Blimey did you all think that I'd died training? Or maybe taken an overdose of my walk Viagra??
Well no I'm alive and kicking and just starting to panic slightly at the prospect of being off to Peru in only 19 days time!! I really have done just loads of walking......not just to the car and back and not solely along the A41.............
Since my last blog (sounds like another Catholic confession doesn't it?) I've walked in the Alps with my mates Bob and Chris (more later) and have just returned from walking on the Sierra Gelada range in Southern Spain (more than 110 km in 6 days) in the 30* heat.
My belt has come in the grand total of 3 notches, my cholesterol is down from 5.3 to 3.8, my blood pressure is within a normal range and my resting pulse is around 50bpm!!! Having said that my knees and hips are killing me and I'm dying to eat bread again!!
The fund raising has continued well and I think that I'm pledged about £9,000 now. I'm going to have a push in the local press and go through all my e-mail contacts again to get above the magic £10,000.
The winter was tough and I must confess that a lot of my training was done on the cross trainer in the warmth of our conservatory or on Mikey's static training unit in our gym. I did however manage some serious skiing in both La Clusaz and on the "Poor Boys" annual January trip which this year was in Val Thorens.............high rate of attrition on that trip............... Tommy broke his shoulder, Rob O'Hara and Desi broke Ribs..........Fermin just broke hearts and Coops was just plain broken....but the Elvis dressing up night took the place by storm!!!! (look right --------> )
The walking trip in the alps with Harris and Starks last November was a real blast. I envisaged a pre-snow mountain cruise....... however it lashed it down with snow for the 10 days before we went and Harris had us up to our necks in soft powder. Genuinely thought that I was going to die when my pulse rate hit the 180 mark!!! However the post walk dinner of pate de Foie Gras and ice cold Sauterne made it all worth while.
The radio work has continued to blossom and this xmas saw the launch of "Down at the Doctors with Dr Mike" this is a weekly hour long medical show which is pre-recorded and plays out on Citytalk 105.9fm every sunday night. It's great to do and guess what?... we have had a preliminary nomination for a worldwide radio award in New York!!! We find out if we are in the final nominations around about the time I go off to Peru. Award ceremony is in NY in June.......watch this space!
Ok promise weekly updates from now on....
Mike xx
