Painful Lessons

July 6th 2014 – Day 147

Day 1 Weight:      256lbs                                Day 1 Fitness:     Nil 
Day 147 Weight:  222lbs                                    Day 147 Fitness: Very Good

Weeks 19-20

On the whole I consider myself to be a glass half full kind of person. The contradictory sides of my personality are that when I am in work I am focused, organised and confident in my ability. Outside of work I focus only on what's coming up in the next 5 minutes, plan nothing unless it is absolutely essential and, as I have said before, demonstrate a 'can't be arsed' attitude far too often. Is that due to lack of confidence? I don't know you tell me!

However, I often look for things that inspire me, whether it be quotations, songs, stories from the news or history, something that reinforces the optimistic part of my personality. I have a very simple app on my iPad that displays a positive message and changes every day. It doesn't do anything else. I got up this morning and after the last week that I have had the message of the day was very apt.

The last fortnight started well. For the second Saturday running I hiked up Snowdon using the Rhyd Ddu path. This is nowhere near as difficult as the route I took the week before but does have some steep tricky bits. The weather was glorious and the views spectacular, probably the clearest I have ever seen it.

I managed the whole trek up and down in about 5 hours including stopping to eat my lunch at the top. It did teach me one or two things about how far I have progressed. Firstly, I was overtaking some younger people on the way up and passing them again when I was on the way down and they were still going up. Some people more or less ran past me but I ended up overtaking them, going at your own pace is a good thing. Even though it was a gloriously sunny day it can still be bloody cold on the mountain. Best of all though, I was still relatively fresh when I got back to my car. The bonus when I got back was this coming in to the railway station just as I got there.

The following day I got up early and went out for a bike ride, just a quick 45 miles. This despite somehow having managed to knacker the gears so that I could only either pedal furiously, without getting very far, or struggle over the slightest incline as though I was tackling Alp D'Huez in the Tour de France. Not to be too disheartened I dropped my bike in for some TLC the next day and went to the gym before having my hair cut very very short. I was going to shave it almost all off but bottled it at the last minute. It may have had something to do with the fact that the girl cutting it was gorgeous so I wanted to prolong the experience. Sorry but I can't help being very shallow.

Now the question I get asked the most since I started this whole shenanigans is who am I doing this with and the answer is that I am doing this on my own. All the training, walks, bike rides I am doing on my own. This not because I am antisocial, okay it partially is, but because my innate laziness has to be overcome if I am to stand any chance of getting to the  peak of Kilimanjaro. That means that I can't have anyone to blame for dragging me an extra five miles on the bike, or pushing me up Snowdon faster than I want to go. The Kilimanjaro challenge is, I am to understand, as much about pushing yourself mentally as the physical effort needed to get there. I need to find my own limits and push beyond them without help. My thinking being that when I get to Tanzania I will need the help of the others in the group when it is really needed not when I am climbing the steps to the plane at Heathrow. 

So after all this positive progress I was about to find out the hard way what I was or wasn't capable of. The weekend after the 2nd attempt at Snowdon I went to the gym on the Saturday morning; mainly due to the weather being miserable I thought I would stay indoors. Before doing my workout I decided to retry the fit test on the exercise bike to see if it recorded my improvement. I set the test at level 12, as I had every other time, and pedalled along for 5 minutes keeping at the pace dictated by the machine. At the end of the 5 minutes it reported that my heart rate hadn't reached the required level so I should increase the difficulty. So, I moved the setting to level 13 and set off pedalling. After the 5 minutes was up I received the same message as before. Did this mean the machine was broken? Did it mean I was now dead and that's why it couldn't find a pulse? Anyway, not to be beaten I upped the level to 14 and had another go. This time it came back with a score and recorded my fitness as excellent. I wouldn't go that far but a real boost.

Full of confidence I got up early Sunday morning, saw the sun was shining, checked the forecast which said it was going to be dry all day and decided to go for a walk. I focused on a route in mind that would be 20 something miles and was away from public transport for the most part. Therefore, I would have to keep walking no matter what if I wanted to get home. Mistake number 1 was to put on a pair of old trainers. Mistake number 2 was to put on trainer socks rather than hiking socks. I made these wrong decisions on the basis that the chosen route was almost entirely flat.

Everything was going well for about 6-7 miles when my feet started to hurt. Unusual I thought to myself as I have walked much further than this with no problem. Carrying on, as I had to I reached about 14 miles when I stopped to have some lunch, By this time my heels and toes were hurting and I thought taking my shoes off for 20 minutes or so would help. I set off again eventually reaching the train station at Freshfield. Now any sensible person at this point would have hopped on to the train. Nobody ever accuses me of being sensible and gets away with it. Onwards I went down to the Squirrel reserve, treating myself to an ice cream at the car park before walking on towards Formby. Eventually I reached a point where I was about 500 yards from Formby train station. I made the only sensible choice and took the path to Hightown. By the time I got to the end of the path just by Hightown Station any last vestiges of common sense had now been completely discarded. 'I have got this far' , I thought to myself, 'so I may as well carry on', to the Coastguard Station at Hall Road. As I set off I was thinking should I carry on beyond Hall Road to the Swimming Pool at Crosby as it would only add another 2 or 3 miles on to the route. Even though my feet had been troubling me for the previous 4-5 hours I was still think of going further. The final decision to make the last mile home came when I got to the Coastguard Station and could not justify walking like a Neanderthal anymore with my knuckles scraping the floor. I arrived at my front door and checked my phone app which had recorded I had walked 25.5 miles in just under 8 hours. 

