Morning Everyone.

Well the big news is that after a month or two of decision making it is now felt that the expedition would benefit greatly from changing sponsorship direction very slightly.  Up until now I have been raising my funds for Sports Relief.  However, we have been through a little bit of soul searching and realised our endeavour could be positioned better with the fantastic Lords Taveners.  This great charity was set up by like-minded individuals in 1950 with a love of cricket and communal pro-activity that gave itself to urgent fundraising aiming a creating a better life for children; particularly those with special needs.  Today the ranks of the Taveners are full of celebrities, musicians, cricket stars and people who feel that they could make a difference.  The unanimous feeling was that so could we.  They have been interested in our endeavours right from the start and have offered support and assistance throughout and the overriding feeling when we met at Lords a few weeks ago was that our impact would create bigger waves if we drew up alongside The Taveners; and now it's official.  www.lordstaveners.org for further information and the bigger story.

It goes without saying that Sport Relief is still of course a wonderful and amazing charity and massive "thank yous" to those friends and supporters of mine that have kindly donated to the cause so far.  Your money will go towards ground-breaking projects set up by Sport Relief and that have huge impact, both in the UK and overseas; so really a huge Thankyou.  However, any further funds raised will now go towards the Lords Taveners and I will be changing my donation pages shortly.

The Christmas season has sneaked up on us again.  I just wish corporate Britain let the world know a little sooner.  I watch the TV, listen to the radio and I didn't even realise Christmas was coming so soon.  No adverts, no Live Aid, no Slade, nothing.  Come on Britain, lets get the decorations out earlier than August next year, please.  Obviously, training will continue although this week I have given myself a bit of slack and I would imagine next week will be the same but it will continue in earnest.  A very Merry Christmas to all my fellow lunatics and anyone that may have stumbled across this blog looking for late night "exercise" websites and all the best for 2009.  Our next serious get together will be a Tenzing Weekend at Kinsey's farm in Herefordshire; building him a brand new shed, building his village a new church, asphalting his Helipad, scrumping his apples, digging him a new swimming pool and going for a run. April's coming everyone and our adventures will be going up several notches.  

A Great Day - Tourist Bashing, Bleeping and a Good Long Net

Morning All.

Last Saturday; no not that one, the one that has literally just gone; saw a significant amount of bods from the Everest Test all together for the first time in a while for a pre-Christmas catch-up, to get some serious promotional activity going on and to have a "beasting" fitness work-out and a net session at the Home of Cricket, Lord's. It was a superb and hugely enjoyable day that I know everyone also really enjoyed. It also allowed myself to meet some of the other guys going on the trip that so far I hadn't been able to which was excellent.

The day kicked off for me by limping into Lord's Car Park on pretty much fumes as the Wife hadn't filled up the car on her last trip out; ......another time. However, I was donned in the venerable whites ready for my initiation into the world of Frozen Mobiles, or something like that. The plan was to hook up with the rest of the Everest group outside Waterloo station; underneath the flimsy looking Ferris Wheel beside the Thames. Wearing whites in the Lord's compound obviously doesn't and didn't cause anyone to raise an eyebrow at all; why would it? The further one walks away from Lord's the more reaction one gets; makes sense really. So, by the time Waterloo station appeared outside the tube window I had caused a significant amount of rib-nudging and "look at that twat"-ing. Only one guy passed verbal comment - "wrong season innit?", he said, smirking as he got off the tube. Hilarious. I was pleased in this case when a little bit of mouth-foam spittle landed on his nose that had jumped from my hung-over mouth, as I let out a sarky guffaw. As I made way through to the main bit of Waterloo, wearing whites, I was on Red Alert for having fingers pointed at me, drinks chucked at me or worse. With this in mind, I hid behind the group of mullet-haired, plate-lickers that were obviously going to wreak carnage of some sort of a Eurostar, lager-frenzied, plastic chair chucking day out. (I seriously thought one guys hair cut was actually illegal now). Anyhow, the thought of walking past these walking adverts for why people move from England wearing what may as well have been an alien costume, was pushing it. I rode up the escalator hiding behind a group of small children.

