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sometime around this point last year i'd just started out on a big personal running challenge to help raise donations for the NHS Liverpool Women's Hospital (https://www.liverpoolwomens.nhs.uk). the goal was to clock up 2017km (1253 miles) over the course of the year and, at the same time, cover 142,106 feet (43,314m) in climb (the same amount of “up” as each of the highest summits on the 7 continents - if stacked on top of each other).

a link to my fundraising page...

www.justgiving.com/2017k

and link to the charity page for the organisation….https://www.justgiving.com/liverpoolwomen at times it was hard going, at times it was all-consuming, at times it was seemingly without end - but ultimately it was one of the most rewarding challenges I've carried out. and even though the climb fell short of my target i did accomplish the distance target of 2017km and ascended 30,179m, (close to 100,000 feet)

to accomplish that I've shared some wonderful adventures with friends and loved ones (mostly my amazing mrs, Laura) - all starting with a snowy hike on the Old Man of Coniston in The Lakes and culminating with a new years eve trudge in the Brecon Beacons in a dreary 'n’ weary attempt at the Fan Dance - with my gut weighed down with too much xmas pudding and stodgy breakfast (although the extra ballast probably prevented me being blown from the summit of pen-y-fan in gale force winds)those two peaks served as bookends to the 12 month challenge, during which time we frequented snowdonia frequently, with Mt Snowdon being the most frequent. out of the snowdon climbs, the most satisfying was when my brother's girlfriend Nat suggested meaning that she would have to drag her boyfriend (my youngest brother andrew) up there too. he, in turn, dragged my mum and dad along (for moral support, or possibly to feel a kind of physical superiority). they in turn dragged along an SAS inspired weighty bergen - containing two dozen over-stuffed protein rolls, multiple coffee flasks and 2kg of lidl chocolate bars to the peak of snowdon; not sure when i said “mountain climb” how it translated to “picnic in the park” in their minds but it added to the challenge, i suppose. but that alone wasn't the reason it was the most satisfying. it was satisfying because we were “in season” and the coffee shop at the top was open.

we were actually surprised at how well andrew took to mountain life, a natural, his knowledge was second to none - we learned that "the cat and the fiddle" hill, in the peak district, is the highest mountain in the UK. didn't know that one. and also that sunblock is not needed on mountains. in fact, the higher you get, the less you need, apparently. i can only assume that andrew smothered his face in too much cream and that was what caused his weeping face blisters the next morning….

but everyone made it to the top, and i was so proud of my mum, dad, andrew and nat, especially as they had to rely on their “natural” fitness levels. they would not be beaten and would not turn back. except when they did turn back to head down. i can honestly say i was *really* glad that i had to head down via a different track (to fetch the car), as i did feel that i was close to getting lynched for possibly understating the effort required as simply “a bit of a walk” and putting them through it all!our young boys jacob, george, henry and harry didn't get off lightly either. they are now well heeled in the trails and sights around winter hill, rivington “pipes”, white coppice and the darwen moors. their wellies took some hammering. the boys loved getting out. getting out and learning. they learnt about joes cup at the foot of great hill near chorley; they learnt that moaning gets you nowhere when you're wet and cold - or if you fall into a facefull of mud; and they learnt to love coffee from a flask.

i was proud to see them grow. they went from being whiny and precious 5 & 7 year olds to being quiet-whiners and just semi-precious 6 & 8 year olds. 
two of the little guys followed me to the halfway house on snowdon, before deciding they'd rather be playing on the swings back at the campsite.
or maybe it was because they tired of carrying all my gear. not sure.