Whilst having a long soak in the bath I was feeling very proud  of myself for keeping going no matter how much my feet were hurting. I was also realising that on Kilimanjaro after a day's trekking there would be no hot bath, no comfy sofa and no cold beer in the fridge waiting for me. My toes were recovering but my heels were tingling, like really bad pins and needles, but I just thought it was down to the fact that I had been walking for 8 hours. It was when drying off I saw the real damage. Imagine a hard boiled egg, Slice it evenly down the middle and put the two halves on the back of your heels. That was pretty much the size of the blisters. I have had blisters before but nothing like these. 

The next morning I could not get any shoes on, no footwear of any kind. Even flip flops were painful because of where the blisters had formed. I managed to hobble round to the pharmacy were one of the assistants took pity and gave me a seat whilst she went round as my personal shopper. So there I was sat with the pensioners getting there prescriptions just to add a layer of embarrassment to the pain. 

Just to compound the problem the blisters were so sore I didn't do any training for 5 days. It is amazing after just a few days how hard that first training session is but I am back on it now. 

There is a positive to take from this. I know now that I can keep on walking for many miles even when my body is telling me to stop, something I am probably going to have to do. I found a way of focusing on little targets to keep on walking, something I would never have done before. Which brings me neatly round to the positive message displayed on my iPad this morning.

'Sometimes you must fight and win, just because all the pain and suffering you experienced up to this point on your quest would be rendered futile if you were to surrender now.'

You see, sometimes there a point to this drivel.

Please help keep me motivated by visiting Marks Just Giving Page 

or TEXT code MPTC50 £amount to 70070 e.g. MPTC £5

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For more information about the Princes Trust visit the website at www.princes-trust.org.uk

Mark

The Only Way is Up - Apart from the Detours

June 21st 2014 – Day 133

Day 1 Weight:      256lbs                                Day 1 Fitness:     Nil 
Day 133 Weight:  226lbs                                    Day 133 Fitness: Above Average

Weeks 17-18

When I get up in the morning and before I go to bed I take a look in the mirror and try to figure out who the imposter is. I don't remember anyone sneaking in to my house and placing a large pod next to me while I sleep but the bodysnatchers have definitely been up to no good.

I don't claim to be supremely fit but I now do things I could not have dreamt of a few months ago. The confidence that I may be able to do this is growing but work gets in the way. I would be going on long walks and bike rides every day if I could. Instead I manage an hour to an hour and half in the gym most days but it isn't enough. Yes this really is me talking.

Getting on my bike after work and going for a 20 mile ride before getting home and cooking myself something to eat is frustrating. Frustrating because I want to ride for longer but hunger and the need to get up for work the next day takes over.

The need to lose more weight continues but I am putting so much exercise time in that my appetite has gone through the roof. I now struggle to get the balance right but at least in the sense that I am not putting weight on. Even so, I have now reached the half way point towards my ultimate target of 60lbs. Strangely, once I had hit that point, in the space of about 24 hours well over 20 people commented on how much they could see the difference. These are people I see almost every day but it was almost as though I had hit a switch and my body shape changed. I always knew wearing a bigger shirt was the answer. Actually it isn't I am lying. When I started on this ludicrous adventure I could just about cram myself into XXL shirts and T-shirts, I had to breath in and pull my stomach in to button my waist size 42 trousers. I am not even joking either. I started to struggle to actually be able to buy clothes that fitted. A couple of days ago I got up for work and didn't have a clean ironed shirt, no time for ironing. I delved into the darkest recesses of my wardrobe for a shirt I could get away with and there was one that looked half decent. I put it on, buttoned it up and then realised if I tried to move I would rip it apart at the seems. I took it off looked at the label and it was a medium. Medium! Medium! I must have bought that before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Still, medium! Also bought a pair of trek pants for when I get into the mountains with a 36 waist so everything is moving in the right direction.

I have started walking into work a bit more regularly or taking my bike. Rather than take a direct route I zigzag my way so that it takes me an hour and a half each way walking. If I get away early enough, and I am not too hungry, I extend that to a couple of hours on the way home.

I have also become obsessed with the weather forecasts, I am British after all. The point is I am constantly trying to assess what the weather is going to be like to plan indoor or outdoor exercise. At the moment I still have not risked investing in quality wet weather gear as it would probably be a waste of money so fair weather is still a must. 

With this new found obsession in place, my dad would be proud, I set off to have my first attempt at Snowdon. I decided on the Miners Path, a gentle start with a steep climb in the middle before a relatively easy final bit to the summit. I set off at a brisk pace reaching the lake in no time. As I looked up towards the summit and the saw the clouds really high and all set for a fine day the ridges at Y Lliwedd looked quite inviting so I decided to go that way.