I found the rest of the Group and we were walked through what exactly a "freeze-mob" was. The idea being we would walk into a suitably illegal or unsuitable place wearing our whites and re-create a catch at short-leg in an imaginary game of cricket. The appeal would go up but we would then freeze; i.e. holding that pose for 3 minutes to the bemusement of the Chinese and Spanish hoards that frequent tourist London. Three times we popped-up, "Guerrilla-like" - Parliament Square, Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square; they all got the "freeze-mob" treatment. It was surprisingly brilliant fun and a fantastic way of advertising what we are doing and what we will be doing in April. Short of driving a truck through people's front rooms this sort of activity must be one of the best advertising mediums going. Good on everyone for doing this. I still have "arse-cramps" in the glutes from my various positions but, really, I got away lightly compared with some of the other guys. Have a look at http://www.theeveresttest.com/ for pictures.

We then had a long and very informative meeting, led by Kirt and Wes, who filled us in on what's been happening and we had various short reports form the guys that led the various Tenzing / Hillary activities since we had last met. We were told about the sponsorship arrangements, who was on board, the new medical team that we had now attracted and the fact that we could potentially be changing sponsor. I volunteered to take part in an umpire training weekend over next Valentines day to the relief of the Wife who simply hates being taken out and entertained on such occasions. Done her a real favour there, I think.

We then had the dreaded "Bleep-Test" which at one point was looking like it was being cancelled due to complete and total lack of interest. However, it was not to be and we got going with 20 minutes of up and down shuttle running that is branded under the cosy sounding title "Bleep-Test". It's a schoolboy nightmare basically and is the bottom line in fitness levels and indicates where a person might be with regards to overall stamina and fitness. Disappointingly, I hadn't really nudged any further than the first test I took in the summer - still around 9.3 / 9.5 ish but I will persevere with my fitness regime as I know I am getting better and fitter and I am also losing weight (about 1 stone so far) but it does highlight that with the "silly-season" coming up its going to be worth it to work just as hard, if not harder, to keep the regime going. Cold and frozen mornings aside, I've still got to keep going. With my mate Barnesy also moving to Singapore in the New Year, my commitment has got to be doubled as he may very well not be around all that much to run, circuit train with and basically give my ass a kick. I'll miss the cold, foggy mornings, charging off, scaring the pheasants and deer that think there won't be anyone daft enough to run through the woods at this time in the morning and following Barnesy as he farts in my air gasping face every five minutes.

With the Bleeps over, I then proceeded to get smacked about the St.Johns Wood skyline in a two hour net session. Actually, I really enjoyed having a bat and having a good long bowl for two hours. The Indoor School is just superb and rarely do you find bowler run-lengths able to contain my incendiary, cheetah-like approach to the crease. The wickets also had a little in it for the bowler who likes hitting seam. It was good to see everyone enjoying the cricket and having a knock. There's obviously a bit of talent about and one or two players on the Hillary bench that Tenzing may have to nobble.

The full and tiring day was rounded off at about 7; so we had been at it all day but it was great to meet new friends, learn about the colossal amount of work going on behind the scenes; the high profile people like the Lord's Taverners who are now looking like coming alongside our little trip, and many other facets that go into the mix for a venture like this and that the organisation team have put every ounce they have into it. This trip will be a success.

Again, it seriously instilled in me the fact that this is such a well run venture and that I am hugely proud to be a part of it. April will come round like a rocket and I hope I make the cut on the mountain - there are a few miles to clock up, an auction to organise, money to raise, dry, horrible turkey to eat and lumps crappy, overpriced tat to buy before then though. Good old Woolworth's. Merry Christmas.

Worth the licence fee alone.............

Hi.

I have just watched a fascinating programme on BBC 4 (no, I didn't know it existed either) called "Everest - Journey to the bottom of the Mountain".  I have just returned back from running a small 5km evening race and am eating my pie and chips (actually a pretty ropey stir-fry edible only by the generous dolloping on Encona chilli sauce) and I have been riveted for an hour by this programme.

