5 Peaks Challenge

It's slave-tastic

2012-02-14T14:20:00.001Z

It’s slave-tastic at the moment. In other words the slave days are going well. My last one was last Saturday where I did some tree work for Julie Raymen. Thanks again to Julie for the support and the amazing chilli lunch.

This week is a busy one for fundraising. On Thursday night is the big quiz at the Queens Head Pub on Lower Anchor Street in Chelmsford. So far there are 14 teams already booked so we are looking at about 56 people so far. The winning team will win £20 cash and the losing team some chocolates. During the quiz there will be a £1 fine for any use of smart phones and web searching.

Along side the quiz will be a raffle with some great prizes including gym vouchers from Nuffield Health, a hairdressing voucher and some champagne.

After that I’ve got Friday to recover before doing another two slave days over the weekend. Saturday is with Fiona Wilson and I’ll be helping clear and construct some raised beds for veggies. On Sunday I’ll be back over with Susan Sawyer, this time in her back garden doing some crown reduction on a few large trees.

So it’s all going on.

Now the snow has gone along with my cough I also need to get out there and start the training.

Please keep that sponsorship coming. http://www.bmycharity.com/5PeaksChallenge

Neil

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Next slave for a day

2012-02-07T19:12:00.001Z

It's my second slave for a day session on Saturday. Looking forward to it. There one tree to come down for sure. Not sure I the stump has to come out too. I so I hope the ground defrosts a smidge. It'll be a pick axe job if not.

Had two lovely walks with Freddie to do today in the snow. He loves it. Runs like the wind and rolls around in it. It's been a lovely day of work. Back in to nightmare of work tomorrow. So it'll be the usual 5am walk with Fred. It's already -4 eeeek.

Also it's a week on Thursday till the quiz. It should be a good night. Since its going to be a late night I've got the day after off work to recover otherwise my ME would give me hell. After that it'll be two slave days and then a weeks hols at home. Woohooo.

Mud and Madness

2012-02-04T13:33:00.001Z

That's the first race of the year and what a laugh it was.

Parts of the course changed this morning due to inch thick ice. The rest was ok. So it was an up and down hill to begin with to help warm up; over some hurdles and tyres then on to a 750m canoe row through the ice.

Back on land was another mile of track and then on to an assault course followed by a horrendous boot camp. This was 20 barrel lifts with squats, 20 tyre lifts, 20 star jumps on tyres and 20 press ups. Absolutely shattering.

It was then out on more tracks and round a 4x4 track. This was hard and filled with thigh deep water and mud topped with inch thick ice. It was a real shin scraper. After that it was back round the lake a quick wade into the water and up on to a pontoon. Then it was the last stretch to the finish.

Due to the day being filled with heats I won't be the quickest person but I was the first person of the day across the finishing line. So for the moment I can pretend I've won. Haha.

I did this 7.5km race in 49:04 mins so vey pleased.

3 hours on and my feet are still cold!

Next formal race is Tough Mudder in May. In the mean time I new to get some decent training done for the 5 Peaks.

http://www.bmycharity.com/5PeaksChallenge

First race

2012-02-03T19:44:00.001Z

It's the first race of the year tomorrow. So I'll be running 7.5km down at Ockenden at Stubbers Adventure Park. It's going to be full of hills, mud and lake/pond swims. Bearing in mind it's due to snow and the water is likely to be icey it's going to be an interesting run.

I'll let you know how I get on once I stop shaking.

Thanks to everyone who's sponsored me so far. I've just topped £600 and am really chuffed and a touch overwhelmed.

Marathon baking session

2012-01-29T16:40:00.001Z

For the bake sale tomorrow I've just finished a marathon bake session. So that's cheese scones, shortbread biscuits and duck sinkers do e and ready. My wife also made gingerbread men and peanut butter cookies. With any luck it'll raise plenty of sponsorship tomorrow.

Bring on the weight gain.

http://www.bmycharity.com/5PeaksChallenge

First slave day done

2012-01-28T19:16:00.001Z

That's my first slave day all done. A big thank you to Susan for the warm welcome. No sooner was I there that I got a lick in the face and an offer of a tummy tickle. It was great to meet Susan's dogs too. Hahaha.

It was a tough 4 hours of digging and weeding. Very rewarding to see all that fresh turned earth at the end though. The old back is protesting a smidge now.

Susan supplied me with lovely coffees, some home made soup for lunch and even sent me home with home made burgers and chips with salad and a cracking cheesecake for pud. I think I ought to move in.

So it's the first of many slave days trying to raise my £1300.

Tomorrow will be cleaning out the chickens and then the afternoon will be baking ready for a bake sale at work, again raising money for my Challenge.

http://www.bmycharity.com/5PeaksChallenge

The quiz and the slave

2012-01-24T20:20:00.000Z

Hoorah my cold has almost gone. At the moment its just a lingering cough. So no more excuses. Its time to get back out training. Freddie the dog will be very pleased.

On the 16th of Feb I will be running a pub quiz at The Queens Head pub on Lower Anchor Street, Chelmsford. It's a get there for 6:30 for a 7pm start.

