Adventure #2-1/2 ironman panama

Having just finished the first adventure February is fast approaching.  This evening we landed in Panama City where I will attempt to complete my second adventure on Sunday-a 1/2 ironman.

For those of you who are not familiar with the distances, etc. see below for a detailed description from the panama iron man site as to what I will try to complete before the cut off time on Sunday!

Swim

Participants will swim 1.2 miles (1.9 km) in the Pacific Ocean, specifically within the banks of the Eighth Wonder of the Modern World, “The Panama Canal.” The Bridge of the Americas, which connects Central & South America, opened in the 1960’s and stretches over a mile long over the Panama Canal. Athletes and spectators will enjoy the amazing backgrounds at this stage of the race. Water temperatures are expected to be around 78° Fahrenheit (26° Celsius). The transition area is located next to the Biodiversity Museum, built by renowned architect Frank Gehry, and close to the swim start.

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Bike

Athletes will endure a 56-mile (90 km) bike ride. First leaving the area of the Amador Causeway and continuing along the west side of the country. Once again, the Bridge of the Americas will witness the event when participants ride across of it in route to the Pan American Highway. During this part of the bike course, athletes will travel through the forest that protects the biodiversity and Panama Canal watershed. On the way back to the Transition Area, athletes will pass by Panama City’s downtown area along the “Cinta Costera” (Coastal Strip), which is surrounded by state of the art buildings that emerge on the shores of the Bay of Panama. For sure this part of the Bike Course will be an athlete’s favorite and spectator friendly for its beautiful surroundings.

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Run

The run course will take athletes on a 13.1 mile (21 km) run through the “Amador Causeway”, a major tourism area surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, where athletes and spectators can watch the ship transit in and out of the Panama Canal while enjoying the beautiful view of the modern and cosmopolitan Panama City. Runners will return to the transition area to start the second and final loop.

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Originally from: http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/ironman-70.3/panama/course.aspx#ixzz2JbiOH97p

3 Peaks Challenge

 Our journey began early on Thursday morning with a flight to London.  Upon landing we were picked up by minibus by our friend Angus who had done all of our planning for us!  The mini bus was equipped with a mattress for sleeping in between challenges, sleeping bags, pillows, and blankets to keep warm.







Friday morning, with our 2 additional group members, Ron and Lucy, we headed closer to Ben Nevis.   The normally 2.5 hour drive ended up taking nearly 6 as the snow was quite heavy.  Chains went on our mini bus, and we made it...slowly. Ron's father kindly took us in for the night, and Saturday morning we were off.





We arrived at the base of Ben Nevis Saturday morning around 11AM, and were met by two more friends.  By 11:30 AM Saturday morning we were off and climbing.

Our team, from right to Left: Angus, Me, Walid, Lucy, Ron (who drove us allowing us to sleep),  Canna (the whippet cheerleader) & James

Ben Nevis was a very pleasant climb, which we completed in about 5 hours.  The final portion was very much white out conditions, but with two handheld GPS' and a map, the 6 of us made our way to the summit.

From Ben Nevis we drove towards Scaffel Pike.  After passing through a few flooded roads, a GPS malfunction, a road ending in a snow bank, and minor mishaps, we were at the base of Scaffel Pike around 11-1130PM in the pouring rain.  We climbed, making it to the Summit ridge in about 2 hours, with sleet, and 60MPH winds.  The conditions were miserable!  Back down, around 330AM we headed to our final summit-Snowden.

This photo may appear distorted, however its just the rain and wind blowing across the lens of our waterproof camera.  

Arriving to Snowden just after sunrise, we were met by Lucys parents, to have her father join us for our final summit!  Conditions were beautiful, up to the summit ridge, where it became very windy.  Lucy and I climbed to the summit on our hands and knees.

Fatigued, we checked out watches, to see that we had completed the 3 peaks with 10 minutes to spare!

White out at the Ben Nevis Summit!  

It was a wonderful adventure with a great team!  

A big thank you to the support of Eric Stewart on behalf of Viridian Energy.

For the next 11 adventures, Eric will donate $20.00 in the name of the first person to guess the upcoming adventure correctly!

Below is a photo along with a clue.  The challenge will not be biking alone.

