I don't know if it has happened elsewhere, but on both the Founders Challenge 2009 and Winter Tanners 2010 we picked up first-time eventers through Julie's book.

The Founders Challenge was shortly after Julie's interview on Women's Hour, and the producer of the programme was so inspired she and her partner came along to do our event. They entered the 16ml route, but she switched to the 26ml route on the way round. Came in with the sweepers but it was the first time she had walked 26ml and was thrilled.

On the Winter Tanners, there was one couple who had seen the report in last month's Country Walking magazine; and another who had bought the book after getting an Amazon recommendation. Both had been interested/inspired enough to look us up on the website.

If sales are good, I hope that we get lots more new walkers on our events and social walks.

Thanks mike. Looking forward to the Giant....3 rd time lucky??? I give you permission to give me a kick if I look like I'm flagging!

I agree with Rebecca, the LDWA is one of the most respectably eccentric and wonderful organisations I have come across. Every hundred is such a great event, and is the product of so much effort, love and dedication by the organisers.

It has always been my pleasure to enter another 100, knowing that the wonderful, traditional values of the LDWA will be seen again in full flower. Such good support, with so much care and kindness from marshals - and great to be among people who think that it is entirely normal and sensible to walk continuously for a hundred miles through rural Britain. We will see you on the Dorset Giant, Rebecca.

Ha ha! I'm back on the forum - my work server blocked replying on the Forum but it now seems to be working. No, I'm not going to talk about waterproof trousers everyone will be glad about this.

Julies book - brilliant! Julie - was it you I had the sprint finish with on the poppyline a couple of years ago? Thoroughly enjoyed it and could empathise totally with the love / hate relationship with the 100. I could really relate to the sentiments in the book - as a slightly eccentric person I have always struggled in life to 'fit in' until my first poppyline 50 and was sat in a forest in a tent at 2am, and surrounded by fantastic ,people like minded people for whom being in a wood at 2am on a walk seemed a totally normal and acceptable thing to do. I struggle to put into words how great that felt - no one asks 'why are you doing this' and you feel part of the whole thing and you are accepted for who you are. No one cares that you are muddy, hair messy and you probably don't smell that nice.

It was also interesting to have the perspective of a 'runner' - I get slightly irritated by threads that suggest that runners are taking over the LDWA, as if thats relevant. I think it needs to be as inclusive as possible. For me the challenge is the distance, whether you run, walk or hop is irrelavent, and as long as you adhere to the checkpoint times I don't see that it very much matters. Those that walk and end up going through 2 nights on the 100 are the real heros. I've done it - the Exmoor 100 took be 44 hours, and i walked every step, and i can honestly say this was far far more difficult than the Wessex in which I ran about 2/3. I joined the LDWA as a walker, and as I got fitter, started to jog down hill, that progressed to jogging as much as I can of each event, and I have had comments passed such as 'this is meant to be a walk'. I actually find walking fast harder than jogging - if jogging is my preferred gait, surely that doesn't matter?

Back to the book - well done Julie - really loved it - knew a lot of the characters you mentioned and the walks too - just jealous that you finished the Yoredale 100 - I had to retire at 79m - I'd done the difficult bit, and I've never ever forgiven myself since!!

g

Respect, Mike! At last I can boast of knowing someone who's had an answer printed in Guardian Notes & Queries...

I agree with Elton's posting. It's a really good book at both the general and specialist levels. What a good "advert" for the LDWA and what a record of Julie's own personal determination to do the event. There's a lot about the history of the hundreds and our association, but even better are the interviews and descriptions of characters who previously were only a name in Strider. All the copies for sale in Waterstones in Durham before Christmas have now gone!

Got it for Christmas and spend most of the day reading it. Wonderful! Within the first page I was nodding and smiling – yes, been there, felt that. And so it went on: smiles, chuckles, outright laughter. And more nods: yes, I also felt a wimp after retiring from my first attempt at the Hundred, also didn’t feel worthy of sharing a breakfast table with these giants of endurance who had managed to complete what I couldn't. And I also swore never again, a resolution which lasted all of 12 hours.

Like Julie, the first one I completed was the Yoredale, so I could really relate to her stage by stage, chapter by chapter account of the walk. The winds of Ingleborough, the dark wastes of Kidhow Gate, the balmy Dales Way (which you are too knackered to appreciate after 70 miles or so), the friendliness, support and encouragement of the checkpoint marshals, the accumulating aches and pains as you rack up the last twenty miles, the hobble down into Skipton. And that quiet but exhilarating feeling of satisfaction when you finish. I didn’t feel like a giant: like Julie, I just thought: I’ve done it but hell, I’m glad it’s over. And then: so where is next years?

