Day 3 - July 8, 2013

I have finally typed up my notes from on Kilimanjaro ... I will post them as a post per day ... only because otherwise it would be a 10 page post ... which I think would be quite overwhelming!!!  Pictures will come shortly ... I promise :)  My little inserts in italics are thoughts I've put in after the fact.

Day 3 - July 8, 2013

 I stopped writing notes on Day 3 due to being too cold in the tent to want to write once in bed, except to jot down distances and altitude … so I shall write the rest of this from the jaded memories I have of the experience … lol, I am not actually that jaded and hopefully can remember the most interesting moments.

There will be a repeating theme from here until the end of Day 7 – I am cold, hungry and DIRTY.

For Day 3’s main hike we only covered 3.7km, but gained 624m in altitude ending at our camp at 4303m at the Mawenzi Tarn.

Arriving in camp I actually had a moment of energy burst as I had a potty emergency and, at this point, the rocks were getting such that a privacy break didn’t seem to be up to my level of standards (these standards disappeared within about the next 24 hours).  I managed to pull an almost run out of somewhere and rocketed (all things considered) into camp for the last 200m or so.  This 200m felt the equivalent of a 5k run in terms of exertion and I had a few moments of breath catching on my luxurious toilet bucket.   Yup, I have now changed my opinion of the toilet bucket and love it.  Mostly because I don’t have to squat and secondly because the tent around the bucket stops the dirt (sort of) from blowing into places that shouldn’t experience blowing dirt!!!

After lunch we had to do an acclimatization hike to one of the ridges of Mawenzi (the lower peak of Kilimanjaro) and it was quite steep and a little bit dizzying at the top.  I say ‘had’ … it was optional … but really, when they say they suggest doing an optional acclimatization climb who would say no?!?!  That would only be for sane people and at this point I think my sanity was sincerely up for debate!   But, oh my goodness, the views were FANTASTIC.  We just sat up there (I think it was a couple of hundred meters above camp) and looked down on the world for 15minutes.  This was, at that point, by far my most favorite moment of the climb! 

Day 2 - July 7, 2013

I have finally typed up my notes from on Kilimanjaro ... I will post them as a post per day ... only because otherwise it would be a 10 page post ... which I think would be quite overwhelming!!!  Pictures will come shortly ... I promise :)  My little inserts in italics are thoughts I've put in after the fact.

Day 2 - July 7, 2013

I didn’t sleep at all (well barely at all) last night and woke up this morning in a bit of a grump … a cold uncomfortable grump.  While we have great sleeping pads the angle of the campsite is not flat (SURPRISE lol.  I’m not sure why, or how for that matter, I was thinking there would be a flat campsite on the side of a mountain) and there are mighty big rocks in random places.   We also have very tight mummy sleeping bags on account of the cold and I am definitely not used to sleeping with things over my head.  Turns out though that it does drop below zero on night one and you do indeed need to have something over your head.   I also learnt that I should have brought a wonderful pillow with me (Lesson 2). 

All things considered, I found it quite difficult to get moving this morning.  It was just cold and everything was very dirty from yesterday and … well, I already did not like the toilet bucket.   Sigh, what a princess!

Oh, and, day 1 was all it took for my boots to start rubbing on my heels.  I changed my socks and put in a liner in hopes that this will solve the problem.

Today’s hike has morning and afternoon portions covering a total of 11.8km.  In the morning we hiked to Second Caves at 3482m and had an AMAZING lunch of chips (French fries for my North American friends) and veggies and a really delicious salad.  The carnivores of the group (hehehe) also had fried chicken – I think it was fried anyway; I didn’t pay a lot of attention as I wolfed down my amazing chips!!

My boots have officially eaten a solid chunk of both of my heels.  Bugger.  I do have a blister kit though and applied freezy gel things to both heels.  I wasn’t convinced (and correctly so) that they would stay put …but I didn’t think of any alternative.

After lunch was HARD.   The scenery was heathers and then moorland and it was steep for almost the full 6.0 km.  I also smoked my head super hard exiting a lava tube … which is one of the few things I haven’t actually banged my head on ever in the past!!  As cool of a first as that was, it didn’t really help my headache and dizziness that stuck with me from lunch onwards.

It was very cool that we were above the clouds all day.  It is a strange feeling as it’s like a great big white fluffy pillow and makes you forget how high you are!  A couple of times a bit of a gap cleared and we had a great view of Kenya very very far below us!

Our camp for tonight was Kikelewa camp at 3679m and we had an amazing view of Kibo.  It was a little daunting knowing how much higher we had to go … but only for a few minutes before my feet and the dirt distracted me!!

Luckily, in our group of 8, we had some seasoned trekkers who know the genius of duct tape and travel with it on their water bottles for easy access.   I learnt that duct tape is, among many other things, really useful with blisters when your freezy gel pads come unstuck about an hour after putting them on  (Lesson 3)!

