Thursday, December 07, 2006

Forget about the training regime blog for two minutes and click here for the perfect Christmas present!!!!
I know I am baised, but they are seriously the nicest chocolates you will ever eat!!!

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Weight: 104.9k
Total weight loss: 4.2kg.

Apologies for taking so long to update my blog. The new job has taken up a great deal of time and I have basically been a bit crap at finding the time. Call it blogger's block if you like.
Anyway, the good news is that the weight is still coming down.
The other exciting news is that all 12 of us on the expedition have been offered the services of a very update gym. Click here for details. It is not so much a gym, as a shrine to the body. I may have desecrated the place just by entering the hallowed portals. Certainly my old favourite gym t-shirt may have to be traded in for something sleeveless in white.
We now all have our own personal trainer, who is neither Australian or over enthusiastic. They are used to fat chief executives in there so I think toning up the muscles of the Arctic troupe is an interesting change for them as well.
Also the fundraising is going well. A big thanks to BT for stumping up £2,000 in sponsorship. Anyone else who would like to make a contribution can follow the link at the right hand side of the page.
I have decided that skiing would be good training for the expedition so I have booked two separate weeks off after Christmas to hit the piste. My companion for the holiday has never skiied before, but is eager to learn. So she will be enrolled in ski school while I weave my way down the mountain.
I have also decided that it would be futile to give up booze in the midst of the Christmas party season, so have postponed D-Day (Dry Day) until January 1.
So apologies again for not updating the blog in weeks, and I promise to update again soon!

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

The arctic clothing is something else.
I went for the fitting on Monday at a restaurant in Knightsbridge managed by someone else on the trek.
First off there is the thermal underlayer: longjohns and T-shirt. Then there is the outer thermal layer and then a fleece layer. Sweating like a fiend, I then had to don the windproof boiler suit thingy and then a duck down jacket on top of that. Feeling a bit like the Michelin man after Christmas dinner, I then had to put on the balaclava, wooly hat, inner thermal gloves, huge mittens, two pairs of thermal socks and giant ice boots.
I looked like a cross between a yeti and a bouncy castle.
I am sure it does a marvelous drop at keeping out the cold, but wearing the full garb in a warm restaurant was not a pleasent experience. However I don't have to worry about ponging after my 10 days trapsing about an icesheet, because apparently at those extreme low temperatures, wiffs do not bother the nostrils. Thinking about this, it may be because the nostrils are not working.
What happens when we warm up upon finally return to our hotel rooms after 144 miles is beyond contemplation.
Here is a link to the eBay auction for the last place on the expedition. Anyone who feels flush can bid.

Now an apology: I may have given the impression in an earlier post that somebody who had read this blog was so inspired that she was contemplating running the next London marathon.
I have since met the person in question and she informs me that she was playing with the idea of running "a London marathon" but not necersarily the next one. I am happy to put the record straight. Anyway, anyone who wants to encourage her, can reach her at... on second thoughts maybe not.

My new lush gym has underfloor heating in the changing rooms. Perfect!!

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Started a new, very challenging job on Tuesday and my feet have not touched the ground since. I have also lost the benefit of having a company gym two floors below me. My new employer does have a subsidised gym membership scheme, but predictably its full right now.
Which means I am about to sign up to a very expensive unsubsidised membership at the Holmes Places down the road.
At £107 per month, I fully expect somebody to do the working out for me! But I guess it will be worth it in the long run.
The trek team has now raised about £30,000 for the expedition through a mixture of corporate sponsorship and some donations from some seriously generous people.
Getting kitted out on Monday with all my Arctic gear, and I can't wait.
Tried to go for a run yesterday, but discovered it was cold outdoors...

