We did it!

On Saturday 21st June 2014, me and Beccy were up and out by 4.30 am, to set off on the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge. Looking at our recent pace on slightly hilly ground, we set ourselves a realistic target of 14 hours - a little slower than the official target time of 12 hours.

We set off up Pen-y-ghent at a decent pace, with just a couple of short breaks to catch our breath. It took us 1 hour 40 to reach the top - spot on for our target. After a quick break and a photo we continued down the first peak and headed towards Ribblehead. The weather forecast for the day was cloudy with the occasional sunshine, and as we walked the sun began to shine through the clouds.

Top of Pen-y-ghent

We arrived at Ribblehead at around 9.30, which was slightly ahead of target. By this time the sun was beating down and the soles of my feet were sore, so we stopped of a sock change and a bite to eat.

Refreshed we set off on the long hard slog up Whernside. Initially the going was good, but after about an hour I was exhausted and needed to stop every 15 mins or so. But eventually we got to the top - slightly behind schedule and after a long break we set off roughly 30 mins behind our planned time. The mid day sun was beating down and it was hot - even 736 meters on top of the peak.

View looking back as we walked up Whernside

Force Gill

Beccy at the top of Whernside

Coming off of the top of Whernside is very steep, and my dodgy knee and lack of balance made this a slow and scary process - good job I had a walking pole or I'd probably have had to come down on my bum!

The steep steps off Whernside - a lot worse than this photo shows!

We got to the bottom of Whernside and made our way to the Old Hill Inn - to have a cold drink, shelter from the sun and top up our water supply. We left the pub about an hour behind schedule.

By this time we where exhausted and the slow initial climb up Ingleborough seemed never ending. Finally we could see the final fairly short but very steep scramble to the top and with a last push of energy struggled up the zig-zag stone steps.

About half way up the steep section to Ingleborough.

As we reached the top of the steps we realised that we still had more distance and climbing before we finally reached the summit. At the top a final walk on flat, rocky ground to reach the Trig Point.

Trig point on Ingleborough

The initial descent from Ingleborough is a bit steep and tricky, but not too bad, and then what seems like a never ending slight downhill walk back to Horton that goes on and on and on. By this time we'd run out of water, were sunburned and every step I took on the stony ground was agony to the soles of my feet.

We eventually arrived back at our start point 15 hours and 7 mins after setting off. Some way off the official target and an hour behind our own target. But we were still very happy that we had completed this challenge and at the same time raised money for a worthwhile cause.

Would I do it again - NEVER.

Oh but wait a minute. I arranged with a couple of friends months ago that I would do the Y3P with them in the summer. And one of them has done this walk several times, in as quick as ten and a half hours.

As James May would say - 'Oh cock!'


Our route/timings are below. I think the GPS on my phone is not accurate as the total distance for this walk should be 25 miles.

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The final week

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6 Days to go!

So in 6 days time we'll be up in the Yorkshire Dales, walking/climbing/crawling around the three highest peaks in Yorkshire. 

We've certainly prepared for it with lots of regular 3 and 8 mile walks and the occasional 15+ mile walk. We also did 25 miles around Rutland Water.

I did my last 'long' walk today, 10 miles of mostly road walking around the Fens as a final wear in for my new boots that I bought a couple of weeks ago.

I plan to do a couple of 3 mile circuits, probably Tuesday and Thursday, just to keep the muscles awake, but no more real activity now until the big day!

M

Practice walk - Charnwood Peaks, Leicester

So yesterday myself and Beccy went to Leicestershire to climb some hills - admittedly a lot smaller than the Yorkshire 3 Peaks, but much bigger then anything available in the Fens.

The first hill was in Bradgate Park, Newton Linford. At what initially appears to be the top is a war memorial - The Prince Albert's Own Leicestershire Yeomanry Regiment. Probably not the most respectful thing to do, but here's a picture of Beccy and the monument.

From the monument there is a short downhill walk to a walled copse which hides the true summit of the hill. After a short climb back up we got the summit. At the summit is a building called "Old John Tower, again modeled by Beccy.

From there we proceeded down hill, initially in the totally wrong direction, to the bottom of the hill.

After a short rest we did some road walking, then across the greens of a golf course, some more road, a track and finally a long uphill track to the top of Beacon Hill (248m / 814ft).

We headed downhill, over the countryside, rather than the road at the other side of the hill. One short part was quite steep and needed careful descent, but apart from that it was easy going.

