This is the first full task I have done since losing my Mum and Dad, so this is dedicated to them...
Here Come the Hotsteppers - na, na nah, Feeling Hot Hot Hot and Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire were all going through my head when I decided to sign up for the Firewalk a wee while ago. Why did I choose to do this? Because I'm crazy, because I can...? Nope, just was fascinated to find out how it's actually possible to walk over burning hot coals without ending up in A&E, and I'm sure I saw it once on the Generation Game and thought it looked cool.
So on a Thursday evening in March I trundled along to the Millennium Centre down Cardiff Bay and registered in time to take part in the hour long 'training' session. First things first, it got official and I was given my wristband. Oh, lord, now it seems real....
The training session was run by a world record breaking Firewalker called Scott who spent an hour explaining the science behind how it's possible to do this but also going over again and again the do's and the dont's. He promised us that in taking part in the firewalk we would leave the event guaranteed with three things - 1) a certificate (whoop - I'd rather a shiny medal but I likes certificates too) 2) a huge smile after the walk either through sheer relief or because it actually feels empowering and 3) black feet - seriously black feet from the coal. Fair enough.
For those who have been wondering how on earth it really is actually possible to walk over the coals I could say that it's all about mind over matter, being in the 'zone' and other such mumbo jumbo which would have freaked me out - apparently there are firewalk companies who do concentrate on the 'mind' aspect but I much preferred Scott's down to earth approach which was basically to explain the science. Coal, is a poor conductor. Even though the coals when we walked across them would be throwing off between 500-600 degrees of heat, the coals themselves are poor conductors - I understood at the time although I can't properly explain it now but I remember he also used the example of placing a metal spoon and a wooden spoon in a pan of boiling water and how the metal spoon would burn your hand but the wooden spoon won't.
So, I was happy enough to rely on the science. And his and his company's excellent track record of safety which I had researched beforehand. He has never had anybody with an injury in a loooong time of organising firewalks. Good enough for me.
So, while I was in the training session, Stewart, and my Welsh Mam, were outside watching preparations - which he was sending through to my phone just to really get me nervous!
It was early evening when all this was going on but as the light faded, the coals didn't!
So, the time came when the group of nutters - or rather, the group of folk who are up for new experiences - we all trundled out to face our fears, our demons whatever, and walk over burning coals.
The main thing we had to concentrate on was to have a good steady pace, not too slow - it will burn, and not too fast - it will burn. And then the absolute golden rule - DON'T STOP! It will DEFINITELY burn!!!! It's actually difficult to describe exactly what it felt like - apparently we would all describe differently to the next person. Me? I was aware that it was hot, but not in an unpleasant way - not quite like walking across hot sand, it was more that I felt prickles of heat. I actually ended up going back for another 'go' and then another, so three times in total. I was aware that on my second walk I could feel a bit of coal stick to my foot which is a danger but the other golden piece of advice he gave was that when you stepped off the coals you must remember to WIPE YOUR FEET - that meant that any wee bits of burny hot coals would immediately be brushed off.
It's difficult to see in these photos but you never walk on the huge lumps of coal - rather, the 'stokers'
spread littler bits all over the grass - shame you can't see that too well. But, it was well worth it. I booked this just before my Mum passed away and when I told her about it she freaked slightly and didn't want to know too many details, but, I know for sure she would have been proud as punch afterwards that I actually did it. So that's it, another 'challenge' and that takes my completed list to 30 items.
Oh, and by the way, this firewalk was organised to raise money for a south Wales charity, the Nolan Charity Fund. I do have a fundraising page so if you were to feel so inclined - maybe feeling particularly generous after a few wee weekend libations? My page to donate is here:
https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/lesleyedge1
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