Saturday, October 21, 2006

I have a cold. Proper, full blown man flu. Runny nose, aches etc etc. Going to bed tonight and not waking up till Monday. I think it is a direct result of salad overdose. Sniff.
On a brighter note, I did meet all my fellow trekkers on Thursday night. They seem a very good bunch and I think we will all get on.
Meeting everybody has made it all a lot more real. The reality of what we are proposing to do has kicked in and its all quiet scary.
But most of the effort at the moment is still focused on raising money (see link on right!!)
Getting kitted out with the proper Arctic survival gear on Monday week.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

I NEED DONATIONS!!!!
Hi guys,
You may have noticed the link on the right hand side of this page which directs you to the fundraising page. I have checked the link, and it is working. Please use the link to add your kind donation to the cause. I have no idea which posting on this blog gave you the impression that I was doing this ludicrous trek for fun?! So please please help out if you can.
Did I mention that Sophie Anderton is taking part in this trek as well? The largest donation gets a picture of Sophie being eaten by a polar bear. Probably. I have linked a lovely photo of her here. She does seem to be quite popular on the internet.
And no, I didn't watch Love Island, but I am sure it was edited to make her look like a bunny boiler and that she is actually a very nice person.
And if you were wondering, I have not updated my latest weight for a good reason. So there!

On the ever-so-dull exercise front, I am still going to the gym, but need to do more over the weekend, which I regard as time off from all arduous activities, such as work and exercise. This needs to change.
Thanks for reading, good night and good luck.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Dear generous friends,
I am deeply in need of sponsorship for this little jaunt. Each of the 12 people on this trip have been asked to raise £6,000 and the fundraising starts here!
Think about it, you don't really need that new car or that nice new Ikea kitchen. Give your money to me instead! Click here to go to the secure website that makes donating your cash really easy.

Monday, October 09, 2006


Hi guys,


The last week has been quite difficult. I took a week off work and went back to parents for a few days. Then I trekked over to Copenhagen for a few days for a media award ceremony. I met up with some mad Slovenians, and went partying with them, which mean alcohol intake was somewhat higher than normal. Well done me!

Anyway, the point I am making, is that it is very difficult to stick to a training regime when your normal routine is disrupted. Its straightforward to go to the gym when at work and buy a salad rather than a fat sandwich at lunchtime. But it's harder when an established framework gets disrupted.
Which got me thinking about habits and how habits are formed. We all have habits - most of them bad - which provide a structure to the day. Most of them are not addictive in themselves, but rather are comforting in their familiarity.
Which brings me back to training and forming new habits and the best environment for changing habits. It seems to me one of the hardest parts about training is that it disrupts old habits. Going for a run means not watching TV or somesuch. It's not so much a question of whether I would prefer to go for a run rather than slump on the sofa, its more an issue of leaving behind one established pattern of behaviour in favour of another.
I was told yesterday by a friend on the trek that sweating in the Arctic is BAD. Apparantly, sweat never evaporates. Rather it freezes. And stays frozen until the end of the 140 miles. So those that sweat like a pig in heat will have a layer of ice on the inside of their clothes. Lovely.
Went for a run this morning. It was the normal route to the park and back. This time I made it to the park and most of the way back. Progress!
Another thrilling instalment tomorrow.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Huge apologies guys, I have this week off work, which means that I am running around doing things and seeing people and not blogging!
Just about to run to the airport to go to Copenhagen. Long post when I get back on Saturday.
Until then,
AMW

Friday, September 29, 2006

So another weekend approaches fast. Weekends are always tricky because the company gym is so far away. I do go running, but it is SO boring. And there is always some marathon freak that passes you like you were standing still.
Anyway, I am officially one belt notch thinner than I was two weeks ago and now that I can measure the progress, the motivation is coming back. For anyone starting on any sort of fitness regime I would say that the first 10 days are always going to be hard because there are few signs that all the sweat is making any difference. But trust me, it is.
A special thanks to the reader that emailed me to say that having read this blog, she was now actively considering running the London marathon next year. Her basic line of argument was that if chunky old me could trek across the Arctic, even she could run 26 miles. I am not sure if I should be flattered or offended. Maybe I am over doing it on the self-depreciation!
I will post an update on Monday, but wanted to leave you with this. Anyone offended by ripe language should keep well away, but everyone else, especially those that have had a run in with BT in the past should check it out!
And if anyone has suggestions on how to make a salad more interesting then leave your suggestions here. Ditto those with receipes for tasty salad dressing.
Have a great weekend guys.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006



