Hello Sandra and Margaret
Just back from a weekend in North Wales and had a walk up a mountain which nearly killed me. it was only Barny the jack russell pulling that got me to the top so some serious training has got to start. Did get some brilliant thermal long johns in a BHS sale for a fiver so at least my legs will be warm!
Hope you are bith okay, how much longer on Rads margaret
Best wishes
Hilary
Hi Hilary
Well done on climbing that mountain - it’s all I can do to walk to the local shops - I really really need to start training!!
That’s me finished with the rads now - start 4 x taxotere on 2nd April - just keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn’t play havoc with my joints - else I’ll never get up Ben Nevis!
take care
margaret x
Hello Margaret
Well done on finishing the rads and good luck with 2nd April. I now alternate between convincing myself it will be a doddle bimbling up the mountain and having visions of a heap halfway up, inconscious but with warm legs!! I also fear that a lot of the climbers are fit not fat!!
Do you have to go to edinburgh for the next stage of your treatment. I can remember the relief when rads had finished and even though I had burns after they did not take long to heal
Take care
Best wishes
Hilary
Hi Hilary
If you end up in a heap half way up - you should find me in a heap from the day before haha
The rest of my treatment is done locally fortunately - so no more travelling (until Ben Nevis!!)
take care
Margaret
Hi Hilary and Margaret and anyone else who is going to do the Ben Nevis challenge ( I think challenge is the right word)
I can’t believe you are still having treatment and intending to do big Ben. I find it daunting and I’m back at work now.
We are going to travel up to Glasgow by train from a London station (can’t remember which one) for £15.70 one way. You have to book 12 weeks in advance and travel out of the peak periods. Which means we’re ok travelling up the Sat and coming back from Glasgow any time after 11.00 on the Mon. But if you miss the train your booked on you have to buy another ticket and that cost is extortionate.
Quite fancy letting the train take the strain. Is there one that goes up Nevis?
Best Wishes
Sandra
Hello Sandra
I will be doing the walk on Sunday and wish there was a train to the top!!I am flying from Gatwick on the saturday morning and leave glasgow tea time on the monday. Where in kent do you live, my Mum is just south of Maidstone. I am off to see her next weekend so hope the snow has gone.She lives at the top of a hill so I might get in a bit of training.
Best wishes
Hilary
Hi all
Well…I went for a walk today lol …all on the flat and onlyfor about a mile…OMG I am so NEVER gonna reach the top of Ben Nevis lol
I read Sandra’s post and thought - OMG I finish 4 x taxotere around the end of June, at which time I start a year of Herceptin…I think I should have booked for the 2009 challenge not the 2008 one???
But i have sponsors to honour - so I have to do it…don’t I??? (I’ve told hubby - who is coming with me - that he should be prepared to carry me up the last bit - the last bit being from about 3500 feet haha)
OMG are we Nuts or what ???
happy training all
Magz x
As someone who climbs mountains:
If you do this in the next few days you need to know just how cold it’s going to be. It’ll be colder that freezing and then some so here what you MUST take:
Hats, gloves and scarves.
high energy food. eg peantuts, other nuts and cakes (think high carbs)
stay dry. wind and wet is the enemy if you can keep dry the wind doesn’t get to ya.
Hate to be the one being negative but please don’t read this wrong, you can easily manage really bad weather conditions if you’re prepared which is why I mention this.
Oh phew just re read thread, April that should be much better. Anyone want any advice let me know my OH is a landscape photographer and goes up mountains a lot so we know how to prepare.
my no 1 tip:
hot soup in a flask. nothing beats it.
and peanut cookies. You burn much more energy that you’d think possible.
happy prep ladies, next year for me I think.
Angie
Hi Angie (loved your photo by the way)
Any advice gladly received and its not April its the weekend of 25th 26th Oct 08 so it is likely to be cold.
Hilary has Maidstone got snow? My boys were upset yesterday as although we saw our first snow this year and it was coming down thick and fast it was the wrong sort of snow to settle. Too wet. We live in Gravesend not that far away.
Hello Sandra and Margaret
Mum is nine miles south of Maidstone and they had snow all morning but like yours it did not settle.Congrats on doing a walk Margaret at least you have made a start. My Hubby bravely volunteered to stay at home and cuddle the jack rusell while i plod up the mountain, I think it is the thought that I might expect him to carry me that put him off the idea. I hope I am not the only person that turns up without a friend.
