Next Challenge News, October 2009 www.thenextchallenge.org
Welc ome! I admit it. I've been putting off writing this newsletter because I haven't done anything. No mountains in Siberia, no epic bicycle voyages, not even that Menai swim I'd hope to do (although I did do another pretty cool one instead).
h.... This- mEggon&t Spoon Race - Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition - Mountains and Mole Hills - Women Can't Run Marathons
No, a boring month. But then I wondered how it was that I was running around like a headless chicken, working on all of these different projects and getting more inadvertent exercise than my body knows what to do with? Cl i c k th e r ed w rit t o r e ad m or e o n i n g li n e
News r o u n d =u p
The Kaspersky Commonwea lth Anta rctic Expedition have asked me to help with their comms (page 2) An Eg g & Spoon Ra ce through London is the first of many outdoor events I hope to organise. Tickets on sale now - You should enter! (page 5) “Nonsense!”, instead, was my conclusion. Just because I haven't been away on a big trip doesn't make this a non-eventful month. I've got a few more such months ahead and I've got to embrace them with open arms if I'm going to anywhere with this career move. Let's try again... This has been a fantastic month – Woo! – and I've got loads of stuff to talk about. So, stick the kettle on, make yourself comfy and have a flick through the next few pages.
The Royal Geogra phica l Society's 'Explore' Conference have asked me to give a brief talk (page 4) Special Olympics GB like my rickshaw idea and I'm working on a route for early next summer The Menai swim got canned but I had instead a superb 2 mile swim downstream in the Thames near Henley (scary wetsuit photo here) Cool new website 'Esc the City' featured an email of mine and my good friend Rob's in the same article My Cycling Home from Norway trip report is online
WOMEN FROM 8 COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES SKIING 900KM ACROSS THE ANTARCTIC ICE TO THE SOUTH POLE
Commonwealth Women's Antarctic Expedition
All photos on this page come from expedition photographer Robert Hollingworth
Just when you think it's safe to put your feet up, relax and rest on the laurels of your last expedition some polar explorer picks up the phone and asks would I like to help with an expedition to the South Pole?
Is this a good thing for me? Felicity and the team needed somebody to help coordinate their communications back in the UK whilst they were on the ice. And, apparently, my name came up. On the one hand, a large commitment of time and effort without financial reward might seem like the last thing I need right now. But, on the other, opportunities like this are rare. It's occurrences like this that are the reason I spend so much time writing, blogging, Tweeting, and generally blithering on about expeditions.
The Story Felicity Aston has been working on this project, the Women's Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition, for a year or two now. She got funding from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust to recruit a team of eight women from different Commonwealth countries including Brunei, India, Ghana and Jamaica. She got a few hundred applications in total and whittled those down to two from each country. They all went for a training trip to Norway and the final eight were selected. They've been training as individuals in their respective countries since the start of the year – raising funds and promoting the trip. It was only in the last couple of months that they received the backing of a title sponsor – Kaspersky – and thus the go-ahead.
Key D ates
- Friday 30th Oct - Girls arrive in the UK - Monday 2nd Nov – Press launch in London - Wednesday 4th Nov – Team leave for South America - 12th November – Team fly to Patriot Hills, Antarctica Late December: Live phone link to the team at National Geographic Store in London New Year's Day 2010: Anticipated arrival at South Pole
What I'll a ctually be doing I am 'UK Comms Support' according to their website. I'll be picking up phone calls and voicemail from the team on the ice, transcribing and uploading daily updates to their website, and passing on information to supporters. I'll also be on the phone if anything doesn't go according to plan. Y o u wan t some mor e?
Click the links below to get some more input: - Kaspersky Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition - Photographer Robert Hollingworth's website - Felicity Aston's website - Kaspersky website There will be daily updates on the expedition website (assuming I don't forget...) starting from early November
Writing Mountains & Mole Hills I got some nice comments after posting this on my website so thought I'd share it with you too:
My legs are pistons, firing repeatedly in a hypnotic cadence, a relentless machine hell bent on speed. Churning the big cog over and over, I’m flying through London at a dangerous rate of knots.
Women Can't Run Marathons
(P ar t 1 )
Did you know that there was no women’s marathon in the Olympic Games until 1984? The men’s event, in contrast, was part of the inaugural “modern Olympics” in 1896.
The low sunlight reflects off a tower block in the distance, each of its windows flashing bursts of light like the flashbulbs of a press conference caught in slow motion as I roll past.
Women had, of course, run marathons before that but not without a lot of effort – and I don’t mean the running. Under the assumption that the female body was not capable of such feats, the rare few women who managed to make it over the start line were often removed before getting the chance to reach the other end.
The man that introduced me to bikes had said that you should always keep your upper body relaxed when cycling. Sound advice but I wasn’t having any of it tonight. My forearms tensed and I pulled aggressively on the handlebars in front of me, egging myself onwards with gritted teeth.
It’s ridiculous to think about now – I’m fairly sure no one reading this blog could stick in Paula’s slip stream for long – but evidently it was the accepted view only a couple of decades back. And it makes you wonder what other physical limitations we take for granted? That we’ll look back on and laugh in a few years’ time?