3 Peak Challenge: Success!

Angus, Lucy, James, Walid and I completed the 3 peaks challenge yesterday at 11:20, 23 hours and 50 minutes after our starting time!  We couldn't have done it without the help of Ron who drove us between mountains while we rested!!

More photos to follow with the story of our adventure.  

(Photo taken at the beginning of our adventure, at the base of Ben Nevis.  Not in the photo is Nigel, who joined us for the Ben Nevis climb!)

Update from the UK

Hello all.

We arrived to London yesterday. Our friend picked us in London with a rented mini bus, equipped with a bed for sleeping in between the peaks.

We took off for Scotland, stopping in the lakes district for a snowy hike.

We arrived to Edinburgh in time for dinner where we met up with a few more friends who will be taking part in the challenge with us.

Today we will head closer to the base of Ben Nevis where we are hoping for a mid day departure Saturday. 

Weather update

As of the weather last night it looked that the challenge may be off and we would have to find a new adventure for January.  This morning we received a more uplifting email from our friend in the UK who is more familiar with the terrain.
It seems there has been a shift in weather once again and we shall be departing  for the UK tomorrow as planned.

The Weather on Ben Nevis seems to have improved vastly over night, making it

a reasonable climb on the Saturday

The 2 peaks to the south are still looking rather average. 

There is still a good chance that the fastmoving airstream that is effecting

the country towards the end of the week may have blown over by the time we

reach the southern peaks by the very nature of the high winds they move

quickly as the forecast over Ben Nevis has proved overnight....

The major problem in climbing these mountains from so far away is getting a

weather window, we could be waiting all year!

The weather tomorrow looks reasonably settled for driving up the country and

based on what we see we could even consider running up Scarfell Pike or

Helvellyn (2nd highest peak in England and just off the road if we were to

venture into Ambleside on our way north) tomorrow and leaving it out on the

Saturday as the weather really looks quite goodWhatever happens we will climb a few mountains in the time you are over! tomorrow?

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/scafell-pike#?tab=fiveDa

y&fcTime=1358985600.  

         Whatever happens we will climb a few mountains in the time you are over!

Would you like to do something this weekend?

Would you like to create your own adventure this weekend in honor of Nooria and Women for Women International?

Though we are taking off to attempt the 3 peaks Challenge in the United Kingdom, we invite you to create your own "adventure" at home.  Would you like to walk, hike, run, bike, or create your own adventure and share with us?

We would love to see your support of Women for Women International in any way you choose!  And let us know what you are planning!

The numbers game:

If all were to go according to plan, Walid, my husband, has worked out the calculations on the 3 peaks distances through Garmin.

Ben Nevis:
Distance: 16km
Elevation gain: 1400 M
Estimated time: 7 hours

Scaffel Pike:
Distance: 9km
Elevation gain: 900 M
Estimated time: 5 hours

Snowden:
Distance 12km
Elevation gain: 850M
Estimated time: 4 hours

This will leave us with a total of:
37km covered, 3,150 meters climbed, in 16 hours.  We also have to cover approximately 500 miles of driving to get from point A to point C.  We do have 8 hours to spare, sleep, etc. between drives assuming all goes according to plan.

With the weather conditions looking inclimate as they are, we're just hoping for the best.

Thank you to Walid and Angus for being such great planners for the first adventure!  

"Landlocked and mountainous, Afghanistan has suffered from such chronic instability and conflict during its modern history that its economy and infrastructure are in ruins, and many of its people are refugees.

Since the fall of the Taliban administration in 2001, adherents of the hard-line Islamic movement have re-grouped.

It is now a resurgent force, particularly in the south and east, and the Afghan government has struggled to extend its authority beyond the capital and to forge national unity.

Its strategic position sandwiched between the Middle East, Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent along the ancient "Silk Route" means that Afghanistan has long been fought over - despite its rugged and forbidding terrain." BBC World News, Afghanistan Country Profile, September 12, 2012

4 years ago, 31 year old Nooria returned home and declared her intention to take rights awareness and vocational training courses with Women for Women International in Afghanistan.  Her war-wounded, heroin addicted husband told her she was forbidden.  “What would the neighbors think?  He convinced my entire family to support him in his decision too,” explained Nooria.  