the boys were also subjected to meandering, hypnotic, almost endless treks around newborough forest in angelsey on a couple of occasions, searching for the mythical (non-existent) playground that was “just around the next corner”. amazing how many kilometers little legs can rack up if you're willing to deceive them. also, if you time it right, the ice cream-van-man will have cleared off home by the time you've finished and returned to the carpark.but it's not just the kids who've been misled, I'm ashamed to say. during a visit to ullswater for a “stroll” i may have misled the mrs that we were setting off for a brisk walk to the steamer, only to pass the jetty, carry on around the lake to the jetty at the other end, before topping off the march with a kinda "race" against the returning steamer to complete a loop of the lake. think that amble was just over 20 miles. i did drive straight home afterwards to say sorry. think that won her over…..maybe not. with hindsight i should have gone for the “meal out and a bottle of wine to say sorry” approach.rather stubbornly i refused to learn my lesson, as laura discovered when we headed off to explore pen-y-ghent - one of the yorkshire “three peaks”. i was very precise with my language when i assured her that we were not going there to tackle the 3 peaks. however, the truth was slowly revealed over the hours that followed our departure from malham cove, as we climbed up and over fountains fell, across to pen-y-ghent and up to the summit - then came the question “we don't have to walk the same route back, do we?” sadly, yes. more an alternative three peaks, than “the” three peaks….

october brought a sodden, mud-bath of a trek along the fabled tolkien trail in driving, icy sleet and rain. I don't remember frodo having to deal with a whining girlfriend for three hours though, give me a hoard of blood thirsty army orc's from mordor anyday. in fairness, it was her birthday so maybe not the imaginative, thoughtful experience she was anticipating…...we've seen bolton abbey; the ribblehead viaduct - when loafing up whernside; a tiny fraction of the Pembroke coastal path; the amazing waterfalls at ystradfellte in the brecon beacons during rainy season (all seasons are rainy season); we've sat frozen sharing flapjacks with the door mice who live in the walls of the storm shelter atop cadir idris;

followed offas dyke to moel famau (is that even a thing?); run a slippery waterfall route around ingleton, dodging tourists with oversized camera's; a circuit of wast water in the lake district taking in scafell pike, rounded off nicely with Laura's submergence in a gushing torrent when tentatively crossing, of course blaming of me for not anticipating her balance deficiency.to keep up with the distance required i was running to work when possible. half marathons followed by a hard day at work, before train ride and a short walk home. although being a pen pusher, I can't really milk the “hard day” angle…. can't call myself a “real” man with a “real” job.I'd even taken to cramming in some lunch runs at work. at the park. at the docks. the park and docks. the docks and park. the river. the river and park. the docks and river.....anything to add variety.

so, the start to this new year has been hard. a bit of a void. 
missing the sense of achievement. 
missing the targets. 
missing the movementl'm sure I'll figure out something to do with the next 12 months but I'm proud i did what i did for the last 12 months. i hope that, in some small way, it will bring benefit others, and help support the work that takes place with the Liverpool Women's Hospital (https://www.liverpoolwomens.nhs.uk) as they make a massive difference to all that are touched by them.

Ian

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Thanks for visiting!!!

I'm raising awareness (and hopefully some donations) for a charity that's important to me for the impact it has had on my loved ones.

Once I'd read some of the stories of the heart-breaking and/or miraculous work they do it really hit home, especially as I was lucky enough to be spending Christmas time with my little family.

https://www.justgiving.com/liverpoolwomen

So, for a worthwhile cause I thought I should set a worthwhile challenge.

2017km run.
43,314m ascent (the combined total of the 7 highest summits on the 7 continents)
12months.

Probably a bit ambitious but at least it's not scaling the *actual* peaks!!!

I've tried to break it down and it's something like the equivalent of nearly four marathons every month with the UK three peaks challenge thrown in for the climb.

Puncak Jaya (Australia) 4,884m
Vinson Massif (Antarctica) 4,892m
Elbrus (Europe) 5,642m
Kilimanjaro (Africa) 5,895m
Denali (North America) 6,194m
Aconcagua (South America) 6,959m
Everest (Asia) 8,848m

Total 43,314m

(the equivalent of just over a marathon - but straight up, so somewhere near where the stratosphere ends, apparently)

Thanks for reading and I hope you consider this charity and the families that are impacted by its work for any donations you give this year!!!

Ian.