The First Setback

March 9th 2014 – Day 28

Day 1 Weight:    256lbs                                Day 1 Fitness:   Nil 
Day 28 Weight:  244lbs                                    Day 28 Fitness: Average

Week 3

Two weeks have already gone by and my training regime has hardly started in a blaze of glory. Never mind I have now booked on to the Kilimanjaro challenge and paid the joining fee so there really is no going back. All set for October 2014 with 7-8 months to get fit - piece of cake!!

I have followed the programme set out for me and encouragingly although feeling completely knackered at the end of each session have so far felt great the next morning. The bonus is that I am sleeping like a baby but without the dummy and nappies as that would be weird. I have turned 50 though so you never know I might have to revert back to nappies one day soon. That reminds me I must go to my GP for a check up.

Despite the encouraging start a couple of issues do exist. My flexibility is dreadful so the exercises I have been given are causing some twinges in the joints that are affecting my balance. I have made an executive decision to do those at home rather than make a total a..e of myself in a public place. It is not so much embarrassment as more a worry I will take someone down with me.

Midway through the week it was Marie's birthday. With my usual uncanny timing I chose that day to let Craig use my office only to be met with 2.5 tonnes of cake on the next desk to me. I sweated more that day than through any exercise session so far. Is this part of the mental challenge promised? Having avoided temptation all that day the following mid-morning I was feeling a bit peckish. I hovered over a remaining chocolate cookie debating whether to give in to temptation and finally risking it. Approximately 1/1000th of  a second after my fingers touched the cookie I heard 'Oi Kilimanjaro' ring out across the office as I slunk off in shame (still clutching the cookie though).

I got through unscathed to Friday, the day worryingly referred to as 'beasting day' by the gym instructor. I approached the gym with some trepidation but surprised myself that I got through it feeling pretty good and able to do a bit extra. I had to finish off with 3 sets of Burpees. I thought Burpees were what you did to babies after feeding time. All I can say is that I added them to the list of exercises to do at home as I realised my co-ordination is even worse than my balance. It felt like I was going to either break my nose or dislocate a shoulder or both. 

Week 4

At the start of week 4 I have now managed some exercise of between 1 and 2 hours a day for 10 days running. Then came a major setback. I am pleased to report that I haven't faltered but unfortunately the organising company have not had enough people register to complete the trip on the date I have chosen. I have been offered an alternative date but it clashes with another important event. So, at the time of writing the date I will be able to complete this challenge is uncertain. I will not know more until early April so in the meantime I will concentrate on getting fit. It may be I will have an extra 3 months or so to get fit so it is not all gloom.

I am now finding that on some days I can increase the difficulty level or time I spend exercising. I have missed a couple of days this week but that is due to spending many hours travelling. I am feeling a great deal fresher and so have been able to compensate by exercising for a little longer on the other days. I knew on the Tuesday that I would not be able to get to the gym and it actually started to pray on my mind, I have already reached the point that I felt I was missing going. This is a good sign so, when a pre-arranged post work drink came round on Friday, rather than feel guilty about it I thought of it more as a reward. After all everyone has got to have some fun. I did change my intake though, vodka and diet coke counts as a soft drink doesn't it?

At one of my first gym sessions I tried a fitness test programme on the exercise bike. A 5 minute exercise that requires maintaining a steady pace while the machine alters the resistance and measures your heart rate. I was encouraged at the end of the first attempt that the readout confirmed I was still alive, just! By the end of week 4 having exercised 18 out of the last 21 days I tried again. This time the readout confirmed my fitness as average, a start at least.

Now that I am booked in the Princes Trust and Charity Challenge will officially endorse my challenge. When that is done I will launch my donation page. In the meantime for more information about the Princes Trust visit the website at www.princes-trust.org.uk

Here is a photo of the challenge I face. Maybe one of the locals pictured can give me a lift.