How much weight??!!!

Interestingly I spend quite a lot of time talking about my weight gain (and clearly the embarrassment and fustration of). These days bending over to pick something up requires effort, sqatting down and standing upis tedious   and running quite frankly is now a no go, for fear of damaging my knees especially being so close to the start line. I wont even mention the blubber wobble with every step let alone bounce! 

As time has gone on... You seethe doubting Thomas's who look and ponder about how such a tubby girl could be going for a world first.... Clearly she cant surely be fit enough, doing enough exercise as why else is she putting on weight rather than what everyone else is doing .... Taking it off!

Of course this is a very different view for those in the know who check in and hope that I am putting on enough  weight!

Big portions, high fat, high carb and eating more than I burn is a tedious process- but if i want to make the return journey - it is something I need to do and fortunately I have been able to increase over   several months rather than last year where I had just two months! 

But let me show you using pictures: 

September 2015 2-3 months before I skiied all the way to the south pole: I was under 7 stone ( 98lbs):

October 2015: 9 stone (126lb) I had been eating like a horse to put on the pounds - 2 stone in fact....

December 2015: look at the tyres 😀👏 11.5 stone (161lb) another 2.5 stone! Result! I put on a total of 4.5 stone....

I arrived at the pole 1st feb 2016 which for my next journey will only be the half way mark: this picture only shows the face ... But a good inidcation. Clearly i had only enough reserves on me to do the ski to the pole 730 miles. But in October 2016 I will be doubling the distance and over doubling the weight I will have to pull in the sled. 

June 2016: already putting on the pounds in preparation for the South Pole return trip.

Ok, this is me being brave (supplying a recent photo) ... But I need this weight..... : 1460 miles to the pole and back unsupported means that I will lose 5ish stone .... 

Although my legs can push 300kg many times and lift 92.5kg clearly the strength is there underneath. This additional

weight will help me pull the full sled 80-100kg up the very steep exit out of the start line, provide insulation and reserves for the 80 day trip in the most extreme and brutal place in the world- Antarctica. I still have over 1/2 stone to go to get to where I want ..... And its hard especially with the exercise.

My exercise has changed and will

change again.... Recently I have swapped running with boxing and its tough...imagine boxing, sit ups and burpees to the point of fail wrapped up in a heavy thick duvet (especially in this heat).... Knowing that everyday it will get harder as more weight is put on. Interestingly though my additional

near 5 stone body weight jacket that I have on, will help develop my muscle too .... As for each pressup, sit up,leg raises, raised leg sit ups or squat ..... In addition to the metal weights that you can see .... I carry and have to lift an additional 70lb or 5 stone already on my body.

Luckily I know that this is temporary..... And by the end of January 2017 it will be gone. ... But all in the name of this upcoming challenge.....  

Yes, I am focused and yes..... The end point is my focus. 

Facebook is a wonderful thing....

Truly it is ..... 

Tonight whilst browsing the posts I came across this again: 

I look back at this .... And its a great feeling ..... 

There are many motivational posts on facebook, each with a unique interpretation but dependant on where you are in life. I love reading them .... However i do take time to acknowledge the stage at which i read them. Is it hope? convincing? or the after life..... 

What I know, here and now, I feel very loved and surrounded by people who ...... And i feel the luckiest lady alive .... In the last couple of years, i have met the most amazing people (around the world) ... And spoken with the most inspirational folk (beyond friends) who quite frankly repaired my very broken/shattered view on humanity.... So much so, I read the above post and said ..... 'Thats my life now.... And yes, I am living it' 😀 and without putting a finer point on it ..... Puts the 'interesting' people in a very small pot!! 😀😀

6 weeks left

... And that is all it is! 6 weeks until I fly to Chili and weather permitting, 7 weeks until I fly to the start line. 