The quiz is to raise as much sponsorship for my 5 Peaks Challenge. If you are interested then please ring 01245 265181 to book a table. It is £10 per team - maximum four people per team. The winning team will get £20 back. There will also be a small raffle running during the evening too.

Oh and my lovely wife will be my 'sparkly' assistant - so who can resist a treat like that?!!

I've just hit the £300 mark in sponsorship so thanks so much to everyone who's given so far. Only £1000 to go, eeeek. So go on you know you want to. Keep on giving to help our heroes at www.bmycharity.com/5PeaksChallenge.

As a reminder to some. During now and the end of June I am offering my back and hard work as a garden slave-for-a-day. If you are interested and have a veg patch that needs digging, trees to prune or borders to weed then please contact me via here. I am suggesting a donation of at least £50 and I'll work from around 10am till 4pm weather depending. So come. Hard work never hurt anyone but why take the risk. Book the old Mr B now!

Great article

2012-01-15T11:06:00.001Z

A great article in the Essex Chronicle this week. Myself and Freddie were on page 12 covering our challenge. Hopefully it's raised some awareness. Unfortunately it hasn't translated into any sponsorship. If each reader had given a £1 I'd have met my limit. Disappointing.

Anyway it's a beautiful day out there; perfect for training but I'm stuck in doors shivering and sweating with a cold. Not a happy bunny.

If anyone has any ideas for raising sponsorship or would like to help please let me know.

Essex Chronicle article

2012-01-12T19:12:00.001Z

I've had a few texts so far to say there's an article about my challenge in today's Essex Chronicle. I haven't seen it yet and have no idea which photo they've gone for.

Fingers crossed that it'll get some more sponsorship for Help for Heroes.

My ME is very bad at the moment being in a lot of joint pain and high fatigue. However I'm still getting to the gym to do the step up machine so slowly slowly catch a monkey as they say.

Started the step up machine build up

2012-01-08T21:01:00.001Z

Hi all. I've started the time on the step up machine in the gym to get these floppy old thighs built up.

Freddie and I also did a decent 6 mile run today which went well.

We are now up to £174 in sponsorship which is exciting. Still £1126 to go.

First media interest

2011-12-30T11:55:00.001Z

Just been busy this morning finishing an article for our village newsletter and hopefully for the Writtle village one too.

On the off chance I emailed it to the Essex Chronicle and Weeklynews papers. Heard back from the Chronicle almost within minutes. They are coming for an interview and photo at 10 am tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes.

http://www.bmycharity.com/5PeaksChallenge

Sponsorship page

2011-12-29T19:51:00.001Z

I keep forgetting to add the link to my sponsorship page on here. Thanks to my lovely wife for reminding me.

http://www.bmycharity.com/5PeaksChallenge

First run since Christmas

2011-12-29T11:17:00.000Z

First run now done since Christmas. Freddie the dog and I did a muddy 10km in the cold sunshine yesterday. So of course stuff legs today. Lol

It's now time for a sit in front in the fire and a go at writing a newsletter article about my challenge for the village newsletter. Hopefully I'll get some sponsorship and some slave for a day money.

On that note I'm offering myself locally as a garden slave for a day for £50. All proceeds go to Help for Heroes of course.

Fundraising launched

2011-12-20T11:47:00.000Z

Well that's my fundraising scheme launched.

I'm already £9 up with doing a short Christmas quiz. If you would like a go just email me or comment on this post and I'll send you the sheets (for a donation of course). There are several sheets on song lyrics and one on movie stills.

Also coming is a big pub quiz an February here in Chelmsford.

If anyone out there has more fundraising ideas, or even would be happy to organise a quiz in your area then please let me know. I can send you all the quiz rounds and supply you with an official HfH letter to show people that its all above board.

The training is starting now too despite the cold and wet weather. Distance is limited at the moment cos Freddie the dog has a lamp shade on due to an operation. Once that's off on Friday then it'll be time to get out there and start racking up the miles. He'll be very pleased.

Keep supporting and speak soon.

Why am I doing this?

2011-12-20T11:41:00.000Z

Why do a challenge like this, and why for Help for Heroes?

Why do the challenge? Well a quote from Sir Edmund Hilary comes to mind "It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves." Just over five years ago I was diagnosed with ME or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. At that time I was walking about 20 yards with two sticks. Some people with ME are bed bound for years. Personally I’m too stubborn for that and so since then I’ve been working hard to keep moving and keep working. So its time for a real challenge so I can prove to myself despite my ME I can still achieve something.

Why Help for Heroes? My brother is a Squadron Leader in the RAF and has been over to

Afghanistan

four times now, in fact he’s over there as I am typing this. He hasn’t needed Help for Heroes and fingers crossed he never will but many people have done. This charity works on projects and initiatives that make a real difference to the lives of our wounded heroes. I also love their 'Money In and Money Out' policy that ensures every penny raised is spent or allocated to the direct, practical support of our men and women of the Armed Forces whose lives are affected in the line of duty.

First post

2011-12-09T09:40:00.000Z

Well this is my first post and an attempt to keep a blog going throughout my fundraising time and the challenge itself.

In July next year 2012 I will be walking the 5 Peaks Challenge for Help for Heroes. My fundraising page is http://www.bmycharity.com/5PeaksChallenge.