Maggie's

Monster Training 1st entry

Only 7 weeks to go until Monster Bike and Hike and for those who do not know I have signed up for Gold with Julie from Maggie’s Lanarkshire making up team Maggie’s Angels splashing through puddles!  I think I was having a weak moment when I agreed to go the whole hog and going for it but now I have got my head round it I am actually strangely starting to look forward to it.  We even have Charlie and Bosley but Tom and Nick can decide who’s who!!!!

Last year we did bronze so I think we both feel we know we can do the cycle but neither of us have ever walked 43 miles so over the last month we have really stepped up the training but still think we have a long way to go – oh my god what have I said yes to!!

I promised this year I would write a blog and have missed a chunk of training but have photos from it all – some you can tell me and Julie have got bored along the walk and started taking some silly pics!  I will let you add the captions!!!  Best caption wins a bar of chocolate!

So training… we have a problem in the fact we are both so busy with work commitments or personal stuff so we have been out on a few training sessions together the last being today (Monday 15^th March) but other than that we are getting friends to get out with us so we can keep it going.

This weekend I have done loads and a huge variety of people and types of walks and have realised what good friends and family I have and how much they are really supporting me.

Training updates….

Thursday 11^th March

Julie came through and we went for a night hike with Andy, Isabel (Monster veterans) and Claire (part of last years Maggie’s angels) around Corstorphine Hill to give us a chance to walk with the head torches and to help me not be so freaked and scream my way through the woods at Monster!  We did two loops so roughly 5.5miles and the only thing that freaked me out was the two dogs who attacked us (okay they didn’t attack but I’m scared of dogs and they where a bit too close with the barking!).  Andy and Isabel thought we walked well and if we can keep up the same pace we might actually be able to complete gold within the 24hours.

Saturday 13^th March

I went out with Claire for a walk out to Balerno along the water of Leith and then back along the main street to the Riccarton arms (about 12miles) and grabbed a late lunch (honest not all my training is round food but it does help!).  I cant believe what a nice day it was and just wished I had remembered the sun scream as face was a bit pink at the end, who would have thought it in March.  Stopped in along the way at the Water of Leith visitor Centre at Slateford and met two really nice volunteers who run the Centre, next time you go past make sure to go in and say hello.

Sunday 14^th March

Don’t worry I didn’t forget my Mum but before I went out to Penicuik, I got up bright and early with Isabel and went for a cycle up the Pentlands, starting at Thriepsmuir over to Harlaw and then up and over and round and down Puke hill (that’s what Isabel and Andy call it!)  Very very steep hill and even with my brake on the whole way down I was going at over 20mph – scary but great fun! 

Isabel was great gave me lots of help and suggestions on how to get the most out of cycling including getting the most out of my gears.  She was very patient and I really appreciated her going at my pace which I am sure was a lot slower than she is used to – she so should be my personal trainer!

Monday 15^th March

Julie and myself took a days holiday and went for a walk round the Pentlands, I say round because we bumped into some ladies who said the wind was so strong that they had to come down of the hills (any excuse and yes we use it!) so we went round the reservoirs stoped for a pack lunch and then came back again. We actually had a really good walk and Julie was trying to help me co-rodinate my walking poles – she now understands when I say I can’t dance as I really don’t have any co-ordination!!! 

What’s planned next

Well I am hoping I can still walk tomorrow and get to work, busy day in Maggie’s planning for Love Maggie’s Day which is fast approaching and then have gym night planned with my personal trainer (Yes Isabel!) and hoping to fit in a cycle on Saturday morning before spending the weekend with my best friend Andrea and her family at her son Alexander’s christening and her husband Barrie’s 30^th which I am really looking forward too as miss spending time with them all, especially my god daughter Isla.