Fundraising:
I continue to offer my humble ‘thank you’ to each of you as you continue to help donate your personal money to help support the local recipients of the VSO projects near Kilimanjaro. Some of you have asked me for more information on the type of Projects these contributions will serve, and Charlotte at VSO has kindly offered to provide you with more insights shortly.
For me there is something blindingly simple in this – which is that providing hope and inspiration together with practical skills and techniques coupled with some mentoring makes a true difference – I see this every week in the work I continue to do with Young Enterprise.
Scores on the doors at the end of Feb 09 is an impressive £7,210 committed by 78 generous donors with Switzerland & Ireland as additional countries to the tally. I feel very fortunate to have the names of these kind people grace my flag.
Training:
Feeling stronger and a little leaner - may even say looking younger, I was taken for a 32 year old this weekend! Joking aside, the Leg Work, some Yoga moves, Weights and Walking seemed to be kicking in. ‘the sum is more than the parts must be what is going on here’. Doing some incline work on the treadmill and also continuing to long walk each Sunday (8 miles in 120mins is the current record). As well as pounding the streets and local hills, I managed to do the following: Sprinting up and down the manmade hills of Northholt – yes just by the A40. Also some power walking at Draycott Water in Warwickshire and some subzero walking in Krakow. I also bought a cheap Step machine and have been entertaining the kids hopping around on it. Another 1% body fat drop, very happy with that.
I am in the process of trying to recruit a personal trainer to fill in the gaps – Any good personal recommendations? I am in contact with two, lets see if I can convince them to work with me for free seeing this is all for charity. Also I got no offers from last month to join me in an aerobic dancing session, come on, you might look good in lycra. I did some dancing in though, at a place called Frantic Club (mostly scared everyone off the dancefloor I was politely told!)
Training plans for beyond Feb are starting to take shape, planning a hill walking weekend in North Wales, another in Lake district and then Yorkshire Dales so things are starting to get really serious. Might find me doing the Kingston Breakfast run – 8.2 miles on 5th April 2009 – come along to the pub afterwards if you like!
Kit:
Quiet month here, still digesting the last month’s credit card bill on kit shopping spree. I did get some silk inner gloves and socks – really soft and warm. Also the lady at Fox’s outdoor clothing in Amersham discreetly convinced me to buy a pair of merino wool boxer shorts to wear whilst I am walking (protects against the cold and more importantly ‘chafing’. So I bought a one from a brand called Icebreaker (cost a small fortune – but you do get a picture of the individual livestock! – nice eyes too)
Mind:
As I am learning as well as physical training, the Mind will play an important role – just to get things moving this month I visited Auschwitz and Birkenau. In short, one of the most moving places I have ever been to in the world. We did the whole 5 hour guided tour and if you have never been, absolutely worth getting on a plane just to go experience it. I will save you the brutalities here but the memories of what happened here have helped started to shape my mind for the spirit & resolve to make this Kilimanjaro ascent
February Highlights:
Well no celebrities this month, though I did try and see if I could meet Cheryl Cole as her and a bunch of red nose climb friends are starting day 2 of their Kilimanjaro ascent – for the record they have more than 200 people helping them and they are doing over many more days. That said did get the chance to spend a good block of time with some of my closest friends, watch Slumdog with Arjinder. Also in late dinner with some of my work colleagues Damone, I continue to philosophise – the insight to share this month is that the only thing that really matters is people - everything else can be deprioritized or is a sideline item. So as the economy continues to get worse, spend a little more time with family and friends even a stranger and help them know you are there - share your feelings and search for the common good… That’s it for this month.