Trek Kilimanjaro: juin 2011

Kilimanjaro or Bust! Kilimanjaro a tout prix!

Hello and welcome to my blog! As promised I am starting this blog so you can follow my preparation and success in my latest adventure, which is to Trek to the summit of Kilimanjaro for Arthritis Research UK.

For those who don't know, or just to remind you, I suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). I was diagnosed in 2006 and at the moment it's "under control". I undertook a trek in 2009 in the Himalayas to raise money for Arthritis Research UK to finance research in ALL types of arthritis.

I suffered a major flare shortly after my return and was unable to walk, but that didn't stop me from wanting to participate in another trek. Finally the day arrived when I found I could walk more than a few metres without pain! I started looking for a new trek and decided to attack Kilimanjaro.

I will be walking for a total of seven days and up to an altitude of 5865m! A major challenge which compares with the challenge of Rheumatoid Arthritis sufferers each and every day of their lives.

I need to raise a total of £3400, half of which is for the cost of the trip and the rest is for the charity.

Just realised I forgot to add the link to my Justgiving page (thanks Tony ;-) ) So here it is; http://www.justgiving.com/Joanna-Dawson0.

Bonjour et bienvenue sur mon blog! Comme promis je commence ce blog pour vous permettre de suivre mon entraînement et mon succès dans ma dernier challenge, qui est de faire un Trek jusqu'au sommet

du Kilimanjaro pour Arthritis Research UK.

Pour ceux qui ne savent pas je souffre de Polyarthrite Rheumatoid (PA). J'ai étais diagnostiqué en 2006. et En ce moment ma maladie est "sous contrôle".

J'ai participe à un premier trek en 2009 en Himalaya pour récolter l'argent pour "Arthritis Research UK" pour avancer les recherches dans TOUTES formes d'arthrites.

Sur mon retour j'ai subit un crise majeure et je me suis trouvé dans l'incapacité de marcher, mais ceci ne m'empêché pas de garder l'espoir et le rêve de faire un autre trek. Enfin, j'ai réussi à remarcher plusieurs mètres sans douleurs ! J'ai commencer à regarder pour un nouveau challenge, puis j'ai décider d'attaquer le Kilimanjaro.

Je vais marcher pendant sept jours jusqu'à une altitude de 5865 m! Un challenge majeur qui se compare avec les challenges subis par les gens avec le Polyarthrite Rheumatoid chaque jour de leur vie.

Je doit récolter £3400, le moitié est pour les frais du voyage, la reste sera pour l'association qui finance la recherche contre cette maladie.

Un ami me fait savoir que j'ai oublier de mettre le lien pour ma page de Justgiving ( merci Tony) alors voici; http://www.justgiving.com/Joanna-Dawson0

dimanche 19 juin 2011

Training!!etc....

Well I thought it was time to update you on how my training is going...haha!

As my sister and her husband were here for a week that meant I didn't get any done, although I did stock up on vitamin D, which as anyone knows is vital to all RAers!

I did get out for a hike on the afternoon of their arrival, in the mountains behind Grasse about 1hr 30 from my house. At one point I told my friends I'd meet them at the top, and went marching off up the mountain and reached the top after just over two hours! Two mountain bikers caught up with me and we got to the top at the same time. I had enough time to rest and cool down by the time my friends arrived about 20minutes later.

So that was last Saturday and today I decided to get my ass back down the gym. Which I duly did and managed to do 1hr 40 of cardio followed by weight training and stretching. So a grand total of 3hours and 26 minutes! I still have the soaking wet t-shirt to prove it too! All I can say is "thank you for Lucozade!", I now have a small bottle of it each time I go to the gym, better than a Mars, and it helps keep me going.

If all goes to plan I will be back at the gym tomorrow and painting money boxes white in the evening. I decided that Cinderella and fairies on collection boxes for my trek weren't quite the thing...oddly enough. Although a magic wand would be handy at times I must say, I could then wave away the Rheumatoid!! But as I have no magic wand I'll just get out the white paint and get training to raise the money to find better treatment for rheumatoid.

Alors j'ai penser que je devais vous mettre a jour pour mon entrainment...haha!!

The Spoon Theory written by Christine Miserandino

The Spoon Theory written by Christine Miserandino

This is one way to describe our everyday challenge, it just about sums it up....

vendredi 10 juin 2011

My training as from March....

I bought a new 'flash' watch in March to help my check my heart rate etc so I can keep an eye on my progress.Took a bit of getting used to, also several times hiking I hit the button and managed to turn off the data mode, oops!
But hopefully this'll give you an idea of what I've been doing so far.

Je me suis acheter un nouveau montre pour verifier mes battements de coeur etc, et pour surveiller mon progres. Ca pris du temps pour m'habituer, aussi parfois en rando j'ai reussi d'eteindre le mode 'data', aie!
Mais j'espere que ceci vous donne un idea de ce que j'ai fait jusqu'au maintenant.

DATE TIME ACTIVITY
Date Temps Activité
13.03.11 1hr 46 Gym/Salle
??.??.?? 2hr 19 Gym/Salle
20.03.11 2hr 22 Gym/Salle
29.03.11 2hr 49 Hike/Rando
30.03.11 2hr 33 Gym/Salle
01.04.11 6hr 20 Hike/Rando
03.04.11 2hr 07 Gym/Salle
05.04.11 5hr 30 Hike/Rando
07.04.11 2hr 47 Gym/Salle
11.04.11 1hr 50 Gym/Salle
12.04.11 3hr Hike/Rando
13.04.11 2hr 23 Gym/Salle
14.04.11 1hr 47 Gym/Salle
17.04.11 1hr 51 Gym/Salle
19.04.11 4hr Hike/Rando
22.04.11 1hr 29 Gym/Salle
27.04.11 7hr 39 Hike/Rando
06.05.11 2hr 50 Hike/Rando
20.05.11 3hr 35 Hike/Rando
01.06.11 2hr 34 Gym/Salle
03.06.11 2hr 58 Gym/Salle
11.06.11 4hr 32 Hike/rando
19.06.11 3hr 20 Gym/Salle

jeudi 9 juin 2011

Donations so far...! Les dons jusqu'au maintenant...!

I am so pleased and proud of my RA friends! Thanks to whom I have already hit the 4% mark! That's just a few hours after first posting the links on Facebook. Thank you so much and keep on sending donations and spreading the word.

Je suis si fier de mes amis avec le Polyarthrite! Grace a eux je suis déjà arriver a 4% de mon total! Et ça après avoir poster il y a que quelques heures sur Facebook. Merci beaucoup et continuer d'envoyer des dons et de passer le message.