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Three Peaks Insanity

View From Ben NevisA couple of weeks ago, my client, GrassGreener Group, invited me into a meeting with Clive Sandle, director of the “Simon on the Streets” charity.

We discussed how we might support their “Sponsored Sleep-Out” event on September 13th 2012.

And then Clive mentioned that, next year, probably in May, they would be taking part in the “Three Peaks Challenge”.

I commented that my sister had completed this a few months back, and Clive asked whether it was the “Yorkshire Three Peaks” or the “National Three Peaks”.

To which I had to confess that I had never even heard of the “National Three Peaks”.

Clive explained that it entailed climbing the highest mountain in Scotland (Ben Nevis – 1344m), the highest mountain in England (Scafell Pike – 978), and the highest mountain in Wales (Snowdon – 1085m)…

In 24 hours.

My first reaction was that this sounded completely insane. Climbing one mountain sounds hard enough. But doing three back-t0-back. In 24 hours…

Madness!

And yet… something about the concept awoke something inside me that I didn’t know existed.

Given a choice, a multi-pack of McCoys crisps and a good movie generally takes preference over doing any physical or outdoorsy.

I like playing tennis occasionally, but I hadn’t played in over a year.

And yet… I couldn’t shake the idea that this is something I really want to do.

Maybe it’s because I’ve reached an age where I feel the need to re-invent myself in some way.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been reading Brendan Burchard’s new book, “The Charge“.

Or maybe it’s because I can glimpse the satisfaction I would feel if I completed the challenge and I really, really want to know what it would feel like to achieve something that, right now, seems almost impossible.

A couple of weeks have passed and I’ve spent some time trawling websites on the subject. As well as reading the book “The National 3 Peaks: Taking Up the Challenge“.

It still sounds insane.

But I think I’m crazy enough to give it a try.

There are some obstacles to overcome however:

  1. I’ve never done any serious mountain, or even hill walking, and I have no idea how to navigate.
  2. I’m about two stone overweight (maybe two and half).
  3. My diet sucks.
  4. I’m a writer and TV/videogame enthusiast, which is about as sedentary a lifestyle as you can imagine.
  5. I currently do no exercise.
  6. I have narcolepsy (which means most of the time I’m running on little or no energy).

The good news is that have 8-9 months to prepare.

Time to get organised…

2 Comments
    • John Reed
      Aug 31, 2012 at 1:29 PM / Reply

      Oh Dearie me – I’ve just found the write up on your viewing INSANITY as the Challenge to be faced!! At least, that’s how I read it! You’ll need to do more than just give up crisps then, in fact, from experience I’d say that won’t even be a consideration.
      Yes, you will by now no doubt have done a good deal of reading up on what’s needed. Forgetting the Navigation (I assume you expect to be led and to follow on this one?) the Basic Fitness level and reserves of stamina really do take a long prep period if they are to be sufficient for you to succeed. Not an impossible Challenge David, but I admire your optimistic enthusiasm.
      I also need to admire your sticking to an increasingly time consuming training regime as you’ll get past the Puff-and-Stop stage and begin to firm up the muscles and be able to train for longer.
      Can you manage the extended periods of concentration David, you can’t afford to drift off the path (literally) as it certainly isn’t a walk in the park??
      I’m going to pop back in to see how you are doing as I know that it takes a major effort to recover from inactivity and excess weight.
      I’ve done the Great North Run twice and my basic Army fitness took me through the first (over 20 years ago) but when I prepared for the Millennium Run I was 55 and had a desk job……. I lived in Ripon so there were many hills and woods to run in but it took me a long time to feel happy covering 10 or 12 miles in my training sessions, and I didn’t do enough overall body strength work (which you will need more of in this Challenge).
      If you fall sick I WILL NOT stand in for you!! Haha.
      I caused a friend a strained chest muscle prior to the Great North Run that he had entered for so at about 2 weeks notice I took his place – there’s no way I could do that now – and I’m really concerned that you do prepare for this “professionally”.
      Wishing you well, and full of admiration at your trying it!
      John

    • John Reed
      Aug 31, 2012 at 1:32 PM / Reply

      PS – Was it Beth that already did this? No wonder she looked a picture of health and glowed with inner fitness!!
      John

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