We found an old man lost in the bush today

It was a typical, stupidly hot Queensland afternoon. I'd spent most of the time since lunch doing the easiest tasks possible because it was just getting hotter and hotter. Hence, the Mister and I put off our afternoon walk as late as possible; we wanted the overbearing heat of the day to have passed before we headed out.

We spent the hour after he got home drinking extra fluid and then went out for a walk, in t-shirts and hats to cover ourselves somewhat from the scorching sun. We, sensibly, headed into the protection of the bush where there would be more shade than direct sun and we needed it for it was still proper hot.

It definitely isn't the first time this season that we've done all the things we mentioned above, but today was not like our other days. Today, only 1km into our walk, we came across an old man who looked like he was about ready to pass out. With a phone in his hand that he didn't seem to be using for anything but company, and no water bottle in sight, he shuffled towards us looking glad to see another human.

He was lost and hot and working way too hard for an old man on his own in the bush.

He had in his head that if he "kept going this way" it must lead home. But he was run-walking further and further from home, according to the address he gave us when we asked.

With our experience of knowing: 1. This heat, 2. This bush, 3. What it feels like to be hot, tired and dehydrated, we decided to walk him back through the bush most of the way home. We cut out all the (possibly) confusing trails. We didn't try to take him back the way he (most likely) came. Instead, my very clever man picked a slightly longer but dead obvious way to help him get home.

And as we walked with him we talked with him; about running and the importance of learning his way through the trails, possibly with a local running group before coming in alone; about not over training, since he'd only started running in his 70's to lose weight and help his heart; about parkrun, that we found out he's already going to.

All the while, Brad and I were both paying attention to how well he was moving, how well he talking and how well he seemed to be comprehending what we were saying.

As we hit the spot where we would say goodbye, with him following one, single, obvious, concrete path home and us meandering back through several trails to our home, we silently agreed that he was okay to do that last bit alone. And I watched as he shuffled off, determined as ever, making his way home.

Hopefully some of what we said sunk in. And maybe, if we're lucky, we'll run into him at a parkrun somewhere, sometime soon and get to hear how his running and walking is going.

May we all have the good sense to challenge our own limits as we age, without putting ourselves in dangerous situations.

I just finished a 4.8km walking that lasted about 1hh:8mm:0ss !
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