Fundraising continues to go really well and whilst I havent caught up with all the team members to get an update as to how they are doing so far I am aware that we are just over the £1300 mark.
We have been very lucky and recieved some sizable donations from corperate sponsors- Fedex UK (Bristol), Price Transport(Sheffield) and John T Evans haulage (Bristol) so a big thanks to all of them!
Fundraising still continues in ernest with friends, family and collegues also giving generously...thank you very much all of you. However we still have pleanty of time and a few more irons in the fire to keep the money rolling in.Watch this space....
Training has slowed somewhat over that last three weeks. It coincides with my return to work full time and obviously I have to take things a little slower whilst I get back into the swing of things. Spare time is also an issue now as I have less free time to get any training done.
However my recovery continues to go well and I have now been given the go ahead to start some general exercise but must go steady to begin with. So I have dusted off the exercise bike and have started using this as its a good cardio workout and low impact. I also hope to start swimming with the girls soon as I know they have missed this whilst I was ill.
The slowly,slowly approach is important. Overdoing things or pushing too hard too quickly presents me with the very real danger of hernia's developing along the line of the scar from the MOAS so I have to be careful.
However, preparations for the walk are coming along nicely. I finally bought some proper walking boots recently. A pair of Han Wag Altai gti's, sound very swish dont they? Basically they are a 3-4 season German made boot that is very tough and ideal for scrambling on the slopes of Crib Gogh with a tough Vibram sole and a thick rubber "Rand" to protect against the rocks. All coupled with lightweight technology so they shouldnt be too heavy on the day. I just need to break them in now!
With that in mind I have also arranged a challenging training walk for the team on the 18th July. We are doing a 10mile circut in the Brecon Beacons taking in Corn ddu, Pen Y Fan and Cribbin along the way. Its ascent is about 900ft lower than Snowdon (overall ascent 2178ft) and over easier ground but I have added a couple of extra miles to try and compensate for this.It will be a good opportunity for the team to meet eachother and for everyone to get a feel for the walk. It will also present a great opportunity for us to start organising who in the team will be able to do the Crib Gogh Traverse (weather permitting) and who will be happy to continue up the Pyg track which also has its tough sections near the top.A full account of this trip will appear later with lots of photo's.
Time has also been spent finding out who in the team requires what gear? Not everyone has tents and there will be a requirement for some people to share.Ensuring everyone has the right kit is also essential as the underprepared will struggle and not enjoy the experience which is obviously a key part of the day.
The campsite has confirmed our booking and kindly agreed to section off part of the site just for us so we can all camp in one spot.
Some other good news is that a fellow PMP sufferer will be joining us with a team and raising money for the Christie Hospital in Manchester who are the other specialist hospital in the UK. Steve has raised funds for the hospital a number of times before and it will be great to meet a fellow PMPer. So this single event will now raise funds for both Pseudomyxoma Peritonei specialist centre's in the UK!
I love it when a plan comes together........!
Wednesday 30 June 2010
Sunday 13 June 2010
An update on training.......
But first things first, an update on fundraising. So far we are up to £924!! A great start and still plenty of time to go!
The Bitton Loop Wednesday 19th May.
We gathered at Bitton station for a walk that would take us around two and a half hours. We met at 7pm with dark coulds looming on the horizon after a hot few days. Jon,Scott, Dad and I set off promptly along the cycle path towards Bath in an effort to beat the rain. The route would take us off of the cycle path where it crosses the river Avon at Swineford and we would follow the river bank along to Swineford village itself crossing over the Bitton to Bath road at the Swan pub. From here we would climb the hill at the back of the pub taking an ancient bridleway to the village of North Stoke at the top. Just before the village we take a sharp left following a narrow track in a stream bed back down into the vally crossing the main stream at the bottom and then climbing up the other side. We then follow the country lanes back towards Upton Cheyney and once at the village take the Pilgrims path that runs off at the side of the Upton Inn. The path then takes you accross feilds into Golden valley and the back of Bitton viliiage. Frome here you pick up the main Bitton to Bath road for the last quater of a mile back to Bitton station. The walk is around 5 miles in total.
It wasnt long before the rain began to fall and our waterproof jackets had to go on. Luckily for us the heavens opened just as we came to the Swan Inn and of course we had to take shelter in there and sample the local cider!
