Winter Prep and Snow Runs !

This cold spell is perfect training for Kilimanjaro. I love this time of year for running and realise that for me this is probably the best time to do any distance events. Although I have not entered a winter half marathon I am taking the opportunity to get out and run in these coldest conditions.

I went out this morning early with my dog Star... it only takes a minute or so to warm up and with Star racing ahead of me she gives me the incentive to keep on going ... never catch her though ... as they say "Never try to outrun your dog !"

I am also getting out and walking at every opportunity. Its hard sometimes to do this around work but making the effort is so worthwhile and if you can fit in a session before work it will energise you for the day. At the end of the day you can de-stress whilst out walking and get to use your headtorch if you venture into your local park.

I am also trying out all my kit. From my headtorch to my socks !!

Training Weekend and Meeting the Team

On 13th and 14th November Nigel kindly drove Grant, Antonio, Dan and me to meet up with the team in the Lake District. We stayed at the Briery Wood Hotel, just outside Windermere arriving at 6pm on the Friday evening.

Most of the team had already arrived, apart from George who had a great afternoon buying all his kit in Blacks in Oxford ! and didn't catch up with us until later in the evening. I dropped off my bags and soon met Allyson who had flown over from Dublin and we got on well straight away. We are sharing our tent on the mountain so it was great to meet at last :-). We all met in the bar and soon got chatting about Kilimanjaro, our training and the challenge ahead. Everyone is working hard with their training and fundraising so its going to be a busy few months with the final preparations.

During the weekend we had an excellent briefing from Maximum Adventure and went on some great walks with views over Lake Windermere. We were all pleased to meet Jaz our Mountain Guide who will be coming with us to Africa. He gave us some great tips on climb preparation and things to be aware of as a team with regard to climbing at high altitude.

Everyone went home feeling great and well informed on the challenge ahead... on with training and fundraising and roll on February 2nd !

My First Trail Run !

On the 17th October I took up the challenge of my first trail run. This was organised and sponsored by Blacks and North Face and their first trail race since the "Running Launch" in early October.

I have done lots of walking at Dunstable Downs and knew to run there would be a good challenge. I opted for the 5k ... a sensible choice as the hillwork involved was serious.

It was a chilly start to the day and I made sure I had the right kit to run. However the chill in the wind was felt by us all at the start.

There was a good turnout and some serious trail runners which added to the competitive spirit. We set off across the top of the Downs and I kept my steady pace. We soon went from the pathway to the more challenging muddy areas and seemed to gallop down the first hill. You really have to watch your footwork in these events and I was glad of my shoes with good grip. It felt great to run there and as we made our way across the bottom of the downs I was pleased with my pace. I knew the route we were taking and wondered at which point we would turn to go back up to the finish. It was a long haul and as we began the run back up I could feel my quads and glutes begin to hurt , then burn, but in my usual determination I just kept on going... glad of the gate for a pause and then off again.

The last 400 yards were agony but I could hear the crowd at the finish and just pushed forward. The last 50 yards I quickened my pace (which I always try to do for a good finish no matter what the time) and over the finish in 34 minutes. I was pleased with that and enjoyed the run .... will aim for the 10k next year !!

Mountains Make You Stronger !

Training is going well !! I had a great climb of Snowdon with CYM and took my son Ben along too for his first climb. The great thing about CYM is many people have not experienced the climbs before and its great to help out and encourage everyone and see how much they enjoy it !

Running continues and last weekend I completed the Bananaman 10k at Willen Lake ... it was a great morning with lots turning out to this event. A pic will follow !

Next weekend I am taking part in the Blacks 5k Trail run.... a new kind of challenge for me but should be fun as its a Trail run around Dunstable Downs. I have done lots of hikes here but not a trail run... so should be good ! and great training.

My job is going well.... working in retail is a new learning curve but I am meeting lots of interesting people and its good to advise them on the best kit to buy for their activities ! I met the legendary Ron Hill at the Blacks running launch and that was a very inspirational day.

So far, my fundraising for Breastcancercare has gone well. My friend Tracey hosted a lovely lunch event at her house for me and we had 27 ladies... we made over £900.00 which will go directly to Breastcancercare. I felt very emotional that day after the event.... some had lost close family due to breast cancer and it brought home to me my strong reasons for doing this climb for such an important cause.

If this charity was not in place the important research that has saved so many lives, including mine, would not have been in place.... I feel so lucky to be here and to be able to do this.

Summer Walks and Runs

So lovely with the good weather so we can really get out and about when we want to and make the most of it.!! Time has been limited for me this last couple of weeks. Once the school holidays set in my training plan went awol..... although my two are teenagers the taxi service does not stop and I like to keep them busy with their sport. Danielle is working for four weeks helping with the tennis camps at Shenley. Ben is booked into a couple of tournaments so that's good.

I have another challenge... finding a new job and that is proving more of a mountain than I expected.... another story !!

However.... the heart rate monitor has arrived and I am interestingly monitoring my heart rate while exercising. It seems I have to slow my pace when running... this works better for me. I have an underactive thyroid condition which means if I push the running pace up too much my energy levels are badly affected and it puts me out of exercise for a good few days.

Off to walk the hounds now.... Ben is helping me today... we have Bernie, Woody and Star to walk for one hour. Thats sixteen legs to trot round the lakes... glad the rain has passed over from yesterday.

