When I met Annie I was on twenty + fags a day and hardly able to walk any real distance. Since those days Annie has settled a bit, while I have went on to other things but she has always supported me and the LDWA in many ways on walks and like many of our partners of both sexes on check points. As for trust, she knows full well a tired walker of either gender is too knackered for a bit on the sly.

Vaughan and I are very lucky and we enjoy the shared experiences of running/walking together on events (nearly always with Daisy dog too!). We also enjoy meeting up with friends on events and chatting with those that understand what we do (unlike work colleagues). However, this has only become possible in the last few years as our children have grown up and gone to University.

Prior to this Vaughan played squash and I walked. There was never a problem with whom I walked on events and it didn't make any difference whether the person was male or female. Even now, when Vaughan has been injured I have walked/run with male friends and I don't see that this should be a problem as everyone supports each other on long-distance events anyway.

As a girlie, I don't like doing night events on my own (although I generally feel safer in the middle of the countryside than in a built-up area) and I know that my family would far prefer that I have a trusted friend with me.

However, I do know of some romantic liaisons that have been struck up as a result of the LDWA!!!!!!!

I agree, it should be, but I can see the difficulties. I can tend to be a 'bit of a bloke' and love nothing more than male campany - nothing at all in it romantically, but have heard I have caused problems with their respective other halves - and as I don't want to cause trouble, the friendship has been disolved which is sad, but i suppose if the boot was on the other foot and my partner was walking with another woman i think it would be hard for jealous feelings not to creep in...I think the morale is to have similar interests as your partner to start with - at least if you have a common interest then there would never be a situation where you lead separate lives, or at least support them. i love it when I see husband and wife teams on events, one of then being a 'non walker' but they are still there for the other halves, supporting them and taking an interest. you don't have to be mega fit to play a role, and I'm sure this helps maintain a healthy relationship when one of you is keener on walking than the other.

My other half also walks distances up to 26 miles, although she has accompanied me on multi day back packing trips across Scotland.

However she doe`s not do the Ultra Running with me, which means that i can use the shorter walks that i do with Jackie as training which seems to be a very good working compromise.

Plus it means that when it comes to Ultra running events i have at least one support crew member that after 36 = years of knowing me understands my needs better than most.

As to friends of the opposite sex where`s the problem with that surely all that nonsense about same sex friends is long since gone, after all isn`t a strong relationship based on trust?

Johnk

Ok - heres a new topic. I am very fortunate that my partner loves walking, but how many of us have partners who don't walk and / or resent the time we spend walking? If they don't walk, does it cause problems in your relationship, and how would they feel if you struck up a friendship of a fellow walker of the opposite sex? Is this acceptable?