I had not climbed Snowdon this way before and after about 40 minutes it was obvious why. It is a lot steeper than the picture suggests and there isn't anything that could even loosely be called a path. After about another 30 minutes of picking my way through and up the rocky 'trail' I was no nearer the top and for the first time since I started this whole hoopla thought to myself no, stop, go back it's easier. I didn't stop, I persevered and eventually reached the top only to be faced with the next ridge being even higher and even more precarious. I carried on and reached the top. Except the next summit was higher again. By this stage it was as hard to carry on as to go back. So i thought to myself at least I can get the train down and it won't be so bad for a first go. However, my conscience was screaming Kilimanjaro will be harder, don't give in! I persevered and what a reward at the top, the view across the cauldron was just spectacular.  

I set off down looking for the respite of a relatively easy trail on the way to the summit of Snowdon. My a..e took a bit of a battering sliding and scrambling across rocks and finally meeting another hardy soul going the other way. After swapping notes I carried on readying myself for the final scramble up to the top of Snowdon. I looked back to see what I had crossed. 

If it had looked like that going up I would have stuck to my original plan to ascend all the way up via the Miners track. What a reward though.

By now the clouds were closing in on the summit and visibility was down to about 30 yards as I entered the clouds. Remarkably it was still warm enough to stay in a T-Shirt and it didn't rain so it was comfortable despite the poor visibility. Not being able to see the summit though meant that the fatigue in my legs was all I could focus on as I could not tell how close I was to finishing the climb, even though I knew it couldn't be very far. As I finally reached the last 150 feet it was like Piccadilly Circus. I had only seen maybe 4 people in 3.5 hours and now the final assault was hampered by so many people at the top. I was 50 feet from the top when I had to stop and sit down but my head was screaming no, no, no don't stop now it doesn't matter how tired you are. On I went to the very top, and as I did the clouds dispersed and the sun came out.

Now the Snowdon Railway is a wonderful thing. But it really is galling  when you get to the top and can't move for people who have come up on the train. No problem with that if you're old or infirm but when you're young(ish) and relatively fit(ish) don't put walking boots on to get on a train. And if you're wearing high heels I might just tell you to f... .ff! Especially if you're a bloke.

I sat close to the summit for 45 minutes taking in some food and drink and set off down the Pyg Track. All the way down my knees were taking a pounding and I thought 'I am going to suffer for this tomorrow'.

About 6.5 hours after setting off I finally reached the end of the trail and although feeling the effects a little bit I was relatively fresh. Feeling very proud of myself I set off on the drive home.

Sunday morning came and valuable lesson no. 5 came along. I can train as much as I like in the gym, go for 20 mile walks or 40 mile bike rides but nothing prepares you for descending down a mountain until you descend down a mountain. All those muscles I haven't used before were now stiff and strained. My knees though were fine. So the training is paying off because I was able to persevere on a difficult ascent. I just need to do it more often now so that I can prepare for the descents.

"I can almost see it
That dream I am dreaming
But there's a voice inside my head saying
"You'll never reach it"But I gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held highAin't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb"


Please help keep me motivated by visiting Marks Just Giving Page 

or TEXT code MPTC50 £amount to 70070 e.g. MPTC £5

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For more information about the Princes Trust visit the website at www.princes-trust.org.uk

Mark

The Proclaimers and Minor Triumphs

June 1st 2014 – Day 112

Day 1 Weight:      256lbs                                Day 1 Fitness:     Nil 
Day 112 Weight:  227lbs                                    Day 112 Fitness: Above Average

Weeks 15-16

After a couple of stop start weeks my progress in losing weight stalled a little bit and moved down by a whole 1lb in 4 weeks. This is usually the bit where frustration and an attitude of 'what is the point' will kick in. I will start eating rubbish, stuff my face with chocolate and put all the weight back on again. It is not that I hadn't been doing any exercise, I had been going to the gym regularly.

A lengthy night out in town drinking plenty of beer, red wine, vodka and Jack Daniels, a great meal, some fantastic live music and leaving the last bar at 4.30 in the morning, led to a monumental hangover, my first in months. That inevitably led to writing off a day and a big attack of the munchies. I arose invigorated by a good sleep and a weigh in showing my weight had stayed the same. I took that as a very positive sign so after a light breakfast I set off on my bike to cycle to Southport and back with the Pier as my goal. I got to the Pier and felt fresh so I carried on towards Preston, stopping to turn round when I realised I had no idea where I was so thought it safer to retrace my route. By the time I got home I had ridden just over 40 miles in about 3.5 hours. The padded cycling shorts really did the business as remarkably I could still sit down afterwards.

For most of the following week I put in some long sessions in the gym and on one day walked to work and back in a bit of a roundabout way so it was not too easy, about 1.5 hours each way.

It was during this time I started to realise the progress I was making, 40 mile bike ride in one go? Not me? To think back to the middle of February when after 15 mins in the gym, on very gentle settings, I was slumped in a chair trying not to throw up with the gym instructor getting me to breathe deeply and take in water.