Enjoy what is left of the easter break
Best wishes
Hilary
hi hilary
i have just picked up on this thread and feel i would love to do this as it will give me something to focus on, like you i am a bit worried about not having anybody to climb with, do you think there will be a few on their own i could cling to !
love galen x
Hello Galen
I am going on my own as Hubby will not be able to get time off work and the dog needs looking after,afraid we have never put him in kennels and dont think it is fair now. I am doing the walk on the sunday 26th and am hoping that i will not be the only “johnny no-mates” !! I did suggest it to a couple of friends but I realise it is a lot to ask a friend to commit to. Where abouts do you live? I am in Fareham not far from Portsmouth so am flying uo from Gatwick on the saturday £87 return which seems a lot but some of the budget airlines came out more expensive by the time you add all the bits on. I know what you mean about something to focus on I worry less about BC now and more about Ben Nevis!!
Best wishes
Hilary
Hilary you can stagger up with me and my work colleague Kate. I was going to do it on my own but Kate said she fancied it so is coming to. Trouble is because we work together it makes it harder to get the sponser money from our workmates. Pity you’ve booked your flight you could have met us in London and caught the train.
Sandra
Hello Sandra
Thank you for that and I am pleased to see you plan to stagger!!
KNow what you mean about the sponsorship money being harder to get, it seems such a lot and I panic a bit when i think about it but am slowly getting to the targrt.
Take care
Hilary
hi hilary & all
i live in lancaster, lancashire bless him my husband as offered to do it with me , we need to do it on the sat we have paid our registration does that mean we have been accepted?
im really excited
galen x
Hi all
Well that’s me done a bit more walking - and it nearly killed me - and that’s before I re-start my chemo next week!!!
If you do go on the Saturday Galen, that’s the day me and hubby are doing it. We’re based in Dumfries & Galloway and will be driving up to Glasgow to catch the bus onwards. Will be nice to meet up with you. I was excited initially but I think the word now is…terrified !!!
Hey ho - we’ll all do it
Margaret x
hi margaret
sorry couldnt reply earlier been in hospital ! had my 1st dose of hrceptin so i had to stay in overnight , everything went ok but im really achey !! it will be lovely to meet up with you we are catching the train from lancaster, then the coach from glasgow i am just like you i was really excited but now i think what have we done ! ha ha must be crackers !! hope you are ok with your chemo how many are you having ?
love galen x
Hi Galen
Haven’t started my 2nd lot of chemo yet - had 4 x fec during Nov - Jan, then 20 rads sessions Feb/March - start 4 x taxotere next wednesday (2nd April) followed by 17 herceptins - how I’ll be able to climb a mountain after all that lot (in fact during some of it!!) I’ll never know - I’m getting very scared now lol
I’ll wear a big sticker waiting for the coach saying 'Im the one that isn’t going to make it! - thn you’ll recognise me haha
take care
margaret x
Hi Margaret
Blimey ! I am going to pack some extra mars bars for you, you will make it ! dont be scared i am going to have a think about fundraising ideas when im away on holiday so when i get back i will share them with you i have just got in i have been on a 2 mile walk tonight now wheres that oxygen …???
take care galen xx
Hi all
I climbed Big Ben last year for breast cancer care, i finished my treatment in July & walked it in Oct. I must admit the only training i did was a 10 mile walk & i still made it to the top. You start off at different times in groups about 10 mins apart, make sure you are one of the first groups if you are not so fit as you can then drop back into a lower group if you can’t keep the pace, If you are in the last group you have nowhere to drop down to! out of the 100 people who walked on the Saturday only 19 didn’t make it, but they got 2 thirds of the way up. On the day we walked the weather was terrible couldn’t see anything from about a third of the way up, but those who walked it on the Sunday had a fantastic day & were photographed in t-shirts at the top!!! If you invest in anything for the walk, waterproofs, good boots & walking poles are a must, i wouldn’t have made it without mine they take all the strain of your knees. It is tough, but it is achievable, we started walking about 8 - 8.30 & made it back down around 5ish, just remember it is takes nearly as long to get down as it does to go up. The hotel & food was fantastic as well as all the organisers & guides, and the views are just beautiful. You will have a fantastic weekend, i wish you all the best of luck (not that you will need it), oh, one last piece of advice - take sandals or flipflops to wear to dinner the night of the walk - your feet will ache!!!
Louise xx