This is a picture from last year's Baffin Island expedition. Good thing I am a skier not a boarder!
Weight: 107.2kg (16 stone 13 lb)
Weight lost in last week: 0.5kg (1.1lb)
Total Weight loss: 2.1kg (4.5lb)

So I thought it was about time I told you all about the charity that will be benefiting from this sponsored madness. The Mitchemp Trust is a children's charity that turns hoodies into respectable young people by taking them to the countryside.
Actually, that is my somewhat crass and simplistic interpretation of what it does.
According to its own website the Mitchemp Trust is a "youth development charity working with vulnerable children who are between the ages of 11 and 14 years".
It aims to "improve their confidence, self esteem and ability to take responsibility for themselves.We accomplish this by providing adventure camps, involving exciting outdoor activities that enable the children to succeed and achieve."
The Trust's motto is "If you think you can, you probably will. If you think you can't, you definitely won't"
Well I definitely think that I probably can do this trek. So there!
Anyway, I slightly fell off the wagon at the weekend and may have accidentily ordered pizza. Firezza does wicked and genuinely Italian pizza all across London. Think very thin, lots of fresh basil, tomato etc and not covered in three inches of cheese like the variety of pizza favoured by fatboy Americans. Speaking of Americans, wasn't the Ryder Cup just fantastic!!
I may have visited a well known American fast food chain that sounds like "NacDonalds" as well. Well, I didn't have any food in the fridge, what was I supposed to do?
I think I am allowed one (large) plateful of carbs and fat per week! The good news is the weight is still creeping down, albeit at a slower rate. I wonder what 4.5lb looks like? Four bags of sugar? Answers on a postcard please.
The training plan from the fitness instructor on the trip is only 10 weeks long, which means that I am already ahead of schedule.
The other good news is that we may have a sponsor lined up to fund the whole £90,000 cost of the expedition. Fingers crossed.
On a different note, it is very interesting to see who is reading this blog. I seem to have regular readers as far afield as California. So don't be shy, leave comments and any wisdom you may wish to share.

Thursday, September 21, 2006

I have either been for a run or at the gym for the last three days, so today I am giving my aching limbs a day off.
Various muscle groups have been sending urgent messages to my brain.
One typical missive from my knees said: "Dear brain, I thought we had an agreement that we would not be required to do this sort of thing anymore. The ligaments down here are kicking up an awful fuss and somebody is going to snap!"
One correspondence from an unhappy right ankle tendon simply said: "I am not sure she can take much more Captain."
And I won't even go into the spam emails I am getting from my stomach.
The fitness instructor in the expediton group is promising to send us all a fitness plan. Words can not express the excitement about that!

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Training Day 4:
Weight: 107.7kg (17 stone)
Total weight loss: 1.6kg (3.5lb)


So back to work at the Sunday Telegraph this morning after a fairly boozy weekend. I made sure I only drank champage last night (see previous post) and went for the healthy pudding option at this really nice little restaurant in Soho called Andrew Edmunds. Here is the link http://www.london-eating.co.uk/171.htm Its shabby and French and the food tastes great.
But I still can't quite bring myself to ask for slimline tonic with my gin. It just seems, well, wrong on so many levels.

So despite falling off the wagon somewhat over the weekend, I have lost 1.6kg in the last week. This can only be seen as an encouraging start. But I am not going to believe its more than a blip (shurely a blimp? Ed.) until the next weigh-in.

Herr Barbie downstairs in the gym is Very Enthusiastic and tells me I am doing A Good Job before going back to her protein shake and rivita. Usual combination of running, cycling and X-training machine in the gym today as per Barbie's instructions.

