I’ve just finished walking 4,314 miles round the coast of England & Wales to raise awareness about eliminating cervical cancer. This is the last weekly post.

Wales. December. 3pm, its dark already. Rain is horizontal and the only way to walk against the wind is by crouching down. Normally a recipe for “what am I doing here?” thoughts. But when there’s a purpose (eliminating cervical cancer), and a personal link (my wife having died from it) then its easy. Well, maybe not exactly easy, but not difficult either.

Big surprise for me was just how many people walked too. Highly sociable effort: I was joined on over 60% of the legs. Relatives, friends and people I’d never met before. People flew in for 2-3 days of walking. And a friend who texted me every single day of the year, keeping track, often walking too, identifying pubs... Supporting the purpose, Cancer Research UK, the memory of my wife, me.

Not so deep down, we’re all super motivated by purpose. And the sociability of purpose creates connections we could never have imagined.