back again

Hello again folks,
Sorry there hasn’t been a post for the last couple of weeks, but, unless you want to hear about us pulling tyres around, not a lot has been going on.
This weekend however, that has all changed. Had a very informative meeting with our guide, we went through the whole of the expedition’s itinerary, from training, through to how we will be getting off the icecap at the end of the journey. The training, obviously this involves “tyre pulling”, on top of this, I have enrolled in a local gym, which I am hoping to attend in the mornings before work and if I have the energy, some nights on the way home! Not sure how many mornings that I will be going, but, I would like to get it up to 4-5 times a week by the new year.
Now that I have a bit more information about the trip, I will be able to write future entry’s as they become relevant
Hope to post again soon.

Down jacket

This week, the down jacket; this jacket is part of the Rab 8000 m range. This jacket will primarily used when we stop for breaks and stetting up camp. There are eight huge pockets, so plenty of room for camera, I-pod, and food. It will be important to keep anything electronic warm along the journey, as the cold strips any battery power. Also the hood is fantastic; I’d say that this jacket is better than most sleeping bags that I have owned.
Which brings me to “The weather” Found a site today, giving details from around the world. http://weather.weatherbug.co.uk/ looking just before I wrote this the temperature in Greenland is, - high -18 low -20.
Looking forward to meeting our guide in a couple of weeks, it will be great to actually get a training programme so that we can see some progress.
Have got e-mails coming in all the time, it is hard trying to do your regular job, and also all the work for the trip. Hopefully it will all settle down after we have had the first training weekend and we will know exactly what we are doing.
Take care for now.

Stove.

Hello again folks,
Things are really getting a little bit bonkers at the moment! There is so much going on. Had a reply from one of my begging e-mails this week, Furtec ( http://www.furtech.co.uk ) have very generously agreed to give me one of their Claw jackets to use on the crossing.
Spoke to Charlie Patton, and he will be coming down to meet us in a couple of weeks, so will be able to sort out the final kit list, and training programme.
This weeks bit of kit is the stove. The M.S.R. Ex, as with most things in this kind of trip, you have to go with the best that you can afford. I bought this stove last year; it is the latest in their line of multi-fuel stoves. These stoves are a delight in their simplicity, as you hardly need any tools to strip them down (my titanium spoon is made by the same people, and has all the spanner heads needed to undo all the nuts as part of the handle). The stove runs on just about any liquid fuel that you can get your hands on, but white gas (naptha) is best. Also, I will be taking along my old M.S.R. Wisperlite stove, as a spare if the Ex gets damaged beyond repair.
Sorry about not putting a picture of the sleeping bag on the last post, but I up-loaded it to the server, but for some reason it never made it to the site.

Sleeping bag

Hi,
Thank you to all of you out there, just gone through the 500 subscription mark!
Had some excellent news this weekend, Mr Ben Saunders ( http://www.bensaunders.com/ ) has agreed to be our patron, and will be offering advice and maybe some kit that we might need.
On to this weeks bit of kit: The sleeping bag. After reading through mountains of expedition reports, books and many reviews, I decided on getting the Rab expedition 1100. This is the bag that the British Antarctic Survey use for there deep expeditions into the Antarctic. This bag, although it is fairly heavy, is good for a comfort temperature of -40 which may seem a little over the top, but, I prefer to err on the side of caution. There are a couple of handy features that come with it, two internal pockets for food and another for a bottle in case you get caught short in the middle of the night! If you are wondering about frost forming on the outside of the bag during the night, then it has a Pertex shell that will keep the down filling of the bag dry, also, it has a pertex inner, so no need for a vapour barrier liner.
As this expedition takes off, it is gradually building momentum, can’t wait for our meeting next month with our guide, so that we can establish a proper training programme.
See you soon folks.

