tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12066009464145512082024-03-08T12:00:30.545-08:00Arctic Challenge 2013Welcome to the official Blog page for Arctic Challenge 2013. Francine Davis and Colin Watson will be travelling to Norway in February 2013 to trek across the Finnmark Plateau in aid of Sussex Search and Rescue. This is the place to come for training and sponsorship updates as well as other news.Fran and Colin's Arctic Challenge 2013http://www.blogger.com/profile/17074963212530914719noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206600946414551208.post-61627227319744329882013-02-08T01:33:00.001-08:002013-02-08T01:33:13.001-08:00
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Key Tips for the
Arctic!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">So this morning I have been told off for not updating
this blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rightly so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not that I have been sitting on my backside
since the last blog entry, indeed my backside has been subject to squats,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>one leg side raises, (courtesy of Kim’s
Saturday morning brilliant torture …sorry, core sessions),<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>lunges,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>weighted presses,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and a lot of kicking by certain individuals
(you know who you are) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>who knew I could
do that last 20 minutes of sprinting <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>when my legs and lungs protested <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>they couldn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were right, and their voices shall follow me to the Arctic for
those moments when I absolutely can’t…. but know I will have to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">So what have we been doing since the last blog?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, between Col and I we have clocked up <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>tens of thousands of meters swimming,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>hundreds of miles running, 100’s of tonnes of
weight lifting, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>cycling, cross training
and pulling tyres in an attempt to kid ourselves into believing <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that we are fit . <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we are now 10 days away there’s not much
more we can do on the fitness stakes though - it is what it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So our attention has moved to kit and mental <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>preparation and after reading the tips and
competences<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of Arctic Trekking<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m still wondering<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>what I’ve let myself in for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Top tip for keeping warm “ put duvet on and
run……”,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>best<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of the list though, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“don’t get sh*t on the shovel – you need it to
cut water”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Confucius<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>said<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: #003399;">“</span><a href="http://thinkexist.com/quotation/what_you_do_not_want_done_to_yourself-do_not_do/202162.html"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to
others.</span></i></a>” Good advice as there is only one shovel.<span style="color: #003399;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">Col has been doing a sterling job keeping our facebook
page up to date<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ArcticChallenge2013"><span style="color: blue;">https://www.facebook.com/ArcticChallenge2013</span></a>,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and we have both been badgering, cajoling,
pleading<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and downright bullying anybody
we know to sponsor us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems to have
worked , and we are extremely grateful for all the donations, and of course the
obligatory advice and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>helpful comments
we have received such as “pack extra toilet rolls and sudocream”, and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“don’t eat yellow snow”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will take heed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">Training this weekend on the critical skill of erecting a
tent – quickly – and without putting that multi-purpose shovel through the
fabric…… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Fran and Colin's Arctic Challenge 2013http://www.blogger.com/profile/17074963212530914719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206600946414551208.post-44788728222730212662013-01-16T04:28:00.001-08:002013-01-16T04:28:28.670-08:00Nearly there....a progress update.In just over a month we will be on our way to Norway, so I thought an update was in order.<br />
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Speaking for myself training and preparation is going well. I have most if not all of the kit I need, including the elusive <a href="http://www.bridgedale.com/men-s-summit-knee-woolfusion-2" target="_blank">Bridgedale Summit knee high socks</a> which are apparently the footwear equivalent of rocking-horse shit, I'm sure other socks would suffice, however I used the Bridgedales last time I was in Norway, they served me very well and I had no problems with my feet. I finally tracked them down to <a href="http://www.globaladventurer.co.uk/" target="_blank">Global Adventurer</a> in Forest Row.<br />
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The other bit of kit I was determined to source was a Vapour Barrier Liner for my sleeping bag. Last time out I was forced to use a bog-standard, orange plastic survival bag, which was absolutely horrendous to sleep in. This time I've managed to source a Rab VBL from a nice man on UK Climbing.<br />
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Training too, is going well. Since October I've really knuckled under and have been in the gym a lot, so much so that one of the comedians I work with has changed my phone number to the extension in the gym. According to <a href="http://runkeeper.com/user/ColWatson/profile" target="_blank">Runkeeper</a> I've cycled, cross-trained, rowed and run nearly 300kms and lifted a cumulative weight of over 66 tons. I have to say I'm feeling pretty damn good and am certainly fitter than I was when I last travelled in Norway.<br />
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Fran too, has been hard at it and puts my mediocre training to shame, she has been posting her progress to our <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/Arctic-Challenge2013" target="_blank">Just Giving</a> page, why not take a look and donate while you're there.<br />
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Our fundraising efforts have been thrown into sharp relief by the SusSAR team SSV (Search Support Vehicle) failing its MOT last week. Although the problems have been fixed and its back on the road, the failure shows that the team desperately need a new vehicle from which to mount our searches and that the money we raise will be going to a very good cause.<br />
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Thanks for reading.<br />
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Col<br />
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<br />Fran and Colin's Arctic Challenge 2013http://www.blogger.com/profile/17074963212530914719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206600946414551208.post-32109916008902889302012-10-22T02:54:00.000-07:002012-10-22T02:54:11.931-07:00Well it took me a while but.....Yes folks, i've finally got off my (fat) arse and started training, so far I've been taking advantage of the gym at work and for the last couple of weeks have been using one of those elliptical/cross-trainer machines. My plan so far has been to train for two days and then take a day off. The sessions have been just over an hour in length and have been managing around 7 miles a shot, yesterday was a bit of an anomaly as the cross-trainer was unavailable so I did just under 19 miles on an exercise bike instead.<br />
