Not so glamorous sweetie darling

I'm sick and tired of all those fitness photos that show women in tiny shorts and bras looking perfect without a hair out of place, tanned and full makeup. This is not real life. 

If you do a really hard work out you will look like absolute crap - but amazing afterwards. You will dry heave. You will go bright red. You will sweat your bits off, and feel like calling it a day every step of the way - but you keep going. This is real fitness training. 

As you can see by the glamorous picture below I did a tyre drag around the base.  This is what real fitness looks like. This was my first drag around here and boy was it hard work.  I have a long term lease of the tyre from the EOD gym, and thank god it already had holes drilled in it. So because I had my ropes and carabinas (have rope will travel) I was ready to go. 

Well as soon as I hit the surface here, which is rough interlock bricks that gives the highest level of friction I have come across, I realised I was in for a hard one.  The tyre was slightly smaller than Tina (the SUV size) but wider and all the way round I had to take tiny steps just to move the bloody thing, with a harness that I had made out of a camelbak digging into me due to the drag. I could only make two and a half miles. I felt like I was a complete beginner again but I just kept going.  There was a  ship in which gave them something to look at with the three laps I did.  Don't think they have seen anything like it before, and must have thought I was crazy with all the swearing and muttering under my breath. 

So don't be embarrassed of looking like the swamp thing. You earnt every bead of sweat, every hair out of place, every dry heave!

Lost my mojo

Well I lost my mojo - I knew it was going to happen sometime but not on a Saturday when its my long tyre drag as, crazily enough I enjoy it. I put it down to knowing that I was going to do the "commute" to Dubai the next day, and wanted to be able to get to the office with no aches and pains.  When I told my fellow tyre draggers, for some reason they seemed to be very happy about this, don't know why, might have been to do with going for a 6 mile drag maybe? But actually thinking about it a small rest is a good thing. Give my knees a breather for a few days before I get ready to drag tyres again.

I have just done my walk round with the outward project manager and guess what he showed me - the tyre thats already waiting for me, all good to go.  The new team he introduced me to as "This is Anita, she's going to be dragging tyres round" And its got me excited again. So mojo will be back in gear after another days rest, ready to pick up again.

Drag time!! Women v tyre

Another day another drag.  There is just no elegant way to put this. I sweated my bits off.  Three bricks in the tyre and I went out from the gate fast.  I had two drag buddies this time. So we had representatives from Sri Lanka and the Philippines in our tyre community.

This was a light weights speed drag of three miles and it was a killer.  My friend from Sri Lanka went up to a tyre size in-between Tiny and Tina which is the equivalent of Tiny with two bricks.  I am so impressed with her that she almost managed the whole three miles before we swopped tyres and put some weight in the bigger one - just for me thanks friend lol. But at least she then understood my feeling of running in a dream but getting nowhere (and at least not being naked - it is not just me having those dreams btw!!!)

My friend from the Philippines who has done fitness for a while didn't really get the full effect as it was her first time so she did the first mile and a bit with no brick, but when she put a brick in and hit the pier area she could really feel the drag - so guess who's going to be joining us tonight

 



 

Just sent the pictures to my company's news letter as unfortunately they won't sponsors us which is a real shame, but they would like to feature us.  And next week I'm off to my other job, and guess what the first question was with the guy that I'm swapping with - have you got any tyres.  I'm sure he thought I was a nut job. Nothing new there then

This is what its all about!

MY TYRE!!

Just in case our colonial cousins forget who is doing this

 





 

 

WE DID IT!! We broke the 5 mile mark on Saturday.  4 bricks of concrete in my tyre and going over really rough ground and past some Royal Navy guys that just stopped and stared with open mouths. On the way back they all of a sudden had to start doing PT as we went passed.  Bless them. And finally when we dragged out sweaty tired (should that be tyred) bodies through the vehicle gate the security guys told us we were outstanding - well duh obviously.



The various degrees of hurt makers tyres

Then again last night I pulled Tina the Tyre (the SUV size, the big one on the back of the cart in the picture) round for nearly 2 miles.  This time I wasn't swearing so much which must be a good sign right? And that big boy on the cart seat is Tommy and I flipped that thing 40 times.  Though it was quite funny when we were both flipping tyres one of the security force came out and asked us were we okay and needed help as all they could hear was grunting and groaning as we were flipping the tyres. No we are fine just doing PT. 