The history was fascinating too, and the interviews with the legends and stalwarts of the LDWA. If you haven’t read the book, I can recommend it, even if the Hundred isn’t your thing. She relates tales of the Stanstead Stagger, the Winter Tannners, the Punchbowl Marathon, the dreaded Jelleys Hollow on the Surrey Tops 2008. Well worth reading.

Thanks to everyone for their comments. Much appreciated. Steve, an article I've written on 100s is going to be in Country Walking - I'm assuming the next issue. It will include two or three of your fabulous pictures from the Chiltern Landmarks 100. I've asked the magazine people to give you a by-line, which I hope they have.

Hi Eileen,
Why don't you buy one, I've heard that Julie is giving a free mince pie to everybody that buys her book. Have a happy xmas everybody.
Steve x

Could anyone please lend me a copy of this book? I can read it in one night if necessary. Return next day or whenever. I would handle it with care of course. If not I could perhaps order it from my local library? That way more folks could read it! I am dying to read it!

And i have just realised something pc technical- I have this site saved as "remember me". I don't log out just close it down. But I need to log out otherwise I have found the cookies will not work; and without the cookies working I cannot post messages on the forum! This might be common sense to some, but to me a revelation! I have had trouble posting messages for ages and did not know why! Is this the pc equivalent of "bonking" I wonder! The pc needs cookies! I will post this on The Bothy if it helps others.

Hi Julie, just finished reading your book and enjoyed it very much, fantastic, loved the way it was writen. Thank you for using some of my photos (notice the way i have spelt photos Merriam), and naming me in your book as one of the authers. Plus i have a photo in the new Trail walkers handbook, WOW See you somewhere i hope, Scotland 100 if not before Steve

After reading comments and the Independent article about the book I wish I could read it now but I have to wait another month as it has been promised as a present.At least there is something to look forward to over the festive season.

Just a point about the under-use of our website. The website is monitored by sophisticated software from Google. Currently we are averaging over 1000 visits per day and over 35000 page views per week. Not bad for a small organisation with only 6000 members. This website is our shop window and many people find the LDWA through Internet searches and a small proportion of those join our ranks. Don't knock it but contribute with positive ideas for its continued development.

I have also read Julie's book and enjoyed a really good read learning much about people whose names I had heard but not known anything of their background. I would recomend it to you all.

I've now read the book and thought it a really good read. It uses the 100 as its main theme but it is also a broad documentary on the LDWA. There are chapters on characters whose names I have heard of but knew very little about; this book fills those gaps in my knowledge.

The book is highly recommended reading for all LDWA members, whether 100-milers or not!

Geoff

As I was Chairman at the time when Ken took over from Julie as Strider Editor, perhaps I may be allowed to end this non-story. Julie was not "lost" and did not resign but simply came to the end of her 5 year stint, which is the maximum that any committee member is allowed by our constitution to serve continuously (except for the Chairman who is limited to 3 years).

This time limit on committee tenure means that 2 or 3 new members have to be found to serve on the National Committee each year, not an easy task, but it does ensure that fresh ideas and approaches are introduced. So far as Strider is concerned, I think we should be grateful to all those who have served as Editor and made it the figurehead publication that it is. We should be addressing the problem of finding someone to take over from Ken when he reaches the end of his term (his second, by the way) in a couple of years time.

I'm aghast if anyone has the impression I stopped being editor for sinister reasons! I'd simply come to the end of my five-year term in the post. Also, I certainly didn't mean to be critical of the LDWA in the book - I meant it to reflect the deep affection in which I hold it, and my admiration for those such as David and Ken who not only do the events but put back by giving their time in various ways.
Good to see you on the evening checkpoint on the White Cliffs 55, David, by the way.

Like others, I am nonplussed by David's comments. While not knowing the details, I don't imagine that the LDWA ‘lost’ Julie, just that she found the time and effort commitment for Strider too great, and resigned as editor. We are fortunate that our current editor, besides being prepared to put in the time and effort, no doubt at the cost of other things he would rather be doing, is also a writer and thus able to distinguish between good and bad writing, so that we don't get the latter inflicted on us. I think we should be grateful that he's prepared to do it, not pass oblique criticism (and the same applies to the holders of all the offices in the LDWA, national and local: we benefit from the commitment which they show and we ordinary members don’t.)

