Paying Dividends

Just shy of a month into training and I have dropped 12 lbs.  That's all for today. Weee!!!

A hectic, short week has made it difficult to keep to the training regime, but I am getting in a workout where I can, usually in bits and pieces.  It is quite surprising how much I miss the exercise ... and eating healthy, slow food. I'm planning on a big hike at the Forks of the Credit on Saturday and a whole lot of cooking to get me through the next week.

The first week of fundraising has gone great.  More than $1,000 has already come in and a lot of people have made pledges.  It is really encouraging.  So please keep those donations coming in. 

A number of people who have contributed have felt the need to apologize for not being able to contribute more.  I would just like to remind people that the cost of providing a person with clean water, for life, in Africa is just $25.  That, in turn, translates into better health, an education and a chance for a better life.  So please keep in mind that your donation, no matter how small, makes a real difference to someone's life.  Feel good about that!  Thank you for your continuing support.

To donate or learn more, click here. 

The Training Manual Arrives

Every time I get a piece of mail from WaterCan I get the jitters.  It's true.  Today I got two pieces of mail.  Both had my mind racing and my heart pounding. The first, was an invitation to paritcipate in WaterCan's 25th Anniversary celebration in Ottawa in June.  No biggie.  I do receptions etc. all the time. I may not like schmoozing, but I am pretty good at it.  I guess practice does make perfect. The second was the Kilimanjaro training and fitness manual.  This should have given me a lot of comfort. I read through it quickly and it seems I am doing exactly the right kind of training, I am doing more training than suggested and I started earlier than suggested.  So I am golden right?  Not exactly.  I figured it out.  Every time I get a piece of mail it reinforces that this thing is real and the more I read and hear about scaling Kilimanjaro, the more I understand that the major hurtle to summitting is mental, not physical.  And let's face it, even when I am really on my game I am a bit of a flake. So mental prep is going to have to be as much a part of my training routine as physical prep.  So here's the plan: (1) Do not give into negative thoughts or fears; (2) Consistency is a key to success; (3) Vary the training routine to maximize effectiveness and minimize injury; (4) Train in uncomfortable situations.  The end result will hopefully be a finely tuned body with a mind ready to deal with cold, dirt, fatigue, headaches and the nausea that can accompany high altitudes.

 

Damn You Victoria Day Weekend!!! Lol

So duh! The Victoria Day Weekend messed up the training regime. You could see that one coming miles away. But no big deal. I didn't over indulge and I was still active even if it was not the usual run, weight train and swim. I probably gained a couple of pounds, but I am looking forward to a good run this evening and back to the full routine tomorrow.

And the money has started to come in. I sent out the first fundraising email last Thursday, I think, and already $800 has come in and a whole lot of pledges have been made. So I am comfident, with some hounding, I will make my fundraising goals.

I'm upbeat! 143 days to go!!!

Unanticipated Consequences

Today marked the end of Week 3 in the training regime.  It is also the start of the Victoria Day long weekend.  Some changes are obvious.  I am not indulging the vices I enjoy so much, I am exercising at least 5 days a week, my diet is healthier and I am sleeping more (usually).  As a result, I have lost some weight (8 lbs), I am starting to look better and I am feeling better.  You would expect that, although I am bit surprised at how quickly the transformation is taking place. There are also some interesting changes, I didn't anticipate.  

Because of the long weekend, there was office work I was determined to get done and I missed today's workout.  It actually made me grumpy. I guess that says something about how much I am into the training and how much I need those endorphins.  And then tonight, I decided I could have a May 24 indulgence.  No, I didn't put back a case of suds.  I went to one of my favourite burger joints and ordered a double banquet burger, onion rings, fries with gravy and a Coke!  I should mention that since I started training, I have pretty much cut out sugar and caffeine from my diet.  The sugar was on purpose, the caffeine just sort of happened. I have no idea why. Anyways, remember how I said I am getting more sleep?  Not tonight, that one can of Coke got me completely wired.  That never happened before.  A month ago, I could drink coffee and Coke all day and all night ... and fall asleep like a baby for 4 or 5 hours. 

So I can't sleep.  And I have a new blog.  And now you know why. 

So My Friend Had This Idea

I guess by now most everyone I know has heard that I am going to scale Mt. Kilimanjaro in October 2012 to raise awareness about the global water and sanitation crisis and to raise funds to support the work of WaterCan.  Today, on Facebook, an old friend of mine suggested that I chronicle the experience ... the training and the climb ... in a blog. So here it goes, the start of a random collection of experiences and thoughts about the road to Kilimanjaro.