If my fellow trekkers get the chance I would recommend tracking it down on the various Plus 1 or iView doo-dahs that satellite TV now offers. It is a great insight into the history of the mountain. From a climbing perspective, it interviews many "household" mountaineers including Bonnington, Doug Scott, Reinhold Messner (who pretty much said bollocks to the established way of climbing when he did the ascent without oxygen..or clothes..and drinking a pint of Bavarian face-melter).  It also charted the history of climbing the mountain from Mallory, Hillary, Tenzing, and everything else all the way to the tragedies of the 10th May 1996.

It also followed various groups of trekkers from landing at Lukla, which looks hairy to say the least, and followed them all the way through to Base Camp; taking in Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, etc.  It was fascinating to see the landscape, the terrain, the clothing people wear for such a trip and as well as taking interest in the Sherpa people; the people that actually live and work in the shadow of such imposing landscape.  A piece filming one of the Sherpa guides breaking down at the memorials at base camp was genuinely moving.  

Gorak Shep was also briefly highlighted and the pitch looks good.  The groundsman were on the rollers drinking their coffee and smoking their roll-ups, the score-box was nearly completed and the second bar in the grandstand was nearly finished and it seems preparations are well on the way for next April.  If I get offered the cherry it's definitely the down hill end. Seriously, it was compelling and hugely useful to see what happens when one treks to Everest. 

They broached the environmental question and how places like Lukla are now "boom" settlements were the farmers are compelled to leave the slopes to earn more cash hiring themselves out as freelance porters to the 20,000 trekkers that land and take on this route every year. There seems to have been an explosion of bars, bakeries, internet cafes in Lukla and that Tengboche, being a monastery settlement, is stuck between the ancient past and the future; the monks all wear North Face gear and now have coke drinking races with the trekkers. A stark contrast with the clip they showed on Bonnington and his huge team in reverential praise to the Head Monk on their way to lay siege to Everest in 1971.

It is a programme that simply whetted my appetite and inspired me even more and it raised simple questions about why am I doing this and what I hoped to get out of it.  Every one interviewed said the trek was tough and that the secret is slowly, slowly, catchy monkey and the personal rewards, outside of the camaraderie and money raising aspects of our particular trip, are there to be seen all around you.  No-one said that it would be easy to get there.

It was just a good programme to watch from many aspects and I hope other inexperienced enthusiasts got to catch it...................................................Pink Floyd's also on the soundtrack.

I didn't realise little old ladies were as fast as that...

Morning,

Just a quick update. Completed my first of three 5km evening meets in Stevenage last night. I was typically late and I parked the car and greased myself into my spandex, skintight, poodle munching leggings and put on my Hi-Vis, "As Seen From The Moon" Lumo Top and pinned my number to my front, skewering my fleshy bits in the process. Number 251, hhhhhmmmm, I thought, a bad Omen. Having asked the parking attendant where there start was he took some satisfaction in telling me it was 1/2 a mile away. So on top of everything else I had to run to get the start just as the ffking klaxon went off to start the race. I was near the back of course and that seemed to be way for much of the race. I never realised little old ladies, all hunched over with their woolly running gloves, were quite so quick. I had a few tussles with a particular old lady who kept getting me on the downhills and I kept clawing back on the uphills. However, I won in the end by pushing her over into a hedge. OK but it did cross my mind but I managed to overtake a fair few in the last Km to come home in the 170's. The time was somewhere about 25 / 30 mins which I was quite happy about. I followed that up this morning with a usual Thursday morning X-country run. A few tumbles this morning into puddles and other sh*t as both myself and Barnesy struggled with wintery footings. The Whitwell Water Tower run is a nasty one and I will get it done.

