Our training weekend in the Lake District was a fantastic opportunity to test out fitness levels and kit, get advice from our guides and – most importantly – get to know one another as a team.  From start to finish, I think I had a grin plastered on my face even when slogging up the steep slopes of Skiddaw with my head down or when buffeted by wind and rain.

Coming back from the Lakes seemed to coincide with the onset of autumn – wind, rain and dark mornings all combined to distract me from my training.  Some brighter days, coupled with the realisation that Kilimanjaro is looming large only a few short weeks after Christmas, got me back into my boots and out into the mud last week – as Rolf learned in the Lakes, gaiters are a real advantage in the UK!

Over the weekend, the sun made a welcome appearance, encouraging me out for a couple of walks closer to home and I am hoping that a few days’ walking in the Yorkshire Dales around Sedbergh next week will ensure I am fully back on track, no matter what the weather brings!