Drowned Rats and Determined Women

What a week!! Like many of you, i don’t think i’ve seen snow like that in the UK in my life.

But now, what do we get? Rain, and lots of it- a huge storm tonight according to the forecasts, so what better conditions to go on a lung busting run?

My lovely housemate Danielle and myself tentatively agreed to go on a hilly 8.5miler- each of us probably hoping that the other would give in and say “i’m not going out in that!”, that’s what i was thinking at least!

Neither gave in, so we nervously pulled on our gear and slipped on the trainers- the rain battering at the windows, daring us to take it on. It was a case of ‘1, 2, 3..GO!’- you can’t dally around in a storm like this, and so we dashed off screaming many expletives that i can’t repeat here for fear of my parents having a read..!

A fast finish and cack-handed high five (both our arms were so numb we weren’t capable of doing it in style) and we could leave the god awful storm and chill out in the (relative) sanctity of home- just wished the heating was on!

In news on the Everest front, thanks to all those who have been giving advice on the sponsorship brochure, i have taken all comments on board and it is a lot better for all your help- so thank you!

Despite the snow and resulting lack of train service (even their website was down…), i managed to get to London to meet an amazing woman: Tori James.

Tori is the first Welsh woman and youngest female Briton to summit Everest, and was nice enough to go for a glass of wine and let me assault her with a barage of questions for two hours

Tori says that attempting such a challenge requires 90% mental toughness and 10% physical ability… oh, and also perfecting the skill of peeing into a bottle at 8000m.

So it’s been another enlightening week but i can’t afford to step of the treadmill for one second- so much to do, so little time! Tori had to give up her full time job to get fit and raise sponsorship for Everest- i just hope that when the going gets tough (which it really will), i will remember her wise words and somehow pull it all off- fingers crossed…