It has been too long!

It has been far too long since I updated my blog, so apologies to Curry (http://alaneverest.blogspot.com/) for that. There has been a lot going on over the past couple of months including our first official charity event in the form of Sagarmatha at the Collection on Old Brompton Road. Organised by the Trektators, the evening was a great success, enjoyed by all and made a good start to our fundraising efforts.

On the training side we have been hard at work with circuit training twice a week in amongst several runs and cycle rides. As part of a team building exercise, Team Tenzing ventured north to Ben Nevis to start the Three Peaks Challenge back in October. Whilst we were all very excited and confident in achieving this challenge, we slightly under estimated the weather conditions during the time of year. This was the weekend when hundreds of people were lost on Scafell Pike and I can honestly say I have never experience wind and rain like it in the UK.

Unfortunately we never made it to the top of Ben Nevis but had a valiant effort with over 4 hours of trekking through pitch black in atrocious conditions before safety came first and we turned around. A wise decision I think considering a few of us where almost blown off the mountain on several occasions and we were all very cold and wet through. On our return our driver was somewhat surprised to see us in one piece. This was partly since he had never seen a group of people set of in the conditions (thanks for the warning) and moreover, the fact that the bus nearly blow over in the night so he assumed we had taken shelter on the mountain somewhere.

Alas, the challenge was over since it was not possibly to even drive to the base of Scafell Pike let alone climb it. Amazingly spirits were still high despite the prospect for a very uncomfortable journey back to London. the moral amongst the team should stand us in good stead for the future. That and a few beers also helped....

I am suffering!

It has been a while since my last blog so apologies for that. Plenty has been going on since so this may turn into a little bit of a rant....

Firstly, the website for the Everest Test is now up and running! A lot of effort has gone into designing and producing the site and it has has certainly all be worth while since it looks awesome! I would like to take some credit for it but alas it really has been nothing to do with me and a big thank you must go out to Wes. Check it out - http://www.theeveresttest.com/

The launch of the website was announced at our last meeting, as where the captains and vice captains to lead Team Tenzing and Team Hillary. I am very happy to say that Haydn Main has earned the captaincy of Team Tenzing, ably supported by the G-man (Gareth Lewis) as Vice Captain. With these two at the helm, the only way is up (excuse the pun) and onto victory.

In order to mark the occasion (and the end of the cricket season), we played our first competitive game of cricket against each another in the afternoon. The cricketing Gods where looking down on us and produced some of the best weather of the year, and obviously ideal cricket conditions.

Having won the toss, Haydn put the Hillary boys into bat on a slightly worn wicket. We (Team Tenzing) got off to a flying start with some tight bowling and enthusiasm in the field. So much so, I found myself having to run in from the boundary to celebrate wickets on such a regular basis I felt my fitness training for the weekend could take a back seat. Team Hillary were soon all out and taking the long walk back to the pavilion. With a rather small target to aim for, Team Tenzing knocked them off without too much of a struggle and were victorious by 10 wickets. Needless to say there where a few celebrations in the evening.Whilst this was a crushing defeat for Team Hillary, they were a few players short of their first team and as such Team Tenzing will be training hard over the winter to maintain the high standards that have already been on display.

Inspired by Cuzza's completion of the Berlin Marathon a couple of weeks ago, I felt it was about time to up my fitness regime. This involved meeting up with a few of the lads (more Hillary than Tenzing) on Saturday morning for a 'little' fitness session on Battersea Park. The Sharland brothers clearly took amusement in leading the session and I soon felt myself suffering in all parts of my body and about to cough up a lung. I am still recovering from all the pull ups and sit ups but I will be back for the next session for further humiliation.

Fortunately the next session has been postponed since there is a more important event happening tomorrow evening in the from of Sagarmatha. The Trektators have organised what promises to be an outstanding night at The Collection, Brompton Road (http://www.the-collection.co.uk/). There are still a few tickets available so please visit: http://www.wegottickets.xn--comasearch-fka and search for Sagarmatha to sign up and avoid disappointment!

Hopefully see as many of you tomorrow night as possible but I will be back with an update next week. Off walking in the Yorkshire Dales this weekend for a little more training. Just hoping my legs start working again before then....

Having bought my first pair of running shoes for over 5 years this week I feel that I am now prepared for the task ahead on Sunday morning, when a select few (of the both Team Hillary and Team Tenzing) will be competing in a 'fun' run in Chiswick. It may only be 10k but as one of the members in the Hillary Team has pointed out on his blog, I can't see where the fun is. That said, there is a BBQ and beers afterwards so I may well be mistaken.

I am currently suffering from an injured back and as such my training has suffered a little....Having had physio twice this week i can say it far from relaxing and included acupuncture which might only be small needles, it feels like you may have pi**ed off a bull whilst running in Pamplona. Still, it seems to be doing the trick so I am feeling confident if a little apprehensive about Sunday morning.

The good news is the first warm up 20Twenty match has been arranged for the 27th September and weather permitting it will provide us with a good insight to the level of cricket we will be facing, whilst at the same time enjoying a few beers and getting to know one another a little better. There can only be one result and that is obviously a victory for Team Tenzing!

Up and Running

I have finally got around to sorting out my blog and as promised by others it is surprisingly easy to do. You may or may not have heard about The Everest Test, so here goes. A group of 30 lads and some 20 'trektators' are planning an epic game of 20Twenty cricket up on Everest in order to raise some money for Comic Relief and The Himalayan Trust UK, whilst in the process, creating a new world record for the highest game of team sport.

Fund raising has begun and training has started (for some). In fact several of the group are competing in the Nike 10k run as well as another 10k run the following week in order to kick start the training regime. I for one am guilty of a lack of training to date so it will hopefully provide a good platform for various other events such as a 3 peaks challenge, a weeks climbing in the Alps and, if I am stupid enough, the toughguy in January next year.

I am currently nursing a little hangover having met up with Team Tenzing (one of the teams competing, the other being Team Hillary) for a curry last night so I think I will leave my blogging there for one day but rest assured, further details on our world record challenge, our training and fundraising will follow shortly. With any luck I will have also figured out how to use this blog a little better.....