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Everest Base Camp, Poker and "Smashing it at the gym"
TheEdge949
Member Posts: 5,733
in Poker Chat
Well a big hiya and its been a while since I posted in this section.
Following my challenge to raise money for cancer research I vowed not to give up the fitness lifestyle and so decided to try and take on a bucket list item from my younger days namely the trek to Everest Base Camp.
Now whilst this is an achievable target for any fairly competent and fit hill / mountain walker I fall somewhat outside of the parameters for a successful completion of said venture.
Whilst I am a competent hillwalker, navigation, map skills, terrain reading, scrambling etc, I do lack the real fitness required to walk 130 km over 7 - 9 days at serious altitude and so I have undertaken not only a rigorous gym programme designed to improve cardio vascular fitness and stamina but also started to get serious hill days in utilising the mountains of North wales.
Ok so where does the poker come into it ??
Well the cost at the moment for such an undertaking is about £1100. By the time I want to attempt it Sept 2023 it's probably going to be more like £1500 - £2000 and the missus has said that it isn't coming out of the family budget.
That means that you good people are going to have to donate, not that you will know it. I'm just going to have to start playing seriously and less for **** and giggles.
So yeah its a challenge, not only a bankroll one but also a fitness one, oh and yes one more thing, I need to lose about 8 stones in order to be within the allowable weight for a helicopter transfer from Katmandu to Lukla, coz I ain't going by plane.
Not really much to get stuck into really.
Trust me, I will either pull this off or die trying.
It's going to be epic.
Love you all.
Mark
Following my challenge to raise money for cancer research I vowed not to give up the fitness lifestyle and so decided to try and take on a bucket list item from my younger days namely the trek to Everest Base Camp.
Now whilst this is an achievable target for any fairly competent and fit hill / mountain walker I fall somewhat outside of the parameters for a successful completion of said venture.
Whilst I am a competent hillwalker, navigation, map skills, terrain reading, scrambling etc, I do lack the real fitness required to walk 130 km over 7 - 9 days at serious altitude and so I have undertaken not only a rigorous gym programme designed to improve cardio vascular fitness and stamina but also started to get serious hill days in utilising the mountains of North wales.
Ok so where does the poker come into it ??
Well the cost at the moment for such an undertaking is about £1100. By the time I want to attempt it Sept 2023 it's probably going to be more like £1500 - £2000 and the missus has said that it isn't coming out of the family budget.
That means that you good people are going to have to donate, not that you will know it. I'm just going to have to start playing seriously and less for **** and giggles.
So yeah its a challenge, not only a bankroll one but also a fitness one, oh and yes one more thing, I need to lose about 8 stones in order to be within the allowable weight for a helicopter transfer from Katmandu to Lukla, coz I ain't going by plane.
Not really much to get stuck into really.
Trust me, I will either pull this off or die trying.
It's going to be epic.
Love you all.
Mark
Comments
Skip the odd meal, maybe have a meal replacement shake and fast as often as you can. Fasting is really really good for you in moderation and one of the best ways to lose that timber.
I will be absolutely following this thread and cheerleading because you will need support from wherever you can get it. This is a behemoth of a task.
Very best of luck with it bud, will be following with interest!
Sounds impossible to me, but if anyone can do it, Mark can.
GL with this. I am sure if nearer the time you need a bit of a push then a go-funding page would gain the support of the SkyPoker Forum, GL, TID.
I weigh less than 8 stone!
Hi Mark,
Really well done on your last challenge. This one is "epic".
I will pm you as i've done this trek 3\4 times in the last 30 years and will do my best to help..☺
At the moment the idea is to go in early September, pre high season, when apparently the en - trek costs are cheaper, accommodation is easier to book and the weather is usually settled. Also wondering whether to go with a group or go solo and hire a guide. Book here or with a firm in Katmandu.
I know from 1k plus YouTube vids what gear I'm probably going to take but an input from somebody who doesn't have subscription numbers to worry about would be really appreciated.
One more question for now. Do you think it's possible to complete E.B.C. then on returning to Katmandu take on the Anapurna Trail whilst still acclimatised. Just a thought.
Cheers.
Mark
The first trip i went on was organised by Doug and ive been a supporter ever since.
