What do you do when you feel like hammered cr4p, everything aches and you just want to quit?.
Well if you're like me you just decide to go for it and nail a monster session. Yup nearly three hours resulted in a 71Km ride, pushing past the 20% milestone and earning a tree to be planted in conjunction with The Eden Project.
Hi Mark, You just passed the 20% milestone on the Great Wall Virtual Challenge!
This is great news because it means we will plant a real tree thanks to you! Each time you reach one of the milestones shown on the map, we will plant a tree to help restore healthy forests in locations around the world. We have partnered with Eden Reforestation Projects to plant the trees. You can check out our current partnership status with them here.
Keep up the great work and thanks for helping our virtual global community make a difference in the real world.
Finishing it all in one session (it ended at 01.40 Sat) means I get Saturday off from riding and can get some recovery into the legs.
Anyway total distance so far is 713.8Km Days taken 22 Distance remaining 2799.3Km Days left 90
Just returned from the gym after a 2 day absence and 100 minutes effort saw a return of 45Km and an indicated 655 Kcals burned, which was a nice steady pace and a welcome way to get back into things.
I did a 5K park run thingy on Sat, well actually it was a park walk, jog, walk, rest, throw up, walk some more kind of thing but hey it all counts.
Going to try a 3 on 1 off split re the cycling with hyrox training on the off day.
So total distance = 763.8Km. Apparently there's a new postcard 41Km so we're definately getting that tomorrow.
Ok, so that's another 46Km crushed with an indicated 630 Kcal burned in 105 minutes.
Slightly slower and less cals because I chose a random ride option which I didn't know I could adjust, won't make that mistake again, and it kept me in a low resistance for 3 of the stages.
Otherwise feeling pretty good and tonight is the 3rd of 3 in the saddle so lets hope for a good one.
earned another postcard so without further ado
The Great Wall as we know it is a structure made of bricks and stones. It has forts and passes, watchtowers and beacon towers. All very well organised to create a complete defence system.
However, the construction materials used across the entirety of the Wall depended on the location’s climate, i.e. desert to the west, mountains to the east, and what was locally available to quarry. The main materials used were: earth, reeds, sand, wood, stones and bricks.
Workers would begin a section by building the towers first. They were made of wood and sun-dried mud bricks with sloping walls for stability. The rooftops were lookout and signalling stations. If enemies were spotted, fire was ignited in rooftop pits signalling the next tower to call for troops. Each tower then built a fire, becoming one long emergency call for assistance.
Outposts were built next on the enemy side of the Wall. These were forts occupied by garrisons who formed the first line of defence. They met the enemy first, before the rest of the Chinese armies arrived.
When the towers and outposts were complete, the workers built the connecting walls by first erecting a bamboo frame. Dirt was dug out from nearby and dropped into the frame, the workers would then ram the dirt until compact. The dirt was added in layers until it reached the top of the frame. When finished, the frame was moved down the line and the process started again.
Rubble was used to line the wall, stone lined the top and the road was paved. Battlements 6ft (1.8m) high had crenels and loopholes. Three storey watchtowers were built for surveillance and one to two storey beacon towers were for communications. Fortresses held the command posts and their gatehouses served as passes.
Where possible, they used mountains and rivers as natural barriers, saving labour and costs and on steep mountain slopes they only built a single thin wall.
These basic principles of building were used all the way through the Ming era. With material and technological advancement, the Ming just made the Wall bigger and better by covering the walls with bricks and stone and used sticky rice to strengthen and waterproof their mortar mix. Making it more attractive was the added bonus.
Absolutely smashed the granny out of it today posting 52Km in 1hr 55 min with an indicated 780Kcal burned which proves that the Foo Fighters and Guns n Roses produce a better cadence and average rpm than AC/DC and UFO.
I really need to load Spotify on my phone as my IPod Shuffle just isn't up to the task.
Day off from riding today (Thursday) but still hoping to put some Kms on the total with Ski, row, Xtrainer and other Hyrox stuff so hopefully the pacer won't overtake me again.
Going to be interesting from about Sunday as I'm off to the caravan to open it up and get everything ready. No Pure Gym within about 35 miles so may have to find a cheap pay as you train gym with some stationary bikes. The other alternative is either massive distance either side of going or renting a bike from the hub on the harbour and doing a 60 miler to Queensferry and back.
What the heck I'll deal with it as it crops up.