Nooria, so inspired by the call for female trainees, which she learned about through her local mosque, did not give up.  After months of negotiation, her husband, and her family capitulated, and so began Nooria’s training.  Today Nooria specializes in a local style of embroidery for a women’s cooperative.  “Now my role in my family has changed 100%.  I support my husband, my five children, I have money and I have respect.”  

With the income she makes from her embroidery, Nooria, a somber and no nonsense type of woman, is now able to pay for her husbands medical bills, but she still struggles.  She hopes to expand her skills in embroidery and business management, eventually opening her own embroidery and handicrafts cooperative.  

Nooria believes that “Peace begins in our own homes, then we, as women, will bring it to our offices, then to the society.”

Afghanistan has one of the worst women’s right records in the world, and even when the rights are enshrined in the law, they are poorly enforced according to civil rights groups. 

Nooria has taken constant inspiration from Women for Women, and will be participating in the Join Me on the Bridge Campaign to stand up not only for her rights, but for the rights of her 3 daughters.  

“With Women for Women, I was given the capacity to develop myself, to develop my children, and to teach my family.”  She continues “I am so thankful for Women for Women International, and the gift they have given us.  The more women who receive this training, the closer we will be to improving our positions in society and preventing violations against our rights.”  

This weekend as we challenge ourselves in the United Kingdom on our first adventure, we will be walking in honor of Nooria, the Women of Afghanistan, and as always, Women for Women International.  

Nooria's story was provided by Women for Women International, United Kingdom

The latest weather update.

First 5 day forecasts are in now, the Ben is looking pretty miserable with wind increasing as the day goes on.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/ben-nevis#?tab=fiveDay

This is for the summit though and down in the valley in fortwilliiam the weather does not look quite as evil

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/ben-nevis#?tab=fiveDay

the Summit of Scafell on the other hand looks with Wind speeds of up to 53MPH and 74 MPH in the gusts will be a no go if this weather remains the same….

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/scafell-pike#?tab=fiveDay

WE can simply monitor it and wait and see…..

Our first sponsor!

A massive thank you to LDV hospitality for showing the support of our 12 adventures and Women for Women International with their donation.  They have taken the first one year advertisement slot on our blog!

Facts and Figures

"Violence against women and girls is a problem of pandemic proportions. Based on country data available , up to 70 per cent of women experience physical or sexual violence from men in their lifetime – the majority by husbands, intimate partners or someone they know.

Among women aged between 15 and 44, acts of violence cause more death and disability than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents and war combined.  Perhaps the most pervasive human rights violation that we know today, violence against women devastates lives, fractures communities, and stalls development. It takes many forms and occurs in many places – domestic violence in the home, sexual abuse of girls in schools, sexual harassment at work, rape by husbands or strangers, in refugee camps or as a tactic of war."

www.saynotoviolence.org

One week prior to our departure.

Ben Nevis Mountain Forecast

With one week before we depart, the weather is looking like it will be cold! Packing up our warm weather gear, ice axes, crampons, and gear this weekend. 

Below is the weather report for the next 6 days.  

Stay tuned!

Days 0-3 Ben Nevis Weather Summary: Mostly dry. Temperatures will be below freezing (max -3°C on Thu morning, min -9°C on Fri afternoon). Winds increasing (moderate winds from the SSE on Thu morning, extremely windy from the SE by Fri night).

Days 3-6 Ben Nevis Weather Summary: Mostly dry. Temperatures will be well below freezing (max -6°C on Mon night, min -8°C on Sun morning). Winds decreasing (severe gales from the SE on Mon morning, fresh winds from the SE by Tue night).

As the date fast approaches to our 3 peaks challenge would you like to be more involved?

For $30.00 every month, or $360.00 USD in one year, you can help sponsor a woman and support her through her one year educational program.  Follow this link to Sponsor a woman!  (It is possible to sponsor in USD or GBP.

As an additional thought, consider an advertising space on this blog.  For $100.00 or GBP donated through either Women for Women in dollars or in GBP you can have an advertisement slot on the blog for one month.  For $1000.00 or GBP you can have your advertisement for the duration of the year of adventures showing your support for Women for Women International.

