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The Cretan Walk
A challenging 2 week walk across the island of Crete, Greece from east to west in aid of arthritis charities
A 180 mile / 290 km mountain & coastal walk battling arthritis across the island of Crete, Greece.
What's This About?
I've lived with Psoriatic Arthritis for over 23 years. The condition causes pain and discomfort to the body as your own immune system attacks your joints causing swelling and damage. I've never allowed the condition to take control of my life and in May of 2022 (the month of my 50th Birthday) I will use this landmark half century of age to highlight the everyday challenges that living with arthritis brings whilst demonstrating that having a condition such as mine does not prevent you from being active and taking on a physical challenge. In addition I want to raise awareness and bring understanding and hope whilst raising as much money as I can for arthritis charities so please click to donate as every penny raised will go to the Versus Arthritis charity in the UK and The Hellenic Society for the Fight against Rheumatism (EL. E. AN. A.) in Greece to help others in their daily battle with arthritic conditions.
This is a challenge for me both physically and mentally as I tackle and break through the barriers of a 2 week trek through the mountains and valleys of the island of Crete, Greece, and your support will be vital to my success in overcoming my condition and completing this 290 km east to west route.
About Me
My name is Simon and 2022 marks my 50th birthday.
I guess for some a landmark birthday is an opportunity to have a big party but when I thought about my life and how I wanted to mark this half century milestone I realised that for nearly half of that time I'd been living with an arthritic condition that had changed my past, present and future forever. Arthritis is often a condition that people don't obviously notice or maybe understand just how painful, damaging and limiting it can be until it happens to them or someone close in relationship. The pain, fatigue and ongoing damage is a daily challenge that can lead to insular depression and fear for the future, but with this undertaking I want to prove to myself and others that arthritis can be overcome in the face of a challenge such as this and that it is possible to dream, undertake and achieve your goal despite your condition.
About the Walk
Starting out from the south western tip on the island of Crete, Greece close to the beach of Elafonisi this 180 mile or 290 km walk traverses the island on foot over a challenging 2 week intiniery that will take me along coastal, mountain and valley paths finishing after 14 days of walking around 13 miles a day (often in rugged terrain) at the eastern coastal village of kato zakros.
I have been hugely fortunate to have found the wonderful Berend _______ of __________ who is a walking guide on the island and he has kindly formulated a program that takes me to the highest peak on the island of Crete and through challenging terrain to ensure that I am safely tested and challenged along my two week journey.
I did not want this to be easy I wanted to be tested to my physical and mental limits and this 13 mile a day program will surely do that and more as I wind my way across the island.
Whilst walking some of the long journey alone along other parts of the route I will have
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