Never in doubt that she would do it, charity walker Marilyn Steede became the first Bermudian to walk around the clock for charity yesterday.

The regular walker completed the 24-hour walk around Bermuda at 5 a.m. - well past her estimated finish spot and in better physical condition than she expected.

Initially expecting to finish somewhere in the region of Warwick Camp - her starting location at 5 a.m. on Sunday - Ms Steede hit the 24-hour mark right outside Reid's Restaurant in St. George's.

“I'm elated, I feel great, I'm on top of the world,” she said as she searched for the words to describe her feelings. “My body feels good, I did get a massage the day before and that might have contributed to it. I was expecting my feet to burn and they aren't, I expected my toes to be tight and my toes are fine.

“Everything was just cooperating with me today. The only thing I felt was my legs felt like they wanted to be bent some more. My lower back is not hurting ... and it should be. I'm not even out of breath.”

Ms Steede was walking to raise funds for the Bermuda Stroke and Family Support Association who are providing a rehabilitation unit for stroke survivors at the hospital.

Even the weather cooperated as a strong breeze yesterday morning kept her refreshed during the last few hours of her walk.

“I felt the sun and it felt beautiful, I never got that uncomfortable feeling,” she said of her walk during the middle of the day on Sunday.

“We had a breeze all day, the conditions were perfect. I only went to the bathroom twice, once in St. George's and once in Dockyard, and I didn't stop for any other reason. I don't feel sleepy right now, and I didn't go through that part where I thought I was going to fall asleep.”

Ms Steede, accompanied for most of the walk by stroke survivors and other supporters, admits she would not have covered the distance she did had she not had that support.

“To all the people who supported me, I needed and appreciated everyone of you every time you showed up,” she said.

“Every time they showed up was perfect. Raymond Ray (stroke survivor), he was at my beck and call. As soon as I looked like I needed a glass of water, he had it.

“He and his wife Remmie started at Shelly Bay and went to Southampton Rangers. She told me she could only do an hour, but did six hours and didn't want to leave, but her transport came and she had to go!

“Everybody who joined me walked much hours longer than they expected and were doing fine. I really believe there are people out there who could have done the whole thing.”

She added: “Rosemary Lambert and Barbara Smith joined me at Tom Moore's Tavern - they were going the other way - and they turned around and ended up coming into St. George's, came back out and went up to Dock Hill. The biggest number of people I had was from Shelly Bay Beach when there were eight people and we stayed together until about Dockyard.

“All the stroke survivors, even the elderly ones, were there somewhere along the way ... and I saw all of them. They were cheering me on and the majority of the survivors I meet with regularly all took a turn walking.”

Ms Steede knew the last five hours would be her biggest challenge, having recently completed a 19-hour practice walk.

“I had fun along the way and the few times I was by myself, I missed people being with me,” she stated.

“The support really got me through. If I didn't have the support, I would have found it difficult, and even though people said I had a good pace, I would never have covered all that ground.

“I was never by myself for any length of time, somebody always showed up. I ate as I was walking, bananas and water was my main diet.”

President of the Bermuda Stroke and Family Support Association, Mark Selley, said Ms Steede covered 80 miles over the 24-hour period.

“I was way above what I thought,” she said with surprise.

“I thought I was going to get into St. George's (Sunday morning) at 12 noon, but at quarter-to-12 we were out of St. George's and back up to the Perfume Factory.

“I thought I would be leaving Hamilton at 5 o'clock, going to Dockyard, but we left Hamilton about 2.30. I was just ahead of myself everywhere. We got back to our starting point at 5 o'clock (p.m.) which was exactly 12 hours.”

Added Ms Steede: “I thought we would be leaving Dockyard at 12 o'clock (midnight), and that's why I thought we would finish somewhere near Henry VIII. But I'm back in St. George's for the second time...I can't believe it!

“So, as strenuous as it sounds, it really wasn't. I feel good about everything, but awful about my hair!”

Accompanying Ms Steede for portions of the walk were stroke survivors Morton Williams, Paul Wellman and Dennis Rodrigues, while another stroke survivor, musician Edwin (Doc) Simons, was the backup driver.

“Doc was a silent supporter, he was everywhere,” said a grateful Ms Steede.

“Dennis joined me at Shelly Bay Beach and went with me all the way to the beginning of Dockyard. When we were talking he said he had blisters but didn't want to stop.”

Friend Walter Brangman came out and walked with Ms Steede for the last five hours from Cobb's Hill, finishing with her in St. George's.

Despite suffering a stroke last August, Mr. Williams managed to walk with her for six hours on Sunday. He rejoined her at about 4.15 yesterday morning as she made her way along the Kindley Field Road to the finish.

“I did better than I thought I would do,” said Mr. Williams who is now encouraged to do more walking.

“After suffering a stroke it is like total power failure. I never thought I would walk again or even use my arms again. This is a jump start now for me to keep walking, and I think I'll do that. I'm real part of her and we need everybody's support.”

Another stroke survivor, Paul Wellman, who also has Lupus, was also with her when she finished in St. George's. He walked for three hours on Sunday night and the next morning had some stiffness in his hip.

“I played my part, Mark called me and asked me to participate and I said yes,” said Mr. Wellman.

“I'll go home and soak in the tub and will be back up and running by this afternoon.”

Her mission accomplished, Ms Steede is hoping the public will do their part and support the Stroke Association in its endeavours.

“The focus now has to be on getting the (rehabilitation) unit and it is time for them (public) to do their part,” she urged.

Mr. Selley estimates he received about 100 calls on his mobile phone as pledges and words of encouragement came in.

“It was either pledges or one-off amounts to the association,” said Mr. Selley, a stroke survivor himself.

“We also sold some t-shirts along the way. It is just an amazing feat. She walked 24 hours and I drove 24 hours. It was the least I could do to support her.”

Mr. Selley has seen a dramatic increase in strokes over the last several years and made it his mission to get a recovery unit up and running at the hospital.

“If you take a short history of 20 years, at almost two strokes a week, that is 2,000 families affected by the trauma of a stroke,” he estimates.

“The stroke association is 11 years old and this (unit) has been a dream of mine for 10 years!”