A few things happened that really started to boost the confidence and realisation that maybe, just maybe, I can do this if I keep focusing. I was doing some bench presses with dumbbells. Now, although I have increased the weights by 40% I was not approaching anything you could call a tough exercise. However, as I was working through my sets I was conscious of another guy coming to use the bench next to me. I could then here the grunts and groans as he started to push his weights. I swear, I could hear the sweat oozing from his pores due to the effort. When I had finished and sat up I looked across and saw that this guy was less than half my age and his weights were 4 kilo's lower than mine. In my head a did a lap of honour shouting yes, yes, yes! I had the urge to kiss someone but unfortunately Britain's Next Top Model hasn't been in for a while.

The day after I was running through some cardio exercises. I did a warm up of 2k on the rower in a little over 9 minutes at maximum resistance, I couldn't do 300m at setting 5/10 without stopping at the beginning of March. I immediately got on to the exercise bike and tried a new exercise. I chose the fat burn session which required me to get my heart rate up to 80% of its max, slow down and then bring it back up, the machine determining the resistance level as it measures your rate. I set off thinking this was too easy as the machine gradually increased the resistance. After ten minutes I was thinking the machine was broke as I was no where near the heart rate. I persevered and eventually the machine reached the maximum level of 20 and despite the burning in my legs and the sweat pouring out of me like water out of a kettle it took close to 20 minutes to reach the maximum heart rate. Again thinking back to March I could just about manage 10 minutes on level six. I finished that exercise and then did a quick 30 minute session on the treadmill and then 30 minutes on the cross-trainer both at Level 13. Despite all that I got up the next day without any aches or pains. It was then the penny started to drop that this really is working.

Flushed with success I went off into Snowdonia and had a walk up Moel Hebog that lies behind Beddgelert. It is not massively high but is fairly steep on the way up and almost vertical coming down the other side. It was a good exercise in seeing how my knees and toes coped on the way down and the answer is very well. It was a beautiful day and some of the views across Snowdonia were spectacular. The Ice Cream parlour in Beddgelert is worth a visit too.

The following day I got on my bike and rode from home to Otterspool Park via the Pier Head and Albert Dock, about 34 miles in total. Despite a mountain hike the day before a bike ride of that length was no problem. Okay it may not be very strenuous but this is me, lazy b.....d, we're talking about here. This is real progress.

The long walks and bike rides over the last couple of weeks have been solo efforts without music or podcasts for company. I need to test myself against the urges to stop, give in and go home. I only have what is in my head for company. The reason for doing this is that I need to know, when the time comes, if I will be mentally strong enough to continue when my feet hurt or I need a good sleep. The good news is I am now starting to think that it really is possible for a completely unfit, overweight lazy git to do this. The bad news is when left alone with only my own thoughts not a lot goes on in my head. 

Where do the Proclaimers come in I here you ask? Well I don't I am just surmising you want to know why the Proclaimers are in the title of this latest ramble. You see, when I started on this programme I bought something called a Fitbit Tracker, a wrist band that measures the number of steps I take daily, amongst other things. Today it reported that I have walked 500 miles since I started and I am going to walk 500 more. (audience groans!) 

However, here is a little pic that shows progress. A way to go but you have to start somewhere, 2 stone down, 2 to go.

Thanks for all the support and encouragement.

"Now if I was in your shoes
I might look at me and think
There's a fool
But I'm not in your shoes
And I don't have to play"


Please help keep me motivated by visiting Marks Just Giving Page 

or TEXT code MPTC50 £amount to 70070 e.g. MPTC £5

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For more information about the Princes Trust visit the website at www.princes-trust.org.uk

Mark

The Lonely Antler

May 18th 2014 – Day 98

Day 1 Weight:    256lbs                                Day 1 Fitness:   Nil 
Day 70 Weight:  230lbs                                    Day 98 Fitness: Above Average

Weeks 11-14

The last few weeks have been a bit stop start and also frustrating. On the one hand I haven't been getting to the gym as often as I need to yet on the other I have done some things that 10 weeks ago I wouldn't have dreamt of doing. Anyone who suggested them would have thought I had tourette's such would have been the response. The weight loss has slowed considerably but I am still in line with the target I set myself. I need to focus more than ever now.

I have been to the gym a few times but machines haven't been working or I haven't been able to get on them meaning my gym workouts have been shorter. Also my first hill walk over Easter culminated in a jarred knee on the descent which meant I couldn't train for 4 or 5 days. Even now I can still feel the odd twinge but it doesn't stop me.

I intended to get out into Snowdonia over the first May Bank Holiday but the weather forecast was far worse than it turned out to be. Having done some hill walking many years ago I am well aware of how the weather can change and without the proper gear you can get into a bit of bother. So it is frustrating the the forecasts turned out nothing like the reality.  

There has been no sign of Britain's Next Top Model in the gym for a few weeks. However, I was informed by a fellow member in a state of high excitement that 8 lap dancers had joined  all at the same time. Despite hanging around the gym for 15 hours a day there has not been any sign of them so I think he was making it up to get me to go in.

