Kilimanjaro Training: One month left!
Monday, 30 April 2012 1:33 PM
One month.
Thirty short days is all the preparation time I have left before I leave to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro.
As much as I would like to say I am completely calm and prepared for this epic journey, I am not. My stomach is filled with butterflies, my ‘to do’ list is the length of my arm and I’m being plagued by nightmares, usually involving me being rescued from the mountainside.
Kilimanjaro has consumed my life!
Since my last post, my training has managed to keep a steady pace through April until it came to a standstill last week.
After an unfortunate encounter with a thunder and lightning storm, gale force winds and monsoon season downpour, I’ve been fluey and feeling very sorry for myself. But I’ve stocked up on Berocca, Lemsip and this amazing little pick me up – BioCare ImmunoBerry. Made from elderberry concentrate, with zinc and vitamin C, it helps to get your immune system back on track!
Easter began with a trip home to Ireland to visit my family and I convinced them that a long (uphill) walk around Glendalough, Co. Wicklow was exactly what we needed after our Easter egg binging.
I think I should mention however that Glendalough, albeit it a truly beautiful part of Ireland and one of my favourite landscapes of home, is nothing like the Brecon Beacons, and with its highest point peak Lugnaquilla at 925 metres, it is no Snowdon either. In fact, on our first day of the Kilimanjaro trek, we will climb over double this height to the Machame Camp where we’ll stay our first night in the mountain rainforest.
My walk around Glendalough was not about altitude (mainly because there is very little around Europe that can even come close to the height of Kilimanjaro) but about endurance.
Entrusted with the very important task of carrying all our rain gear, packed lunches and precious two-litre thermos of hot tea, we took to the path. The wind was howling through the valley and the skies were threatening rain in typical Irish fashion. Most of my energy was used up putting rain jackets on and off again, digging out the map from the bottom of the rucksack and coaxing our dog Toby up the steep steps that carved the way to the top of the hills.
After a couple of hours negotiating maps, paths and rain showers, we tucked into sandwiches and tea while the skies cleared for a blissful 20 minutes.
Back in London, I was hell bent on getting as much gym time in as possible.
My twice weekly classes with Sexy in the City Bootcamp in Liverpool Street are definitely paying off! And while the whole class was getting excited for the marathon last month, I was getting just as excited about my almost visible bicep!
And as of today, I’ll be on the Sexy in the City sugar detox plan! That means no sugar in my coffee, no cereal and most heart-breaking no cupcakes or chocolate! It’s definitely going to be a challenge; I’m a true sugar-craver and it’s tough to end an evening without a cuppa tea and two biscuits! Fingers crossed I can stave off the cravings with some carrot sticks!
Other than planning a very full week of gym activities, I spent the weekend purchasing some essential pieces of kit. Here’s this week’s splurges!
Bridgedale CoolMax Hiking Sock Liners:
Eight pairs may have put me back the guts of £60, but my tootsies will be thanking me for the sock-related shopping splurge on the mountain! These really thin sock liners act as a second skin, helping prevent blisters so it’s the sock that rubs against your boot, rather than your skin. Absolute lifesavers!
I used this super strength spray while I was teaching in Central America four years ago. One morning I forgot to spray a little (it really is the highest concentration you can get, so you only need about two squirts on your clothes!) and my legs were eaten up by mozzies in the classroom! Lesson learned – I travel nowhere without it!
I’ve wanted a Sigg bottle for quite a while. They’re light, durable, keep your water nice and cool (and I’ve heard they can be doubled up as hot water bottles during the colder nights on Kilimanjaro) and the limited edition designs from their Lifestyle collection are awesome! I went for this bright ruby one I found on Ebay for a budget friendly £10!
You can follow all my #TeamTotallyKili tweets here @nikkicanning (there’ll definitely be some sugar withdrawal related ones too this week!).