This is my dirt and I've earnt it!!



Tina the *&%$ tyre - and other words I called her

Yesterday I went up to Tina the Tyre.  She is the size of a big SUV about the size of a Toyota Landcruiser tyre.

As you can see from the picture I ended up having to put ice on my knees.  It was a real killer all the way round. Even though it was just over a mile, every step I was battling with myself to just keep going, just keep going!  And on top of that needing to go to the toilet as I wasn't going to do a Paul Radcliffe for anybody!! So I kept thinking all the way round of why and what I'm doing this for and I don't know about you, but I turn into a bipolar person when I do exercise that really pushes me.  One side of me - the angel side - keeps telling me you can do this, think of how good you are going to feel when you finish, think of the achievement. The other side of me - the devil side - tells me just stop now you don't have to do this, you can try this again another day. 

But you should have seen me I was nearly horizontal at some point due to the rough terrain. I could have easily touched the ground and it started raining so I could almost imagine I was back in the UK.

I'm going to go back to Tiny with weight next drag, for a distance drag, and use Tina as strength training, as she made me realise I have a way to go yet.

Not all tyres are created equal

Who would have thought that dragging tyres you become a connoisseur of what tyre to use and when.  I now have 3 different size of tyres to choose from, and yes I've named them (as you do). But I have called them other things as I go round dragging them which I won't repeat :)

There is Tommy - hes the one at centre of the picture - he's not quite a tractor tyre so a small truck size.  He's the daddy.  I will be doing short drags with him for strength training

Next there's Tina - shes the one next to Tommy on the right.  Shes a SUV size tyre.  I see using her by herself soon or putting one of the smaller tyres on the end when I progress.

Next there are two of roughly the same size - Teeny and Tiny. Normal car size tyres. These are the ones I'm working mostly with at the moment. Putting increasing numbers of concrete blocks in, then going up to Tina size and gradually progressing.

Oh and I did a 3 miler two days ago around the base with Tiny and 3 concrete bricks.  Getting some real progress going.  My dragging buddy did a two miler and did part of it with one brick - that's amazing progress for somebody who has done hardly ever any fitness - WELL DONE!!

Saturday equals tyre dragging :)

I never thought I would actually look forward to tyre dragging but I'm really starting to enjoy it. Crazy Brit/Anita I hear you think.

As we went through the back gate on our travels we got some stares from security who obviously thought that we were barking mad, I really got into the swing of it. A hot sweaty mess swing of things but still it was good.

I started with two concrete bricks as weight and did a fast pace for the first 1.5 miles and then put some random block of concrete that I found along the way side - as you do - in the tyre for some extra resistance for the next mile.

 My partner in tyre pulling

Now just got to deal with the cold as you can imagine Bahrain even in winter isn't going to be anything near the arctic I think somehow.

Training update

Well things have been really busy on the tyre dragging/fitness side of life.  Yet again no photos thanks to security on base, though I'm not ready to take things out into the streets yet. But I promise I will get some without being run over by some bad Bahraini driver

I'm doing my own High Intensity Interval Training alongside the tyre dragging which is a killer.  I pick about 8 exercises of pain to do full out for 40 seconds with 10 seconds rest in-between - going through 3 or 4 times. I can safely say my 6 pack is on the way back, no longer a barrel, as after not doing anything for 6 months due to injury its a very slow process. I've learnt my lesson of not trying to kill myself quite so crazily (like flipping tractor tyres in 55 degrees direct sunlight). Because surprisingly I don't want my kneecaps injected anymore.  I'm in this for the long run not a sprint. Besides watching me run is like phoebe out of friends - I am not a natural runner

My American tyre drag buddy has come to the end of his time in Bahrain - how very rude of him. So the tyre will be ceremonially handed over to my friend and work colleague who is a complete beginner so she will make me slow down look at my form and take things gradually which is a really good thing, as you have probably guessed by now I sometimes just push myself a little too much :)

The Secret to Giving Up

 This is where it's at.