Oh and funny you should ask....on one of our trips we done ABC first to acclimatise.
Also, not sure how much time you have but, on our first trip (circa 1990) to save money & to pay
homage to Tenzing & Hillary we got bus from KTM to Jiri & walked the rest. ?
Edit....meant to say ..ditch the gym. For this challenge its time on your feet that matters.
Think..5-8 hour days, ok there will be breaks, but to enjoy the experience you WILL need to be fit..
Namaste
A minimum of £1000 towards the cost is raised and banked.
I am capable of a 12 day hike with 8 - 10 hours of hiking each day in British Mountains, averaging 2.5 mph including technical terrain
I weigh no more than 15 stones or 210lbs.
This means 630 days to achieve the above which will then leave 7 and a half months to finalise everything for a mid Sept attempt.
To put this into perspective the balance is currently £10, I can manage every third day hiking approx 3-5 hours in Snowdonia averaging 1.8 mph excluding technical terrain and my current weight is 23st 12lb or 334lbs
So I need to make a £1.59 a day profit to reach £1000 by then
I need to increase my mountain fitness by about 400% to put me at the desired level so an exponential increase of about 5% per week will do nicely.
A weight loss of 124 lbs brings me nicely to target. This will be the most difficult to say where I'm at with at any given point as weight loss and body reaction is not an exact science but an average of 2lb per week gets me under the wire.
So there we are, if I don't see you at the tables I'm probably in the gym if I'm in Stoke, The Glyderau, The Carneddau or The Snowdon Massif if I'm at the caravan.
If I do see you at the tables remember my need is greater than yours.
Speak in a week or so.
Take care, love you all.
Mark
Got to be said.......
You have a mountain to climb
GL
I lost 50 lbs in a few months last year with alternate day fasting which seems to be the best calorie deficit without affecting your metabolism much,
Once you shed a few pounds I'm sure everything will fall into place,
Goodluck Mark!
So Wednesday saw me and the missus getting our 2nd jabs after which we headed west north west to the sanctuary of North Wales and 3 days hiking, poker and chilling out.
Arrived to find I'd forgotten to pack my boots, like wtf, dude, you wanna hike sans boots?. Absolute moron.
So the evening improved as I managed to take 3rd in the 01.00 freezeout amid plans to get into Betws y Coed the following day to purchase new boots and hike Friday and Saturday.
Thursday sees new boots purchased and I take the opportunity to do a deal with the shop on some sundries whilst I'm there. That evening is a complete disaster however as firstly I bubble the 23.15 deepstack and the mountain forecast shows high expectations of thunderstorms for the entire National Park. I decide to grab a few hours and re evaluate then.
The forecast basically said "feeling lucky buddy?" and whilst I will hike in almost any conditions for which I'm equipped, lightening isn't one of them and as I drove through firstly the Glyderau and Carneddau and then The Snowdon Massif, The Moelwyns and finally The Clywddian range, it was obvious that there were strikes occurring on many of the peaks. Day cancelled.
Saturdays forecast was no better as in a desperate attempt to get "hill" time I phoned a mate who was in Aberdovey planning a hike up Cadair Idris with the intention of driving over there and joining him only to be told that it was as bad there as it was in the Northern area of the Park.
I eventually manage to get over to Anglesey and bag a couple of very wet but lightening free hours around Penmon Point to at least break the boots in.
Poker wise Saturday was better as I placed 31st in the mini with heads and then took 5th in the 23.15 deepstack so at least the bankroll is looking a little healthier. Was really annoyed with both exits as I was all in with the dominant pair only to have villain flop the set.
Craziest hand came about 80 minutes into the Mini when the flop gives three of us a set, I'm on bottom pair with 44 then comes QQ and JJ. The J 4 Q flop sees 3way all in with my bounty being the only one safe from being taken, J J on turn and river and wow.
So now its Sunday and I'm lazing in the van prior to an evening departure. I have a spinning class booked for every day next week and am also planning on 6 gym sessions on a 3 on 3off split which will include treadmill, stairmaster and stepper workouts as I cant access the hills physically until the 24th.