Please note, 100% of this money will go to the charity.

Stay tuned for other ideas of how you can be involved!  

Adventure 1, January 2013

The First Adventure:

When?  Late January

Where? The United Kingdom

What?  The Three Peaks Challenge

Summary:  The National Three Peaks Challenge is an event in which participants attempt to climb the highest mountains of Scotland, England and Wales within 24 hours. Walkers climb each peak in turn, and are driven from the foot of one mountain to the next. The three peaks are:

Ben Nevis (1,344 metres, 4,409 ft), the highest mountain in Scotland   

Scafell Pike (978 m, 3,209 ft), the highest mountain in England

Snowdon / Yr Wyddfa (1,085 m, 3,560 ft), the highest mountain in Wales

The total distance walked is estimated at 42 kilometres (26 mi)[1] or 44 km (27 mi),[ with a total ascent of 9,800 feet (3,000 m).

*Note:  as we are doing this as a winter challenge we are allowing ourselves 24-48 hours.  We will update as much as possible along the way.  

Walid and I will be attempting this challenge with two friends from the UK, and though not attempting the challenge, their cousin as well who will drive us from peak to peak so we can hopefully get some rest in between!  

Stay tuned, I will begin blogging as our departure date approaches.  

As I was typing this up, and email with a packing list and further details came in.  See below if you are interested!   

          Hi Walid and Colleen,

Following on from my text kit list for the 3 peaks is potentially quite varied as we  could have cold snowy icy weather or wet damp warm, or most probably just wet! 

Currently conditions up Ben Nevis require crampons but the route we are doing is a simply walking track so an axe is not really necessary but if you have space in your bags throw two in...

The thing with the UK is that conditions change rapidly and what may require ice/snow gear today may require summer/spring gear tomorrow. So we really need to be prepared for all weathers. 

Kit list 

-Walking boots that can carry crampon
-Softer more comfortable walking shoes   For potential good weather!

(I am taking sportiva Nepal evos and my sportiva trainers that I was wearing in Nepal)

- comfy trainers for the car

- crampons

- ice axe

- snow shoes

- warm down summit jacket 

- light down or synthetic jacket

- good quality goretex jacket with hood

- wicking layers, icebreaker etc (more than one so can change between mountains)

- 2/3 Pairs of gloves of varying warmth

- warm hat

- goretex trousers

- walking trousers or thermals

depending on your preferred setup

(I go with thermals under my goretex and unzip my goretex down the leg when I get hot. Works for me)

- gaiters (important)

- multiple pairs of socks 

- head torches and spare batteries

- compass

Ben Nevis will be the longest in ascent and time with between a 5hr-7hr rtn trip and a 1300m ascent. It is 8km to summit and rtn is the same way. The time up and down will very much depend on conditions so I think we should leave around 1130 on the Sat morning to be down as it is getting dark or the last couple of hours in the dark. http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/fortwilliam/bennevis.shtml

The drive to Scarfell is around 250miles 5hr30 to the Wasdale carpark. There are lots of routes up Scarfell but the Wasdale route is the shortest and most direct. Lucy and i both did this route only last year so are also quite familiar with it as we will be doing this mountain fully in the dark. The ascent is a little under 1000m a total rtn distance of 10km should take us about 3-5hrs 

http://www.trekkingbritain.com/scafellpikefromwasdale.htm

http://www.wmrt.org.uk/the-easiest-way-up/the-easiest-way-up-scafell-pike/

After Scarfell we head to Wales to climb Snowden. It is a 200 mile drive and around 5 hrs to the Pen-y-pen pass where we can access the Pyg track up Snowdon. The Pyg track is around 5.5km and ascends 800m. It should take us about 3hrs. 

http://www.walkupsnowdon.co.uk/2011/09/03/the-pyg-track/

As we go south there is less likelihood of lots of snow but that is by no means guaranteed 

Rough itinerary will be as follows

1130 start Ben Nevis

1730 finish Ben Nevis

6hr drive 

1130 start Scarfell

0330 finish Scarfell

5hr drive

0830 start Snowden

1130 finish Snowden

Clearly if we can do these times we are within our 24hrs but it will be hard and we will have to keep pushing and digging deep.