Hi folks,
Sorry I haven’t posted for a while, been having problems with my Internet connection.
Had a couple of interesting e-mails over the last week, one from Judy, this is a very extraordinary Lady, she’s going on the trip of a lifetime, you can read more about her trip here: http://www.alpinechallenge.info/ and I am trying Judy.
Anyway, back to my little journey, fired of a few more sponsorship e-mails this week, trying to update some of my kit, jacket, boots, down trousers etc.
Back to the training, just pottering around really at the moment, until we get a proper schedule, I’ll just do what I think will benefit me. Still cycling, running and need to get myself into pulling those tyres!
Food, a friend of mine at work, (Hi Roz) has told me about a great web site that has just about every type of diet supplements that you can think of, so if any of you are seriously into any kind of sport please go have a look. http://www.myprotein.co.uk/ I will be using the powdered oats and the flapjack through out any of my excursions in to the outdoors from now on.
Some people have been asking about the kit that will be used on the trip, well I’ll try to go through my stuff one piece every week. This week the tent:
The one that I have decided to take along is the Mountain Hardware E.V.2. Above is a picture of the tent, before I have had it customized. When I get it back from Antarctica tents http://www.antarcticatents.co.uk/ it will have snow flaps fitted, for holding the tent down in high winds, and also a trapdoor put into the groundsheet, for when we need to use the stove inside the tent, (a very hairy experience with liquid fuel stoves the first time that you do it!). Mountain Hardware tents, are purposely designed for the type of journey that we will be doing, and are absolutely bomb proof. I spent months reading reviews and looking around before I made this selection.
That’s about it for this time folks; hope that you found this entry worth reading.

sponsors

Hi folks,
Well, here’s got to be one of the hardest parts of any expedition, begging. How do you approach somebody and ask them for there cash? Do you go for one main sponsor, and risk them pulling out? Or, do you ask various company’s for individual components? Me, well I’m going for the latter. Here’s a letter that I sent this week.
Dear !!!!!!!,
Please allow me to introduce myself, and the unique opportunity that I would like to offer you and your company.
My name is !!!!!!!!!!!!, as you are aware, I will be attempting a crossing of the Greenland Icecap. Please let me give you a brief insight into what I would like to achieve.
A classic crossing of the vast Greenland Icecap-one of the 3 big polar Expedition's.Following the line of the Arctic Circle between Isortoq and Kangerlussuaq, we will attempt a ‘full crossing’; that is from coast to coast. Instead of being flown onto the Icecap, we plan to start the expedition at sea level on the West coast, and finish on the shores of the fjord in Kangerlussuaq. Traveling by ski, hauling all our equipment in sleds, the crossing is likely to take around 27-35 days. Starting with heavy loads we will make our way up the initial steep slopes onto the icecap, from where the slopes gradually ascend to the summit, before gradually losing height until we reach the terminus of the ice on the East coast.Instead of being picked up there, we will continue on foot to the seas’s edge-the final stage in making a complete crossing of Greenland.
As we discussed the other day, I would also like to raise some money for a local charity, namely ‘The children's hospital in Sheffield’. There are two ways in which you can sponsor me, (or you could give to both?) firstly, giving money to the Sheffield children's hospital, or, there is sponsorship of the expedition itself. If you chose to sponsor the expedition, here are some of the benefits that you could use to your advantage:
I believe that the expedition would make a interesting article in the internal newsletter, which if sent out to our customers in the construction industry, would generate interest and hopefully encourage them to contribute to the children's hospital charity fund.
In addition the partner (!!!!!!!!!) will be incorporated in the following marketing activity:
I will embed !!!!!!!!!’s logo and a link to it’s web site,onto my web-site (with the web site subscriptions gaining momentum every day, and some of those in Canada and the U.S.A, you will be placing !!!!!!! in a global showcase widening your profile to an audience that you may have not thought of before). So far I have got 170 people subscribing to it, and growing daily. To view the site please go to http://the66thparallel.blogspot.com/
I will state !!!!!!!! as the expedition sponsor in any newspaper articles that I will be featured in.
!!!!!!!!! patches to be worn during expedition, and used in photos while promoting the expedition, and also when handing over any money to charity after the expedition is completed.
All that I require for the sponsorship of the expedition, will be the cost of my flights, using the carrier of your choise, too and from Greenland.
Yours !!!!!!!!!!!.