For the 2nd weekend in May I headed over to Jersey for a few days to visit my brother. Full of good intentions to stay healthy I walked from the airport to St. Helier, went out to buy a mountain of fruit and then went to the pub until 2 in the morning. The landlord kept supplying various shots until the early hours having insisted on a stay behind, it would have been churlish to say no. Whoever thought liquorice Sambuca was a good idea for a drink needs serous help, as did my head the next morning. However, on Saturday afternoon I went for a 7 mile walk from St. Helier to Gorey to blow away the cobwebs and then got the bus back so we could go out to the pub again.

Sunday was spent in the pub as it was the last day of the football season, it has to be done. On Monday I went for another 6-7 mile walk from St. Aubin to St. Ouens for a pub lunch. Then out in the evening for a final few beers. So all in all a healthy weekend.

I weighed myself when I got home to find I had gained 1lb in weight which I thought was a good result.

I have purchased some padded cycling shorts so that I can have the odd bike ride, weather permitting. I set off on my bike to find a nice walking route into work that would avoid most of the traffic fumes. Having found a good 5.5 mile route I set off back home and on a whim just decided to keep going. After about 26-27 miles I was really hungry so set off back home managing 32 miles in total. The padded shorts did help for the most part but I am still full of admiration for professional cyclists, how they can sit on a bike for hours a day everyday is beyond me. Even so, me on a bike for over 30 miles in one go is a bit of a miracle. The good news is that it was hunger that stopped me going further so I am not sure how far I could have gone. 

I have plotted a good 5.5 mile route into work that takes me approx 1.5 hours to walk carrying a full rucksack. I have tried it once but will be doing this regularly from now on.

I thought I would try a long walk just to see how my feet would cope in the boots, and how I would cope carrying a big rucksack. I decided to walk to Southport Pier from home having estimated the distance as 17-18 miles, depending upon the route I took. Saturday came, and I rose from bed at 7 am to be greeted with glorious sunshine. I filled my rucksack full of food, drinks and superfluous other stuff just to fill it. I made a decision to risk shocking the public by putting on a pair of shorts. My legs haven't seen sunlight in years so to describe them as white doesn't really do them justice. 

I took full precautions and slapped on some SPF30 having learnt from my excursion to Moel Famau. I set off to the Sefton Coastal path and everything was beautifully serene with only the sound of birdsong and me swearing as I forced my way through some stinging nettles. Having filled a 40l rucksack, I am sure I could have found space for some Savlon but decided it would be best if I left it in the bathroom cabinet at home. After all I have to get used to a bit of mental suffering.

I surprised myself by getting as far as Formby Point before I felt like I needed a drink, of water that is not beer!. The first time I went out in my boots I got to the end of my road so this bodes well. I ploughed on through the Pinewoods and then decided to divert to Freshfield and pick up the Fisherman's path. Following the path through to the Coast road I first navigated the notorious rail crossing and a few golf balls. I am certain the golfers wait for a walker or cyclist and treat the crossing as a duck shoot. 

I left the path at the coast road into Southport. I decided to stop and have some lunch when I got to the beach at Ainsdale. I haven't been to that part of the beach since family trips out out there as kids and it was great to see so many people enjoying what was a glorious day, it was like revisiting a really good childhood memory.

Having stopped and found a nice place to have my lunch in the dunes I set back off to join the cycle path on the coast road. When I set off my legs, knees and feet screamed at me to stop, it seems my body shuts down when I stop and it takes me 10 minutes or so to wake it up again. Having got back into a rhythm I focused on getting to the Pier. I was amazed at the amount of junk at the side of the road. The usual odd trainer, a couple of t-shirts and empty beer cans. One thing stood out and for whatever reason I found it quite sad. Lying there on the side of the road was a single stuffed antler. What happened to the other one? Is there a child somewhere with their reindeer hat and only one antler? I think the sun beating down on me was starting to have an affect.

I finally reached the Pier after a little over 5 hours and 17 miles. I treated myself to a 99 with a flake and raspberry sauce before walking to the station to get the train home. I have to say I wasn't pleasant to sit next to on the train having spent five hours in the sunshine carrying a full rucksack. If I wasn't me I wouldn't have sat next to me! On the plus side my feet were aching a bit and they did feel like they were now about 3 sizes too big for the boots but I think I could have walked a bit longer.

I got home and the first job was to have a shower. The hot water on the back of my legs was very painful. It was then I realised that I had forgotten to put the SPF30 on my legs. As the sun was behind me almost all the way I didn't really need any on my face but the back of my legs were now bright red, the front still being milky white. Just to add insult to injury I also have tennis players sock marks so my legs look utterly ridiculous. This picture isn't me but it is very close to what I look like.

So all in all my weight hasn't reduced much in the last few weeks but I know my ability to walk for long periods is getting there. To make sure I am ready I have set myself another target by booking myself on to the 3 Peaks challenge, Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowden in 48 hrs. I will be doing that approximately 4 weeks before the big one.