 (Does not look steep here, but it seemed it coming down!)

We continues on the route, but due to low battery and rain I only took one more photo. We walked through Wetton Wood, a nice little wood that runs alongside the M1, As you can see in the photo we were very close to the road. The sound pollution spoiled what should have been a nice tranquil woods.

The route should have been 15 miles long. We got lost a couple of times and had to double back, but when Endomondo (tracker app) told us we were at 15 miles, we still had another 6 or 7 miles left. Due to this we took a few shortcuts from the route we were following. Not really sure how far we walked as Endomondo stopped at one point, but pretty sure we did well over 15 miles (probably nearer 20!)

We plan to go back again in a couple of weeks and do the 'prescribed' route.

Here is the recorded route (a 3-4 mile section missing due to app crashing)

47 Days and counting...

...and today is nearly over.

So in less than 7 weeks me and +Beccy Fairbank  are doing the Yorkshire 3 Peaks. Yikes!

Preparation, preparation, preparation!

So back in November we decided that on my birthday this year we were going to climb the Yorkshire 3 peaks. Now at the time it seemed like a lifetime away (one of my first posts was titled "222 days to go") but now it is getting close. Very close. Too close.

We have been building fitness and stamina by jogging 3 times a week and walking every couple of weeks through the winter months. I've had several 'injuries' on the way - see previous blogs - but keep bouncing back. However at the moment I have not done a good jog for nearly 2 weeks - lots of aches and pains preventing this. And after an 8 mile walk on flat ground yesterday, my knee is giving me great pain today.

Part of me wants to go back to November and start again, knowing what I do now about doing too much exercise, not having the right trainers, warming up / cooling down etc. But its too late. We're here and the day is approaching rapidly.

My current plan is to try jogging again this week with the goal of reaching 5k a couple of weeks before we go (I was up to around 4.5k just before Easter, but it has been nearly 3 weeks since I've run anything more than about 2k)

Plan B, if jogging is still hurting too much in a week, is to give up!

Not the whole thing, just the jogging. But I really think the stamina of running 5k on the flat will help us getting up those 3 peaks.

We're still looking for more sponsorship - whatever you can afford. Please click the link below.

Bye for now

M

Planter Fasciitis to you too!

There's a well known song about the X bone's connected to the Y bone, the Y bone... And logically, the associated muscles, although not physically connected to each other, are closely affected by those around them.

So I strained my calf. The hobble caused my ankle to swell. The limp from the pain has now caused Planter Fasciitis in my foot. Or to sum it up, I'm too bloody old for jogging!

The outcome is that the doctor has recommended rest with light exercise and use of anti inflammatory tablets for the next week or so. So jogging is not an option for a week, however walking is OK as long as I don't over do it.

So when I finally can start jogging again, I will have to start lightly so as not to aggravate the condition - which can last up to a year is some cases! Additionally, my stamina will be back to zero so I will definitely be starting back at week 1 of the C25k plan.  Not happy.

Recap on targets set earlier in the year. 

Initial targets in standard font, updates in italics.

1a Be able to walk at an average 4 mph over a 5k distance. Did 3.7 mph on Saturday - details. I think this is important as we will have to average over 2 mph over the hills to complete the challenge in the required 12 hours. My local area is flat, so 4 mph is a must. - Managed to do a 3.8 mph the following day, but due to injury have not managed that again. Hoping to have a go at the route tomorrow and aiming for 3.5 mph as a starting point.

1b Extend above speed to a 8 mile route. Current best is 3.4 mph. Not had chance to do this route again since November. Hoping to have a go on Friday with Bex.

2a Drop to 77.5 kg by 20th December (I know this will go back up over Christmas!) -  weighed in at 78kg beofre Christmas, so pleased with this.

2b Drop to sub 75 kg by Easter and maintain until June and beyond.  - See 2a

3a Be able to run 5k by mid Janaury (currently working through the couch to 5k programme, so on target) - No chance. Aiming to hit it before Easter now.

3b Be able to run 5k in sub 35 mins - See above

3c Be able to run 10k by Easter -  No way, see above. Need to be able to run 10k before beginning of June

4a Be able to walk around Rutland Water (Short route - 17 miles) in less than 5.5 hours, before the end of this year -  Again, due to injury this has been missed. Now planning to do this is Feb half term.

So overall, pretty poor show at the moment. However most of the failure is due to one particualr problem. If I can ease back into the jogging and walking without aggravating the injury I am hopeful that these new goals are achievable.

