50 Climbs at 50! Quite a challenge! (Am I fit enough?)

Raising for two charities relevant to me - it's so hard to choose! This one selfish perhaps. I'm prediabetic, which means that the changes in my body that go on to become Type 2 diabetes are there, but not yet advanced enough that I am unable to control my blood sugar. Treatment at this stage is to increase activity level and dramatically limit intake of starch and sugar. I may be able to slow it down or even stop it, but I don't know. Apparently 70% to 80% (depending who you ask) of patients at my stage can at least delay it.

Diabetes affects more and more people. This is only expected to increase over the rest of the decade as obesity rates rise - though you don't need to be obese or even overweight to get it. If it cannot be managed then the complications can be unpleasant, leading to damage to the feet, eyes, kidneys, heart, brain......

Diabetes UK are active both in research and in providing support and information for patients. Both of these functions are important for the many people who have or will have diabetes.

I plan to attempt 50 climbs on Harrogate Climbing Wall's roped walls in one day. There are enough climbs up to grade 5C to achieve this, ranging from 10 metre tall top-rope climbs to 14 metre tall overhanging lead climbs.