Motivation - or List #2

This week, all the members of the team have received a DVD from Oxfam, giving us a bit more insight into this event that we have madly entered ourselves for. I've just watched it, and have been having a think about what has possessed me. But not in a negative way - in a positive one, I hope!

My reasons for entering:
1) I have grown out of my childhood petulance at being told I was being taken on a walk, and now really enjoy going walking as a leisure pastime. Walking is certainly something I'm doing a lot of lately - fingers crossed that the petulance will not return!
2) I have wanted for ages to be fitter, but never had the self-discipline to commit myself to a fitness regime. Having a looming big event in front of me means I have to get out and do things on a very regular basis, or I will not be able to finish - simple as that!
3) The finish - I've now seen several films of people crossing that finish line. There is a video on the front of the Trailwalker page on the Oxfam website that shows one man finishing. All I can say is that being half as happy as he looks would be amazing. (Team - if I'm being slow on walks, just shout 'finish line' at me - hopefully that'll make me pick up the pace!)
4) And the DVD reminded me that aside from all this incredible-personal-challenge stuff, people, real people, actually benefit hugely from the sponsorship money we can raise. People who don't have the choice to get up one day and think 'Oh I know, I'll do a 100k walk in 30 hours for fun'. I'm so lucky just because of where I was born in the world - I think it's only fair to try and give a bit back in whatever small way I can!



I've been finding training challenging of late, as despite what images of laziness my existence as a part-time arts student may conjure up in your head, I've been being reminded by my annoying body and degree that I'm part-time for a very good (medical) reason! It does take me longer to do stuff like essays and reading work than the regular student and so I really can't go to my tutor and explain that this time I'm handing work in late just because I've knackered myself in training for this mad challenge. The unpredictability of when I'll be able to train is also irritating me slightly at the moment, as I don't like taking painkillers unless it's absolutely necessary (though on the event itself I'm happy to rely on them). At the moment I'm still figuring out how much I can reasonably push myself on weekdays (I'm happier training super hard on Saturdays as at least then I have Sunday to recover!)

I think Diana and I got it about right this evening - we went for a 4 mile jog/walk round Leigh Woods and Clifton. We had originally said we'd attempt the 6 mile route we'd planned out on Monday, but due to various things then the time slot available was reduced, so 4 miles seemed reasonable instead. We ran round Leigh Woods and I was delighted when I realised I can now run the length of a road called The Promenade - 2 weeks ago I had to stop 2/3 of the way up! We ran about half and walked half in the end - I'm still finding it tricky to suss out exactly what to eat and drink before and during so I don't get a stitch, which is annoyingly crippling! I think I have finally worked out that anything acidic is a total no-no, I just feel sick which definitely doesn't encourage me to go faster. Another thing making me feel accomplished is the fact that since mid-way through December (when I first started training) I have lost a stone - I must be doing something right!

But it won't do to get complacent. I need to build up both speed and stamina, so I'm planning to 'just keep running' (a la Dory) for now - every time trying to go a bit further or a bit faster. Andy's set me a target of 20 minutes for my Leigh Woods run (currently at roughly 30 mins) - so that's something for me to work on! Something to work on tomorrow, actually. Now, to bed - I've been talked into co-hosting a radio show in the morning. How, I'll never know... Good night, blogland!

Times like these...

This morning it was seriously windy and a bit rainy.

But I still set out for the walk to uni.

By the time I'd walked to the top of my road and got to the common I was seriously starting to regret my decision to walk. And it was so tempting just to stop and get the bus. But that would have been a bit pointless because I could have just gone back home and got the car and driven in.

Anyways, I still carried on walking. I managed to brave the hurricane style winds past the common :-) and then the rain started. It actually hurt my face because it was so windy and cold.

My coat had no hood. My umbrella had no chance. I got soaked.

By the time I made it to uni (amazingly not late for the lecture!) my hair looked like I'd just come out of the shower and the water was just running down my face. My shoes were soaked and have holes in the bottom (still figuring out why I haven't thrown them out) so my socks were all soaked too.

I was miserable. And cold. And wet.

On the plus side it all cleared up and by the time I walked home the sky was blue and the sun was (almost) shining.

Bizarre weather.

There is something very satisfying...

...about being able to run that little bit further, walk that little bit faster.