Training Has Started

The heart is the most vital muscle to train in preparation for Kili so that it can pump blood more efficiently and deliver more oxygen. The cardiovascular system, your heart and lungs working together, is severely tested by climbing at altitude.

I am absolutely certain that my cardiovascular fitness from a few years of running challenges helped me during my last climb of Kili. I had lost loads of weight due to a chest infection which threatened the trip but three weeks prior to going in 2009 I managed to get my running distance back up to a 10k and I am sure this gave me the edge when I needed it most.

CV fitness improves if you exercise 3-6 times per week for at least half an hour with heart rate in your target zone, which is 70-85% of maximum heart rate. (Your maximum heart rate is worked our by deducting your age from 220). As your fitness improves, you have to work harder to push your heart to its target zone. Establishing your target zone and exercising within it is much easier if you use a heart rate monitor.... I need a new one so off to the shops for me. !

I have to confess that I have lulled myself into a false sense of security here. I can run a 10k at the moment and happily walk at a good pace for an hour. I think its time to start pushing the boundaries again. This can only be achieved by close attention to my training plan.... some dedicated gym work, walking and running with Climb Your Mountain, and some bootcamp sessions with FitMK, come rain or shine ! all perfect prep for Kilimanjaro.

Two weeks ago I took my son Ben on a trip to Snowdon with CYM... we all enjoyed a good climb in good conditions, ascent up Clamberis route and back down the miners track. The uneven rocky pathway and the more challenging walk down the steeper miners track resembled a typical day on Kilimanjaro... x that by six and you have an indication of what you are dealing with. Remembering of course that the higher you go on Kili the less oxygen there is so your heart is working harder and pumping faster.

Last Saturday a three hour hike to the Chiltern Hills was enjoyed by the CYM group... and later that day.... well midnight actually, I went to CMK and helped to lead the Moo Walk event for Willen Hospice, 10 miles through the night at a quick pace.... we didn't plan to race it but managed it in 2.40mins.... a great evening but boy has my backside felt the effects this week.

So 18 miles done at the weekend (that is and will be over and above the norm !) and 1 gym session and walk done so far this week. I have my gym session worked out thanks to help from Matt at David Lloyd so I will tell more about that in my next post..... looking forward to the weekend :-)

Some Facts about the Mountain

A journey to Mount Kilimanjaro is an exploration, not merely a climb. For some the appeal is simple... it is the highest summit on earth that is accessible to any committed walker without technical skills or experience. A mere city-dweller may be able to reach 'the roof of Africa'. This is the allure of the highest free-standing mountain in the world.

However, for each walker there is a personal gamble and the stakes are high; altitude symptoms are unpredictable. No amount of preparation can guarantee success. The only certainty is that everyone who takes up this challenge will reach deeply inside themselves during the ascent.

Reaching the summit is not the only goal: success lies rather in the quality of the attempt. Living a lot closer to nature than normal, you will explore your own motivation and recognise your dependency on others. On return from Kili, whether or not you summited, you will know more about your strengths and weaknesses, and about your fellow humans, than before.

The ascent of this mountain will take you from tropical rain forest to artic conditions among the summit glaciers. At sea level such contrasts would be 10,000 km apart. On Kilimanjaro, you walk from equator to pole in a few days.

High on Kilimanjaro winter drives out summer every night. This wild place is full of contrasts and extremes. Plants and animals struggle to survive in severe conditions of drought, artic, cold and blazing sunshine. As you make your way up the mountain life forms become simpler, species are fewer and survival more precious.

The mountain rises over three miles above the plain on which it stands, making it an outstanding landmark of East Africa. Climbing Kilimanjaro will test your physical and mental strength, increase your self awareness and perhaps your self belief.

Our Climb

We arrive at Kilimanjaro late on Wednesday 2nd February. Thursday 3rd February is an acclimatisation day. The climb itself starts on Friday 4th February via the Lemosho route. The Lemosho Route is an unspoilt, remote, little used and beautiful way up to the summit. Though one of the more challenging ways up it very much aides altitude acclimatisation.

Introduction

In early February this year I got an email from Nigel Payne who I met when I did my first climb of Kilimanjaro in 2009. Nigel said he was preparing to organise another climb of Kili in memory of his mother. Knowing that Breastcancercare is a cause close to my heart and also as we both successfully reached the summit of Kili in 2009, Nigel asked me if I would like to climb a second time with the group. It did not take me long to accept the invitation. I see this as a great challenge as I can help those first timers in the group and I can hopefully prepare myself better this time. Although, after speaking to my CYM friends, who climbed again this year, each attempt is different and who knows whether I can reach Uhuru Peak a second time.... we shall see !!

Sponsored by Sportingbet plc the climb is in support of The Injured Jockeys Fund and Breast Cancer. Further details can be found on our charity page. Thanks to Sportingbet we are able to assure donors that 100% of their donations (plus gift aid if appropriate) will be passed on to the charities without deduction.

I am looking forward to the preparation and training and also meeting the rest of the team later this year. I plan to record my training progress in this blog and look into some of the holistic ways of dealing with altitude sickness which should be interesting !

Thanks to my family who have given me their support and encouragement and to special friends for your support this year – you know who you are.