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I've got to say I've been feeling pretty good from the training, the old runners high kicking in, I've lost a little weight and generally am feeling fitter. However, I now have a week off work with no access to a gym, so this morning I went for a <a href="http://runkeeper.com/user/ColWatson/activity/126485075" target="_blank">run</a> instead and I was shite. I managed just 2.32 miles in just over 25 minutes before nearly coughing up a lung and getting pain across my back.<br />
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How annoying.<br />
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Col<br />
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P.s. Anyone out there got a cross-trainer I could borrow for a couple of months.......? ;0)Fran and Colin's Arctic Challenge 2013http://www.blogger.com/profile/17074963212530914719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206600946414551208.post-40040674285152192882012-07-18T13:51:00.000-07:002012-07-18T13:51:40.820-07:00The Etiquette of Communication Whilst Cycling<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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So now we have finally got our
fundraising campaign underway I thought I’d better put some effort into getting
seriously fit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what better to
attempt than a long hilly cycle ride?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Having cleaned the cobwebs out of my cycling helmet and refamiliarised
myself with gear changing without the accompanying clanking of cogs,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I set off early<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sunday morning for a 30km ride through
Forest Row, Hartfield and Edenbridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Expecting all sensible people to still be in bed
at this time of the morning I was surprised at how many people are whizzing up
and down the roads on a variety of two wheeled contraptions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And herein lies my problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When passing a cyclist on the opposite
side of the road <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>how should you
greet them? Or should you ignore them in the typically British way. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And what should you say?” Hi, how are
you?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mostly I would expect the
answer to be “knackered actually”, if they were honest that is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Good Morning?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Too formal maybe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or should you attempt a barely
perceptible<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>nod <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>– just to show you are putting all your
effort into your own cycling and therefore you must be a “serious
cyclist”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe the “I Love Bart
Simpson” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>slogan on the t-shirt
gives away that I’m not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
settled for the nod, then swapped it for the “Hi” as the nod became a little
too discourteous , and then to the “Good Morning”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>if the cyclist was a little older (or on an upright bike
with some groceries/dog in the front).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Friendly lot these early morning cyclists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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However with me communication and
the level of it depends on whether I am going uphill or downhill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll let you guess when I’m at my most
communicative…….. and it’s definitely linked to my levels of fitness.</div>
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Next week I’ll get back to the
running….that one’s easy. Shades on – iPod in - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>no communication needed!<a href="" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;"> </span></div>
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Fran</div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Fran and Colin's Arctic Challenge 2013http://www.blogger.com/profile/17074963212530914719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206600946414551208.post-73078284140261788072012-06-25T13:30:00.000-07:002012-07-09T01:23:56.434-07:00Fitness....or not.So Mrs W says to me this morning "I really think you need to start getting fit, not because you're fat, but because I'm worried you're going to struggle in Norway...." The worst thing about this statement isn't the "fat" bit (although I may be a little chunky at the minute), its the fact that she's right. Last time I travelled in Norway I wasn't quite as fit as I should have been and consequently I struggled a little and spent a lot of time staring at the tips of my skis instead of enjoying the scenery. A year ago when I started planning for this trip I vowed to be fitter than ever and since then, apart from climbing, I've done bugger all about it.<br />
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I'm trying to think of excuses,<br />
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I cracked a couple of ribs in February - yeah, but what about the 8 months before that?<br />
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I'm carrying a knee injury - okay.....what about the rest of your body?<br />
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I have no excuses.<br />
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I'll start soon....I promise....after all, I can't have Fran putting me to shame....<br />
<br />
ColFran and Colin's Arctic Challenge 2013http://www.blogger.com/profile/17074963212530914719noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206600946414551208.post-90651950790416044672012-06-15T04:59:00.002-07:002012-06-15T05:04:38.477-07:00The reason why!<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;">Next February Francine Davis and Colin Watson, two members of
Sussex Search and Rescue, are going to be taking part in a 120 km trek across
the Finnmark Plateau in Norway. The route will take us from Alta to Karasjok
across frozen lakes inside the Arctic Circle. Temperatures can get as low as
-45C. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;">The trek will be done on cross-country skis pulling a sledge
weighing a minimum of 35kg. We're putting ourselves through this pain to raise
funds for a variety of items that Sussex Search and Rescue needs - including a contribution
towards a new Search Support Vehicle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;">Please give generously, the team are called upon at all hours of
the day and night, in all weather conditions across Sussex and surrounding
counties, in order to help others.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">Sussex
Search and Rescue (SusSAR) is the primary volunteer resource used by Sussex
Police in the search and rescue of vulnerable missing people. We are on call 24
hours a day, 365 days a year. All members are volunteers, contributing their
time and 100% of their own costs (training, equipment and fuel) free of charge,
through the common desire to help others. The team is also often called
upon to assist other Search & Rescue groups throughout the UK. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;">We rely entirely on donations
from businesses and groups, and also the generosity of the public, to operate
and provide this vital service to the people of Sussex.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">Please make a donation at <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/Arctic-Challenge2013" target="_blank">JustGiving</a></span></div>Fran and Colin's Arctic Challenge 2013http://www.blogger.com/profile/17074963212530914719noreply@blogger.com0