Northern Ireland

Video: Retired doctor celebrates birthday finish to 121km virtual Camino for Trocaire

Dr Martin McMullan at the end of his virtual Camino 121k walk. Picture by Hugh Russell
Dr Martin McMullan at the end of his virtual Camino 121k walk. Picture by Hugh Russell Dr Martin McMullan at the end of his virtual Camino 121k walk. Picture by Hugh Russell

AN exhausted Martin McMullan gratefully pulled off his hiking boots yesterday after spending his 58th birthday completing a 121km Camino pilgrimage in his driveway - and raising more than £30,000 with his efforts.

The retired doctor is cocooning away from his own family in his Co Antrim home because his incurable cancer makes him vulnerable to Covid-19.

He embarked on the punishing task when a light-hearted joke with his siblings became a pledge to raise cash for Trócaire and its charity work in Africa after its fundraising was affected by coronavirus restrictions.

READ MORE: Retired doctor with incurable cancer to walk the Camino in his driveway for charityOpens in new window ]

"It's been very difficult," Dr McMullan admitted yesterday.

"I had thought I might give myself six days to do it if I was struggling, but so many people knew about it and knew my birthday was today and that was when I said I would be finishing that I've had to push on.

"The first day nearly killed me. It's not the same as doing the actual Camino where you have scenery and catching sight of the next town spurs you on. It is mind-numbingly boring.

"I had a very inaccurate (GPS) app that's not designed for people going up and down in a straight line. Every time I went near the house it seemed to reset itself.

"My normal pace is 20/22-minute miles and it was having me down as having walked 30-minute miles, when I knew I hadn't. I reckon I walked about 40km the first day. It took me two days to get over it.

"My sons got a different app and it's been more accurate since."

Dr Martin McMullan completed the trek on his 58th birthday. Picture by Hugh Russell
Dr Martin McMullan completed the trek on his 58th birthday. Picture by Hugh Russell Dr Martin McMullan completed the trek on his 58th birthday. Picture by Hugh Russell

However, his gruelling trek had one final punishing twist in store when he realised he had miscalculated his final leg - the one that would take him to his final virtual destination of Burgos.

"I had it down as 26.1km, but looking at the route again it was showing 27km. Now that's only 900m, but when you have just walked 125km it was enough to break me.

"I decided to do a different route and found one that went down by a river that would be 26km."

Initially expecting to be taking part in a mostly solitary effort, accompanied by his sons at a safe two-metre distance when they could join him, he was "completely astounded" to cheered on by an "astounding" number of supporters who drove to his home to witness his challenge first hand.

Dr Martin McMullan during the last 1K of his virtual Camino 120k walk Picture by Hugh Russell.
Dr Martin McMullan during the last 1K of his virtual Camino 120k walk Picture by Hugh Russell. Dr Martin McMullan during the last 1K of his virtual Camino 120k walk Picture by Hugh Russell.

"I had to stop people putting their children into the garden to join me," Dr McMullan said.

He was also fielding an almost constant stream of mobile phone calls and text messages.

"Talking to people did make the time go faster. It was just astonishing to see all these people coming out.

"The whole point of doing it was for people to give money to Trócaire instead of getting me a present, but they've donated almost £30,000 and given me enough wine to open my own Winemark."

He said thinking of the money he was raising and the support helped him through the tough miles including a voice message from a friend telling him: 'Remember every step you take will put food in a hungry mouth'

And despite it all, he hasn't ruled out walking the route again - this time in Spain.