The Dates Are Set!

Amazing!! I've finally managed to organise myself to the point where the dates are now set for the challenges.

1. The Yorkshire 3 peaks - I'm on hols in the Dales so it will be between the 12th and 16th of May (Pen-y-Ghent to the left in case you're wondering)
   
2. The National 3 Peaks - Friday 27th June
3. The Longmynd Hike - Saturday 4th and 5th of October
4. The Severn Way Walk - The walk will hopefully be completed by the end of April.

Training has now begun in earnest and I've started collecting sponsorship for the challenges. This means there's absolutely no backing out now (although a large proportion of people I know still doubt I'm even going to attempt the challenges!).

Earlier in the week I thought things were about to splutter to stop as the two drivers I'd coerced into taking part had to pull out. Luckily my better half and my Sister and jumped in to save me and have offered to share the driving between Ben Nevis and Snowden.

As stated, training has now begun in earnest. I'm running as often as I can in the week up and down the hill in front of my house. I'm looking forward to the clocks changing as I'm having to run in the dark at the moment and heading through the woods still scares the bejeezes out of me. The only benefit is that I get fitter a lot quicker, as soon as I hear a twig break or some undergrowth rustle my legs flip into overdrive and no matter how tired I am I find myself sprinting like Linford until I'm through into the open.

I've planned in a 26 mile hike across the Longmynd, Caer Caradoc and the Lawley next weekend with Roger from work and I'm hoping to enter a few fell running races in the next couple of months. My only plan for the first fell race (the Carding Mill Canter - 1st March 2008) is to finish! Once I see how I get on in that one I might aim for somewhere either above last place or within 10 minutes of the second to last person.

Update - 03/02/08

I keep writing half of one of these updates on my laptop and then forgetting to upload the things. It’s worrying that laziness has set in this close to the new year.

So, the challenges. Things are going well, I’ve been up to Yorkshire to check out part of the route and been walking along the Offas Dyke path fairly regularly to help build up the stamina. Finally I’ve come to realise that I’ll never be able to complete these challenges if I stop every hour for a coffee break. The realisation hit me when it took me 7 hours to walk 10 miles. A pretty dire performance, but to be expected if I spend half and hour out of every 2 sat on my backside drinking coffee and thes rest of the time wondering around looking at the scenery!

The Severn Way Walk is on hold until the floods have fully subsided. I don’t fancy drowning trying to complete these challenges. I’m still short of a team if the Longmynd Hike is to be a possibility. I’ve got one more person to ask and then it’s a matter of searching a couple of 3 peaks websites for similar minded people. I still can’t believe so few people are interested in doing this kind of thing.

Hopefully I’ll be visiting Scafell Pike in the next month to get an idea of how difficult the climb will be. It looks like it’s the navigation that causes the problems rather than the climb itself. Looking at pictures it seems the path just disappears half way up and you just have to make you’re way across a boulder field. Let’s hope I’ve figured out how to use the compass by then.

The date is now set for the Yorkshire 3 peaks. We’re off up to the Dales on May 10^th for a week’s holiday so at some point that week the first part of these challenges should be completed. At least going up on holiday means I’ll be able to meet up with someone half way round and grab some food rather than having to carry everything with me. I’m still quietly hoping I’ll be able to complete the walk in about 9 hours rather than 12. This will mean jogging a fair part of way to make up for any stoppages that may occur but I’m pretty confident by May my fitness levels should be up to the task.