I was never really one for the whole, happy clappy 'if you believe you can achieve' stuff that's constantly pedalled by New Age personal development gurus. No, the only way to get on in life is to get out there and do it - put in hundreds, maybe thousands of hours mindlessly grinding away towards a goal.

When you're young it's easy because your body just keeps on going and going. There's little to no fatigue and any tiredness is usually cured by a good night's sleep, or a few pints. Or both.

Father time has a habit of catching up with us all. One moment we're speed merchants; human powerhouses that refuse to stop doing what we do. The next, our limbs and joints ache after a once hard ten mile run. We try to relive those glory days, but every year it gets a little harder and takes a bit more effort. As the decades slip by we get slower. At first, we barely notice the differences in our mile split timings. Realisation only dawns on the day we stare down at the stopwatch and realise the time is a full thirty seconds slower than it was five years earlier.

Of course, it is possible to maintain and improve your fitness and timings. But we work long hours and sometimes it's simply not possible to fit in our day jobs, quality training and the required recovery time i.e. sleep.

So, what should we do?

The answer is simple: give up!

A gasp of surprise? Seven months of planning and hard work down the drain? A promise faded to nothing?

No.

The only thing I've given up on is the mindless slog. You see, I sat down and read a couple of those books - the once reviled mantras of the personal development authors - and I was surprised.

What they say makes sense. Well, not all of them; there are definitely a few looneys out there, but, in the main, the science is valid. I know because many of the methods they talk about are the same I used before, during and after a major course I attended, and passed, during my time in service. But I'd forgotten how to keep myself going when my body said 'No more!'

The good news is, now, I'm back on track. Okay, I was never really that far off - I'd simply pushed myself too hard and neglected to redevelop my mental stamina.

Napoleon Hill said,

“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe the mind can achieve regardless of how many times you may have failed in the past.”

And on that note, I'm off to practise visualising before a ten mile run.

Miss Anita's do not touch!!

 



Well the picture says it all!

Had a really good first tyre drag last night.  I couldn't take pictures this time due to security but hopefully the next.  I put broken concrete inside the tyre as weights and dragged the tyre about a mile.  I know it doesn't sound like much but believe me on my first attempt over broken cobbles and badly laid tarmac, if any, it was like one of those dreams you have where you are running but not going anywhere. At least it wasn't the naked in a public place dream as well. Don't tell me its only me that gets that dream?

 

Two people nearly fell off their cycles as they went past as I don't think they have seen anything like it before - or maybe its just the ginger hair lol :)

 

Thanks go to the two people that came out with me as well.  We've become the United Nations of tyre pulling.

Ice ice baby

Tyres - check -  (and not arrested for them)
Rope - check -  from the climbing wall just as they were doing a swap out of old rope.
Eye bolts - check - brought from the UK hoping they would fit - yes they do!


Its all coming together finally and with help which is really appreciated to all the people that have dug in along the way.

Its amazing how many people are helping out - even an American (I know he won't take offence) armed with a drill to make the holes in tyres, who might even join me in pulling training tyres :)

After my rant last post its back to the polar trip

On the 4th April we will be hitting the white stuff. Then from Ice Station Barneo - which already sounds like its out of a horror film, we are being picked up by a HIP MI-8 helicopter. By the look of the helicopter it has probably been around since the cold war was in full swing. Then having all our kit dropped in the middle of nowhere, and left to our own devises to make it unsupported to the North Pole.

Pulling all of my kit behind me in a pulk, that weighs more than me, with everything that you're going to need to keep you alive - literally. As if the stove breaks its end of trek, if the tent blows away its end of trek.... You get the idea.  But the best bit is that includes loads and loads of chocolate (yay) I hope it all lasts for the 2-3 weeks, as if you haven't guessed I'm a complete chocoholic.

Bit of Rant! Just for this one post.

You may not agree with what our military are doing, but you should still acknowledge they perform a duty and as with any job deserve a duty of care.

Did you know compared to our American cousins the British Military care for veterans is like the third cousin twice removed at the wedding that you have to invite under obligation. Our standards for looking after ex military, and their families, in any shape or form not just injured personnel is just appalling.

Our American colleagues have it written in the law that they automatically get money towards their education, priority jobs, priority housing, grants, mentoring, free medical and dental support and counselling when they leave.  What does the average British military person get when he/she gets out - nothing.