Current distance is 861.8 Km after 27 days which puts me 14.8 Km ahead of schedule.
Will you have a little celebration when you reach 1,000 kms?
I think a whisky or perhaps a Guinness could well feature in the not too distant future although I don't want to compromise the weight loss which is now at 18lbs following this mornings weigh in.
Well Thursday was a total write off. It was a non ride day but still I should have gone and done some training at the gym. However, you know sometimes stuff just gets in the way, well it did, so I didn't.
The secret though is to just accept it and move on and so Friday saw me bank a nice 55.8Km via a Foo Fighters and Guns and Roses fuelled ride over about 2 hrs 15 mins.
I realised that at some point over the last few days I've gone past the 25% point of the challenge and now sit at 917.6Km some 7.9Km ahead of schedule.
For anybody who knows China I'm about to go through a town / village called YUNZHOU and am currently in a province called DATSONG. At least that's what the journey map says.
Hi everybody and following a short 5 day absence its back in the saddle tonight as I look to overhaul a 133Km deficit on the pacer. It turns out that whilst the Rhyl area has plenty of gyms where I can pay as I train, my brain says paying £6-£7 a pop 3-5 times a week is a no no.
So I did a reasonable hill walk of 15Km which got added and that's it. The plan of action for breaks at the van is a simple smash the heck out of it both before and after and just chill whilst I'm there.
So overnight will see the pacer add another 31.5Km to its distance, all I have to do is start reeling it in.
Next trip to the van to stay any length of time is April 2nd I think so need to be ahead of the pacer by then.
Another 45Km done Friday morning. Not enjoying it right now
Another postcard earned. Whoopee blooming do.
Total now 978.6Km so Still 151Km adrift of the pacer.
Ok, I've come to the realisation that this is going to be difficult to finish on time. The inability to effectively cycle whilst away from home is going to mean that whilst at home some big days 80Km + are really looking like becoming the norm and that equates to some 3-4 hours a day every day.
Could I adjust the length of the challenge to lessen this? Yes I can pick a timescale of up to 18 months max.
Will I do this? Not blooming likely. When set my mind to something only injury or illness is going to stop me.
So as they say "This is going to hurt", and that's all there is to it
Datong has a long history, dating as far back as the 5th century BC when it served as a military fort during the Zhao Dynasty. When the Qin replaced the Zhao in 221 BC, the emperor ordered the Great Wall to be extended on its western border, north of Datong.
When the Han Dynasty replaced the Qin, Datong became the headquarters for its eastern frontier. Then the Northern Wei Dynasty replaced the Han and they set up the capital in Datong. The Wei walled the city in 421 AD, with an outer wall circumference of 10mi (16km), then proceeded to build palaces and official buildings on a grand scale. As devout Buddhists, they built many beautiful temples that continue to exist today. To settle the new city, many Chinese families were forcibly moved from their home towns in the north.
The Wei also built the massive Yungang Grottoes, a collection of caves containing over 50,000 Buddha carvings. The caves are packed with statues of varying sizes, with the smallest barely 1.5in (4cm) tall. Other caves are brightly painted in rich colours of red, yellow, green and blue. A handful of large scale, intricately detailed Buddha sculptures can be found inside and outside the caves, with some measuring up to 23ft (7m) in height. In 2001 the caves were designated a UNESCO site.
The Hanging Monastery, located 40mi (64km) northwest of the city, is a stunning piece of engineering. It was built into a cliff 246ft (75m) above the ground by a monk about 1,500 years ago. The structure is resting on oak cross beams that are fitted into holes carved in the cliffs. This is one of a few temples that combines the three Chinese philosophies: Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.
Fast forward to the 21st century and the city walls of Datong have been fully rebuilt, complete with watchtowers, drawbridges and a moat. Inside is a combination of 6-storey apartment blocks and old courtyard homes. Temples, monasteries and palaces are mixed in with shops and restaurants. The highlight is the surviving 14th century screen wall named Nine-Dragon-Wall. It is 147ft (45m) long and 26ft (8m) tall with reliefs depicting nine different dragons. The wall was originally in front of a palace, designed to protect homes from evil spirits and negative energy. Ironically, the screen continues to exist but the palace is long gone.
Well following a week of bad health, injury and general life getting in the way the current distance is 1,146.6Km which means that at present I am some 155Km or about 5 days behind the pacer.