April is not going to be easy. I realise that Tenzing is split between those in London and those outside; logistics of coming into London are unfortunately difficult and expensive too and it is a shame that weekly contact is unachievable helping each other on Trim Trails, etc which is why it is important to keep in regular contact - email, etc. I intend to meet up as often as can and I am looking forward to a beer or two on the 22nd November. I am sure efforts are being made by those of us who don't see the rest as often on the fitness and personally I am working hard. I know I can run these courses and races but I do struggle with demons in my head that basically tell my legs to go to the pub. Some days are better than others and a lot of it is purely in my head. Some days I can nail a long run and others, usually cold and frosty mornings, I find it hard. My body / stamina is much better its just the bastard in my head telling me to stop. My fitness schedule now is getting me out 3 to 4 to, sometimes, 5 mornings a week now - apart from anything else I have proved I can stick to this regime and actually enjoy it, sometimes. I am also looking into Spinning Classes alongside my regular circuits morning - which may add a little variety. Being in a gym environment, I may have to put something down the front of my spandex though - everyone else seems to. my local gym is s you would expect in November; pretty empty, apart from the guys with "small man syndrome", you know, those guys that wear clothing that's too tight, coat themselves in some sort of fencing creosote and forearm lift vein-poppingly heavy weights and kissing their biceps as they do it into a mirror, smirking at the poor fatso in the circuits class. When you stand next to them they come up to your waist. YouTube has a few videos of Spin classes and it looks as though it could do some damage but I think I will give it a go. Every week I am trying to build up the running distance and the frequency. April will be hard going but I owe it to the trip, my wallet and now sponsors to give it what I can. I prefer the me now to when I started my fitness in July - I am sure I will continue with my running after Everest has long passed; I hope so.

Rain, Marathon's and Bogies..........

Morning Ritchie, Morning All......
Another fine day in Gotham City.

I don't know why anyone wants to live in this bloody country - the weather today is quite simply, shite.

Anyway, to horse.

Reading around the Blogs over the last few days it seems that a fair bit has been going on with the trip and it has been a shame to read about the guys that have had to pull out for one reason or another. Some of them I hadn't really met yet and some I definitely hadn't. It must be a sad but sometimes inevitable part of these types of trips, I would thought - people's circumstances do change , things do crop up and often tough calls have to made for the greater good in every direction. I wish everyone well that had had to pull out recently.

Fundraising has been great with quite a few phone calls coming in to me last week asking to get a better understanding of the trip and some personal contacts who are keen to show their support for the expedition. People are genuinely taken by this trip and what it's core aims are and are happy to help me and the trip reach the goals. I hope to build on this and do them proud next April. I also sat with a young journalist /cricket mate of mine who is hoping to get a piece about the trip and my preparations for it in the local press. I will know more soon.

I have signed up for the Bath Half Marathon next March - my Brother and his wife are running and I think a few of the Everest Lads are too - and more immediate than that I have 3 evening running meets - only 5kms - but something "official" to get under my belt on top of my weekly running and circuits schedule. The anti is being upped all the time and my "cake eating demons" are constantly being fought. I won last week. I even went out in public for the first time in my Ron Hill package-munching, spandex, lycra, spiderman leggings. My wife had given me "you look fine" looks for the last few weeks , chewing her fists, as I have been growing the spuds to be able to wear them in public. She has promptly excused herself to go and explode with laughter elsewhere in the house. I don't mind, Ron Hill wore them. Whoever he is.

Watching my little family getting bigger since Lexie was born has, on several occasions, made my stomach do a little "loop-the-loop", recently. Gut-pangs that mean, come April, I think I am going to find it very hard to leave for the two weeks or so for the trip. I will miss bath times and the other small things that (when you are actually doing them means getting wet, screamed at and little noses being wiped on you) I take for granted a little. I am not overtly emotional like this and I promise I'm not going to sing or anything but I think it's going to be hard, that's all. I know the trip will be an experience that will never be repeated and one that I fully intend to get as much out of as I can and help get off the ground and reach the goals that it is so deserving of. It will also go like a flash too, so although I think I will miss my Girls, I will back with them soon, so I can be splashed and get bogies wiped on me again soon enough. And that's just the wife.

.......................Magic.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snnoowwwwwwww....

Morning All,

Well training in the snow isn't fun........

