Operation Transformation 5km Run - Saturday, 19th February 2011

So there we were at the starting line. Our first official race, along side 3,500 others. Johnny asked me if I was nervous. I lied and told him, I wasn't. To be honest I actually had butterflies. What if I could only run for a minute or two? What if I tripped? What if I got a stitch? It was ok for Johnny, he had been building up his running in the evenings. I had been running on the treadmill but I had never ran outside. And anyway, the furthest I had run on the treadmill was 4km. The gun went and we started. We decided to keep a slow pace in an effort to make it to the end without stopping. The atmosphere was great. It was actually a lot easier than expected to run in such a large group. We didn't let the faster people passing us by put us off. We had our own goal. To make it to the finish line of our first race.

20 minutes on and approaching our second hill I gave in. My legs were like jelly and I felt like I was going to throw up so I decided to walk up the hill. Johhny continued on jogging. At the top of the hill I started to run again and made it a bit further before having to take a second walking break. At this point I told Johnny to keep on without me. He had set himself a challenge of finishing without stopping and I didn't want him not to reach this. I walked for a little and then heard a voice saying that if we kept jogging we would make the finish line in under 40 mins. This was the incentive that I needed. I had set myself a target of 45 mins and now I had 40 mins in my sights. Although my legs felt like they would go from beneath me, I began to run again. I could not believe my eyes when the finish line came into sight and 35.5 mins was on the clock. I gave one final push and crossed the line at 36mins 16secs, only one and a half minutes behind Johnny (34mins 42secs). I actually felt very emotional crossing the line. Even though I had to stop twice, I ran 5km in 36 mins. I couldn't believe it. Johhny was really happy to do it without stopping. This was an amazing achievement. We hadn't specifically trained for this event. It just shows you what you are capable of without even knowing.

The Wicklow Way - Marley Park to Knockree (Stage 1)

As part of our training we decided to walk the Wicklow Way in stages. We did the first stage two weeks ago; Marley Park To Glencree River.

22km, Mixture of road walking, forest tracks and hillside paths

First smart idea of the day was to drive one car to the finish point so that we wouldn't have to walk an extra 5km at the end to get a bus back. You only realise when you have walked 22km that you don't want to have to walk even further just to get a bus home.

We started at  9.40am and got to the car (parked at Knockree Hostel) at approximately 2.45pm. This time incorporated a 20min lunch and a few breaks to take in the scenery. Although we were out of breath at bits, it was completely manageable. The trail took us through woods, uphill and downhill paths and trails, heathery moorlands, a rocky path and a very small portion of road walking. It was really well signposted with walking markers and even though we had bought a guide book, we could have completed it just following the markers.

For anyone thinking of doing the walk, a pair of hiking boots is a must, to protect your ankles. The only other definite requirement is a rain jacket and a packed lunch. It got quite windy when we were high up and the jacket came in really handy. You could also decide to stay at the Knockree hostel overnight as it is just a couple of hundred metres from the stage 1 finish point. Although we only parked there (there is a field just up from it that allows you to park there for day hikes), it looked more like a hotel than a hostel.

My final note, don't underestimate how well you have done when you complete this hike. My legs were sore for a couple of days after, reminding me that, although I didn't find the hike was at an extremely difficult level, it definitely was a really good work out.

http://www.wicklowway.com/

http://www.knockreeyouthhostel.com/Knockree-hostel-pictures

Fi.

Training

So the trek is booked and now the realisation has set in. We need to be fit to do this. I have read that your oxygen levels are 50% lower at basecamp than at sea level. The trek is a 75 mile round trip with some very steep inclines. To help me with my fitness, I decided to join a gym. It's just across the road from work so I have no excuses for not going. Johnny decided that he would go running  in the evenings to help him increase his fitness. Although running and the gym are a good start, we need to get out hiking to really start training.

 

A Distant Dream

Although we are usually the type of people that do what we say we are going to do, never in a million years did I think that we would actually ever really book it.

Let me take you back to the beginning. Over the past year and a half I had fleetingly mentioned at a few dinner parties, nights out, etc. that I wanted to go to Mount Everest. Even though I had said it, I didn't actually realise that a normal person could go there. I thought that you had to be a trained mountaineer to get near it. It was just a dream that I would never fulfil. Then I read a book called  the Epic of Mount Everest. It was written over 60 years ago and detailed the first three British attempts to summit. The book consumed me and I just had to get there. I began to do some research and couldn't believe it when I found out that regular people like me could do a two week trek to the basecamp. It began to become a real option. I would be 30 in September and could not contain my excitement of going to Mount Everest to celebrate. Johnny was apprehensive and was the one asking all the sensible questions but in my mind, nothing he could say could stop my mind racing forward. Although we had no spare money, I had it already booked in my mind. After a tough few months within our circle of friends in Inchicore, we made the decision. Life was too short and no matter how much it costed we would have the most amazing memories for the rest of our lives. We knew that we would have to save like mad but it would be worth it. So we booked it. We were going to Everest on the 30/09/2011.

Fi