wing it." Jock knew what I meant and said that he did too! That made it quite reassuring to know that not everyone has or always will approach their training, nutrition and plans for the event with a really strict and rigid programme. So, surely if Jock; 4 times winner of the Parish Walk from 2008-2011 with a personal best time of 15:01:48 can (sort of) wing it, then it can't be too bad to do your own thing and just pick up some hints, tips and bits of welcomed advice from different people in the build up to the day. 

It's now 1st December and the big Christmas countdown begins; in my house the excitement of the chocolate advent calendars and the dreaded ‘elf of the shelf’ has started. Hopefully your Christmas shopping is in full swing, but if you're struggling with that Secret Santa gift, I have the perfect solution... A Parish Walk entry. They are now open so how about treating that secret someone to an entry into the 2023 event? Plenty of fresh air, many physical health and fitness benefits, perfect for your mental health and wellbeing, potentially the start of a new hobby and the possibility of making new friends. Some might suggest you couldn't ask for a better gift with a feel-good factor. 

Having had a very quick skim over some previous bloggers’ posts I have noticed that most people use their first blog to offer a little bit of a profile of themselves, so; I am Samantha (Sammy) Bowden, I am 37 years old, a wife to Nick, Mummy to Emira and Elsie Bowden and a full time teacher. My claim to Parish Walk fame is finishing as 1st lady on the day for the last two years which I’m immensely proud of. 

When I first won the ladies’ walk in 2021, I finished with a time of 16 hours, 38 minutes and 51 seconds, crossing the line in 6th place overall. I then somehow managed to go on to win the trophy again in 2022 (I really don't know how, but we'll talk about this in another post), this time with a time of 17 hours, 20 minutes and 26 seconds alongside Tristan Shields as we crossed the line in joint 11th place.

Over the years I have had a fair bit of experience with the Parish but my first involvements were not as a competitor, they were supporting my mum on many of her 10 consecutive finishes between 2005 and 2014. This was something that I found really exciting and I’ve no doubt that my mum was one of the main people to inspire me to take on the challenge myself. 

It's an honour to be asked to blog for my favourite Manx sporting event by one of the Parish’s most respected names. I am far from being one of the more experienced walkers out there but I hope I am able to give people a little bit of an insight to some of the things that do and don't work for me.

At the very least I hope to give people some reassurance that you can go out and enjoy walking in addition to achieving something really impressive that you can be proud of too! 

Before I close my first blog entry I just want to take this opportunity to give a massive shout out and a big thank you to all the people that are quietly involved behind the scenes to help make this event what it is. To all the event organisers and sponsors, to the great Manx public and to all the family members and friends who sacrifice their time for the walkers to have that much needed support that makes the parish walk such a special and unique event. 

Whatever your goals may be for the 2023 Parish Walk, I really hope you all achieve them but more importantly make sure you enjoy the journey over the next 6 or so months that will get you there. 

In the meantime I will try my best to keep this page as active as possible but if there is anything you'd like me to talk about or if anyone has any questions, please ask away.

Sammy x