Thanks

Wow,
Quite a few people have now subscribed to the site, if I can get more, yippee! (80 plus so far) So please forward the site to all your friends and colleges.
Decided to go up a gear on the training, and have rigged up a harness and tyre, Pulled said contraption around the yard at work for a couple of hours yesterday, and all that I can say on that subject is, if any of you are thinking of doing a similar trip to this, you can’t start soon enough !!!!!!!!!!!!
The one thing that people are e-mailing about is food for the trip, so as my knowledge base of it expands, then I’ll put a bit more in about it. The consensus seams that I’ll be need 6000-7000 calories per day while I’m out there.
When I get my camera sorted out, I'll start posting photos of kit, training etc, but at the moment it needs fixing after a accident in The peak, the other weekend.

training part 2

Hello again folks,
Here's a bit of advice that I've been given from a guy who's just crossed Greenland,

"Ive been back from Greenland now for a few weeks and I am still recovering from the massive weight loss (I lost over a stone) and I am still exhausted, you know that feeling when you are a bit jet lagged. I was fine for the first week and then it started to hit me.

I had an incredible time, the experience and journey is indescribeable, so much so that it is taking me a while to write it up and do the experience justice.

Without going in to detail adnauseum, here are some key pointers.

Training
A bit different for me as I had cycled 9 hours a day for 30 days the month before I left so I had a great aerobic base and therefore concentrated on weights and tyre towing on wet sand for the 4 weeks before I left. If you have a good base then concentrate on building strength around the abdominal's and lower back. If you are going in the spring then you will probably be flown up onto the icecap and then make your way all the way across to Kangerlusuuaq to 660. So you wont have to negotiate the crevasse fields of the East coast - these took us 3.5 days to get through, on one day we did 300m in 5 hours! So strength is what is needed more than fitness, and you will get fit quickly once up on the ice cap and you have built up to the 30km per day marching.

My one comment would be to ease off on any high impact exercise a good month before you leave i.e. running as you will want to save your knees, as you wan to avoid any muscle or tendon niggles while on the trip, so swimming and cycling are good"

Also I've spoken to Sheffield children's hospital today, and I am hoping to raise some money for them on the trek (kids from all over the country are sent to them, so its not just benefiting the local community).

Cheers everyone

Hi everyone, Well this is just a quick note to thank all the guys at work (H.T.C.) for their support, just to put all of your names in lights, and no particular order, cheers Pete, Andy, Mick, Mike, Paul, Johnny, Jimmy, Craig, Dicky, Bobby, Russ, Ross, Carl, Tom, Slash, Matt Dave, Lee, Mel, Nige, Adie and anyone else who is going to laugh at me pulling tyres around the yard.

fitness

Here's a good little article that I found on the Internet, that may help anyone thinking of doing a similar trip to mine.