Looking out of the window at 6.30 this morning when my mobile phone alarm went off, I saw the white expanse of day old snow that hadn't disappeared. Oh, Bollocks my legs and lungs said, almost in unison- they'd hoped it would have. They'd hoped for a beach with a bar and a small Polynesian woman wearing nothing but vegetation around her waist holding a tall, icey red drink with an umbrella in it, I'll be honest. Same here actually. I haven't done a cross country run in snow since I was at school. I don't really think I did it all that properly then, either.

It was hard going this morning; a combination of unwilling legs, the cold, sniffles and apathy. Completed the run but had to have a breather half way round. I found the Nevis climb pretty tough which was disappointing as I have been working hard at my fitness - 3/4 mornings a week so far for nearly 3 months now - this knocked me back a little as I hate being defeated and it seems that I take a few steps forward and one back, "fitness-wise". My wardrobe was restrictive for Ben Nevis but I cruised round the same X-country route two weeks ago so I know I can do it. Its a case of just getting on with it and increasing the anti regularly. I have been told by my mate who is training with me that road-running is the easier option as the footfall is the same - safe and regular. At this time of year, X-country means your feet and legs have to work much harder not to slip and slide on the ice and in the mud. I can understand that; I must have looked drunk during certain sections of the run. I'll just crack on.  What last weekends mission to Scotland did highlight was that there were parts on my body that are going to be worked very hard in April and so far I have neglected them from a fitness perspective.  My lower back gave me some "agro" in Scotland for example, so I do need to strengthen this up my starting to train with a backpack on.  It's likely the packs in Nepal will be a substantial weight and it makes sense to start getting used to carrying it.  

A great morning though - sun rising with a warm orange glow, the pheasants scurrying away from what must of sounded and looked to them like a ginger haired, anaemic earth-mover coming towards them, the freshly drilled fields rolling up and up and up and my head saying to me with every footfall "you stupid twat, you stupid twat, you stupid twat".

They can put a monkey in space but they can't design a fitness pill....

Fundraising is going well considering I am about a week into it - many thanks to those who have supported so far. I am also starting to get a few ideas for an Auction at the Red Lion after Christmas to try and smash the fundraising hard. A friend of mine had a fundraising evening in my local pub for the local hospital baby unit. He sourced some great prizes - not cans of de-icer or jam but Mercedes cars for the weekend, Van Goghs, Concorde's Nose Cone, that sort of thing. It was a great evening and well supported. I hope to do the same in a few months time.

Keep reading and I will update soon.

M

Hi Everyone. A few updates to catch-up with.

I have just returned from my 3 peaks challenge attempt - the idea being that Team Tenzing (or those that could make it) would take on the 3 highest peaks in the British Isles - Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon and they would all be climbed within 24 hours. I flew to Glasgow last Friday to meet up with a few of the Tenzing guys and to hook up with our driver for the trip. Craig our driver was a fan of dance music - which if you look at my collection of Prog-Rock dinosaur rock like Genesis, The Floyd, Zeppelin, I was delighted to hear all the way up to Glasgow International airport where the rest of the group had flown into.

On the way up we were held up by a horrendous car accident and the emergency services were cutting some poor bloke out of his upturned motor. An unfortunate hold up but it does probably go down as one of the oddest Friday nights I've ever spent. Sitting in a cramped silver mini-bus, somewhere in the Highlands stuck in traffic held up by a serious incident, eating almonds and watching "Cool Runnings" on the small "in-flight" DVD players. What the f888?!?! After about 1.5 hours we were on the move again - the rain and wind getting worse and worse.

Our eventual arrival saw us pull up at the gateway to the Nevis climb - once that gate is opened the clock starts. The wind was already lashing the windows of the van and the wind was a powerful force. Myself and Tooves, unable to change up until that point, had to put on our kit in the confines of our minibus. My idea for building up the layers proved to be the wrong decision as the more clothes I put on the less mobility I had further up the mountain. Anyway, I was decked out and ready for the challenge. My thoughts were of taking on an unknown challenge and relishing the opportunity and pretty intense anxiety. I was about to have a crack at climbing the highest mountain in the British Isles, at night. The experience that was present within the group was impressive. Several of the party had obviously done their "due-diligence" before this trip and I was relieved to see maps, gsm gadgets, etc. The size of the task in front of us was beginning to dawn on me.

