The Journey To Everest Starts Here
My last post on this blog was three months ago, and things have changed a smidge since then! For one, this blog has a whole new title, look and purpose. And for another - I appear to have had all common sense removed from my body.
Let's skip back to October (a couple of weeks after my last post) so I can explain:
With the end of the Loch Ness Marathon, the training and the fundraising for Combat Stress came what is known as the 'post marathon blues', and my God is that an understatement. I became so down for those few weeks through October I had absolutely no idea how to get back up or if it was even worth it (bit melodramatic now I come to think of it!). I figured it must just be down to the fact I had no goal or purpose any more. I'd raised a little for an amazing charity but it barely scrapes the surface of what is required. So I set about looking for something else, something bigger, and something that would raise more cash for a cause that is truly desperate for it.
And that was when I found a little race called The Everest Marathon. One big-ass trek to base camp, several acclimatisation mountain climbs before a marathon run back in extreme conditions. Now here was something that sounded mental enough to make me excited! I read as much as I could about it and decided within fifteen minutes I was doing it, I was doing it in 2017, and I was doing it for a veterans' mental health charity, whatever one that might be.
The next step was to find out what was required to qualify for this race. Simple enough: just a few ultra-marathons, mountain races and as much off-road experience as possible...(!!) So, with that in mind I found a suitable ultra-marathon (55 miles from Glasgow to Edinburgh) and entered it.
20 minutes later, I realised what I had just done and suddenly found it hard to breathe. 55 miles?!?!? Am I insane?! That's....that's....just not possible! But it was entered and if there's one thing I know about myself - once I've said I'll do something, it'll be a trip to hell and back if that's what's required just to get it done.
With all the energy and nerves and excitement of this race looming just a few months away I hit the training schedule far too hard and suffered with shin splints and a stress reaction in my foot as a result. I had to take an entire week off as well as lighter training for another three weeks, setting me back a little. But it's okay (as I remind myself everyday now when I begin to panic again!) because I still have time to get all my training done and be fit enough to run from Glasgow to Edinburgh in April - my first step in the journey to Everest 2017.
As well as getting to grips with my training schedule over the past three months, I've also decided to run for HorseBack UK - a smaller charity than the last I ran for (Combat Stress) - helping veterans rebuild their lives through horses. The work they do is outstanding and I'm proud to say I'm raising money for them.
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