On each of the ninety days following his 90th birthday on 19th May 2026 Gerald proposes to walk at least 4000 steps, or 28,000 in the week, and annually after each birthday in the following nine years, after allowing an annual cumulative 5% reduction in the aims to compensate for increasing old age.   You can make a donation in support of this Odyssey here:

 

Year 90 – one-tenth completed

We are very fortunate in Hertford Heath to have plenty of footpaths.  My regular circuit is through the woods along the Roman Ermine Street.

The first year has been more of a challenge than I expected.  I thought the real challenge would come later in my nineties (as it will)), but rain in May followed by five heatwaves has been quite testing.  Self-discipline has been at a premium to make sure I get out of my (deck-) chair and walk!

My 86-year-old partner has walked with me most of the time and latterly we invested in Scandinavian walking poles.  In hot weather they were temporarily laid aside because they seemed to produce more perspiration than usual, so we still have to find full benefit from them.

Only twice did I have exceptional days and exceed 10,000 steps in the day.  One, I remember, was going out early to miss the heat.  That gave me some latitude in the rest of the week’s heat to meet the 28,000 steps weekly minimum.  I think the other was an ‘accident’ – too much unplanned walking in the day, probably the monthly litter pick.

My statistics are:

Aim: 360,000             Achieved:  400,979             Daily average:  4,455

Weekly range from 28,425 to 37,493                    Weekly average:  30,845

My pedometer is now going to be put away until 19^th May 2027 as I don’t take kindly to anything that tells me what I’ve got to do …. and every day at that!

Gerald Drewett, 17 August 2026