Bring it on!

Please help keep me motivated by visiting Marks Just Giving Page 

or TEXT code MPTC50 £amount to 70070 e.g. MPTC £5

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For more information about the Princes Trust visit the website at www.princes-trust.org.uk

Mark

Kilimanjaro 1

April 20th 2014 – Day 70

Day 1 Weight:    256lbs                                Day 1 Fitness:   Nil 
Day 70 Weight:  233lbs                                    Day 70 Fitness: Above Average

Week 9 / 10

I have now had confirmation that the trip is on for October this year. There really is no turning back now and the focus on improving my fitness is ever more sharp. 

I will say at the outset the level of interest and support I have been getting is really heartwarming and does encourage me to stay focused. However, my previous attitude of "can't be arsed" to just about everything is a bit of a hard label to shake; and has led to some conversations where my inner voice is screaming "do you really think I'm that stupid?" Admittedly the answer I would get is probably yes if I said it out loud and I would only have myself to blame. So, to avoid any confusion over this matter here are a few answers to some FAQ's

• The trip takes 11 days and no it isn't a holiday. However, I do hope for it to be an amazing experience.
• Yes I do not what I am getting myself into
• Yes I do know I have to get fit
• Yes I do know I have to lose weight
• Yes I do know that just going to the gym will not be enough and that I have to go hill walking
• Yes I do know going for a walk on the roads is not enough and I have to go hill walking
• Yes I do know people have to deal with lack of oxygen at high altitudes
• Yes I do know it can be potentially dangerous
• Yes I do know I have to walk for hours on end day after day
• Yes I do know I will be sleeping in a tent.

And for the benefit of 1 person who was amazed I hadn't instantaneously developed the physique of Mo Farah I haven't lost 4 stone in weight overnight. I want to lose it gradually so as not to cause any other health issues. I am very happy that your friend lost 10 stone in weight in 8 months. I am really sorry to hear that they are frequently off work with health issues, I wonder why that is?

I have been my own worst enemy when it comes to staying focused on anything and at least I know that I am being asked these questions out of support and concern because they are all followed by words of encouragement. Thank you everyone. This is though an opportune time to give a little information about the challenge.

Kilimanjaro is the highest free standing mountain in the world at 19,334 feet or 5,893 meters. To put that in context Snowden is 3,560 feet or 1,085 meters, Everest Base Camp is   17,598 feet or 5,364 metres. So pretty big then. The route I will be taking is the Rongai Route, this is described as the easiest way up (hooray!!) as it allows the longest time to acclimatise to the high altitude and increases the chance of reaching the top. The whole trek is 8 days, 6 up and 2 down but day 6/7 run into one very long day. I doubt though that there will be any actual running. 

Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano but gases are still being emitted near the summit. The last major eruption was 360,000 years ago, I remember it well as it was the last time David Moyes won a game at one of the 'Big Four' away fixtures.

Nobody knows where the name Kilimanjaro comes from. However, what is known is that, according to the Kilimanjaro National Park, only 41% of people who attempt to reach the summit do, most people get to approx 300m from the summit and turn back. That would be so frustrating. There is a high mortality rate amongst those who try to climb it, worse even than Everest but there are reasons given for this mainly that:

• more people try it than Everest and;
• too many people think it is easy and try to do it too fast and get themselves into trouble. They don't listen to advice and push on, usually it is bravado on the part of people who consider themselves as in perfect health and at the peak of fitness. You know the type, the ones who spend too much time admiring themselves in the mirror at the gym.

By trouble I mean severe altitude sickness. I have lots of information on the symptoms and effects and there is some scary stuff in there. Some of the less scary stuff is

• Loss of memory
• Confusion and irrational behaviour
• Decreasing mental status
• Inability to walk in a straight line
• Decreased co-ordination
• Loss of memory

I experience all of those now so how will the guides tell the difference? I will absolutely be listening to every bit of advice from the guides and medics and if they say stop I am stopping. I have spoken to my GP, and to a few people who have done this or something similar before, and they all confirm the advice from the tour guides.That is, nobody knows who will or will not get altitude sickness and how bad if they do.

Meanwhile the training continues and I have had a couple of minor triumphs. Britain's Next Top Model was showing noticeable beads of sweat last time she was in. I don't know whether that was caused by the exercise or the heat being given off from the flames leaping up off the treadmill due to the speed she was running. On some of the machines you can run them in hybrid mode to save energy (electricity not mine) and at the end of your session it tells you how much energy you have saved. I can manage to run a 15w light bulb for 75 minutes. BNTM can power Blackpool's illuminations for a month. 

Went out for a trial hill walk to break the boots in and around Foel Fenli and Moel Famau, it really is a beautiful spot. It was gorgeous sunny day and I found a longer walk up to avoid the Bank Holiday crowds, took about 3.5 hours in all with one or 2 steep bits and a couple of other peaks. 

