One Remarkable Lassie Inspires Another

Meet Oor Elaine (pictured left), or to be precise Oor Aila's Elaine, who I had the pleasure of meeting when I took part in this year's Hampden to Loch Lomond Kiltwalk back in April, which seems much longer than only two months ago.

In case I've NEVER mentioned it before then I WALKED the whole 26, 27 or 28 miles depending on what GPS system you were using. I wasn't using any, but personally I talk up my 28 mile walk :-)

Before setting off I did have a job to do, so before heading off I assembled Oor Kiltwalk Kids who then led us out the stadium. I then had to make sure they all met their Mum or Dad outside Hampden, before I could begin walking.

Now it turns out the Mums and Dads were so engrossed with watching the procession, they didn't all appear until the Kiltwalkers had left Hampden, which meant when I started, I was on my lonesome, right at the back.

So it was a case of "head down for speed" as my old pal Brian used to say, and I motored into action, and before you ask, then by motored I mean "got my legs up to optimum walking speed" not "jumped in the motor" :-)

I caught up with the stragglers easily enough, who were a gaggle of girls who looked as if they'd just got in at three in the morning from a night out. Turns out it was closer to four in the morning, but they were still up and ready to walk 26 miles.

Around ten minutes in, which was around thirty or so for everyone else I phoned Holly and Scott, who said they were over a mile ahead of me and we'd only just started.

This meant I had to find new friends so anyone who had the misfortune of looking my way got a "Hello, how you doing . . . do you want a new pal?" Strangely enough I didn't have many takers, truth be known, I didn't have any!!

That is until I saw a familiar looking logo, on a familiar looking white cap and I just had to go up and say hello. The cap in question was an "Aila Coull Foundation" Cap and the wearer was none other than Elaine Mitchell and I was as pleased as punch to meet her.

You see in this Social Media World of ours, I had heard of Elaine Mitchell and I knew that she was walking the first of FIVE of our Kiltwalks this year, to raise money in Aila's memory and the Foundation that bears her name.

The Aila Coull Foundation are great friends of The Kiltwalk and all our Kiltwalkers, so much so that when the ACF asked for people to join teams to respresent the ACF in all the Kiltwalks, they weren't short of volunteers and of course one of them was Elaine.

Although Elaine took it one step further, she announced she would walk them ALL that's right all three of them. Glasgow, Edinburgh and Speyside!!

Of course we then announced walks in Angus and Aberdeen and Elaine had said she would walk them ALL, didn't she!! So true to her word she signed up for the two new walks to complete what is looking like a fairly unique achievement, which could only be matched by a few people, but more of Joanne and the McManus's in another Blipfoto.

Elaine, fae Inverbervie never knew Aila, however as a Mum herself she could only imagine what Aila's family have been through. So after reading their story she was inspired to do something to raise funds for the Aila Coull Foundation which has been set up in her memory.

So this year she is undertaking the biggest physical challenge of her life and will walk a total of 130 miles and with 52 miles already done, she has Speyside on 1st September, Aberdeen on 15th September and Angus on 29th September to look forward to.

I was fortunate enough to meet Elaine again at the end of the Edinburgh Kiltwalk, where she was instantly recognisable with her hand made Aila Coull t-shirt on, which on the back has a list of all the Kiltwalks she's taking part in, and is ticking them off as she goes.

I took this picture of Elaine and her pal Suzanne Littlejohn, another first time Kiltwalker just as we crossed the River Clyde and it was a joy to spend a few miles blethering away to them.

So all that's left to say is "Elaine, I'll see you in Speyside" and "Suzanne, same time, same place next year?" :-)

If you want to sponsor Elaine in her conquest to raise as much as she can in Aila's memory then you can do so here

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=ElaineMitchell1