Training, training, training. That's what's needed. And I figured a useful way to make an entry to these unchartered territories of blogs would be to repeat myself. Six months is a very short time to train for this event and those participating are going to have to be on a pretty strict regime of self-improvement. This is not your usual exercise, but a case of going out and pushing yourself to your limits each and every time you exercise. It's not really about getting a nice figure, it's about being able to cope. And I hope all those who read this training blog will appreciate the efforts that the team need to go through to give themselves a chance of coping with this mission.

If you break down the figures you work out that to complete it the team needs to walk at a constant 3.3kph. This is only 2 miles an hour, but when you look at time for pauses and stops this works out to be the average speed for a days hike. Furthermore, this is if the team take all their time allowed - walking for the full 30 hours. A feat itself which will be most tiring - even if you forget that the team wont be sleeping. Then there are stops for food, injuries, water and other natural body functions! Make no mistake this wont be a walk in the park, the stamina and fitness needs to be high. The hike is a tough one and the statistics make it no easier.

I have completed a very similar hike to the Trailwalker in the past and there are many factors which make it tough. The mental strength needed is coupled with the physical ability to be able to continue walking despite the recurring urge to stop or slow down. So, if you see any of the participants training, give them encouragement, they need it. Alternatively, if you feel so obliged your genourous donations act as encouragement also. 100km is a long way, and even in a team it can feel slightly lonely, so the more people we know are behind us, the easier it's going to be.

Plans, plans, exciting plans...

Hello all of you in blog-land! (It's Jenni - I'm going to write in purple from now on!)

I thought I'd let you know that there are plans afoot :) Tonight Andy and I have been round to Diana's to have a think about our training schedule. The evening started with a 2 mile run for Diana and me, with us trying Diana's pace this time instead of mine (mine was much too fast!) I was so surprised by how far I could jog if I took it steadily. I think we jogged about 1.7 miles altogether, with only one stop of a couple of minutes in the middle - and although we went home after that, we both felt we could have gone further.

So, that was a good start to the evening. I was very pleased to have a hot shower on our return to Diana's and then a delicious dinner cooked by chef Edwards (tres bien). Then came the serious business of actually getting out our diaries and looking at our weekends for training purposes. Diana and I can do quite a few, and hopefully Andy and Robyn can join us for some. We've also sat down with a bit of string and a map and worked out a 6 mile running course to attempt at least once a week if possible, and decided that my Leigh Woods circuit is 2 miles (it's handy to know for timing purposes). As well as regular running in the week, Diana and I have entered ourselves for both the BHF Hearts First 5k Jog at Ashton Court on March 9th and the Sport Relief 3 mile challenge on March 16th. Hopefully having events so close to aim for will spur us on to greater commitment in training! As Andy says, we really need to push ourselves if we're going to be fit by July, so making sure we have little targets in between now and then will certainly help me to do so.

We are also planning two weekends of walking - one at the end of March, where we hope to go to the South Downs and try out some of the trail, and one in the middle of April, where we will go and do two days' walking on the Malverns. I really need to get some hill training in! But now the panto's out of the way, I have much more time, so fingers crossed I'll be good at going and doing it... but please encourage me when you see me, motivation is hard if it's raining or if I'm feeling tired/ill/lazy! (Or why not use the comments form. There. Just down there, below these words. That's it, looking all green and lovely and commenty :o) )

It's Behind You!

Oh, no it isn't.

Oh, yes it is.

Hehe. Just thought I would post a big congratulations to the other three members of our awesome team for their panto greatness this weekend :-)

Now I guess it really is behind you (excuse the cliche!). Full focus on training for Trailwalker now I hope!

Congrats guys :-)

We Have To Walk In The Dark???

When I agreed to do Trailwalker I thought 100km, 30 hours, over 2 days, doesn’t sound too bad. I assumed the fact that it was 2 days meant that we’d walk 15 hours on the Saturday, sleep, and then walk 15 hours on the Sunday.

How wrong was I?

No sleeping happens. It’s continuous walking. 100km of continuous walking. And that means walking overnight, in the dark.

I didn’t know that.

Something different at least.

I found all of this out by reading the Q&A page from the Trailwalker website. Here’s what it says:

How much rest does my team have along the route?