I didn't have any problems with the boots and now know I can walk for longer than that on a hill walk. The next task is to get a rucksack so I can take more gear and rations with me. At the moment I am limited by how far I can go under my own steam with nothing to eat and carrying only a bottle of water.  Also, I need sun tan lotion so I don't look like I have really high blood pressure by the time I get home.

I finished the bank holiday weekend by having a spending spree in the Cotswold Outdoor Shop. I am gradually building up the kit to go with the boots so now have my main kitbag, rucksack, hats, gloves, flasks and drinks bottles all banked. There is no longer any excuse now not to go out on some longer walks.

Keep pushin' on

Please help keep me motivated by visiting Marks Just Giving Page 

or TEXT code MPTC50 £amount to 70070 e.g. MPTC £5

You can also follow me on Facebook

For more information about the Princes Trust visit the website at www.princes-trust.org.uk

Mark

The Invisible Wall

April 6th 2014 – Day 56

Day 1 Weight:    256lbs                                Day 1 Fitness:   Nil 
Day 42 Weight:  238lbs                                    Day 42 Fitness: Above Average

Week 7

Training is now becoming the norm and I feel guilty if for any reason I don't think I am going to be able to fit in a gym session. This is a major step forward for me but I know that this is the dangerous time. I have made many abortive attempts to lose weight and after a few weeks the low boredom threshold is reached and any good work starts to get lost. Before I know where I am I have put all the weight back on and a few additional ones.

I had a couple of days off work and with the weather being reasonable thought I would give my new trekking boots a try. Armed with only a bottle of water I thought I would go for a walk along the coast and see how far I got before the feet hurt whilst staying reasonably close to the rail line so I could get home. 3.5 hours later I had reached Freshfield, having discovered the joys of the Sefton Coastal Path, before I decided I really needed to eat something. I had managed 13 miles in total when I got caught in a torrential downpour so cheated and went 2 stops on the train until it was dry. I am not sure how far I would have got before giving in but I managed 14 miles at about 20 minutes per mile. Not being used to wearing boots the biggest problem was that my ankles felt a bit tender but my feet were fine other than being so hot I could have fried eggs on them.

Flushed with success I went to the gym the next day and programmed 30km into the exercise bike to see how long it took me. 65 minutes was the answer, but I didn't really want to sit down for the rest of the day. I have said it before, I am so glad I haven't chose a bike challenge. 

I spent a large chunk of the following day going through my clothes and have but 2 black bin bags of clothes in the recycling bins. I now do not own any clothes that fit me properly. To make them fit I have to lose more weight. A bit extreme but if I am going to be spending money on new clothes I would rather it is on smaller ones than replacing bigger sizes.

As well as the weight I have lost 4 inches off my waistline and 1.5 inches off my neck so it is moving in the right direction.

The big problem now with the clothes I do have is that rather than just being out of fashion as I usually am, I am now wearing some clothes that were out of fashion 6 years ago and show no sign of coming back in.

The week ended with a quiet drink in Crosby. I went to the bar only to be questioned about my commitment to my training. Spies everywhere keeping me on track!!

Week 8

This has been a problem week. I have picked up a niggling injury to my ankle. Nothing serious but I can feel it when I walk. I can't really push myself to jog and even inclines on the treadmill or brisk walking pace put strain on it. I am still able to use the exercise bike and the cross trainer but cannot push myself that bit further at the moment. My weight has stayed static this week and this is the point now that I really have to focus on the ultimate goal. This is the point where it is easy to lose heart.

I know I just need to get through to a point where this strain has gone and I can push myself as I am so much fitter than I was 7 weeks ago. Although I haven't been able to train as well my score on the fitness test in the gym has still moved up another 1.3 points. Need to get a T-Shirt with this on.

I set off on Saturday to do a bit of gentle hill walking to further try the boots, but after less than half an hour I could feel the strain on my ankle and at this point I don't want to make it worse. At least I had a nice drive out to the countryside. 

Having aborted the walk I found myself at home in time for the Grand National. Having promised myself I wouldn't waste any money on a bet I did succumb, online betting is a curse, and found myself 160 pounds heavier in the wallet. Not all gloom then and the winnings can go to my next visit to the outdoor shop.

Midweek I was having a very gentle try of the treadmill to test how things were going when I had the misfortune to find Britain's Next Top Model come in and again get on the machine next to me. If that wasn't bad enough this time she brought a friend who must have been the runner up. The only 2 machines available were either side of me. I should be really enjoying being sandwiched between a couple of stunners. However, limping and wheezing along at 6km per hour is very humbling when they are sprinting along and chatting to each other like they would if they were sitting on a sofa. They could at least have the good grace to have a couple of beads of sweat, but not a sign. I did the only sensible thing and slunk off to the other side of the gym to get on the rower.  

Also this week I have been contacted by Charity Challenge. They still do not have enough takers on the date I have booked but they are trying to merge two separate groups. I hope to have some further news this week.

Please help keep me motivated by visiting Marks Just Giving Page 

or Text code MPTC50 to 70070 with amount you wish to donate e.g. £5

You can also follow me on Facebook

For more information about the Princes Trust visit the website at www.princes-trust.org.uk

Solo lo mejor!!