Bonding with Bex (and this week's progress)

Bonding with Bex

When Beccy was born, or to be more accurate the unnamed baby was born, who we later called Rebecca, I took a career break and became a house husband. Because of this we have always been very close.  We've always done activities together, such as walking, cycling and camping - all activities that Mrs F.  does not do.

After the failed attempt this year, we are determined that in 2014 we will succeed. As part of this we are spending a lot of time together exercising and walking , which  I am really enjoying. Quality Daughter and Dad time cannot be bought.

I find this time especially important at the moment, as in September Beccy will be going off to Newcastle for University. Of course I'm extremely happy that my little baby is growing up and moving on to the next stage of her life, but it will be a sad time for me.

So although in reality this will not be our last walk together, it will mark at end of an era.

This weeks progress

I have not weighed myself today as we are away at the in laws. However I weighed 78.9 yesterday. So no real movement, but at least no going up.

We have continued with week 3 (of the couch to 5k plan) for a second week and now feeling ready to progress to WK 4.

Also this morning we did a 10x1 min interval run. Due to achy back I had to walk the first three 'jogging' sections, did a very slow 4th session and managed to jog the other six.

M

What's in a date (and this week's progress)

What's in a date?

So why June 21st 2014 for the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge? There are two good reasons:

1. It is my birthday - and +Beccy Fairbank thought it would be nice to spend the day with her dad, doing something we both enjoy (obviously referring to having a few beers at the end of the day, not the grueling 25 mile trek around Yorkshire!)

2. It is the longest day of the year. To be more precise, the day is 24 hours just like any other of the 364 (or 365 days in a leap year), but the amount of daylight is the longest. A little research on the old Google determines that sunrise is at 04:34 and sunset at 21:36. Add to this that there is some light from about 30 mins before sunrise and total darkness is not reached until around 30 mins after sunset we should have 18 hours of light to tackle the challenge - a full 50% above our target time of 12 hours. Game on!

This week's progress

In terms of exercise we have just done week 3 of the Couch to 5k. I had decided after day 2 of the three days that I would continue to do week 3 for another week, as I have struggled with it. During last night's run I hurt my calf, and so am hobbling around today - so definitely not going to try to progress to wk 4 just yet. I'll see how it goes tomorrow.

Weight - was 79.2 last Sunday, now 79.0 kg. So going in the right direction.


M

Who can lend me some hills?

There are quite a few topics that I want to write about here, but do not want to overload the blog in the first week and have nothing to say later. But to get us started...

My major concern at the moment is that I live in the Fens. Now before any fellow Fen-men read this and think I don't like the area, please continue to read. There is nothing wrong with the Fens, in fact it is a really nice place. And what's more, I've not met anyone with webbed fingers in the 10 plus years I've lived in the area. (Legend/rumour/hearsay has it that the people of the Fens were incestuous and there was a lot of inbreeding, which apparently causes webbed feet and fingers??)

No, the only problem with the Fens is that the area is so flat. I meany really, really flat. So flat, that if giant aliens discovered Earth, they would use the Fens as a snooker table. 

We are training for the Yorkshire 3 Peaks challenge. The name sort of implies that there are some hills, maybe even 3 of them. But a little research will tell you that these hills are big hills. Very, very big hills. In fact in giant aliens discovered Earth, they would consider them big hills.

And for those of you who demand detail, I have listed the height of the 3 peaks below.

Pen-y-gent - 2,227 ft or 694 m

Whernside - 2,414 ft or 736 m

Ingleborough - 2372 ft or 723 m

And for those that don't like detail

Pen-y-gent - smallest of the big hills

Whernside - tallest of the big hills

Ingleborough - middle of the big hills

And for those that like imagery

Pen-y-gent - Baby giant bear

Whernside - Daddy giant bear

Ingleborough - Mummy giant bear

So if you happen to have a few big hills kicking around your back garden, please can you lend them to me until next June. I promise to look after them and return them in only slightly worn condition.

Seriously though, (is it too late to get serious? Have all the serious readers given up and clicked on 'next blog'?), if you have any techniques that will help train / build correct muscles / improve stamina required for hill walking whilst training in a flat location, I would really appreciate the advice.

223 Days to go...

It is still 'early' days' in the preparation for the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge, but already getting into the swing of doing regular activity.

Yesterday evening we did week 2, day 1 of the Couch to 5K plan - Route here

And this morning I got up and did a 3 mile walk - Route here

That's all for now

M