The flip side is that my Cardiologist is very happy with how things are going, my 12 month diabetes prevention course is up and running and the MRI scans for my back are now booked, so as long as the bloods in 4 weeks say that the new meds aren't damaging my kidneys "it's all gravy" as the kids say.
Just reading that last bit back makes it seem like I'm ready for the knackers yard, maybe I am who knows. It's all just kinda happened in a hurry, 12 months ago doing 10,000 steps a day I was aware that I was overweight and unfit, but otherwise without problems. Suddenly I'm taking meds every day and spending more time at the hospital than a Junior doctor.
Anyhow, the challenge is still ongoing and I'm still not moving the finish date, stubborn I know but what can you do eh?.
Got another postcard so that's here for you along with some information some of you will probably already be aware of but hey.
Most people would be familiar with Disney’s animated film and live-action adaptation of the story of Mulan. Set during the Han Dynasty, Mulan’s father is conscripted to join the imperial army. Unbeknownst to her frail father, Mulan takes his place by impersonating a man and together with General Shang, she battles the Hun invasion.
However, the fictional Mulan is based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan from the Northern Wei Dynasty (4th-6th century AD). In the folk story, known as the Ballad of Mulan, dressed as a man, Mulan takes her father’s place in the imperial army and spends the next decade as a cavalry soldier, never revealing her gender.
In real life, a war took place between the Wei and a Mongol state called Rouran that, according to the ballad, lasted 12 years. The wars took place between Black Mountain, Wei State and Mount Yanran, Rouran, with Shahukou Pass, a Great Wall fortification at the centre of it. In the ballad, Mulan set off for Yellow River, then headed north towards Black Mountain when she hears the northern enemy’s horses neighing fiercely.
Mulan describes how after many years at war and many generals lost, only the brave warriors return home. As gratitude, the emperor bestows the warriors with gifts and titles, and he offers Mulan a ministerial position of the highest order.
Mulan, however, rejects the offer and retires to her hometown. Before she leaves court, she changes into women’s clothing, thereby revealing her gender, much to the surprise of her comrades.
The story is quite short but it has become a popular tale encouraging and inspiring young girls to be brave.
Comments
Well if you're like me you just decide to go for it and nail a monster session. Yup nearly three hours resulted in a 71Km ride, pushing past the 20% milestone and earning a tree to be planted in conjunction with The Eden Project.
Hi Mark,
You just passed the 20% milestone on the Great Wall Virtual Challenge!
This is great news because it means we will plant a real tree thanks to you!
Each time you reach one of the milestones shown on the map, we will plant a tree to help restore healthy forests in locations around the world.
We have partnered with Eden Reforestation Projects to plant the trees.
You can check out our current partnership status with them here.
Keep up the great work and thanks for helping our virtual global community make a difference in the real world.
Finishing it all in one session (it ended at 01.40 Sat) means I get Saturday off from riding and can get some recovery into the legs.
Anyway total distance so far is 713.8Km Days taken 22
Distance remaining 2799.3Km Days left 90
Weight lost 16lbs
Going to have a coffee then off to bed.
Stay safe, love to all
Mark
Weight lost 16lbs
Top work, well done.
You make me sick
Seriously, well done. Thoroughly enjoy reading this.
I did a 5K park run thingy on Sat, well actually it was a park walk, jog, walk, rest, throw up, walk some more kind of thing but hey it all counts.
Going to try a 3 on 1 off split re the cycling with hyrox training on the off day.
So total distance = 763.8Km. Apparently there's a new postcard 41Km so we're definately getting that tomorrow.
I need a coffee guys so I'm outta here.
Stay safe, love to all.
Slightly slower and less cals because I chose a random ride option which I didn't know I could adjust, won't make that mistake again, and it kept me in a low resistance for 3 of the stages.
Otherwise feeling pretty good and tonight is the 3rd of 3 in the saddle so lets hope for a good one.
earned another postcard so without further ado
The Great Wall as we know it is a structure made of bricks and stones. It has forts and passes, watchtowers and beacon towers. All very well organised to create a complete defence system.
However, the construction materials used across the entirety of the Wall depended on the location’s climate, i.e. desert to the west, mountains to the east, and what was locally available to quarry. The main materials used were: earth, reeds, sand, wood, stones and bricks.