Friday night saw a meeting of the whole group going on this expedition. I was at work, and couldn't make it. But I gather that the expedition needs a name. Any suggests gratefully received. There will be a great prize for the winning entry (subject to secret conditions and eligibility).

Oh, and we also need a corporate sponsor!

Thought for the day: What is the point of mangos? They may taste like cake mix, but have you ever tried cutting one?

Monday, September 18, 2006



Training day 3:

So the first week of the "New Regime" is now over. I have successfully cut down on the booze and I have made it to the gym quite a lot.

But the initial enthusiam and excitement about getting fit for this madcap Arctic adventure has well and truely worn off. It has dawned on me that this is a going to be a long hard slog. I decided that I would go for a run in Brockwell Park this morning. Its about a mile from the flat. The plan was to run to the park, do a lap and run back. It didn't quite work out like that. I managed to run to the park, but I was so knackered that I had to then walk through the park and then stagger home for a lie down. I think its going to take a wee while before I start seeing a noticeable improvement in performance.

Anyway, I am also starting to have worrying dreams about this expedition (see photo). It is not helped by a friend who emailed me a story about a chap who climbed Everest. He had lost both legs below the knee in a car accident but had somehow decided that climbing the heightest mountain in the world was still a good idea. Unfortunately he got caught in bad weather and lost two fingers with frostbite. However, he said that having lost two legs, a couple of fingers wasn't going to make much difference. I am not sure if the car accident had damaged his mental faculties or if he was the bravest chap on the planet. Either way, horrific stories of limb loss in freezing mountain conditions are not helpful! So all gleeful emails containing similar tales from "friends" can now stop thankyou!

Further update tomorrow.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Technorati
This is a link for Technorati, please ignore.
Training Day 2
Weight: 109.2kg (17 stone, 3lbs)


A friend at Sandhurst is kind enough to get in touch with some helpful advise.
"Alcohol is a pivotal part of the military approach to fitness," she writes. "I think you should follow suit."
The friend in question has an Oliver Reed approach to alcohol and a body that would make Cameron Diaz weep hot tears of envy, so I am inclined to take her advice.
I discover from female friends (clearly girls give this sort of thing a great deal of thought), the least fattening booze is champagne and vodka & slimline tonics. Though not together, clearly. Well at least I don't think so.
I don't really like V&Ts so I have no choice but to drink fizz all the time. Suddenly this fitness malarky is not looking so bad.
On that note, I received my new training routine from the Aussie health fascist that lives in the company gym. Let us just say that it is challenging! It basicallly involves an hour of cardio work (treadmill, bike, X-country etc) about 4 times a week. I did tell Herr Kylie (actually I don't know her name and I really should by now) that I have to work for a living as well, but she said that the gym opens at 6:30am and I would have plenty of time to train before breakfast.
Marvelous.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006


Training Day 1
Weight: 109.2kg (17 stone 3 lbs)
There is something very satisfying about stepping on a treadmill for a good reason. People tend to do it because we are vain and don't want to be too rotund. But most of the time apathy and the imagined taste of lager give vanity a good mental kicking and most of us end up going to the pub with mates at lunchtime instead. Of is that just me?
Anyway, now I have a real motivation to go to the gym. And you know what? It is still a shitty experience and hurts like hell. But it did feel good to get the new regime underway. The Australian fitness instructor in the gym (why are they always Australian?!) is of course ever-so-enthusiastic about my jaunt across the Arctic ice. Well, that said, there was a moment after I told her when she looked like she was about to burst into laughter, but we will gloss over that.
She has agreed to design my a fitness programme and we are to go over the plan in the gym tomorrow morning at 8:30am. Well, may as well use up this enthusiasm before it wears off!
I have told her I want to lose two stone in weight and after a brief visual scrutiny, she agreed that it was a very realistic target. Bitch.
So today has gone as well as could be expected. Glowered at the waiter when he asked if I wanted chips to go with my steak at lunch and now feeling quite smug. Won't last I expect.