This is such a large subject area that we are only detailing the most important points. It has such a huge influence on the body not just when completing an off-piste tour but in every day living. If as an individual you can maintain high levels of fitness and a well balanced diet, your general well being and performances will be unrecognisable compared to someone with potentially the same ability but who has not prepared themselves through the correct training and diet.
Your body
Like any other piece of equipment it needs to be maintained to ensure it will function to the best of its ability. There are four major aspects to fitness that will ensure that you will be able to compete and enjoy the task ahead:Endurance. (aerobic capacity): Most individuals will already have a high level of fitness due to the nature of skiing and general high altitude sports. However before any trip you should ensure that your fitness levels will not limit your capabilities and performance. You should be doing 2-3 aerobic activities per week 2-3 months in advance at 50-70% of your maximum heart rate (see here for details). Flexibility: To ensure quality range of movement. This will allow for greater reach and control, in extreme positions. Stretching should ideally take place at the end of the day (muscles are more pliable). This will also lead to a reduction in injuries and greater efficiency of any articulating joint. Strength. At certain times a great deal of strength may be required whether it be assisting in an emergency or moving in heavy snow. There are certain body weight exercises that will prime the body for the task ahead and give you the confidence necessary to be able to react to almost any situation. These need to be done at least once per week. Co-ordination: More than most sports, it requires co-ordination and balance. This can be improved at any age and has a great effect on performance and confidence of ability.Essential foods and fluids
Proteins, fats and carbohydrates all provide energy for the body. Protein’s main functions are growth, maintenance and repair of body tissues. Using protein as a main energy source is inefficient and may lead to kidney and liver problems in later life. Carbohydrates and fats should be the energy sources to fuel the human body in all types of activity. Carbohydrate rich foods are the best source of fuel for athletes. Complex carbohydrates such as starches (Breads, cereals, pastas, potatoes, dried beans as well as fruits.) should make up the majority of carbohydrate fuel.
Pre- trip foods
It is important that pre- event, even a day trip, that the individual prepares themselves adequately for the task ahead. Ensure that fluid levels are high (see recommended fluid intake), not just through fluid intake but high water based foods (fruits, vegetables) and also carbohydrate stores are high within the diet (carbohydrate loading need only take place 3 days before the event. You should consume 525-555 grams of carbohydrates which should amount to about 65% of total calories. This final push will enhance glycogen storage within the body, increasing energy reserves. Anything above 600 grams will not contribute significantly to performance. 2 meals a day need to be carbohydrate rich to ensure that these levels can be reached. Anyone on the Dr Atkins diet should attempt this trip at their own peril!! (Low carbohydrate levels within the body will mean fat stores being utilised and if already low, protein utilisation which will result in muscle depletion, therefore you will experience less strength etc.)
Carbohydrate Goals (@65% of calories)
Average female intake
At an intake of 1500 cal per day, you should be consuming 240g of carbohydrate. At 2000 cal: 320g of cabohydrate.Average male intake:
3000 cal : 490g 3500 cal : 570g 4000 cal : 650gApproximate carbohydrate levels:
Bread/ Cereal (1 slice bread,3/4 cup of cereal) 15 grams Starchy Vegetable ( 1/2 cup of rice, pasta) 15 grams Fruit serving (1x piece of fruit) 10-15 grams Vegetable serving (1/2 cup of vegetables) 5 grams Milk serving (1 cup) 12 grams Sports drink (8oz) 10-15 gramsDuring
Again water intake is imperative to ensure safety and the ability to finish the task without causing harm physiologically to the body. Food wise, introduce snacks during the day:
Dried fruit and nuts Granary bars Chocolate (do not rely on chocolate alone as this has a high glyceamic level and will only result in a quick release of energy, not a longer term of sugar being released into the blood stream.)If the trip is an overnight, again it is imperative to consume a high carbohydrate meal during the evening, to restore levels in the body. The amount of energy available from glycogen (carbohydrate) storage is 1800-2000 calories. When stores run low, athletes will become fatigued and their performance will suffer. Post trip
This is the most important time for the body to restore lost nutrients and fluid levels. So before any alcohol is consumed, Barry!! Drink 1-2 pints of fluid and 2 x pieces of fruit if possible. Again, a high carbohydrate meal is important for fueling the repair of muscle tissue.
