The new challenge

So 3 years on, a new challenge is in the offing. London to Brighton. By foot. 100km (62 miles) or thereabouts. In less than 24 hours.

Why?

It's really a combination of a few things.

• I feel like I need another challenge to keep me young. I previously said I would do LEJOG before I was 40. For several reasons I decided against this. It was a large time commitment both for training and actually doing the challenge. It potentially was also a large financial commitment. Apart from that though (and I know this sounds incredibly arrogant), having completed Cambridge to Paris, I know I could do LEJOG. As long as I did the training and put in the time, it would be achievable. And with the intrigue gone, so did the motivation. I'm sure it is an awesome feeling and would still be a challenge, but there are other things out there that hold greater interest right now
• I want to raise some money for charity. I have continued to do this over the last few years. Most recently I did Movember last year. Whilst that was more of a mental challenge (looking like a **** for a month is not easy!), I want to test my body again. I also want to do something that is perceived as a challenge that warrants support
• Having completed marathons and bike challenges, the simplicity yet still challenging nature of walking challenges intrigues me. This also fits in well with my primal living, and the walking ability of our hunter gatherer. My intention (subject to change!) is to undertake this challenge as primally as possible. No gels or carb loaded gels. Minimalist footwear
• It fits in nicely with the Global Corporate Challenge which we do at work each year (more on that in another post maybe)
• It is a big challenge but at the same time can be done and dusted in a few weeks, fitting in nicely with my time availability. This will require proper training, a commitment to improving fitness and planning. But by the end of May, will be done and dusted. I like that. I have plenty more things I want to achieve
• The ability (or otherwise!) of the human being to stay awake and physically active for 24 hrs at a stretch also intrigues me
• I love being active at night and at dawn. Could be that primal thing again!

 So, the challenge itself. Starting in Richmond Park, the route meanders through the English countryside down to Brighton, finishing at the racecourse there. It's 100km or thereabouts although as for all challenges, that number is just the final piece of the overall challenge which starts with the first training step.

Those steps will take me there over the next 110 days...

It's been a while!

Ok, so things have been rather quiet around here for the last couple of years! What have I been up to? Well, work has been busy, home-life is busy and I guess life in general has been busy. My commitment to making a difference remains, but how I do it has changed a little. To summarise the key points of the last 3 years or so

• No further challenges (until now! See below...) 
• My wife Eleanor has however done a couple of half marathons and a marathon, so as a family we continue to like challenges! 
• I have changed my diet. I will blog about it at some stage, but for now, will simply say Primal Living is being good to me 
• For the first and last time, I did Movember
• I have become a cub scout leader! Again, I'll blog about this another time, but encouraging youngsters whilst having a little fun yourself is seriously rewarding
• We continue to support Bliss, although I guess as time goes on this becomes more difficult

Lots to blog about there! I guess where I want to focus a little today is on Bliss. As you may know if you have followed me since the beginning on my other blog, Bliss has been a cause that we have supported since Eoin was born 26 weeks early, nearly 6 years ago. Our support has included fundraising such as cycling Cambridge to Paris as well as supporting Bliss in the campaigns and lobbying activities. As time goes on, whilst our appreciation of Bliss is undiminished, it feels our relevance is reduced. We set out to turn a stressful period of our lives into something positive, and make things better for those who came after us. quite simply, those who came after us are now in a better position to take up the reigns. We still have an input (we recently toured our local hospital's new NICU with our MP and the hospital CEO for example) but ultimately, our experience is now 6 years out of date.

Fundraising on the other hand, never goes out of date! and thus 3 years after completing the Cambridge to Paris cycle, here we are again. Perhaps not as onerous this time - other things in my life mean that training and time commitments have to compete with more and more other demands. Nevertheless, a challenge worth doing:

London to Brighton. On foot. 100km. 60-odd miles. in 24 hours. Through the night. On no sleep.

Sounds like a challenge to me...

Magazine Article

Quick post to let you know that I have been asked by Bliss to contribute to their magazine, Little Bliss on a regular basis! I wrote an article a few months ago and have now been asked to do it regularly. I am delighted to have this opportunity to continue to raise awareness of neonatal issues. The original article can be seen on my Little by Little blog here.