Mark

My Life as I Know It

March 23rd 2014 – Day 42

Day 1 Weight:    256lbs                                Day 1 Fitness:   Nil 
Day 42 Weight:  239lbs                                    Day 42 Fitness: Above Average

Week 5

The Princes Trust has now endorsed my challenge with the organisers. All I need now is the confirmation of the date that the trip will take place. Charity Challenge have sent me some information I will need, so much of it that I hope to finish reading it before I get to Tanzania. In the meantime I am just getting on with my fitness training.

I am certain that there is an imposter in my house who is a doppelgänger of myself. It certainly isn't me who is getting up early, going to the gym 6 days a week, and gets up on Saturdays and Sundays before 9 rather than the usual crack of noon.

My fitness has improved to the extent that I can now take in what is going on around me in the gym rather than just trying to get through it. Some things amuse me and some are down right annoying. When I am struggling along on the treadmill to get through my programme the last thing I need is an advert for Britains Next Top model on the next machine running 30% faster than me, without breaking sweat, and still having time to read her text messages and do her hair. I am sure you're lovely but can you please just move along and do something else you're embarrassing me. 

On the other hand, if you are like me and you really need to be on that treadmill and working hard to get fit it may, just may, be a suggestion to actually turn it on. I don't think it counts saying I have spent an hour in the gym if you don't actually do anything. 

Some useful things I have learnt: 

• Chafing is a problem particularly when jogging.
• I think I need a sports bra
• Even though I am fitter, using the stairs to the 6th Floor in work is still a b.....d!

So far the healthy eating regime is not proving too bad. No takeaways, lots of vegetables and fruit. When I really need something sweet or a quick snack I have found cereal bars to be a good substitute for a choccy bar. Well it isn't really, I am lying, but they are tasty enough to mean that I haven't felt the need to indulge in cake or sweets........yet!

Week 6

I woke up to start the week with my first injury, to my right foot. I have no idea how I did it as it was fine the day before when I was at the gym. It was very painful to walk on. This was critical milestone number 2, the first being committing to do this in the first place. All day Monday the demons in my head were telling me not to go to the gym while the angels were telling me to still do something. In the past the demons would have won the day but this time they didn't.

Of course having signed up to a trekking challenge an injury to my foot is not a good start, it could have been an arm or shoulder but no I had to pick a foot, typical. Even so, I was pleasantly surprised at having gone 5 weeks without picking up a strain of any sort, must be doing something right.

I walked into the gym and Chris, the instructor who gave my programme, seemed genuinely pleased when he saw me and remarked how much better I was looking already. This was a bit of a boost and later on thought probably for him too. There is probably endless people who turn up full of good intentions, and then do bugger all, so to have someone who has actually made a real effort must make it seem worthwhile.

I had to avoid any impact training for a few days so spent a lot of time on the exercise bike. Thank goodness I haven't chosen a bike challenge, chafing would be the least of my problems.

Sunday arrived and I felt confident enough to try a bit of jogging, I really should have got that sports bra. I also tried doing the fitness test again. This time the readout says my fitness level is above average with a score of 40.4, it was 27 the first time I did it.  I don't know what the scale is on the score but I think the exercise bike must be a bit faulty. I can't believe I have improved from clinically dead to above average fitness in such a short space of time but I'll take it.

After the gym I went to Cotswold Outdoor shop in Liverpool to invest in some hiking boots. I had the good fortune that one of the staff did Kilimanjaro last year so he was able to give really good advice on the right boots to buy. Here is a photo to prove it really is on now

He has also given me a good insight in to what to expect and pointed out a few things he says nobody tells you before you go:

• The combination of high altitude and the amount of water you have to drink means you spend half the time peeing, and peeing makes you light headed at very high altitude.
• There is lots of very fine back volcanic ash so everyone looks like they are wearing black lipstick and are constantly blowing there nose to clear it out.
• You start to feel the effects of high altitude from about 2500m. At first It feels a bit like a bad hangover so I should be used to that. After that it is pot luck as to who gets it and how bad.
• On his group one person was sent down on day 2, if the medic says you don't go any further you don't go any further no matter how much you want too.
• Those that dropped out did so after the last day before the final summit climb.
• He fell asleep three times while walking to the summit on the final climb. He reckons the mental challenge of overcoming the fatigue was the hardest part. Having to start trekking at midnight with only the head lamps to see became very hypnotic. If you fall the medic assesses you immediately and that could be the end.
• Ear Plugs are an essential item to take with you.
• The internet connection is s..t in the lodge you stay in before and after the climb.
• It's absolutely brilliant, even if I don't make it all the way and, I will want to do it again or something similar...guaranteed. Let's see.

Overall I am pleasantly surprised at how many people have started to take an interest and I am getting many encouraging  words along the way.

Please help keep me motivated by visiting Marks Just Giving Page 

or Text code MPTC50 to 70070 with amount you wish to donate e.g. £10

You can also follow me on Facebook

For more information about the Princes Trust visit the website at www.princes-trust.org.uk

Thanks for watching San Diego 'You stay classy'

Mark