This job is killing me

[Ali831]

I'm a newbie only been in the job approx 5 months, on a HCT duty, 35 hr contract. It's damned hard work, i average 13 miles per day walking, hilly, very steep in places terrain, includes flats. I'm 55 years old & at first my calves ached badly, then shins, sometimes my heels & ankles. There was a noticeable difference when I stopped wearing RM footwear but my legs hardly ache at all now except on a really heavy day. I get the misses to massage them with some deep heat & they are fine the next morning. However, although I am tired after work I don't go to bed until around 11pm & up at 6am. I would suggest a visit to your GP for a blood test to at least check nothing is wrong as your symptoms sound quite extreme.

[Trail]

I am still aching on a daily basis

Pity you do not see this type of letter in the Courier?

Can I ask Norris are you wearing the RM footwear?

When I first started ar RM I wore CAT boots for the first month and ended up having to go home because I couldn't walk, I was in agony. When I returned two days later I switched to some Reebok Classics I had. The problem was almost immediately alleviated. Since then I've never worn RM footwear. Absolutely s**t for doing half-marathons in (that's what I was walking a day). CATS are either boots for builders/tradesmen. Magnum I gave a try for a week when my lino gifted me a pair, they were f*cking awful. Don't touch RM footwear.

[norris9]

I think the parcel separation thing could be good for guys like you IF you can work later. Driving a van will be much easier on the body.

I'd consider it. I'd assume those jobs will be up for grabs based on seniority so I probably have no chance anyway.


One thing is - a lot of Posties go onto light duties in our office, get a break from pounding the streets for weeks or even months and during Xmas some Posties went from delivering mail to delivering parcels, so got a lot of respite from the change.

I do wonder how many Posties out there go to their doctor claiming they are in pain, manage to get signed off from their Postie duty and end up on light duties for a couple of weeks or more. I wonder if this is a strategy used by Postmen to get some relief from the daily grind.

In terms of exhaustion and aches/pains, what are valid reasons for taking sick days? Is it common for Posties to take time off 'sick' for these things as at times I am sure many of us hit the proverbial wall.

[norris9]

I am still aching on a daily basis

Pity you do not see this type of letter in the Courier?

Can I ask Norris are you wearing the RM footwear?

When I first started ar RM I wore CAT boots for the first month and ended up having to go home because I couldn't walk, I was in agony. When I returned two days later I switched to some Reebok Classics I had. The problem was almost immediately alleviated. Since then I've never worn RM footwear. Absolutely s**t for doing half-marathons in (that's what I was walking a day). CATS are either boots for builders/tradesmen. Magnum I gave a try for a week when my lino gifted me a pair, they were f*cking awful. Don't touch RM footwear.

I think I've been wearing those CAT boots you talk about.....for a year. Yes - they are like builders boots and I suspect they are contributing at least 5% or more to my exhaustion than a lightweight shoe would. Just thinking about them now....it actually seems like absolute madness that someone at Royal Mail decided those were a suitable shoe for the job. Although we are not marathon runners, we are walking a half marathon and no athlete would ever wear those CAT shoes to run a marathon or walk a marathon.

[leolion855]

try the bandanas (scuse spelling)

[sindba]

I have posted about the physicality of the job before and how I've been struggling....

Now it's worse than ever, I am still aching on a daily basis, but on top of this I crash between 6.30pm and 7.30pm. I am dead, gone, I pass out, mind and body switched off by this time. I go to bed and fall asleep in an instant.

Is this normal?

Are you Posties shutting down this early due to exhaustion?


Is there anyone out there that regularly goes to bed after 10pm and doesn't feel severely exhausted and drained?


I don't know what to do anymore. I want to stay in the job, but I can't if this is how I am going to feel on a daily basis.

Are you a reserve?

I always felt this as a reserve but it's easier when you get a duty.

Especially if you can bag one with later starts (if you're not good with early mornings), less walking (even if it means longer days on a rural) or decent rest day rotations.

And always, always take breaks on delivery.

[cpsteve]

I'm a newbie only been in the job approx 5 months, on a HCT duty, 35 hr contract. It's damned hard work, i average 13 miles per day walking, hilly, very steep in places terrain, includes flats. I'm 55 years old & at first my calves ached badly, then shins, sometimes my heels & ankles. There was a noticeable difference when I stopped wearing RM footwear but my legs hardly ache at all now except on a really heavy day. I get the misses to massage them with some deep heat & they are fine the next morning. However, although I am tired after work I don't go to bed until around 11pm & up at 6am. I would suggest a visit to your GP for a blood test to at least check nothing is wrong as your symptoms sound quite extreme.

Wow 13 miles i do 6/7 and thats tough you must be very fit, its normal to be tired after a hard days work i was tired when i was working 9/5 and sitting in traffic for up to two hours a day.

[grchpo]

I have a sports massage every 6 weeks on my week off, it does help.

[south London postie]

Most normal thing in the world to have a nap in the afternoon, esp. after say 45-50 yo.

[wacko74]

try the bandanas (scuse spelling)

I wouldn't bother, those and any other RM trainers are just as bad as the boots.

I wear the RM trainers in the office but change in to my own trainers once out on delivery, I feel like I'm walking on air when I get my own trainers on compared to the heavy, hard soled RM trainers.

[wacko74]

Wow 13 miles i do 6/7 and thats tough you must be very fit, its normal to be tired after a hard days work i was tired when i was working 9/5 and sitting in traffic for up to two hours a day.

Only 6-7 miles!!!
How come your delivery is so small?
Is it made up entirely of tower blocks?

[EdRush]

I often used calf compression sleeves to aid muscle recovery. Occasionally I wear them out on the round. It actually feels like they slow me down due to restricted movement.. but my legs ache less in the evening and the next day

500 calls, 7 mile round, hilly. 4~5hours

[goldy]

Wow 13 miles i do 6/7 and thats tough you must be very fit, its normal to be tired after a hard days work i was tired when i was working 9/5 and sitting in traffic for up to two hours a day.

Only 6-7 miles!!!
How come your delivery is so small?
Is it made up entirely of tower blocks?

Rurals do around 6-7 miles per day and maybe town centres but ,I think the least anyone does is about 8/9
on normal delivery.Obviously with flex they are about a mile or two more personally I think flex is the worst thing ever brought in some days you look at your fitting(s)and say "and they want me to do more" , I think it's just shows how greedy
the managers are, they are making people ill but most really don't care.

[south London postie]

I'm a newbie only been in the job approx 5 months, on a HCT duty, 35 hr contract. It's damned hard work, i average 13 miles per day walking, hilly, very steep in places terrain, includes flats.

No sure about this. Average walking pace is about 3.5mph, so you are walking - not stopping for deliveries, just pushing the HCT at a decent pace - just under 4 hours a day.

I'd check that distance again if I were you.

[cpsteve]

Wow 13 miles i do 6/7 and thats tough you must be very fit, its normal to be tired after a hard days work i was tired when i was working 9/5 and sitting in traffic for up to two hours a day.

Only 6-7 miles!!!
How come your delivery is so small?
Is it made up entirely of tower blocks?

4 hours is my average day it was 4 1/2 today 50 floors 6 miles i have no idea how anyone can do 13 miles i take my hat of to you.