There are 10 checkpoints along the route and your Support Crew will be at each - ready to help you rest, recharge, change your socks and give you some well deserved TLC. But resting for too long can make your muscles seize up and then it's easier to hurt yourself. You also probably won't want to start walking again. So for that reason there are no camping facilities during the course (there is camping at the start and finish though). So unless your team finishes in under 15 hours, you will be walking through the night. Night walking really does add to this most unique of experiences. The trail of head torches across the Downs at sunset is one of the most magical parts of this challenge.

All I can say is that it better be “one of the most magical parts of this challenge”!!! I’m sure by then I’ll be needing a boost.

So now, I’m sitting here contemplating what I’ve let myself in for.

It’s a good job I like a challenge.

Oh and just in case people are still thinking it sounds easy, I think the route also involves climbing the equivalent height of Ben Nevis and Snowdon combined. (Although I could be wrong with this - guys???).

List #1

I'm in a list making mood (alright, I'm stuck on an essay) and think it would be helpful for my motivation to try and formally write down the things I want to achieve each week!

1) I will run at least 3 times a week for at least half an hour (or I'll never manage the BHF Hearts First 5k in March in under 30 minutes)
2) I will also do at least 3 other forms of exercise or muscle strengthening stuff per week (e.g. swimming, Pilates, Swiss Ball classes at the gym (surprisingly hard but fun!))
3) I will do my very best to complete 3-4 long walks (i.e. above 15 miles) per month, with my team-mates if they are available, and not be put off by wind nor rain nor achey muscles.
4) I will try and follow the pictured daily exercises revealed unto me by the BBC's healthy living programme three, as they take little time to complete yet are taxing (thus useful, I hope) for the muscles.
5) And I will do my best to keep an updated plan of all the training I do so at the end I can look back and remember that I put in a lot of effort and be proud of it!

Right, I'm off to swim :)

Guilt

I, like Diana, have also been seized with a desire to jump up and down and say "I'm not being lazy, honest!" If my blogging has gone rather quiet over the last two weeks, it's because currently final rehearsals for 'The Queen of Hearts Has Lost Her Tarts' (the panto I'm producing and that Andy has written and directed) are filling much of my time. I've also managed to come down with a stomach bug, which though fleeting in its 48 hour-ness, did take the wind out of my training sails slightly!

However, today I have finally managed to get out and do some training again, after 5 days of nothingness. I decided at four o' clock that although running probably wasn't yet a good idea (my stomach is still a bit too delicate for that!) that I could go out for a power walk. On my 18 mile expedition with Andy, I very quickly grew envious of the fact that without much apparent effort, he could easily outpace me right from the start - so I decided I'd set off and try and match what I could remember of his walking speed.

I'm getting a bit bored of the route I've been using in Clifton where I live, so for a change I had a quick look at streetmap and worked out a bit of a circle through Leigh Woods (the village just over the Clifton Suspension Bridge). I was really pleased I had - not only have I now discovered a fairly flat circuit that will be good to try to run round, but just as I got back to overlook the bridge, a beautiful purple sunset was taking place and all the lights of Bristol spread out made it very twinkly. A good halfway reward - I then carried on up to the zoo and back. I find I really have to concentrate to make sure I keep the pace up, otherwise my mind drifts off and I slow down - but when I got home I was quite pleased with having done a 50 minute walk to get me back into training again. I have to agree with Robyn that training in the dark isn't to be recommended, though - the streets weren't all that busy so I ended up feeling rather twitchy! I'm hoping to be able to swim tomorrow as well as go to Pilates, which is something Diana's introduced me to. So I am still keeping up the motivation - honest!

Pedometer Challenge

I haven't written anything on here for ages so to make sure you don't think this is because I'm lazy I thought I'd write a bit about my latest training idea (in great technicolour... just because I can). The University of Bristol have organised a pedometer challenge which I've registered to take part in. Here's what the challenge involves:

The Challenge

• Individuals set goals based on the amount of walking they are currently doing and build up to a goal of 10,000 a day.
• Each Stepper records his or her daily step count, adds up the total for the week Friday – Friday and logs this total every Friday.
• Winners will chosen based on overall improvement over the 4 weeks, not the highest number of steps taken
• Prizes include 2 x Red Arrow Jackets from Kathmandu on Queen's Road and 2 x £100 Gift Vouchers from BIKE on Queen's Avenue.