The track up the mountain is a very uneven, steeply elevated rock path that I, personally, found pretty hard going. The higher we got up the path the less mobility and constriction I felt purely down to the amount of clothes I had on. Despite the dropping temperature I was starting to shed clothes - which I do know can be dangerous in such situations. My core layers were also starting to leak and therefore my base layers were beginning to get wet. Having done some pretty hardcore hikes before it was obvious my kit (some borrowed stuff admittedly) wasn't going to be up to the challenge. The higher we continued though the weather was starting to become a major concern; I think all of us in one form or another was starting to be aware of the possible issues that may arise if the weather got worse.

The rocky path gave way to rather well made gravel track and the path started to flatten out. The wind was now pushing our backs and this, to me, proved to be the easier part of the climb. The elevation had levelled slightly and the increasing wind was now directly on our backs. Within what felt like minutes, the wind was starting to knock me about a bit. I'm 6ft 3 inches and weigh in at a racing snake 15 stone. I was literally picked up on one occasion by the sheer force of the wind and placed 3 foot from where I was originally standing! This was getting very serious. G-Man brought us in for a group chat (or shout) and wanted to get the consensus of the group. A few of the guys wanted to press on but the majority, I felt, were becoming a little alarmed by the situation that was developing around us with the weather. Quite rightly in these situations opinions were quickly heard but it didn't call for democratic, open and lengthy debate. The nominated leader for the trip i.e. G-Man heard a few views but quickly layed it on the table - we were going down. The right call in my view. The hour or so we had left to get to the summit the wind speeds we were likely to face would be in excess of 100mph. I was very disappointed that my clothing had let me down and that I had got so far without being able to say I did it. I know many people who have climbed "The Ben" and have even done the 3 peaks and I wasn't one of them but sense has to prevail and accidents and more serious situations arise if it doesn't - it's that simple. In hindsight, this also cemented my faith and pride for this whole Everest venture. I was with people who are not idiots.

Going down wasn't that easy either. It was well over an hour to get down from where we were and we all knew this. We now faced the full force of the meteorological juggernaut that was straight at us. The rain felt like pins being hammered into my face but the wind was frankly unbelievable. 100 mph winds were now battering the upper layers of the Nevis range and we were up there - right in the middle of it. The whole group at one point were "crocodiled" out in a line, holding hands. We had to ensure no-one made a wrong move. The upper slopes are criss-crossed by drainage run-offs which even need to be jumped across at times so there are dangers everywhere and exaggerated by the fact you couldn't open your eyes well enough to see. The team spirit lifted the situation with a few songs being thrown about and some simple, bare-chested screaming at the weather to just f88k off. We all new that the lower we got the better and I was relieved when we finally rounded the bend and descended back onto the rock path which brought us up. It was still incredibly wet and the wind still knocked us about but that "edge" had gone. I went for a tumble a couple of times but nothing too drastic and the lights of Fort William came into twinkling view. We still had a long way to go but we had the benefit of the rising sun and visibility was much better.

We were very relieved to see our ground team and I think the feeling was mutual. That was hardcore, sh8t your pants scary and if we had gone higher the situation would have been potentially lethal for one, some or all of us. At the same time, for me there was a buzz of adrenalin-pumped excitement as this was way out of the norm of everyday life and this all along has been a part of my interest in the venture. Comfortable is fine but every so often you have to get out there and get sh8t scared - it makes you feel alive.

With a quick wash in Morrison's bogs at Fort William and a rather quickly prepared breakfast another group huddle was had. Reports and paper headlines were starting to compound the fears we had for the rest of the trip and Snowdon and Scafell Pike were reporting bad weather. The news today reports that over 1000 fell runners have gone missing on Scafell Pike. The weather is the worst experienced in the higher levels of Northern Britain for 40 years. I think we all new that the challenge wouldn't be met, this time.

