My Pennine Way Challenge Starts Now!

It has been a long time since I was last in any kind of ‘keep fit’ process. In fact the last time I did anything with any gusto was back in 2005 for the York Bikeathon for Leukaemia Research which was linked to Geoff Thomas’ Le Tour fundraising event.

Over the years I have had spurts of mainly gym activity however never a sustained effort beyond a few months. No excuses, although I do enjoy the gym it just does not excite me enough to keep a sustained regime.

So, here we are again. A real target to hit with my Pennine Way Challenge and knowledge getting fitter than I am (which is a low base to start from!) is only going to help.

The key for me is to have the stamina to walk 14-16 miles up hill and down vale pretty much every day for three weeks to cover the 270 miles.

On top of this on certain days I will be carrying a decent sized and weighted backpack to cover some wild camping. Whilst this will not be every day I certainly need to be ready for it, so some core and upper body strength is required.

I am a believer that you can ‘walk yourself fit’ and if I had the time would happily go out and walk a few hours every day.

Unfortunately time does not allow me to do this so it is back to the gym.

With the snow of the festive period gone my new regime in Galtres gym has taken shape.

Monday evenings is a tough session with a good 75 minutes of aerobic machine work on cross trainers, running machines, rowing machines and bikes followed by a session of weights with good friend ‘let’s do weights’ Simon! Definitely the hardest session of the week.

Wednesday onwards is then in for early morning 60 minute aerobic workouts. If you had told me a few weeks ago I would be in a gym at 7:30am on a morning I would have outwardly laughed!
However, here we are and it feels good!

Not only can I see progress every day in the gym but I have to say it really sets you up for the day and does not take anything out of it.

It looks like a by product of this is going to be some weight loss. Now whilst this is not my main aim I could certainly do with seeing a couple of stone disappear!

So hopefully in the next few weeks you will start to visually see a re-sculpting from packhorse to mountain goat! 🙂

So, whilst I will be physically walking the Pennine Way in June the challenge for me has already started and it’s a 6 month one, and after that let’s just see what happens…

Leukaemia Research rebrands to Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research

Leukaemia Research today rebranded to Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research.

The new logo can be seen on the right hand side info bar.

In their words ‘We’ve changed our name, not what we do’

Find out more here:

http://www.llresearch.org.uk/en/1/about.html

E-mail Blog Updates Now Available!

Instead of trying to remember to keep checking back here why not stick your e-mail into the ‘Email Subscription’ box on the right panel and when I make updates you will get an nice automatic mail reminding you to check back.

Ahh, the power of technology 🙂

Jayne Completes Goofy Challenge!

Communication from the other side of the pond brings great news that Jayne completed the FULL MARATHON on the second day of the Goofy Challenge.

Jayne is now having a well earned rest and I am sure will update us in more detail on her return.

Well done Jayne!!!

Jayne’s Goofy Update – Snowing in Florida!

Jayne has today completed the Half Marathon, and the first part of the Goofy Marathon, over in what one would have thought is sunny Florida.

However conditons are not only different for us here in the snowy wilderness of the UK as Jayne’s update shows:

‘Had a good run for the half although it rained for the whole run. In fact we had snow/sleet so felt at home! Just hope it is warmer tomorrow and no rain’

As a reminder tomorrow Jayne will be runnning a FULL MARATHON as part of the Goofy Challenge, so good luck Jayne from all of us in the UK, and thank you to all who have sponsored so far.

Check out the total here:

http://original.justgiving.com/jaynefligg1

Pennine Way Companions

Plans for my Pennine Way Challenge have begun, hopefully transforming an fundraising idea and lifelong ambition into reality come June 2010!

Santa was kind in delivering Wainwrights ‘Pennine Way Companion’ to add to my collection which is no longer to be a bookshelf collection, more a ‘work in progress’ library!

Added to copies of ‘Trail’ and ‘Country Walking’ the festive break has been a feast in more ways than one.

There is something magical about reading walking books and magazines with a fire roaring and snow falling, the thought of the adventure whilst cosy and warm!

As a family we were fortunate to spend New Year in the Scottish Borders – at the end of the Pennine Way!

Whilst walking was limited to climbing up hills to sledge down it was great to be amongst the snow carpeted hills and just invigorated me even more for the challenge ahead.

The schedule for walking in June 2010 is currently being worked on and should be ready to share in the next week or so and I will be opening the challenge for friends and supporters to walk with me – either on odd days or more – alongside my copy of Wainwrights aptly named ‘Pennine Way Companion’

So if you are interested just let me know!