So, I've armed myself with a pedometer (buy one get one free in Kathmandu at the moment which was quite exciting) and now have it attached to me all day. Yesterday I tried it out and between 4pm (when I put it on) to 11pm when I took it off I'd done 8000 steps! This is making me think that 10000 may not be a huge challenge for me since I walk everywhere in Bristol- the challenge will be increasing this number with things like running and walking for Trailwalker training. Once the challenge is complete I may continue to log the number of steps I take and use it to try and steadily increase the amount of training I do.

Since there's prizes involved for the most improved person there's even more incentive to get out there and do more training.

Now all I need is some more time... perhaps an extra day in the week, so I can get out there and train!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank You Steffie!!!

-
The first person to donate - woohoo!!!

This can be your hall of fame/shame by the way!!!

:-)

Geek-ey-ness

Is there a right way to spell geek-ey-ness? Geekiness? Maybe. Is that even a word? You can tell I'm not an arts student :-s I like my version anyways :-)

Look over there ->

At the cool widget from justgiving demonstrating our fundraising progress.

I have way too much fun with this blog. I'll stop fiddling soon.

But don't you think it looks a little depressing just sitting at zero? Who wants to go into the hall of fame/shame as the first person to donate? If only to take pity on the widget and make it look a little less lonely.

And... to make this not an entirely pointless/useless blog post, I'll tell you that I walked to uni and ran today. Go me.

(Rain - ha, what rain?)

Revelations

I discovered yesterday that running at 5 o'clock in the evening is not a good idea.

-

I like to run in the mornings before uni - it wakes me up and gets it out of the way. But yesterday morning it was pouring with rain and it looked set to carry on all day. So I resigned myself to the fact that I would have to break my running every other day routine.

-

By lunchtime though it had stopped so I checked the weather forecast and it was meant to be dry all afternoon. So I decided to walk into uni. About half way there it started raining. (So much for the bbc and met office weather forecasts, psshht). And even with an umbrella I managed to get soaked. The worst thing - the shoes I was wearing seriously couldn't handle that amount of rain and my feet got soaked. Not good when I then had to sit through my (only two mind you!) lectures.

-

But... while I was in my lectures the rain stopped, HURRAY! So while I was walking back home I came up with the brilliant idea of running after I'd gotten back instead. So I started running at 4 o'clock and I have a kind of set distance that I walk/run. Anyone who knows me knows that once I've decided to do something (especially when it comes to walking/running a certain distance) I have to do it. I would be seriously depressed if I didn't manage to do the distance I set out to do.

-

By 5 o'clock though I was just finishing and it was really dark! Couldn't see the path at all, just had to hope I wasn't about to trip over any tree roots! Luckily I didn't.

-

Moral - don't run in the dark. Probably not the best idea!

-

On the plus side though, I didn't break the running every other day routine. Yay!

-

P.S. The 'Meet Our Team' post is here - check it out - find out who we are, you know you want to!

-

P.P.S. @ Diana, Jenni - did you manage to run the other day? How did it go? Hope the new shoes were worth it, oh and the socks!

Bristol, bogs and ba(aaaah)ths!

Today Andy and I have done the Bristol Triangle Walk, devised by the Ramblers Association (some photos and the route can be found here). It's 18 miles long, a distance which filled me with some trepidation as the longest walks I've ever done in a day have been no more than 12-13 miles. I was quite nervous when I woke up this morning, especially as I know perfectly well that Andy is about 10 times fitter than I am currently!

It actually turned out to be a good idea to do an urban walk today as although pavements are harder on the legs, the torrential rain that drenched Bristol yesterday meant that where we did turn on to a footpath, they were often sodden and once I swear we were actually walking through a shallow temporary stream! The route was a bit mad in places, wanting us nearly to walk in circles - and a Bristol A-Z came in very handy for navigation. In fact the only mistake we made (I think) was right at the very end, when I confidently said we could cut 100m through a private residence, only to discover we couldn't. Since it had been an uphill 100m at the end of climbing from the River Avon up to the Clifton Suspension Bridge, I was kicking myself (and would have almost forgiven Andy if he'd joined in). It is important that the team listen to my navigational suggestions I think, but only so they can then do the opposite! I'm invariably wrong....