Big thanks to G-Man for organising the trip and well done for my fellow mad-men who took this on. No-one can say we didn't give it a go and I think that the decision to come down illustrated to me that I am with a very sensible and motivated group of lads. It also served as a great team bonding exercise in preparation for April and it gave me the chance to get to know some of the other guys a little better. This is very important for me as I am one of the few guys that doesn't know anyone else going on the trip and I am not based in London so my contact is less frequent. Another aspect of the trip that made me want to be a part of it was that I would be meeting new people outside of my usual circle. Small and inadequate mini-buses are intimate places and having cricket toured for years, can be rather unpleasant places to be too if you know what I mean. So, in these respects, for me, mission accomplished.

Looking forward to Snowdon in March??

Catch up soon.

M

The Fun Starts Here.....

Indeed.  Haydn (Captain, my Captain) has given us the Tenzing "green light" to go forth and raise cash.  I will be in contact with everyone I know.  This is where the hard work starts and I would be open to any fundraising ideas that anyone might have - let me know.    

Got to go and make the kids cheese on toast now.  Catch up soon.

Great Night and Sore Head

Last night saw the Trektators Party at The Collection in Knightsbridge. Thanks to Colesy, Richy G, Barnesy and Nicole for coming along too at short notice. It was a great night with mucho grogo and now I have a slightly thick head this morning. Huge thanks to the Trektator team for obviously pulling out all the stops to get last night organised and it seemed a suitably fitting launch for this project.

Got back home at about 1.15am and managed not to wake any kids in the process - a remarkable achievement. I hope that girl who Colesy was boring to death on the train finally got to where she was going to. My call is she fell asleep and ended up in Peterborough...we've all done it.

An eventful few weeks.............

Phew. It has been an eventful few weeks and no mistake. Apologies for the delay in writing my Blog up for a while but I have been out of action for a while.
The Preston CC cricket season has finally had the stumps pulled and the season has been a great success from a club perspective. From a personal angle I think I should try and get better at golf. The brown hints of Autumn have been creeping into the Hertfordshire countryside and the conkers have been ripening. The beers at the Red Lion have been taking on a "wintery" feel..............................oh and I had another daughter. Yes, we finally (8 days late) gave birth to Lexie Bo Waters - LBW (an apt choice I think). She weighed in at an eye-watering 7lb 13 ounces. Lexie is doing fine and my other daughter, Beth, is certainly taking a shine to her new toy.
The Everest machine has also been hard at work and huge thanks to the guys behind the scenes for the continued effort to get the venture of the ground. The update meeting at The Plough in Sheen was brilliant as it enabled everyone to meet again (for someone that doesn't live in London, this is very important I think) and see where the "corporate" side of the project has got too. The new look website is up and running now too - please take a look at http://www.theeveresttest.com/. You will be able to see who's who, what's going on and get regular updates from here on in. It also gives you the easiest way to donate money to the venture, which is now aimed at Sport Relief and The Himalayan Trust. Many companies are in negotiation with our lead organisers; momentum is quickening and interest is definitely growing. We then wandered over to Sheen Common where the mighty Team Tenzing took on Team Hillary in a game of 20/20. It was good to see everyone in battle colours. Needless to say, Tenzing royally screwed Hillary with their trousers on and won a convincing win. The bowling attack of Tenzing was simply too hostile for Hillary's best. The pitch "talked" a little and enabled seam-up to pin the Oppo back in the crease. A little bit of "chin-symphony" and a smattering of lofted "F&G" spin proved too much of a lethal cocktail. The crowd, I think, were suitably impressed before they pulled their trousers up, threw their Special Brew cans in the hedge and started to have a heated argument with the dustbin.

The 3 peaks is now officially "on" and a crack squad is in training at the moment to take the challenge on and come end of October, we will be making our way up to Glasgow International to start. I will let you know how that goes. The training continues and my weekly appearances at Circuit Training is starting to pay off, I think. The runs are getting longer but they are being managed and slowly the distance is increasing. I have also signed up for 3 5k runs next month and probably looking at a half marathon before Christmas. Obviously, with time slipping away the anti needs to be upped. It is in hand. See you later.

