Week 4 - Loughrigg Fell

Oooh oooh ooooh - Nearly the New Year!!!

Soo, I haven't lost any more weight. I think my goal planning was rather ambitous not to give any allowance for Christmas and New Year, particluarly since I'm in the Lakes for a week with my family, which inevitably means booze and big dinners.

Still, it's fabulous out here and almost impossible to resist the lure of the hills. Here's the link to the update vid at week 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrhO8pcCVCE


And here I am with Dan (my Lover) at the top of Loughrigg:













Tip of the Week: Get motivated! If you're either trying to get round to re-starting your weight loss or are about to embark on a new mission, whatever you do, don't go it alone. Tell people what you're up to (they will chivy you on and will remember to remark on how great you look in a couple of weeks), join a walking group if you're new to the hills and also read lots of inspiring stuff - there's an abundance out there. Starting, of course, with the ever-trusty TRAIL magazine. This month kick-starts the Fitness Academy programme and will be full to the gills with great tips and tricks as well as photos, features and fantastic walk routes! Best of luck to you all!

Other Trail peeps and gearing up for 07

By the by... If you want to check up on some of the others on the Trail programme, check out Sarah's blog at: http://trailsarah.wordpress.com/ and Sian's blog at www.sianchallenge.blogspot.com.

Or, for those of you thinking of getting out and about in the hills in 2007, Blacks have a great sale on if you need to gear up: www.blacks.co.uk. My "Used and Abused" choice would have to go to my Buff - that bright pink thing I've always got on my head. They are fantastic!! Keeps the hair out of my eyes, keeps my head and ears toasty in winter and sweat free in summer - love it, love it, love it!

GET THEE ONE OF THESE!!!

Week 3 - Christmas gets in the way....

Ummmm.... Ok.... so I'm not quite at my weight loss target - I'm 1lb off where I had hoped to be. Probably been overloading on the mince pies since week 2. I have lost another 3 lbs though, which brings me to 6 in total so far on the Trail programme.

I've been out running again a couple of times and am gob-smacked at how quickly it gets easier. I reckon all that taking the stairs is really paying off as my knees are a whole lot stronger already. By the third run, I was able to run for a full 30 minutes with only very minor stops when crossing roads ect. My pulse was also much more steady around the 150-160 mark (a big gain on the first time when my heart rate was much more volatile and maxed up to 190!). I've clearly still got a way to go, but it's a promising start.

With hindsight, I was probably a bit unrealistic thinking that I would be able to loose so much in the run up to Christmas.

Still, can't complain!

Here's the link to my video blog at week 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwkGyOX36bk.

Top Tip of the Week: Join forces with others! I've found that going running with colleagues in my lunch hour increases my motivation in three key ways: 1. you're more likely to acctually get out there and do it if someone else is going too; 2. you feel like an utter pratt if you keep stopping all the time so you'll go for longer as a group; 3. It'll up your concentration levels no end in the afternoon if you can slip it into a lunch break (and I bet the last thing on earth you want to do when you get home after a long working day is don the trainers and head off round the block!)

Run for the hills....

In a moment of total insanity, I decided to go running today with a colleague. I would, of course, have chosen one of the fittest people in the company who completed the London Marathon this year in a sickeningly good time.

And what an odd surprise it was. As I jogged through the mist on London Bridge (panting like an overheated dog and trying to banish the pain to a remote corner of my brain) I think it finally sunk in exactly HOW mad I am... I was actually ENJOYING myself!!!!

Dear God, I'm even planning the next session.....
: o

Kenton Cool's rucksack...

Yipppeeee skippppeee!!! Today I won the Trail Magazine Ebay auction of Kenton Cool's rucksack that he wore up Cho Oyu – the world’s sixth highest peak at 8201m. This little beauty skiied all the way back down with him too.

Now it's alll miiiine, my Pressshhhhioussssss!

Ha!

:)

Week 2 - Otford Mount

Sooo.... One week till Christmas..... I haven't had nearly enough mince pies or mulled wine for it to feel anything like Christmas yet, but hey ho, I'm sure Darren will tell me that's a good thing.

We're two weeks into the programme and I'm already starting to see some of the benefits of the advice we've been given. This is also one of my favourite times of year to be out and about in the country - how nice was that chilly fog this morning?

Here I am on top of Otford Mount on the North Downs.

So far I've managed to shed 4 lbs on the programme and am beginning to feel a bit fitter already. I've just posted my second video onto YouTube if you want to take a peek: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrumSJkPNiA.

I've just moved up to the fifth floor at work from the second. I was just getting used to climbing the stairs to the second and the fifth is killing me....

1st...

2nd...

3rd...

4th...

5th...

Still, I remain resolute!!


Top tip of the week: ALWAYS take the stairs. It's killer to start with, but you'll be surprised at how quickly it becomes second nature and gets a whole lot easier. It's great for your legs and heart and improves the strength in your knees which will make going up easier and coming down less painful.

Week 1 - Pen y Fan with Benju

One week into the programme.

Went up Corn Du (873 meters) and Pen y Fan (886 meters) in the Brecon Beacons with Benju (just under 2 meters, brother sibling) - had a squeal.

Took the fitness advice Darren gave us and, taking the rocket out of my bottom, slowed right down to keep my pulse much more steady. Felt soooo much better when I got to the top so well worth it. Im sure it won't be long before I'm fit enough to get back to my usual speed and not be visibly pulsating at the top.

Here's my ugly mug between the two peaks. If you want to check out the blog I submitted from the top, heres the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3HcbO9PSbs.
Those are Benju's nostrils that you are looking up at the end. Lovely boy! Madness clearly runs in the family...

It was a gorgeous day when we set off from the bottom, but we soon walked up into the clouds where we were battered by 15 minutes of hail and snow. All adds to the spice of the thing if you ask me (and the Blacks fleecy gloves proved they are worth thier weight in gold!).


So, in case you're in any doubt about whether or not you should plan a trip to the Brecons, I'll leave you with some photos of the day out...

Benju crossing the river at the start.... water trickling in over the tops of his boots... wise man...










The valley on the way up...













Benju eating flapjacks...










View of the path to the top...











View over a pond (Benju's handiwork)...










Both peaks and the obilisk...













Packed your bags yet??


Top tip of the week: Drink LOADS and LOADS of water. Put a two liter bottle on your desk and try and get through it during the day. You will notice an immediate change in how you feel - you'll have a lot more energy, feel less tired and sleep better too if my experience is anything to go by.