I walked 50 kilometers around Manhattan in one day. Stupid?

At the very beginning of this post I would like to thank @hrissm who joined me for the first 25 kilometers and Ania (unfortunately not a Steemian), who walked the next 12,5 km with me and unfortunately renewed her foot injury. Thanks guys for your company! I'm blessed to have such friends.

Statistics

50.46 km / 31.2 miles
9 hours 53 minutes
3022 calories burnt
0 degree C / 32 degrees F average temperature
one 1-hour break

The aftermath

As I walked this distance with no prior preparation I expected to at least feel tired and sore after the walk. However, what happened surprised me:

• Immediately after I sat down in a warm place, my hands swelled up. I realized I didn't drink enough water throughout the day and had no electrolyte intake so my sodium levels dropped too. I completely did not expect this and got pretty scared when I saw my sausage fingers. It luckily went back to normal after I had a proper meal.

• I felt like I had elevated temperature the whole day after. Combined with the feeling that my body was tired and the fact that I couldn't process any information, it felt like my body was dealing with some sort of inflammation.

• My muscles were not sore, but my tendons were. This however went away the next day.

• For the next three days I felt oxygenated and brighter than usual. It took me less time to understand complex ideas. It makes a lot of sense since the levels of oxygen in my brain are lower than expected as reported by my naturopathic doctor and I should spend more time being active outdoors.

• Now, a week from the walk, since yesterday I have foot pain that will hopefully go away soon.

Starting point.

Thoughts for the next time

All in all, I would definitely do it again, and I will, with some slight tweaks. Here are my tips:

• Drink water and eat regular, small but high-carb meals to keep your blood sugar stable. Not only should you drink the usual two liters of water, but more.

• Have a backpack.

• Wear comfortable shoes with extra gel inserts, good sports socks, comfortable underwear and light-weight clothing. Have an emergency hat, scarf and extra socks. I was prepared pretty well last time, but I would definitely get shoes with better shock absorption if I had a chance.

• (Maybe) walk alone. I expected a deep spiritual boost from it but I definitely wasn't physically ready to walk the whole way alone, but the last 12,5 kilometers that I walked on my own were very strongly thought-evoking. I was in a lot of pain and there was nothing to focus on instead of it, which was after all beneficial - I felt I'm overcoming myself in a way. I'm going to write another post about it in the future, but I believe the most important thing in your life is your relationship with yourself, and it has influence on all of your other relationships. Time spent doing things alone is what makes that relationship strong and healthy.

• Last, but not least: remember it's okay not to finish.