Injuries and addictions.

Inevitable that you pick up the odd niggle with this level of training. Quite annoyingly it's my turn now. An inflamed achilles tendon is stopping me from doing anything but swim.

It seems I have some sort pre-disposition to this particular kind of problem. Previously I have had to suffer tendonitus in my left shoulder, left wrist (not what you think - I'm right handed!) and right hip. The hip was by far the worst and I spent a long time ignoring it. In the end it took about 6 months rest and a steroid injection to sort it. For that period I hobbled round like some sort of pensioner. In fact it was that injury alone that caused me to ever take a desk-job!

I'm particularly annoyed with this though as I was getting to a really satisfying place with my fitness. Ihad to sit out the Merrell Mudman last week, which was gutting as sounded like a ridiculously hard but fun event. My priority now is to get the tendonitus down as quick as possible, at least so I can compete in the Grim Challenge in just over a week, even if I don't do as well as I could have.

Unfortunately with this kind of injury rest is the only solution. However, I am apparently now hooked on exercise as the last ten days without running have been like going cold turkey on a ten year crystal meth addiction! I'm crawling the walls, and every now and then need to sneak down to the swimming pool for the only kind of hit I'm allowed. Swimming - a poor man's trim-trail, methadone to the smack that is proper training with Team Everest!

Morale

It's never easy when people drop out of things, especially as far into a journey as we have already come. In the last few weeks we've actually lost 5. Tenzing have lost a couple of players (Charlie Meek and Charlie Brewer) and our support crew, The Trektators have lost Laura, Elaine and Greg.

All had really valid reasons, and it was a tough decision for all of them to come to. We always knew we'd lose a few before even getting on the plane, I'm just grateful that these guys did the hard thinking and made their choice early enough for us to find suitable replacements.

This has all come as a disapointment to many and of course morale is some quarters has dipped a little. When this sort of thing happens, innevitably questions are asked - what could we have done differently? It also throws focus a little on the project as a whole.

In setting up this expedition, Wes and I have created an environment where people can get involved as much or as little as they like. Those that step up and make the effort will and already are taking more out of it. It's impossible to hold people's hands through all this, but we're always available to hear concerns.

As much as I'm gutted to lose those members of our little project, I have amazing faith in the principle members of this expedition. We're already massively on the case filling the spaces and should soon have a full medical team, along with DOP, photo-journalist and round the world yachtsman!

In the meantime, just in case anyone's marale is still flagging, can we remember that we're going to be playing cricket on Mount Everest almost 5 months to the day from here. If that's not enough, check the photo that I took last time I was there (taken from Kala Patta, which overlooks our cricket pitch as well as Everest Base Camp.)

Moving along nicely.

Just re-read my last blog. What a whinging git! Actually good to remind ourselves of some of the hurdles we've crossed to get to this stage. Wes and I had a bit of a re-group last week and it was great to realise how well things are coming along.

The launch party 'Sagarmatha' at The Collection in Chelsea was phenominal, (see the smiles on Wes, Vicks and my face!) Lucy and her trektators (with some help from Charlie) really did us proud.

Since then loads has been happening with Captive Minds coming on board to do our PR, we're also now finalising who our patrons will be, but with names like Ben Fogle, Bruce Parry and Alec Stewart being toted aroun you know we are firmly on the map now.

The teams are bonding well now. We've just had a Hillary nets session, and it's great to have Kiwi back in the country. My fitness is coming along nicely. Last week I ran the Cardiff Half Marathon in pads, with bat along with Skipper Glen and my cousin David. If anyone had told me a year ago that I'd be able to rattle of 13 miles I would have told them where to go.

Anyway, some people are really stepping up to the plate, and it is those people who are making this project live up to its potential. I hope that the others will find a way to make an impact in time too.

Frustrations!!

Well, what a frustrating day, week and month we've had. It really is incredulous to me that offering money to charity is such a complicated and difficult process. My frustrations with the current situation are becoming harder to hide, so thought I'd just blog it.

One charity have made it so difficult to raise money for that continuing the partnership may become impossible. Time is ticking, and they are still putting up obsticles. We have jumped through enough hoops already I feel.

With that in mind, Wes and I have been opening up discussion with another. We met them today, and in all honesty I was pretty disapointed. I just expect that charities would be grateful to be offered support from such a unique event. However, things are never that simple.

Understandably, they need to work out what support they would need to give us (primarily it's PR support we need) then they need to work out if they can afford to free up that support and if they will get a suitable return on investment.

This all takes time, but in taking time it heaps more pressure on Wes and I. It really is disappointing how slowly these things move. The very nature of what we're trying to achieve, essentially working in our spare time, means we have to be dynamic, siezing opportunities and moving fast.

Anyway, enough moaning, it wouldn't be a challenge if it was all straight forward, and I know that a solution is in sight. I just hope it comes really soon!!

Nepali Beer

This is my good friend Dharma and I in a place called Phakding. On our way back from Base Camp we stopped in for some local beer, or Tongba. It's millet based, and served hot. Beautiful! You can read more about it here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tongba

If you don't fancy your beer warm though, you can always get hold of a cool bottle of Everest Beer.

Yak

About bloody time!

We've been harking on at everyone to get blogging about this event for about 2 months now, so figured it was time to pull my finger out and practice what I preach.

It genuinly was very easy indeed, so Curry wasn't lying after all. Really not sure why I put it off so long - everyone knows I love the sound of my own voice, and now I have a reason to talk crap to anyone who cares to take notice.

This little project has already been quite a journey, but from now on I'll be documenting it all, for prosterity I guess.

Anyway, hopefully some of it is of interest to someone somewhere.

Enjoy...