My task is to ski, pulling a sled/pulk with all of my supplies, 730 miles up to the South Pole. At the South Pole, I will pick up a resupply and attempt to ski back to the start line.... On my own /solo. So a total of 1460 miles. I will burn 9000 calories approx a day but will carry just under 6000 so will lose a little bit of weight as i do this. The weather is extreme/brutal and will get progressivly colder as i move closer to the pole (last year the thermometer broke at -50).   

However I really cant wait and so excited (and nervous) that I am literally going to burst as it is so close now. 

There is still a lot more faffing to be done, weights to be lifted and lists to be worked through. 

 I am starting to feel the closeness of this journey - as yesterday I had my first 'well if i dont see you before - good luck' -

So the goodbyes start (yep my weakness) ..... 

One became ....

Nights..... All for the love of music! I have now been over to Oslo, Norway -three times already this year but never stopped to check out the local events, music nor culture.

Initially I booked one night... but I started to investigate the music and art and darn it ... Would you believe it ..... there appeared to be a music festival on in Oslo. Happy days! 

A night at the Opera house, 

a day wandering the art galleries, 

another at the  converted bank for a bit of Beethoven with an unbearable twist, 

more ski boots thank you Dag @ Piteraq and a visit to the Fran museum 

and an evening at the Oslo concert hall 

enjoying the stunning 1920's music ... I have to say.. Thats a pretty good unison clapping event 😀. The weather was great, the tram and bus system worked a treat and I am delighted that my new boots fit well.

But home I return ... Travelling through the night .... Seemless. 

The count down is not dragging

Far from it .... Another week has gone by and I am nearing the '6 weeks left' mark that is rapidly  approaching. Soon, I will be standing on the start line of a 1400 mile solo journey to the South Pole and back! 

The nerves have definately kicked in not helped by the previously squared away items that are now apprearing to not to be so... What I am dealling with is the attention to detail... and trying to ensure that when my pulk and gear is flown to Chili, it is together, ready and working. Already it seems there is work to be done in Chili which is now a high risk as if it goes wrong then my expedition is in jeopardy. Crazy days. 

On the other hand, the rest of the preparations are going well and coming together - even the putting on weight ready for the haul. I have to say, I know I have to put on this weight as I will losing about 1lb a day and if i am out there for 80 days- thats a lot of weight to come off- but equally moving and exercising with the increased weight brings back my days of being size 22 - and the massive amount of work that was needed to get the weight off! I guess i know that when I come back from the South Pole I should be back to my regular weight. 

Excitingly it seems as though I have broken through my barrier with the weights after lifting 92.5kg today with legs fully in tact and knowing that I could, even after a pt session and 30 odd lifts ... lifted more weight ... More times. 

What I know is that so much investment has been put into this and that is a worry. The last time i invested so much of me into what I considered to be important, well lets just say, I am waiting for it to just be pulled from under my feet. I suspect that this is nerves talking but..... 

However, Another fantastic development is the local support that appears to be slowly growing - People who I meet are super keen and so interested in this journey and task. Although I have to say the worldwide support is growing amazingly by the day - it does make it a little unreal at the moment.

Anyway, i need to get back to it ....  

Time is flying! Less than 2 months..

A week has gone by already and it was only meant to be a couple of days pit stop to sort out a few bits and pieces! 

However as I have entered into the final 2 month count down, I just need to pull everthing together and get it sorted. I just cant believe that in less that 2 months I will be skiing all the way to the South Pole and back on my own, all 1460miles of it. I really cant wait! The excitement has doubled since the last time but so has the healthy nerves!! 

But alas preparation is the key, so the sewing machine has come out and peg bags, facemasks, tent bag and snow skirts (ok so I havent finished yet) are all coming together and the sewing machine is still in one piece... even after a great boxing session.  

Ok, so the third mask went a little wonky.... 

But who is going to see it (ok, apart from you!!).

 I think I may have linked my blog with facebook.... *Drum roll*.... Which means when I am on the ice, my blog and pictures will be sent directly to the Facebook  page (www.facebook.com/emmatamsinkelty1). Now this may not be a blessing .... We shall see...