Fluid intake
Water intake will be the most important factor influencing your performance during a trip. A drop of 1-5% in hydration will cause thirst, vagueness, increased pulse and nausea. Severe dehydration, when more that ½ to 2 litres of fluid are lost, can be life threatening.
Recommended fluid intake during non-physical activity:
60kg person 3 pints per day 70kg person 3½ pints per day 80kg person 4 pints per day 90kg person 4½ pints per day 100kg person 5 pints per dayDuring vigorous exercise you should be drinking roughly every 20-30 minutes and an increase of 1-1½ pints a day should be taken on top of the RDA. In terms of carbohydrate drinks and isotonic drinks, I feel these are expensive and not necessary, as long as food is being eaten pre- event, throughout the day and post- event. If there are bouts of continuous exercise for more than 2-3hours (when carbohydrate stores are depleted in the muscle and the liver) then carbohydrate gels are very useful to ensure levels of carbohydrates and long term energy are maintained in the system (do not substitute water for gels, but introduce them with water, as water will allow faster chemical digestion of the gels into the system.)
Fitness: The test
There are a number of fitness tests that require space and equipment, the simplest is to test the resting heart rate. (The heart rate gives a true indication of the cardiovascular system, the lower the heart rate; the more blood pumped around the body per stroke and the faster the recovery to that individual.) There are a number of tests such as the beep test, the rowing ergo, the treadmill test and the bike test. I will assume however that there is no equipment available.
All that is required is enough space for you to lie down and be able to find your pulse (remember not to use your thumb, it has its own pulse and can confuse the issue). Lie still for at least 4-5 minutes, then take your pulse for 30 secs and compare it to the table below.
<25 beats Excellent 25-30 Good 30-35 Fair 35-40 PoorStrength: The test
This test gives a representation of a person’s upper body strength. The test for men is the full press up and for women the press up on knees. In both cases the nose must touch the ground on each repetition and be in line with the front of the fingers.
Men 30-39yrs : Women 30-39yrs : Men 40-49yrs : Women 40-49yrs: Men 50-59yrs : Women 50-59yrs
45-50 30-35 35-40 25-30 30+ 20-25 Excellent
35-40 25-30 30-35 20-25 25+ 15-20 Good
30-35 20-25 25-30 15-20 20+ 10-15 Fair
25-30 10-15 20-25 10-15 15+ 5-10 Poor
Balance: The test
Being one of the most important factors to any alpinist, balance like any other aspect of fitness can be improved with practice. Most mountaineers will already have a good sense of balance; however this can become affected with age and also joint and soft tissue injuries as the pro-preaception of the muscle degenerates.
A simple test to gauge your balance is as follows: standing on one leg (barefoot) slightly flexed, raise the other knee until parallel and hold that position for as long as possible with eyes closed.
>30 secs Excellent 20-30 secs Good 10-20 secs Fair <10 class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">PoorFlexibility: the test
Sit with back and buttocks flat against a wall and legs out straight. Slowly reach forward with arms outstretched, and ensure that your legs remain in the locked position. Measure the point at which the finger tips will reach.
Fingertips to above knee cap - Poor Fingertips to below knee cap - Fair Fingertips to ½ way down shin - Good Fingertips to ankle/toes - ExcellentConclusion
All the factors attributed to health and fitness mentioned will have an effect on your performance. Like your equipment, where preparation and planning is key, so is your health! If you find that one of your disciplines afore mentioned in the tests are low, introduce the required work early into your programme. It may (sorry, it will) mean hard work and planning in terms of time and effort. The results will be greater quality and quantity of work being carried out without fatigue setting in and the risk of injury or failure.

Sponsorship

Hi there,
spoke to my boss at work this week, he has said he will see what he can do towards sponsorship as long as I put it into a letter for him, so have spent the morning putting a letter together!!!! it's harder than I thought it would be, but when I've polished it a bit more, I'll post it on here.

training

Hi there,
well, just made the decision to do a crossing of the Greenland ice-cap in April-May next year, (2008).
Have decided to start of fairly slowely, just going to tick over from now until christmas, as why be super-fit when i'm not going anywhere?
Just doing a little bit more than usuall, instead of cycling to work everyday, I am walking three days, running the last two miles home at night, will step this up gradually, but nothing too severe for now.