Workers would begin a section by building the towers first. They were made of wood and sun-dried mud bricks with sloping walls for stability. The rooftops were lookout and signalling stations. If enemies were spotted, fire was ignited in rooftop pits signalling the next tower to call for troops. Each tower then built a fire, becoming one long emergency call for assistance.
Outposts were built next on the enemy side of the Wall. These were forts occupied by garrisons who formed the first line of defence. They met the enemy first, before the rest of the Chinese armies arrived.
When the towers and outposts were complete, the workers built the connecting walls by first erecting a bamboo frame. Dirt was dug out from nearby and dropped into the frame, the workers would then ram the dirt until compact. The dirt was added in layers until it reached the top of the frame. When finished, the frame was moved down the line and the process started again.
Rubble was used to line the wall, stone lined the top and the road was paved. Battlements 6ft (1.8m) high had crenels and loopholes. Three storey watchtowers were built for surveillance and one to two storey beacon towers were for communications. Fortresses held the command posts and their gatehouses served as passes.
Where possible, they used mountains and rivers as natural barriers, saving labour and costs and on steep mountain slopes they only built a single thin wall.
These basic principles of building were used all the way through the Ming era. With material and technological advancement, the Ming just made the Wall bigger and better by covering the walls with bricks and stone and used sticky rice to strengthen and waterproof their mortar mix. Making it more attractive was the added bonus.
Fast Facts:
Average height: 20-23ft (6-7m)
Average width: 13-16ft (4-5m)
Highest elevation: 4,722ft (1,439m)
Lowest elevation: just above sea level
RIDE FACTS:
Total Distance so far = 809.8Km
Days Taken = 26
Distance remaining = 2703.3Km
Days Remaining =86
Speak tomorrow,
Stay safe, love to all
Absolutely smashed the granny out of it today posting 52Km in 1hr 55 min with an indicated 780Kcal burned which proves that the Foo Fighters and Guns n Roses produce a better cadence and average rpm than AC/DC and UFO.
I really need to load Spotify on my phone as my IPod Shuffle just isn't up to the task.
Day off from riding today (Thursday) but still hoping to put some Kms on the total with Ski, row, Xtrainer and other Hyrox stuff so hopefully the pacer won't overtake me again.
Going to be interesting from about Sunday as I'm off to the caravan to open it up and get everything ready. No Pure Gym within about 35 miles so may have to find a cheap pay as you train gym with some stationary bikes. The other alternative is either massive distance either side of going or renting a bike from the hub on the harbour and doing a 60 miler to Queensferry and back.
What the heck I'll deal with it as it crops up.
Current distance is 861.8 Km after 27 days which puts me 14.8 Km ahead of schedule.
Okay I'm outta here
Stay safe, love to all
Will you have a little celebration when you reach 1,000 kms?
Well Thursday was a total write off. It was a non ride day but still I should have gone and done some training at the gym. However, you know sometimes stuff just gets in the way, well it did, so I didn't.
The secret though is to just accept it and move on and so Friday saw me bank a nice 55.8Km via a Foo Fighters and Guns and Roses fuelled ride over about 2 hrs 15 mins.
I realised that at some point over the last few days I've gone past the 25% point of the challenge and now sit at 917.6Km some 7.9Km ahead of schedule.
For anybody who knows China I'm about to go through a town / village called YUNZHOU and am currently in a province called DATSONG. At least that's what the journey map says.
Ok I'm outta here, speak soon.
Stay safe, love to all
So I did a reasonable hill walk of 15Km which got added and that's it. The plan of action for breaks at the van is a simple smash the heck out of it both before and after and just chill whilst I'm there.
So overnight will see the pacer add another 31.5Km to its distance, all I have to do is start reeling it in.
Next trip to the van to stay any length of time is April 2nd I think so need to be ahead of the pacer by then.
Catch you later guys.
Stay safe, love to all
Another postcard earned. Whoopee blooming do.
Total now 978.6Km so Still 151Km adrift of the pacer.
Ok, I've come to the realisation that this is going to be difficult to finish on time. The inability to effectively cycle whilst away from home is going to mean that whilst at home some big days 80Km + are really looking like becoming the norm and that equates to some 3-4 hours a day every day.
Could I adjust the length of the challenge to lessen this? Yes I can pick a timescale of up to 18 months max.
Will I do this? Not blooming likely. When set my mind to something only injury or illness is going to stop me.
