First Walk Today.

[jag45]

Induction yesterday and out today with coach.
Must be totally honest and say I found it quite hard and will probably ache tomorrow as on bicycle.
Also parcels and letters recorded and not recorded and some just not fitting in the box; trying to peel stickers and the trash mail started to do my f...... head in towards the end.
I'm 58 and need one of you guys to tell me it will get easier if I stick it.
Unless maybe I'm just in the wrong job

[Mark_Law22]

Induction yesterday and out today with coach.
Must be totally honest and say I found it quite hard and will probably ache tomorrow as on bicycle.
Also parcels and letters recorded and not recorded and some just not fitting in the box; trying to peel stickers and the trash mail started to do my f...... head in towards the end.
I'm 58 and need one of you guys to tell me it will get easier if I stick it.
Unless maybe I'm just in the wrong job

It definately will get easier, as does anything when you get used to it. The amount of recorded letters/packets, and those pesky letters that don't fit through the letterbox however will always get on your nerves!! :/

[cyclemech1]

Induction yesterday and out today with coach.
Must be totally honest and say I found it quite hard and will probably ache tomorrow as on bicycle.
Also parcels and letters recorded and not recorded and some just not fitting in the box; trying to peel stickers and the trash mail started to do my f...... head in towards the end.
I'm 58 and need one of you guys to tell me it will get easier if I stick it.
Unless maybe I'm just in the wrong job

You're 58!
Bloomin heckl, I've just took EVR at 57 and breathed a huge sigh of relief. I wouldn't like to be just starting out now. Worse time ever!!

[two-tired-feet]

Induction yesterday and out today with coach.
Must be totally honest and say I found it quite hard and will probably ache tomorrow as on bicycle.
Also parcels and letters recorded and not recorded and some just not fitting in the box; trying to peel stickers and the trash mail started to do my f...... head in towards the end.
I'm 58 and need one of you guys to tell me it will get easier if I stick it.
Unless maybe I'm just in the wrong job

It definately will get easier, as does anything when you get used to it. The amount of recorded letters/packets, and those pesky letters that don't fit through the letterbox however will always get on your nerves!! :/

Been doing it for 26 yrs , and to me it gets harder each week, i really hope i don't have to put up with this shite job much longer , i agree that the job needed changing , but f**k me , they went from one extreme to the other , i'm sure other people in other jobs don't get home and feel they cant get off the settee till its time for bed , I'm permanently f**cked !!!

[DGP1]

It just like all jobs, once you get used to it it does become easier but that said, we still like to moan about it

Just as long as you're reasonably fit and healthy you should last...........at least a couple of weeks

[Royal_Fail]

Tuesdays are generally the easiest day of week so good luck with tomorrow!

Also if your not used to riding bicycle that could well wear you out alone.

[Sliders]

This is the easiest part of the job, your first few months, since you most likely will be put on the same round for all that time. But dont get comfortable, as the managers have a cunning plan for you, its called making you a reserve. Being a reserve is great (sarcasm), I love being pished about all over the place out on different duties everyday that I've never done before, without much help or guidance about the duty. Oh yeah and dont forget, coming in on a morning to a s**t load of mail and d2d still needed to be prepped, along with two sacks of packets; van drivers (if your office is pre revision) refusing to take boxes off you because it will fit in your bag (even though it only fits when there is no mail in your bag), and constantly making you wait over half an hour for your bags to be dropped off; and you cant forget the horrible lapsing, and some members of the public taking every opportunity to complain to you about the silliest things, and don't get me started on managers and overtime !
Anyway apart from that the jobs a piece of pish


p.s: TF Im leaving in June

[Johnny Remo]

It will get easier if you stick at it, but it is a tough job that needs a pretty decent level of fitness. If you're not as fit as you could be you will get there in a couple/three months if you are prepared to suffer for it. I almost gave up in the first month, but so did some of my much younger and fitter colleagues who started at the same time. Four months on and I'm doing one of the heaviest walks in the office - still not as fast as the quickest guys - but able to finish within my time without being on my knees at the end.

Also some of the basics like holding your bundle comfortably, managing households, and just getting mail through the letterbox efficiently(!) is actually more difficult than long-time posties tend to realise. While it's good to have an experienced coach, it's also worth seeking out any newer guys in the office to pick up any tips on how they coped with the first few weeks/months.

[brothermagrew]

Obligatory free tip - be very wary of dogs on your delivery round.

[karchun]

DGP : drug dealing never seems to get easier

And to the OP: It depends about being easier because tbh, from these months it'll probably be easier until november to xmas which really will get tough - no offence but at your age this job will be fairly tough, especially if your not accustomed to the "so called" exercise.

But the fitness level is not necessarily relevant if you have the will power - i'm 95kg at 6'0 so fairly big myself but nevertheless, apart from the knee pains near the end - just look at the end goal and count your way through it ... GOOD LUCK!!!

[stokes11eg]

In the old days, before work place coaches, when each of us was given a newbie, I used to advise that you have to give yourself at least six -eight weeks to settle in, before making any decisions about wether to go, or stay. This is a tough job, more so now,and your first few weeks are terrible! Good luck in what you decide!

[BillyPosty]

I think the job itself gets easier the longer you stick at it, but the crap they throw at you and try to take advantage of you gets worse. So it's ups and downs really.

[Robtor]

Definately get's easier, a lot easier. You just do all the little things quicker and it add's up, and you just get more confident. Hope today is going ok for you as Wednesday's are the worst, whilest Tuesday's are the easiest.

[edgearsenal]

I started this job january 5th. Was and am still overweight was very unfit wouldnt walk the shop etc rather drive. i am now starting to lose weight feel alot better my legs dont ache first thing in the morning and can now run for miss sorts etc. good piece of advice take ibuproven for the first few weeks as it helps with the pain and muscle swelling. TBH it isnt easy but i tell you what i did expect it to be a hell of a lot worse than it was. just stick at it will get easier will power which is somethink i do have i dont roll over easy.
one of the worse things about the job is when you have a long drive and all youve got to post is one bit of crapy junk mail and all you can think about when your walking up to the door is this is going in the bin soon as soon as they see it.

[RedBagMan]

I started at the age of 55 ... about 20 months ago - still there (as noted above as a reserve - it can be fun after the first day on a new walk).

Look on the bright side - at the age of 58 you'll have a similar work ethic to moi - when you look around the office at some of the lazy lead swingers (mostly full-timers - otherwise under 30's) you'll realise that self-respect is a wonderful thing !