The reference to ‘academic constraints’ and ‘dead bodies’ passes me by.

‘Static membership for x years’: So? Queuing at stiles is bad enough as it is. Seriously, membership ebbs and flows. Provided we hold our own, what’s the problem? We’re not a company looking to increase profits. Like-minded people will find us.

‘Underuse of the website’: We’ve had this debate before. It’s our fault if we don’t use it more. Nothing to do with the National or any other committee. A few stalwarts keep it ticking over, the rest of us just lurk, too lazy or uncommitted to post.

‘Technical minded people in the LDWA.’ No doubt, no doubt. What is the relevance?

‘Kickstart the changes needed in our organization.’ What changes? We are members because we enjoy long-distance walking. The LDWA facilitates this, and very effectively. Surrey Group has a social walk practically every week of the year, and there are challenge walks within 50 miles most months. What more do we want? I did a challenge event last year with a non-LDWA organization: cost was four times LDWA cost and food was all but non-existent - a handful of jellybabies over 40 miles. I skipped it the event year. Here we have enthusiasm, commitment, value for money. Viva la LDWA!

Finally, thank you for your post – it got this lurker off his backside and posting.

Garfield: Julie’s book is hilarious and enjoyable, there is nothing sinister in it and I hope I did not imply that there is but it is not just about the 100’s, it also tells a little of the history and development of the LDWA. I just hope that this post gets a few more people to read and comment on it.

fwiw, here's the review I posted on Amazon about Julie's book...
I must admit I completely missed any deeper and more sinister implications which might have been lurking between the lines of the text. Will have to go back and have another look. ;-)

***********

I really enjoyed reading this book, which does a brilliant job of portraying the eccentricity and absurdity - not to mention sheer heroic bloody-mindedness - which goes along with deciding to walk 100 miles over hills and moors all in one go, without sleep, but with plenty of tea, sympathy and home-made cake from the army of volunteer helpers along the way. Interwoven with the story of Julie's own journey from bemused observer to sideways-leaning, twaddle-talking, bleary-eyed participant, is the story of the event itself, from it's informal beginnings to the major annual event it is today.

The LDWA 100 is one of those great British sporting events that hardly anybody knows about, not least because the whole idea of walking that far in one go can seem so outlandish to anyone who's never been involved (and probably to quite a few who have as well). But this isn't just a book for the converted. It's serious where it needs to be, but for the most part I found myself at grinning, sniggering, laughing and howling as the characters and situations got more and more barmily heroic from one mile to the next.

If you enjoyed The Hike, Feet in the Clouds: A Story of Fell Running and Obsession, One Man and His Bog or Five Hundred Mile Walkies: One Man and a Dog Versus the South-west Peninsular Path, you'll enjoy this too. Highly recommended!

I'm baffled about what the accusations are.......!
[Helen]

I'm baffled! Both Helen and I have read Julie's book - Helen even put a review on Amazon. We loved it, laughed a lot and think it is a must-read for 100-people.
How on Earth, David, you can derive such sinister (unsubstantiated) claims is beyond me! (Garfield)

Tony it would be unfair / wise for me to elaborate further on my comments till the book has been more widely read and discussed, hopefully openly and public. i.e. on these pages (though I would be very surprised if it has not been dissected by a number of our members in private) but just look at three facts (1) Our membership seems to have stopped static for x years (2) This site is grossly under used. (3) We have some of the most technical minded people in the country in the LDWA .

Well your post has certainly inspired me to get the book and read it, David.
It would be most interesting if you could elaborate on your other points. What changes do you think need kick starting? What are the academic restraints and whose dead body(ies) are you talking about?

OK. I’ve been waiting weeks to hear what every one thinks of Julies book. As nobody else seems keen to be the 1st to put pen to paper here goes:
Overall a good book in a good format, language a bit spicier than I normally like to see in print but this seems to be the way of things today.
It certainly gets to the essence of the 100, the humor is there and so is the calamity.
Some views implied and expressed go beyond the 100 and could be the kick start to changes that are needed to our organization.
To me: it shows that we lost the greatest editor of Strider we ever had and that it is time we looked forward and moved out of the tight academic constraints that some of our most respected activists have put us in. It is surprising how easy it is to step over somebody’s dead body.

An extract from The Independent can be read

here