The Pain

Morning All. Just back from a cross-country run this morning - about 4 miles running through shit - feeling it now. Looking forward to lunch. It's now mid August (where does the time go!?) and the weather has been crap so, annoyingly, there has been no cricket at the weekends for the last 2 weeks. The forecast is also crap for this weekend. Having said in my last entry that I hate gym's my feeling's haven't changed, but I do attend circuit training now on Tuesday mornings - an hour before brekky pushing and pulling muscles that I never really knew I had, or certainly wanted to know I had. I couldn't really walk yesterday morning let alone sneeze without it feeling like a hand-grenade had gone off in my chest. It is good though and gives me the regimentary (?) style of workout I think I need weekly. I am to be active 3 mornings a week and hopefully a few overs bowling on a Saturday. Have said yes to Team Tenzings assault on the 3 peaks in October - waiting for a reply but hopefully I am able to give it ago. I fancy prolapsing on Snowden, I think.

Just returned from a pretty debauched cricket tour which went by without mishap...apart from...well, let's just say I am a little lighter. Rule No.1 - dont pass out early. An old hand like me should have proibably known that. No respect these days..............

Things have been a little manic too - house buying is ridiculous in this country and the Wife gets bigger - must try and be in by early September to get everyone settled. I digress, but these things are all on my mind.

Anyway - the fitness is going OK and I suprising myself with the personal committment to it. I feel 6 months younger already. Pie for lunch I think............................................

Running, Cycling, Vomiting, Running, Cycling, Vomiting

My fitness regime is now underway under the watchful eye of a good mate of mine who has just completed a Lands End to John O'Groats bike ride in aid of the BHF. He should know a thing or two unfortunately which means early starts to go for a run or a longer cycle. Seeing as I find running hugely tedious my preference is for the bike, or car; but I know running will have a greater impact on my base fitness. I hate getting fit. I spent 28 years of my life skinny and now I am fat I have to get up early 3-4 days a week to lose it. I know it will be worth it though.

As I am in between houses at the moment my young family and I are living with my parents which means mealtimes are relatively vast and I find myself eating far more than usual - and the usual snack rubbish too. I am also about to disappear on cricket tour for a week which will mean the following week being quite tough. I refuse to join a gym though - I find them pretty dull and I would far rather be like Rocky in Rocky 1V; where he throws cart horses around and runs up the Eigar in chest waders. That's definitely more me, I think.

Word seems to be getting around a little - still waiting fro the "go" on personal money raising and I need to start thinking about a fund-raising event at my end. Anyway, I will update soon.

Waters on Everest - You What?

Morning All. Thanks for looking at my Blog - I'm pretty new to this type of stuff so I hope it works. To fill you in a little - next April I will be trekking to Mount Everest in aid of Comic Relief and The Himalaya Trust with a view to raising as much "moolar"as I can. I will be joining a group of people from a range of backgrounds and it should be a great adventure that will last 18 days over the course of next Easter. The brilliant idea is that we will play a game of 20/20 cricket at Gorak Shep Plateau - 1km trek away from Everest Base Camp. This will be the highest game of cricket, let alone any sport, ever played so I will hopefully be a record breaker too. Where's Norris? I'm told the surface "talks" a little to those of us with a mastery of the ball and plays merry hell with batsmen that like to drive off the front dog - but we shall see. It takes a certain type of fatso to have to fly half way across the world and trek up the highest range of mountains in the world, just to get a wicket or two. Anyway, the organisation has been impeccable and everybody seems to playing a part in getting everything off the ground. The trek will be hard and fitness is in the forefront of most people's mind so I need to try and get back to my distinguished racing -snake physique that reminds so many of a young Dennis Lillee. I will be in touch in due course to whack you all round the back of the head to cough up a few quid but I am waiting for the "nod"about all that.

I will be trying to update my "Blog" as frequently as I can; the idea being people reading will get the inside line on the group's preparations, fundraising activity, thoughts, etc - I hope it will be of interest. Onwards and upwards.................................................