"Here's to Snowdon"
We watched the rain for a while and then decided it had gone off enough for us to head out again. We pushed on quite quickly consious that the light would go early tonight due to the grey and overcast skies. Finally the rain went off as we headed toward Upton Cheyney. As we headed down the Pilgrims path toward Golden Valley we saw Deer in the feild infront of us.
We made it back to the car just in time as the light was going rapidly! A great walk if a little damp!
You can see the route we took here-Bitton Loop
The Sculpture Trail, Forest of Dean -30th May.
This was more of a family day out rather than a true training walk but every mile helps! We were lucky that the weather was fantastic and we started with a picnic at the busy start at Beechenhurst. The route takes you on a five mile flat loop through well worn paths in the forest. Along the way there are sculptures to stop and look at. We took a steady walk, stopping for photos and messing arouns with the kids. We spent all afternoon there finally leaving around 17:30. It was a lovely day.
You can see the route we took here- Sculpture Trail
Landsdown Loop Thursday 3rd June.
Jon, Scott and I decided at the last minute that we would do this walk again. For Jon it was the first time on this walk so all new to him. The weather was much better than when Scott and I did it and we had a warm and sunny evening. At freezing hill we were treated to a fantastic view of a hot air ballon flying very closely at a slightly lower level than us in the valley and we stopped for photos. Further around the route we crossed Prospect style and walked on to Kelston Tump. On the way back we stopped to admire the view on a buetiful evening. It was pretty clear and we could see the Westbury white horse some 25km away!
Time was running away from us so we tabbed the last section getting back to the car at 21:45. A great evenings walk with fantastic views all the way round.
The Bitton Loop Wednesday 19th May.
We gathered at Bitton station for a walk that would take us around two and a half hours. We met at 7pm with dark coulds looming on the horizon after a hot few days. Jon,Scott, Dad and I set off promptly along the cycle path towards Bath in an effort to beat the rain. The route would take us off of the cycle path where it crosses the river Avon at Swineford and we would follow the river bank along to Swineford village itself crossing over the Bitton to Bath road at the Swan pub. From here we would climb the hill at the back of the pub taking an ancient bridleway to the village of North Stoke at the top. Just before the village we take a sharp left following a narrow track in a stream bed back down into the vally crossing the main stream at the bottom and then climbing up the other side. We then follow the country lanes back towards Upton Cheyney and once at the village take the Pilgrims path that runs off at the side of the Upton Inn. The path then takes you accross feilds into Golden valley and the back of Bitton viliiage. Frome here you pick up the main Bitton to Bath road for the last quater of a mile back to Bitton station. The walk is around 5 miles in total.
It wasnt long before the rain began to fall and our waterproof jackets had to go on. Luckily for us the heavens opened just as we came to the Swan Inn and of course we had to take shelter in there and sample the local cider!
"Here's to Snowdon"
We watched the rain for a while and then decided it had gone off enough for us to head out again. We pushed on quite quickly consious that the light would go early tonight due to the grey and overcast skies. Finally the rain went off as we headed toward Upton Cheyney. As we headed down the Pilgrims path toward Golden Valley we saw Deer in the feild infront of us.
We made it back to the car just in time as the light was going rapidly! A great walk if a little damp!
You can see the route we took here-Bitton Loop
The Sculpture Trail, Forest of Dean -30th May.
This was more of a family day out rather than a true training walk but every mile helps! We were lucky that the weather was fantastic and we started with a picnic at the busy start at Beechenhurst. The route takes you on a five mile flat loop through well worn paths in the forest. Along the way there are sculptures to stop and look at. We took a steady walk, stopping for photos and messing arouns with the kids. We spent all afternoon there finally leaving around 17:30. It was a lovely day.
You can see the route we took here- Sculpture Trail
Landsdown Loop Thursday 3rd June.
Jon, Scott and I decided at the last minute that we would do this walk again. For Jon it was the first time on this walk so all new to him. The weather was much better than when Scott and I did it and we had a warm and sunny evening. At freezing hill we were treated to a fantastic view of a hot air ballon flying very closely at a slightly lower level than us in the valley and we stopped for photos. Further around the route we crossed Prospect style and walked on to Kelston Tump. On the way back we stopped to admire the view on a buetiful evening. It was pretty clear and we could see the Westbury white horse some 25km away!
Time was running away from us so we tabbed the last section getting back to the car at 21:45. A great evenings walk with fantastic views all the way round.
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