I had written in my unnecessarily colourful training plan a time of seven hours in which to complete the 18 miles, forgetting that I was going walking with Andy - who had no such ideas in his head! Make no mistake, our eventual finishing time counts for me, not him, as he could have done it lots faster - he kept having to patiently wait for me to catch up, as I spent most of the walk floundering around in his wake panting like a asthmatic steam engine. I had just aimed to finish, not do it in (personal) record breaking time - but having him constantly reminding me of what pace we have to achieve on the real thing meant I went faster than I ever have, at least for the first half. In total it took us just over five hours to finish without any real stops - meaning we were walking at roughly 3.5 miles an hour on average. I am totally knackered now - delighted that Andy helped to shave two hours off the time I'd projected, but ouch - my muscles! (Hooray for a lovely hot bath on my return to my house, is all I can say.) The knowledge that in July we'll have to do four times the distance at pretty constantly high speeds and up bigger hills will definitely be motivating me to try and push myself out of my comfort zone in my training sessions I think... or else I'll still be wandering out of Petersfield as Andy crosses the finish line!

The complexity of shoes

Since I’m inconveniently laid up with chickenpox and thus awake at 2 in the morning, I thought I’d blog about something I never thought I’d have to do – go and buy running shoes! This might sound like a trivial and mundane process, but believe me, my eyes were opened over the course of an hour spent at Moti, a specialist running shop in Bristol. Andy has convinced us that running will be a really good way to up our fitness, so Diana and I have decided to go together for jogs. Weak knees run in my family, so in addition to muscle strengthening exercises suggested by my doctor, I thought having the right shoes in which to train might help. Diana also wanted a pair, so on Tuesday lunchtime we met up in the shop and were confronted by the oddest set of instructions I’ve ever encountered whilst shopping! The first was to roll up my trousers, which was unfortunate – er, since this is intended to be a frank and honest blog – I do tend to resemble a yeti in winter, so the poor shop assistant had to put up with my furry legs. Oh well, I’m sure they’ve seen it all before... Then he got me to balance on each leg and bob up and down, squat down as far as I could with my feet flat and generally try and see whether my knees or ankles tended to fall in- or outwards. I assumed I’d be awful as I’m not the muscliest person by a long way, but he said I did quite well (if this is a sales tactic, I don’t want to know please – I need all the encouragement I can get!) Or maybe the 18 months of figure skating training I had when I was younger worked in my favour. Either way, the next thing he did was introduce me to running socks – something I never previously knew existed! They look very high-tech, with different thicknesses of material to ensure airflow, prevent blisters and protect tendons. And there I was thinking socks were socks were socks. Boy, did I feel a fool!

Diana had got to the shop before me and so was the brave pioneer in the shoe purchasing process. Having subjected us to balance tests, she was then put in a pair of ‘neutral’ shoes and filmed running on a treadmill (something which made me quail in terror; I have been known to undignifiedly shoot off the back of them!) I managed it without disgracing myself too much thankfully – it’s actually rather interesting watching your legs run, as it’s such an unconscious action normally. Their computer could measure the angle at which your ankles fell when your heel strikes the floor, which then told them whether or not you needed slightly corrective shoes. I did, so three were ferried up for me to try. By now, we were amassing many, many boxes around us! I tried all three pairs and was filmed running in them (desperately trying to stop my jeans slipping down all the while – no one said I’d need to come ready to actually run!) and fortunately for the shop assistant, felt very comfy in one of the pairs – saved him fetching even more shoeboxes! I went gulping slightly to the checkout, trying not to imagine how much all of it would cost, with a pair of running socks thrown in as I’d been sold on their effectiveness (and as Diana said, what point is there in spending £70+ on shoes only to wear the wrong socks?) but it wasn’t too bad – and now I’ve spent all that money, I’ve definitely got to get out there and do some running.

I’ve spotted an event called the Hogweed Trot (http://www.hogweedtrotters.co.uk/hogweedtrot.asp) in May, which is a 10k race run on flat country lanes. It’s a lot cheaper than the new Bristol 10k I was originally planning to enter and gives us an extra 2 weeks to attempt fitness! I think I’ll give it a go, it’ll definitely be more motivation if I know I’ve got an event to participate in – and I don’t want to come in last (although I think just finishing would be an encouraging achievement). Diana and I were intending to go out and jog on Tuesday evening – but whilst we know that we will have to jog in the rain sometimes, the gale force (almost) winds and horizontal precipitation that took place that evening (plus the most irritating onset of my chickenpox) convinced us that we’d be better to start next week, when we’re both fit (in the sense of healthy rather than marathon-capable!) and hopefully the weather will be kinder. Look out for updates – in the meantime I’m going to go and tape oven mitts to my hands...

