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Do i go and carry on Dofe (important need opinions)?

Basically after a horrendous dofe gold practice i'm really genuinely considering dropping out.

Our first day was supposed to be 19km and it turned out we actually had to walk 29km

2nd day was supposed to be the easiest day at 11.9 km but it was 27km long also 1000m total climb where we went up hart felt mountain?(think that's what it's called. Then a night of wild camping

3rd day initially ok and was 17km but near the end my team were really bad since they joined up with 2 other groups and went upon a route specifically told not to do by one of the teachers. We went 6km/hour while on the road to the train station where we were supposed to get there by 12:30am according to the rest of the groups and somehow i wasn't informed of this. It was supposed to be a relaxing day apparently not. Because no-one unless they're a ****king big man can they stop a group of about 21 ppl walking towards the train station. All i got out of it was a terrible crippling walk speed of about 3km/hour and the whole of the 3 groups besides a few were shunning me for going too slow. Plus through all this **** that i got i ****ing did training too a 5 km run every Saturday and a short run around my local park(without stopping) to help increase my stamina.

So about that 3km/hour thing i basically got a wound and it opened a bit (u know the little crinkly bits of skin on the Achilles tendon near the heel? basically that bit opened a bit and since my boots and socks were soaking with water since my team decided to go through a super wet marsh where your feet would sink in mud all the way up to your ankles so you'd have to be careful if you didn't want to drown in mud. So essentially my ankles were stinging the whole way and i'd say 3km/hour was pretty good for an injury like that. I also had the other classic things like super achey shoulders and tired legs and the lot. But i feel like i have no control over any of the group since everyone thinks so low of me because i was really unfit. I don't understand my group because one second they complement saying "oh you're doing so well keep going you can do it all that bs" then the next is "wtf are you doing you're so slow hurry up etc and the rest of it" so what can i do? Like i definitely see one of my other team members ankles and they were no where near as bad as mine and i have other ppl of other dofe groups in the boarding house too and the ankles appeared fine so i'm assuming everyone elses ankles and feet and my group were ok compared to mine.

The reason my group had to walk all this was because someone who was formerly in my group left and did days 1 and 2 on the maps and the route cards. Thing is though the problem was partly due to ex member but also the teachers fault because they gave us the wrong maps and said even though we asked so kindly and even though we were right the teachers said that we still had to follow the route on the MAP not ROUTE CARDS. What can i do? I'm being seriously serious about this because in Scotland where there's midges galore when it's Summer time(yes that's where we're going on our actual gold, plus it's 4 days and 2 nights) and the fact that things'll be hell up there should i really do gold?

The total of roughly 71km in total killed me especially when sleeping in a sleeping bag doesn't help to recover your shoulders and achey feet.


Tl;DR My team walked a distance way further than planned. 3rd day my team rushed me at a rate of 6km/hour and i got an injury roughly on my Achilles tendon area and IMO it was a lot worse than other ppls ankles and feet area. My team has a weird system of complementing and "encouragement". Reason my team walked super far was because and ex member did the maps and the teachers ****ed up distributing maps. All in all the question is DO I CARRY ON WITH GOLD? especially after that horrendous experience.

Edit: Someone sway me either side, i'm a pessimist so i'll play devils advocate and ask why or not i should or shouldn't do it.
(edited 8 years ago)

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If you really don't enjoy something then don't do it.
Reply 2
Original post by Vikingninja
If you really don't enjoy something then don't do it.


But the thing is (although this seems like a stupid ambition) i really want to be proud of all my dofe mini badges stuck on my blazer
I say go for it if it's really what u want to do yes it's like 4 days but it's the last dofe and after that u don't have to do it again. I live in Scotland and I know all the midgets are horrible but it's temporary. If u don't have a positive mind about ot then I don't advise it as u will make it horrible for yourself but if u really want to do try and get into a positive mind (:
Reply 4
Original post by Vikingninja
If you really don't enjoy something then don't do it.


Original post by studyranger
I say go for it if it's really what u want to do yes it's like 4 days but it's the last dofe and after that u don't have to do it again. I live in Scotland and I know all the midgets are horrible but it's temporary. If u don't have a positive mind about ot then I don't advise it as u will make it horrible for yourself but if u really want to do try and get into a positive mind (:


ok so i listened to some others who actually have done the actual gold and they said it's worth doing it. Since i've decided to do gold what things should i do in terms of midges? I know midge spray and midge nets are a given and there's always climbing up high where midges don't exist but is there anything else i can do?
do it if you want and don't if you don't, to be honest, if you do a bit more training and stuff (running 5km without stopping isn't loads) then you should be okay and in all honesty if your ankles are bleeding walking slower will just make them hurt longer, get some blister plasters on your ankles next time/better shoes and hopefully it wont happen again

I'm sure the teachers will learn from the map mistakes and sort things out on the proper event
Reply 6
Original post by doodle_333
do it if you want and don't if you don't, to be honest, if you do a bit more training and stuff (running 5km without stopping isn't loads) then you should be okay and in all honesty if your ankles are bleeding walking slower will just make them hurt longer, get some blister plasters on your ankles next time/better shoes and hopefully it wont happen again