I have had the experience of being injured twice in the Army. One time my ankle had to be completely reconstructed, and the other I had my spleen out.  Long stories maybe I will tell you over a pint one day - you're buying :)

I ended up in Headley Court which even though its a government funded rehabilitation centre it relies mainly on charity donations to keep it going.  When I went, before Help for Heroes got started, there was no female accommodation (as the military were still in the mind-set that, good grief women getting injured on duty surely not, they can only be sitting behind a desk somewhere)  so they put the six of us girls there, in a side wing on the medical ward. The whole place was worse for wear. The paint was peeling, the hydro pool had scum around the sides and tiles were coming off.  But the rehabilitation was second to none. It was a humbling experience. I went there being told I will never walk again properly and being in depression, to coming out being fitter than I had been for a long time, after the dedication of the amazing staff there. Thinking how lucky I am to have both my legs and arms and mentally intact. That was the best medicine in the world, having banter with those amazing people who made my injuries look like a scratch.

I've also been asked why I'm not doing this for Help for Heroes - well the majority of people aren't aware of this little known fact, but H4H only help serving personnel and veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflict.  I just don't agree with this in any shape or form as there should be no cut off date to receiving help if you served your country, and I think this is just not acceptable.

This is why we are doing this trek, and this is why its so personal to me - giving back to our military family, so that they don't have to fight for help like we had to do.

Don't forget our just giving pages too - https://www.justgiving.com/NorthPoleLastTwoDegreesRSBF - Royal Signal Benevolent Fund 

https://www.justgiving.com/NorthPoleLastTwoDegreesDianaAward - helping to mentor disadvantage children 

https://www.justgiving.com/NorthPoleLastTwoDegreesWwtW - walking with the wounded to help provide for injured and disabled military personnel a better quality of life.

The criminal used tyres!

Well who would have thought how difficult it is to get used tyres in Bahrain. Its a serious criminal offence!!

Why? I hear you ask. Well since the uprising here no man - local or expat can buy or take used tyres, just in case they have this uncontrollable urge to burn tyres in the middle of the street and cause a riot. So its actually an advantage to be a female in Bahrain, as you never know when you have this desire to drag tyres around the place.

Because transportation didn't manage to get me any, myself and a female friend, who has lived here for a long time, set off to hunt these elusive gender specific tyres.  The area she took me to was called Salmabad which is an industrial area that has the highest concentration of backstreet garages in such a condensed area I have never seen before. It was chaos. With all states of cars just left in the middle of the road it was like a slalom course through car parts and crashed vehicles. With cars being driven any side of the road you feel like driving today.

We finally found a place that would give us two tyres, when my friend told me just tell them you're going to use it to put plants in if they ask, as if you try and explain you're going to the North Pole they will 1. Think you're crazy 2. As being female what else would they think you would do with tyres except put plants in them lol.

Only in Bahrain :)

As an aside and unknown to me at the time this was where some of the major uprisings actually took place, where the tyres were burnt funnily enough.

Count down to pulling tyres

If you are wondering why there aren't any pictures of me looking like a boiled lobster pulling tyres yet this is because :-

I will be in 13 days!!!! (James is way ahead on me on this)- this is due to two things which really have slowed me down.

1. I had to have injections in my knees 3 weeks ago and got told to rest them - boooo

2. Its hot hot hot in Bahrain. 

I'm used to the heat as I've worked out in the Middle East for five years and used to do my runs in 55 degree heat.  Told you I was crazy. But that was a dry heat which I could handle but this one here in Bahrain, wow, the humidity makes you think you have walked into a hot bath. So the cool(er) weather is meant to be starting in November.

Hmmm did you really ask me that?

"Not all girls are made of sugar and spice and all things nice. Some girls are made of adventure, fine beer, brains and no fear!"

I keep getting people ask me why do I want to do this, especially being female.  In this day and age it actually shocks me that people still think like this.

But I've always been this way. Not to prove that women could do it, it was just a why can't I. One of the first females to do my trade in the Royal Signals. The first woman to do my job in the police. The first woman in my position in Iraq.  I've ski bobbed, freefall parachuted, para glided over the Alps, to name a few, and anything adventurous that I could do, I'd put my name down for it. Not to prove a point that I'm female its to prove a point that I'm alive!

