Poorly

Training not going so well this week, full of cold and social life stupidly busy. Always knew Sept was going to be tricky what with all the hen do's birthdays and vanfest but stupid stupid sore throat really ruining the little time I have. Tomorrow is the big info meeting. It's looking like we may take one of the routes up less travelled, therefore more fitness required, aghhh can I do it? Yes I can, just need my body to bounce back!!

More Walking

Well another week of hols so I need to carry on the walking. I admit first half of the week I did good. Gym and this walk, second half gave way to catching up with friends but I think thats a good mix for life!!

I did a level 3 walk from Hartington that was about 8 miles (after going wrong I'd say it was longer!). Quite a pretty walk with a real mixture of weather. I think walking in Dales as a solo walker is a bit boring though! bought some nice cheese as well bonus!!

Helvellyn

It was time to do a proper mountain and the weather was clear and sunny with light rain forecast so I had no excuses. I chose the route from Patterdale which takes you across grizedale and then a steady climb up and across several fields to the start of striding edge. On the final ascent up there are steps in the hill side, these seemed never ending! Just at the start of these the rain fell and swiftly soaked everything and me! Oddly at the top of the steps I finally had phone reception so a little rest before attempting striding edge and a catch up with texts!

A few yards along striding edge and the red tarn comes into view, in photos it looks tiny but it's really a massive tarn at the top of a mountain! Onwards along the edge.

I didn't expect striding edge to be so rocky, as you go along the path disappears and you have to climb over great big sharp rocks which were still nice and slippery from the previous rainfall despite the sun now coming out. It was along here I remembered my fear of heights. Towards the end I could see no path and neither could the people near me. One man led the way and 16 of us found ourselves (having clambered down rocks I didn't think I could get back up) at the top of a 20 foot drop with no easy steps down! Thankfully this man and his son did lots of climbing so with a rope round our waists for security he and his son guided us all down. Nothing like a bit fo bonding on a mountain edge.

Once down my legs were still a bit wobbly and I looked up to the final "scramble" as the guide describes it. About 100 ft of sheer rock climbing with lots of loose scree which was wet help! I didn't want to go up or down.

I started following a couple who looked like they knew what they were doing before I realised they were regular rock climbers and taking the quicker but harder route help!

I joined another route and shortly after joined the family that I had come down the edge with.

Not much further and with absolutely no looking down I made it to the top of Helvellyn. I took a shot over the valley which showed Ullswater and then strolled to the area where there were others to get a pic of me! In these 2 minutes cloud came down and visibility was nothing aghhh!

Photo taken I quickly started my climb down the other side. Helvellyn is a circular walk and the way down despite easier is still a bit of a climb so much of this I did on my bum!

Walking down the hills killed, my legs really weren't happy and when I finally arrived back in Patterdale I was very relieved! An early night for me (asleep by 9.30!) and a couple for days of achy legs followed but at least I did it! It's a start!!

The Lakes

This years hols saw me taking Harriet my camper van on a little tour of Scotland, England and Wales. After a stay in Edinburgh and some fantastic shows at the festival I arrived at Side Farm, Patterdale in the Lake District. Camping on the side of the lake with fantastic views and hills to walk up!

First day here main job, buy some walking boots. After a very scary and long way round to Keswick (damn you sat nav!) I found the people in Cotswolds outdoors to be amazingly helpful and although I know there are cheaper places getting boots that fit is worth paying for that service!

So I now own some fetching clunky size 8 (!!) walking boots complete with insoles to correct my flat feet.

Time for some practice. By the time I got back to the campsite (normal roads taken, third of the time!) the sun was still shining so as the forecast said this was the best day I decided to do the walk that included the trip on the steam boat.

A quick walk to Glenridding (no calf pain, amazing insoles) and I was on the boat. Looked across at the hill opposite and thought "oh look theres a van like mine" took couple of seconds to realise was my van dur, geography really isn't my thing!

The first walk back was a good test of the boots, but the difference was amazing.

I followed this the next day with a walk to the falls and back again. Quite knackering this walking malarky but I'm getting used to it, now for Helvellyn!

Fundraising page up and running!

Well this adds to the seriousness of it all, fundraising page up and running. Until I know on Sept 2nd that I have a seat on that plane I'm not posting it but come Sept 2nd everything will be shouted from the roof tops!

www.justgiving.com/Rohan-Revell

Recruiting the family!

Today mum and Erin joined me on a walk around Youlgreave and Lathkill Dale. This was a really nice river walk and fab to have the family along. We stopped for a sanwich next to the river which we shared with the ducks (fierce little buggers they are!). Only steep bit was the final bit. Learning that steep bits are better at the beginning but guess that doesn't work for Kili!

Decided to do a birthday walk in Edale as I'm away for my birthday. Hoping Erin can also join me in Snowden. Erin took a photo of me when I was still trying to work out if she'd got the camera on properly, I wasn't as grumpy as it looks, honest!!

Now need to set up a sponsorship site for bowel cancer uk!! Wonder how I do a dual one???

The Gym welcomes me back, help!

Despite making it swimming walking and to one class I had yet to make it back into the new swish gym. I'd looked at it down the corridor when I went to boxercise and it seemed to have lots of new high tech things in it. However after doing no exercise since last Tuesday and starting to panic I finally made it back there. Boy does that place need to become my best friend. On a scale of 1-100 with 100 being ready for Kili I've progressed to about 4!!!
But what counteracts depression? yep shopping! I've got my first proper things for Kili. A Grey and pink rucksack (just cos I'm going up a mountain do I have to stop with the pink?), a fleece and t-shirt and some rather exciting hiking socks!! (they're pink and magic and will help me walk further!)
After searching my memory on how to use the machines and then banging some of the weights I thought it best to sign up for a personalised programme. Even better I booked it for Sunday thereby forcing my lazy "it's Sunday, let's chill" ass into the gym again!
Tomorrow it's time to recruit the family for a walk in Youlgreave. Only 1 week till my hols, which means just over a week till I go walking in the Lakes and Snowden! Practice is needed!

