Ian's Triple Challenge: WEEK 1

WEEK 1

Well, this was always going to be a tough week! but receiving some of the early donations and well wished messages, started me in a positive mood. Other than breaking my cross trainer on the first day, everything pretty much went to plan. and as you'll see later, my first big training session at scafell pike went really well. here's the run down of my first week of training and events....

MONDAY

My 1.8 mile walk to work went well and had some cracking weather too, spurred on by the tramps in the west park, i made some decent time in around 20mins (ish). as my evening cardio session came along, i was good to go, but i was soon knocked down as my cross trainer broke. so i had to take to the streets of sunny south shields for a steady 2mile jog.

TUESDAY

The usual walk to work in the morning, come evening, i headed to monkton stadium for my gym/track session. For you who don't know, on Tuesdays and Thursdays i coach athletics at monkton stadium so in terms of my running session's i will be doing them on the track. today my session was...

4 x 200m

2 x 400m

1 x 800m

To be honest i found this pretty tough, these are the session i really look to improve on.

WEDNESDAY - DAY OF RECOVERY

THURSDAY

My MNDA fundrasing pack arrived! a huge amount of goodies to get started with, i cant thank them enough for the amount of support. My training for today included 35mins cardio on the bike in the gym (gutted i still can't do weight due to my knacked shoulder) and 4 x 600m on the track before my coaching session.

my MNDA fundrasing pack

FRIDAY - REST BEFORE SCAFELL

SATURDAY

Well, this was it! scafell pike, highest mountain in Britain! i could have chosen an easier session to start off with. The weather was perfect for tackling a mountain of this height and the views were amazing (as you'll see in the pics). We completed scafell in roughly 3 and a half hours witch is good going seen as i haven't walked a decent distance for about 8-9 months.

the first hour 45 was some of the toughest walking I've ever done (even harder than Ben Nevis in 2010). But when your getting over taken by kids and pensioners, its enough to spur you on! grit your teeth and get on with it. every time you stopped, a turn to the right made the pain all worth while with some fantastic views.

Once you get just over halfway (around 2500ft) the surface levels out. But just as you think the worst part is over, BOOM the ascent to the summit begins!. The ascent seems endless at times, so much so, we had mistaken one of the cairns as the summit only to realise the trig point about 80-100ft in the distance, wishful thinking, eh?.

It was a hard finish to the summit, but we eventually made it with the view to die for!. and even though there was a number of keen walkers already at the top, once you were there it seemed as if you we alone. very peaceful and a tad surreal, seen as your at the highest point in England.

on the way back down you truly appreciate the steepness of scafell, without my stick, i must of went over at least half a dozen times. Past the half way mark, i could definitely feel every rock under my feet. Its not exactly a hard descent (fitness wise) but very tough on the bones especially my knees.

Eventually at the bottom, i look back at scafell and it hits just how much of a MASSIVE task it is.

Here's my pics of the days......