Calorie deficiet programme is in place, and everything is set for the great loss. Decided that instead of spending £5 a week to be accountable to a bunch of middle aged crones who are obsessed with image, I can bank that toward the cost of the trip and be accountable to you guys.
OK that's all sorted then, hope you all are good.
Speak next week at some point.
Love you all
Mark
It is just about 10pm on Tuesday May 25 and I've just arrived home with the missus who has spent the last 11 days living at Our Sons house to help him with Lily 6 and George 2 because his wife was in the hospital with Marcus 9 months.
Thankfully the problem seems to be sorted and they were discharged earlier this evening much to the relief of us all.
However my daily routine consisted of up at 7.30, drive across the City for a school 8.40 and nursery 9.15 run, followed by a hospital 10.00 run.
Back to Longport spend an hour and a half with the missus before nursery pick up 12.00 then hospital pick up 12.45, the taking both Son and Grandson back home.
Do a school pick up at 3.15, back to Longport then another hospital run 4.00, usually now I grab an hours walk in the Lyme Valley opposite the hospital before picking up at 18.30 and yet again going to Longport before getting home about 19.30
Being the only person in the family who drives means that I do sometimes get run ragged and each day put about 60 miles on the clock costing about £10.
Finally come Sunday and the chance to really put some exercise in as the first Airsoft after lockdown provided energy sapping heavy ground as other members of the family stepped up to do childminding and visitation duties.
However me being me forgot to pack the hockey leg guards and the subsequent knocks of shins on various obstacles have left both with superating lesions as my cellulitic skin tore and burst.
This will actually take months to heal because each time I train the wounds mesh with whatever legwear I have on and the newly healed skin gets ripped off whenever I take them off, don't even get me started on the agony of fresh sweat on raw skin, possibly the most delicious of all training pains.
On the poker front the bankroll increased enough to withdraw £15 for the expedition funds so that went ok but I'm running cold again now so no change there.
The weight decreased by 4lb which was great to see especially as I was existing on a drive thru diet but remembering the numbers to ensure that calorific deficit.
The next week and a half is going to be a little difficult if only because its half term and the aforementioned clan are coming to me and the missus at the caravan. Hey I don't begrudge them the break, they need it but its not really going to be a break for me or her indoors, just same old, same old.
Anyway enough of my pity party as the saying goes "I know God won't put on me more than I can cope with"
I just wish he didn't have that much confidence in me.
Oh well, stay safe, take care, love y'all
Speak soon.
Mark
Don't think there's much chance you'll ever get bored Mark.
To say that the last 2 weeks has been somewhat chaotic would be an understatement as the requirements of family have pulled me from pillar to post and left me almost in a state of numbed incomprehension.
The good news is that after tomorrow I should be in a situation where I can focus on me and the challenge and generally return to something approaching normality.
The first thing I will do is reload a small amount onto Sky, as playing whilst not being in a good place kinda spewed the bankroll off, and then focus on the target of an average £2 per day profit pretty much funds the trip.
The second thing is to get the training back into a disciplined, focused structure that can allow for adaption as life dictates.
On that note yesterday saw an absolute shocker of a hike through Dovedale, as I was under fueled, (no breakfast, stupid really), under hydrated (didn't hydrate first and only took 2 litres with me) and under prepared (pack was too heavy, no food, wrong footwear etc). Good job Daughter number 2 was with me she queued for 30 minutes to buy water to rehydrate me prior to coming home as I was pretty out of it by the time we got back to the car. About 45 minutes after that I'm pretty much back to normal but really hungry so it's find a shop/garage and sandwiches, plain crisps and more fluids. A lucky escape and from an experienced hiker a series of stupid mistakes.
In fact the only good part of the day was free car parking thanks to @Jac35 's tip about National Trust membership and the fact I remembered to take some factor 30 so I didn't fry.
The weight loss side of the triangle is going ok and will I feel take care of itself as long as I watch what goes in and remember to adjust the deficiet calculations accordingly as weight decreases and exercise increases.
In other things the shins are healing nicely, foodbank is back to full face to face operation from Wednesday, booked into Airsoft on the 20th and hey I'm alive so let's live life.
Speak soon, take care, love y'all
Mark
Enjoyed that read Mark, you write very well.