Motivation thats what you need!!

OMG one weekend off camping and partying and eating rubbish and I start the week knackered and the boxercise is cancelled and suddenly its Thurs and where is my trainig schedule. Tomorrow the gym is calling!!!

Week 3, return to the gym!

This week me and Lorraine went to kick boxercise. Following this I took 6 hours for my face to return to a vagually normal colour and about 4 days for my body to stop aching!! NO PAIN NO GAIN!

I really want to experience something that is amazing and rewarding and that I can feel I have worked hard to conquer the challenge of but the other side of doing this is because of 2 wonderful people. Well actually more than 2 but these 2 are my main inspirations. In my final year of Uni a friend called Sam was diagnosed with spinal cancer. Sam was a beautiful person, both on the outside and the inside. Sadly Sam lost the fight with cancer. Sam was 21.

The start of the Kilimanjaro walk goes back a couple of years. Two members of the orthopaedic department very sadly lost their beautiful 16 year old daughters very closely to each other. From this stemmed the T annd O Orthopaedics Ball in 2009 followed by the takeover of the playhouse in 2010 for Orthopaedics Got Talent. All in aid of raising funds for a young persons cancer unit whilst having a laugh along the way. This leads onto 2011 and the T and O does Kilimanjaro challenge. The funds I raise for the young persons unit will for me be in Sams memory.

The other person who inspires me to tackle Kilimanjaro is an amazing friend and young mum, Claire Knowles.

I've known Claire for about 10 years since moving to Nottingham. We shared VW shows and crazy camping weekends. After Uni Claire moved away and had a fab little boy called Isaac with her Fiancee Jon, also a VW person. About 2 and half years ago this young family moved back to Nottingham. Very soon after Claire was diagnosed with bowel cancer. Her initial surgery was at Queens Medical Centre. The date for her op was 4 weeks following being told she'd need surgery. However very typical of Claire rather than concentrate on this Claire instead decided it was about time that fiancee of hers became her husband! So first week, wedding planned, 2nd week hen do (and yes we queue jumped by telling the bouncers the hen had cancer, well what other perks are there of this evil disease???). The weekend before Claires admission dawned a sunny July day. All those with VW's ribboned up and joined Claire and Jon and Isaac as they became man and wife. The convoy of VW's then drove to Sawley for the reception with people waving at us along the way. The reception was fantastic.

Claire had her surgery but didn't tell the ward staff that she was no longer Miss Wheeler but now Mrs Knowles!

Claires treatment carried on over the summer and once it was over we threw a suprise party for her in the same location as her wedding reception. Claire enjoyed this so much she fell over and broke her wrist. She now spent a couple of weeks under the care of the same person who has arranged the kili climb, Tony Westbrook!

A couple of months following this Claire had another surprise for us. Claire was pregnant!! The spitting image of Isaac arrived on January 1st this year. Little Eddie is like his brother, a cheery, cheeky chappie!

A routine scan in February sadly showed a tumour between her kidney and bladder too large to operate on. This meant as well as juggling a young family that Claire was now organising baby feeds with Chemo and radiotherapy.

Claire has remained positive and funny throughout. I don't know how. I accompanied her on one day of appointments and was shocked how much waiting and waiting there is for a cancer sufferer.

This takes me up to the present. I always wanted something I could do to raise money for bowel cancer and now Claire has another fight that needs everyones help. Her consultant has recommended a drug that he believes Claire will respond well to but one which is too expensive for the PCT's to pay for and so even though Claire is a young, healthy mum they won't pay for.

This week Care for Claire was established. 3 days on facebook has resulted in over 300 members but we need to get Claires story out there so my main inspiration for getting my fat, unfit arse up Kili is a wicked friend who has been fighting a way bigger thing than walking up a small mountain!

There are now three ways of showing your support for this lovely lady. The facebook site,

www.tinyurl.com/careforclaire

or on twitter as #careforclaire,

or on her website http://www.careforclaire.com/

So that's why you will find me at the top of Kilimanjaro however much it hurts!! x

Kinder Scout

The following day we walked up to kinder scout. This walk went higher and for longer but the climb for the majority was more gradual. This time my legs eased up after abou 45 mins! We chose the route that followed the river. For someone as accident prone as me this meant about 4 falls and one nearly in the river! The last bit of this climb was REALLY steep. I had to do this on hands and knees with images of me falling down the mountain (in my head at this stage it was a mountain!) and being rescued by mountain rescue!! The view from the top was stunning though and worth the climb.

We then continued with the stunning views by walking along the pennine way. Eventually the pub was calling so we followed the path downwards. Well we followed the path for 20 yards before Damian convinced us to follow a path that was "on the map!". This really wasn't a path but weary limbs made it to the pub and again that was a well received pint!!!

Week 2!

Well time is already flying. Once my Trauma Conference was finished it was time to get on with some more walking! I joined the newlyweds, Lorraine and Damian for a mainly sunny weekend in Edale, Derbyshire. On theFriday we walked up a very steep hill from Edale to Castleton for a couple of pints and then staggered in the evening sun back over to the campsite.

I found this very hard going on my calves and hips! At the top of the hill I posed on this monument. I tried to climb it but failed! Damian then proceeded to casually walk up it! However Damian also made friends with a sheep at the top of this hill. I think this sheep may have previously been a dog!!