I'm sure the teachers will learn from the map mistakes and sort things out on the proper event


meh i'm super unfit so think of me as one of those fat people who are really unfit(my fitness level). However in actual fact i don't look to unfit...
Oh yea sounds good.
my boots are pretty broken in, it's just that we went in super boggy areas then into dry areas etc But someone recommended to me that i should get baby rash cream for the rashes on my feet( since when i went walking i stepping in pretty deep muddy, watery areas and some water got into my shoe so hence the rash) but how would that work if i have moist socks and cream applied while i'm walking?
Reply 7
Original post by thefatone
But the thing is (although this seems like a stupid ambition) i really want to be proud of all my dofe mini badges stuck on my blazer


If you want to do something then do it. This seems like the reason you want to do gold DofE. This issue is not something you should let stop you, do you want to regret not doing it?
But, my suggestion is to do the Expedition part with a different group, I know on mine we did nothing like those distances, and their is nothing that says you must do a certain distance or speed each day-so find a group that's got similar ideas to you. There's lots of opportunities around to join expedition's, start by looking on the DofE website.
Reply 8
Original post by dipka
If you want to do something then do it. This seems like the reason you want to do gold DofE. This issue is not something you should let stop you, do you want to regret not doing it?
But, my suggestion is to do the Expedition part with a different group, I know on mine we did nothing like those distances, and their is nothing that says you must do a certain distance or speed each day-so find a group that's got similar ideas to you. There's lots of opportunities around to join expedition's, start by looking on the DofE website.


I regret choosing to ever do dofe but something told me to keep doing all of them(no my parents didn't force me to do this)

Thing is my school makes dofe super difficult X_X no reason i can see why but they do. Also my group has super keen people who like have walked in the Himalayas for like 5 weeks and there's me who has no fitness whatsoever and my group kills me even when i do try and start training for this stuff ;(. In any case the other groups aren't any better since they're all keener beans and just keep walking for days. There;s about 3 ppl , myself included who have the same fitness and ideas as me and if we 3 as a group went together on expeditions then we'd walk like 10km a day lol
put zinc oxide tape on your feet before the walk to help your feet
Reply 10
Original post by jawsontheflooor
put zinc oxide tape on your feet before the walk to help your feet


staph pls
Original post by thefatone
staph pls


why
it works
Reply 12
Original post by jawsontheflooor
why
it works


ummm bloodied stumps aren't quite what i'm looking for
Reply 13
Original post by thefatone
I regret choosing to ever do dofe but something told me to keep doing all of them(no my parents didn't force me to do this)

Thing is my school makes dofe super difficult X_X no reason i can see why but they do. Also my group has super keen people who like have walked in the Himalayas for like 5 weeks and there's me who has no fitness whatsoever and my group kills me even when i do try and start training for this stuff ;(. In any case the other groups aren't any better since they're all keener beans and just keep walking for days. There;s about 3 ppl , myself included who have the same fitness and ideas as me and if we 3 as a group went together on expeditions then we'd walk like 10km a day lol


You don't have to do DofE with your school if you don't want to.
It doesn't mater where or with who you do it, you still get the award if you complete all the sections. I did my expedition last year with 4 other people I'd never met before, from all across the UK, and after the assessment I am unlikely ever see again. If you want to do it theres lots of options. Don't give up.
I'm doing my gold practise in two weeks, and I have to say I'm feeling worried now after reading this :biggrin:. However, I'd say just stick it out. You have come so far and it would be silly to fall at the final hurdle.

Just think, you have to get through four days- that's it! Yes it will be painful, exhausting and uncomfortable- but think how great you will feel once you finish. Not that many people make it to where you are and you don't want to look back and regret giving it up.

(Also, where did you do your practice btw?)
Reply 15
Original post by dipka
You don't have to do DofE with your school if you don't want to.
It doesn't mater where or with who you do it, you still get the award if you complete all the sections. I did my expedition last year with 4 other people I'd never met before, from all across the UK, and after the assessment I am unlikely ever see again. If you want to do it there's lots of options. Don't give up.


i guess but convenience and other factors like that come into play compared to doing it out of school, cost is also another thing. I dunno though....
Reply 16
Original post by thefatone
But the thing is (although this seems like a stupid ambition) i really want to be proud of all my dofe mini badges stuck on my blazer


Duke of Edinburgh is about having fun. If you ain't having fun don't bother

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Reply 17
Original post by elena2710
I'm doing my gold practise in two weeks, and I have to say I'm feeling worried now after reading this :biggrin:. However, I'd say just stick it out. You have come so far and it would be silly to fall at the final hurdle.

Just think, you have to get through four days- that's it! Yes it will be painful, exhausting and uncomfortable- but think how great you will feel once you finish. Not that many people make it to where you are and you don't want to look back and regret giving it up.

(Also, where did you do your practice btw?)


It seems a common occurrence amongst the teachers at my school is that all the ones i've spoken did and completed gold dofe.

also i did my practise in the west of the lake district i think

lol sorry if i scared you but imagine getting roughly a 10km extension on the 1st and 2nd day then your team rushing you super quick on the 3rd day, not a good combination but i'm sure your expedition will be fine
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 18
Original post by Andy98
Duke of Edinburgh is about having fun. If you ain't having fun don't bother

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I guess but definitions of fun are varied quite widely from person to person
Reply 19
Original post by thefatone
I guess but definitions of fun are varied quite widely from person to person


Are you having fun?

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