Dedication

Just to demonstrate my dedication to the cause...

l

Today I was up at 7, running at 8 and managed to walk into uni in time for my 10 o'clock lecture.

l

Oh yes.

l

I decided I would try to run every other day in an attempt to improve my fitness. Obviously unless it's raining, in which case there's no way you'll see me running, maybe I'm not quite that dedicated. Anywho, Saturday morning, off I went (with my ipod!) to the park to run (when I say run I mean more of a slow jog, hehe!!). I love running, although I always want to be able to go out and run a marathon without getting tired. Then when I get tired after running a very short distance it gets kind of depressing. But I know that if I keep at it I will get better, albeit slowly.

l

So two days after Saturday is today. And today is a 10 o'clock lecture. A dilemma. So I decided to run before going into uni. So last night I made today's breakfast (a very healthy fruit salad no less!), made today's lunch to take into uni with me (quite a nice cheese and pickle sandwich - if you're interested!) and laid all my clothes out ready. Did I mention that organisation is something that I'm really good at? So this morning I got up (feeling slightly less enthusiastic at the prospect of running, I'll admit) but decided after all the organisation that I had no excuse. The one fact I did fail to take into account was the fact that at 7 o'clock this morning it was pitch black. A slight problem. Luckily by quarter to 8 it was getting light so off I went (again with the trusty ipod!) to the park to run. I managed to do more than Saturday (improvement - yay!) and it was actually quite nice being out and getting some exercise at the start of the day. Although it was blowing a gale, but luckily I managed not to be swept away. All good.

l

Walking into uni more is another of my steps to improving general fitness. The walk is about 2 miles (I think?!), so 4 miles there and back. The only problem with having a car at uni is that it's so easy to drive everywhere! Something I need to get out of the habit of doing. So I will be walking to uni, again unless it's raining, oh and also if it's dark, I don't really fancy walking home alone in the dark. But other than that I will be walking.

l

So there you have my two commitments. Written down. All formally. Like a contract. Like a reminder every time I think about sleeping that extra hour instead of running, or just hopping in the car instead of walking.

l

I hope I stay this motivated. There's a while to go yet.

Wakening walking wisdom...

Making the most of a free Saturday, today Diana and I have been walking in the Forest of Dean, about an hour's drive away from Bristol over the Severn Bridge. We parked at the visitors centre and decided that as the longest marked visitors trail was only 4.5 miles, we'd tackle the cycle trail instead which presented more of a challenge to our legs! After a bit of map-and-compass malarkey in the car park, we located the start of the trail and set off, trying to wake up in the early morning air (11am is early to me, anyway. Oh the joys of being a part-time arts student...!)

We seemed to be lucky with the weather again for most of it - only getting a bit rained on once. (I seem to be learning one thing per walk - today's lesson was to remember a waterproof!*) Oh well - if Saturdays would continue like this weather-wise, it would be very good! The trail was really well marked which meant we could concentrate on walking steadily rather than keeping having to extract the map (bonus for me with no map skills whatsoever). After a couple of hours' walk, we stopped for lunch before our only hill - getting slightly chilly but enjoying the break nonetheless! We then wandered (ahem, I mean route-marched) up to an RSPB viewpoint where a big sign said we could see goshawks, but I'm not convinced they were out and about today. Probably doing the sensible thing and staying at home/nest!

We managed to finish the 9 mile walk in about 3 hours, including a 20 minute stop for lunch - not too terrible methinks, though we'll have to build up to going faster on the real thing. Diana and I are going jogging this Tuesday (eek) to try and get fitter - I definitely appreciate having company whilst training, it's very good for taking the mind off slightly achey muscles! So far a lot of my smaller training sessions have been on my own (things like swimming, going to the gym and cycling) so it's very good to be planning some joint things. Next week I want to try and do a 16 mile walk round Bristol - this should be a lot more challenging as it will involve more and steeper hills and a longer distance. I think I really need to start pushing myself to get fitter - hopefully managing to remain in one piece whilst I do it!

* For the interested(?!), the lesson learnt from my South Downs expedition was to try and just keep walking up the hills - no stopping if possible!