So as they say "This is going to hurt", and that's all there is to it
Datong has a long history, dating as far back as the 5th century BC when it served as a military fort during the Zhao Dynasty. When the Qin replaced the Zhao in 221 BC, the emperor ordered the Great Wall to be extended on its western border, north of Datong.
When the Han Dynasty replaced the Qin, Datong became the headquarters for its eastern frontier. Then the Northern Wei Dynasty replaced the Han and they set up the capital in Datong. The Wei walled the city in 421 AD, with an outer wall circumference of 10mi (16km), then proceeded to build palaces and official buildings on a grand scale. As devout Buddhists, they built many beautiful temples that continue to exist today. To settle the new city, many Chinese families were forcibly moved from their home towns in the north.
The Wei also built the massive Yungang Grottoes, a collection of caves containing over 50,000 Buddha carvings. The caves are packed with statues of varying sizes, with the smallest barely 1.5in (4cm) tall. Other caves are brightly painted in rich colours of red, yellow, green and blue. A handful of large scale, intricately detailed Buddha sculptures can be found inside and outside the caves, with some measuring up to 23ft (7m) in height. In 2001 the caves were designated a UNESCO site.
The Hanging Monastery, located 40mi (64km) northwest of the city, is a stunning piece of engineering. It was built into a cliff 246ft (75m) above the ground by a monk about 1,500 years ago. The structure is resting on oak cross beams that are fitted into holes carved in the cliffs. This is one of a few temples that combines the three Chinese philosophies: Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.
Fast forward to the 21st century and the city walls of Datong have been fully rebuilt, complete with watchtowers, drawbridges and a moat. Inside is a combination of 6-storey apartment blocks and old courtyard homes. Temples, monasteries and palaces are mixed in with shops and restaurants. The highlight is the surviving 14th century screen wall named Nine-Dragon-Wall. It is 147ft (45m) long and 26ft (8m) tall with reliefs depicting nine different dragons. The wall was originally in front of a palace, designed to protect homes from evil spirits and negative energy. Ironically, the screen continues to exist but the palace is long gone.
Stay safe, love to all.
The flip side is that my Cardiologist is very happy with how things are going, my 12 month diabetes prevention course is up and running and the MRI scans for my back are now booked, so as long as the bloods in 4 weeks say that the new meds aren't damaging my kidneys "it's all gravy" as the kids say.
Just reading that last bit back makes it seem like I'm ready for the knackers yard, maybe I am who knows. It's all just kinda happened in a hurry, 12 months ago doing 10,000 steps a day I was aware that I was overweight and unfit, but otherwise without problems. Suddenly I'm taking meds every day and spending more time at the hospital than a Junior doctor.
Anyhow, the challenge is still ongoing and I'm still not moving the finish date, stubborn I know but what can you do eh?.
Got another postcard so that's here for you along with some information some of you will probably already be aware of but hey.
Most people would be familiar with Disney’s animated film and live-action adaptation of the story of Mulan. Set during the Han Dynasty, Mulan’s father is conscripted to join the imperial army. Unbeknownst to her frail father, Mulan takes his place by impersonating a man and together with General Shang, she battles the Hun invasion.
However, the fictional Mulan is based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan from the Northern Wei Dynasty (4th-6th century AD). In the folk story, known as the Ballad of Mulan, dressed as a man, Mulan takes her father’s place in the imperial army and spends the next decade as a cavalry soldier, never revealing her gender.
In real life, a war took place between the Wei and a Mongol state called Rouran that, according to the ballad, lasted 12 years. The wars took place between Black Mountain, Wei State and Mount Yanran, Rouran, with Shahukou Pass, a Great Wall fortification at the centre of it. In the ballad, Mulan set off for Yellow River, then headed north towards Black Mountain when she hears the northern enemy’s horses neighing fiercely.
Mulan describes how after many years at war and many generals lost, only the brave warriors return home. As gratitude, the emperor bestows the warriors with gifts and titles, and he offers Mulan a ministerial position of the highest order.
Mulan, however, rejects the offer and retires to her hometown. Before she leaves court, she changes into women’s clothing, thereby revealing her gender, much to the surprise of her comrades.
The story is quite short but it has become a popular tale encouraging and inspiring young girls to be brave.
Ok that's your lot I'm outta here.
Stay safe, love to all.
Why ..would the Tortoise beat the Hare if it were not to finish what you started.. gl