Screaming down a hill towards a zebra crossing, a little boy stands on a scooter next to his mum beneath a ball that flashes orange . They’re on the other side of the road and not expecting me to stop but I do it anyway. www.da vidtett.c om The boy trundles across the black and white stripes dragging his toy. “Thank you”, he says sweetly without looking up. “Not a problem” I reply, appreciating a moment’s solace.
And, more importantly, what limitations have you assumed about yourself? Couldn’t run a marathon / cycle to work / apply for that job / ask that guy/girl out / quit my job and travel around the world?
Standing up on the pedals the machine rolls steadily uphill and left through the gates. Richmond Park is a mecca for the capital cyclist but this was no fun run. I pulled up behind an older man on a racing bike, reveling in his slip stream I matched his pace with ease.
If you enjoyed this, you might also like to read:
“One… two… three”, he rasped in a loud whisper to himself between downward strokes before accelerating and leaving me stranded, a yacht without a breeze. Back under my own steam, I’m out of the park and into Fulham where the streets are lined with distractingly beautiful women. Looking at girls is a dangerous sport at the best of times – in more ways than one – but it’s pure lunacy when traveling at speed through traffic. Head down, I focus once again on the task at hand (until, that is, the next one walks by)... Read the rest of this entry >>
Maybe you couldn’t. Maybe you could. But do you really want to risk never finding out? - Women Can't Run Marathons – Part II - Women Can't Run Marathons – Part III Still wan t mo r e?
Here are some other recent entries from my website. Just click one to have a read: - What would you do with a million pounds? Add your thoughts and join the debate - I feel at home in traffic Where are you most comfortable? - Six of the best Some other peoples' recent articles that I've enjoyed - 7 things I like about working at home and 7 that I don't If you enjoyed these then you can read new posts on my website several times a week
E gg & S poon Rac e! What are you doing on Sunday 6th December? How about an little urban adventure through the streets of London? I'm organising an event to get people outdoors and having some fun in the capital. The details are on the poster below and on the website but the gist is this: Teams of two or three, carrying an egg and spoon, cruising around London on foot or public transport, trying to reach as many checkpoints as you can and preserve your hard boiled charge. It's a bit of fun and a chance to stretch your legs. It'd be great to see you there and I'd be really grateful if you could tell your friends about it and spread the website www.eggandspoonrace.com. Thank you. Tickets now on sale. Details on the next page.
'Explore' C onf erenc e The weekend after next sees the best event on the expedition calendar coming to the Royal Geographical Society: The Explore Conference. It's the place to go for anyone planning or considering undertaking an expedition. They always have great presenters and the environment-specific workshops (e.g. polar, cycling, mountain) are an opportunity you don't get elsewhere. I've been asked to do a 10 minute talk on the topic of fundraising. It's a fantastic opportunity for me to get practice speaking to an audience, talk about something on which I have some views and get my name and ugly mug in front of many current and aspirant explorers - Date: Friday 13th – Sunday 15th (I speak on Saturday) - Ticket Price: £100/65 - Visit the RGS website for information.
My friend Andrew recently had a film featured in the Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival. Watch it on Vimeo.
is . . . If y ou en jo y ed re a di ng th You might consider one of the following: Checking out my website – I keep a regular blog of my own and other peoples' activities as well as the odd musing about life in general Pa ssing it on to a friend – If you think someone else might like reading this newsletter then let me know and I can add them to the mailing list Letting me know what you think – It's hard to know whether or not what I write is interesting and exciting or a load of old drivel. Either way, it's good to get feedback so don't be shy!
Other c hallenges . . . I caught up with Francis Charlesworth last week and heard all about his adventures on the Sutherland Trail. He's climbing in Wales as I type and off to the Alps shortly after. The Briitish Wnter Swedish 2000ers team got a bit distracted by real life after returning from Scandinavia earlier in the year but are working away on their reports and I should get some photos online soon
Th e N ex t Ch a l l en ge E gg & Sp oon Rac e Su n d ay Dec emb er 6 th
(See below for details)
tim@thenex tchallenge.org www.thenex tchallenge.org
An urban adventure with an egg and a spoon Sunday 6th December, London
What? Where?
A fun race through the streets and parks of London with a difference. Choose your route around the Capital on foot or by public transport; gaining points for reaching landmarks and finding the answers to location-specific questions... and all of this whilst preserving your egg! Starts and finishes on Clapham Common with checkpoints throughout the Capital.
When?
Sunday 6th December, 9:30am registration opens, 10:30am start, 2pm finish
Who?
You can run, walk, roller skate, ride the Tube, hop on a bus or use whatever means you fancy to piece your way between checkpoints. You can run the whole time, take the underground to far reaching checkpoints or plod around Clapham collecting points. The event is open to any pair or group of three looking for a bit of fun on a Sunday morning in the Capital.
How to Enter Entry forms are available at www.eggandspoonrace.com Cost is £11 per person in advance or £15 on the day. At least £5 from each entry will go directly to Soundmix*. Entry cost includes egg, spoon, Challenge Sheet and a few refreshments. *Soundmix is a voluntary project currently run under the umbrella of Brixton St Vincent Community Centre Registered Charity number 1082783. They hope to become a charity in their own right by the end of 2009. Read more at www.myspace.com/soundmixproject
www.eggandspoonrace.com