Now where are those tyres ...... :) oh and the fine beer!

Things got real

We have just received all the paperwork to confirm that the trek is on!!! Eeeek. Got asked by the guide Eric Philips, "who's not getting excited" truthfully I'm nervous as hell. With all the briefings about the effects of frostbite, polar bears, death waivers, falling through the ice, never cross country skied before, its definitely going to be a challenge.  I feel sorry for James as I'm sure I'm going to be bitching the whole way there. And then he will have the joy of seeing me first thing in the mornings too so if you hear a scream echoing from the Artic - you know who it is.

The Westminster Dash

Good to go!

We're now only five and half months away from hitting the ice. Drumming up interest from corporate sponsors is pretty hard work and, so far, we're had sporadic interest in our endeavours. But we will persevere.

On that note, I spent an evening in the presence of a number of potential sponsors and Members of Parliament, working on convincing them to provide support for the trip. I'd like to say the event was organised solely to shine a light on the 'Last Two Degrees 2016', but there were numerous individuals there, both from charities and observers looking in.

So how did it go? There was a flicker interest from a couple of companies; no firm commitments, more the expected, 'Have to run it by my boss.' And that is the kind of start I'm looking for. We want to capture people's collective imagination. Sure, the north pole has been done 'quite a few times', but, as far as we believe, there is one aspect of our trek nobody has attempted before now (I'll keep that one in the bag for now - corporate sponsors can post a message on our Twitter page requesting more information).

On a sidenote, last night was more than just an opportunity to talk about what we're doing - it was also a great way to network in the corridors of British power. I met some truly amazing people, some of whom I will no doubt be able to help at some point in the future, and vice versa.

Back soon for another update.

Too much information?

 

Well not really to me and I have been asked about it. As what really stood out from the training we did - besides putting up a tent and trying not to burn your eyebrow off when using the stove in the tent (and also a bit worrying of how to pick it up and chuck it out the tent if it catches fire) is the night time routine of what happens if I, being of the female persuasion, need a pee in the middle of the night.

I know for some this might be a bit TMI but in my book its right up there, on a need to know basis, as I am not getting out of a warm tent to -30 to freeze my bum off to the elements. So when I asked what do I do, I got told find a wide necked bottle, now designated the pee bottle and get it in your sleeping bag pee in it. Niiiiiice.

And if you want to do anything else you use the snow or wet wipes.  I know which one I will be choosing. Ahhh the glamour of it all.

Sponsorship and just giving

If only the trip was free but unfortunately not. If anybody knows of any company who would be interested in corporate sponsorship please get in touch. Even its to have the privilege of helping to fund you all laughing at me trying to cross country ski freezing my bits off. 

Don't forget our just giving pages too - https://www.justgiving.com/NorthPoleLastTwoDegreesRSBF - Royal Signal Benevolent Fund 

https://www.justgiving.com/NorthPoleLastTwoDegreesDianaAward - helping to mentor disadvantage children 

https://www.justgiving.com/NorthPoleLastTwoDegreesWwtW - walking with the wounded to help provide for injured and disabled military personnel a better quality of life.

Tyres ....

These are going to become our worst enemies for the next few months.  Dragging these bad boys around to build up stamina as the pulk (sled to you and me) we are going to be pulling is more than I weigh!!

Talking of weight. To actually be told that I'm not to lose weight as we will need the reserve to help deal with the extreme cold, and physically demanding skiing we will be doing, is new to me.   AND on top of that having to eat 5000 + calories a day, mostly made of chocolate - ding ding ding winner!

How rude of me ... Introduction time

Let me introduce myself - I'm Anita and for some reason I'm called the "Crazy Brit" here, working with Americans in Bahrain. Ex British Army and have been friends with James since back in the midst of time when we were both in Germany on posting with the Royal Signals. CERTA CITO!!

So when James said he was thinking of going to the Pole I was the first to jump at the chance - I think the jumping up and down going "Me me me" kind of helped.

I've been to Headley Court twice for injuries during my time in the Army and anything that helps raise money for the injured and disable military is a worthy cause in my book.

Just a little bit of shopping