So … I am now the dirtiest I have ever been and have duct taped feet.  I even put the duct tape on over dirt … I am not sure if this is a safe thing to do but you know what they say about desperate measures.  There is no way I’m going home without summitting (I'm making up words) because of my boots (Turns out it is perfectly safe to duct tape dirty blisters)!!!

Day 1 on Kilimanjaro

I have finally typed up my notes from on Kilimanjaro ... I will post them as a post per day ... only because otherwise it would be a 10 page post ... which I think would be quite overwhelming!!!  Pictures will come shortly ... I promise :)  My little inserts in italics are thoughts I've put in after the fact.

Day 1 – July 6, 2013

We started this morning with a 5 hour van ride to the base of the Rongai Route from Arusha (as Rongai is the only Northern approach there is a significantly longer drive to arrive at the start point than the other routes).  Upon arrival at base, we had a somewhat embarrassing lunch … let me explain that a bit … in booking with Team Kilimanjaro, one of the ‘perks’ offered is chairs and tables for all meals.   This, when I read it from the comfort of my desk, did not sound like a huge and wonderful perk (oh how I have now discovered otherwise).  However, at the base of the route there is a tourist picnic area with benches on which all of the other climbers were sitting eating their provided boxed lunches.   We arrived and our guides promptly set up a full table, with table cloth, and proceeded to serve us a fully cooked meal.  We got quite a few jealous glances but also a good hint as to the level of care that we had signed up for!! Once we had all eaten our 3 course lunch and filled up our 3L camelbaks we got started.   OH WAIT … hint for the ladies if you are ever starting at Rongai’s base … nearest to the tourist area there are toilets that are only squat … walk down the hill to the further toilet building and there is an amazingly luxurious (after a few days in Arusha, my definition of luxurious here is nice and generous) toilet building with actual toilets.   Trust me; this walk will be worth it as that is the last toilet you are seeing for a week!

The trek for today was a nice and mild one, traversing first through plantations, then through a pine forest (yes, that was as weird as it sounds … apparently the pine trees were imported) and then into bush country and, amazingly – I expected this to take a few days, above the clouds!   The total distance covered was 6.7km and our camp was at 2626m.

I felt really great finishing day 1.   We had great company in our group of 8, the guides were really fun and Luke and I had already learnt the Kilimanjaro song in Swahili before leaving so got to sing along with one of the most popular songs (this later became more of an irritant …but for Day 1 it was cool).

I did, however start to notice the dirt and was FILTHY by the end of the day (Lesson 1 – I will do a next blog post on the Lessons of Kilimanjaro that they don’t tell you about in the pamphlet).  But, as the temperature was still above zero when we arrived in camp I was able to have a warmish wash in my bowl and felt good by bedtime.

What more do we need? 26 days!

<img>

</img>

17 work days to go ... 26 regular life days!!  It is now getting both very exciting and quite overwhelming!  

Physically, I think I'm just about there except for that march downhill.  For that though I have started crossfit and MY GOODNESS I think the month will have a great impact!

Shopping ... hmmm, our shopping list is what is getting somewhat concerning ... there is so much left to get.   And/or we can just rent everything we are missing from Team Kilimanjaro - this is probably what will end up happening.

Our shopping list looks like this: 

Baggage and Sleeping

Large Rucksack or Holdall, 70-90 litres capacity (for kit carried by porter)

Daysack, 25-35 litres (for personal use on mountain; ready-access items) 
Sleeping Bag (minus 10 degrees Centigrade rating or colder)

Waterproof rucksack liner or heavy duty plastic sack

Elasticated waterproof rucksack cover

  

Clothing

Sweat-wicking T-shirts / vests

Fleece

Insulated down jacket or similar

Down mittens or similar

Thermal long-johns for summit night

Lightweight walking trousers 

Underwear (briefs are usually better than boxer shorts which gather and chafe)

Very good quality hiking socks and thin liner socks (socks should be at least a size too small otherwise they stretch and bunch causing blisters)

Breathable lightweight waterproofs (jacket and trousers).

Waterproof walking boots, sturdy and worn-in  (A Gore-Tex membrane or similar is advised. While Alpine or C3 boots are not required for Kilimanjaro it is important that your boots have good ankle and arch support and good deep read pattern)

Calf gaiters

Balaclava

Sun hat

Hygiene

Toothbrush, toothpaste & deodorant

Flat packed Wet Ones, travel wipes, or similar for personal hygiene on the mountain.

Kleenex tissues in plastic travel pouches or toilet paper

Hairbrush / comb

Lip salve with UV protection

Vaseline, to prevent chafing skin and heel friction blisters

Personal Small First Aid Kit

Pain killers (Ibuprofen)

Diamox (acetazolamide) if you choose to use this

Paracetamol

Zinc oxide tape and small scissors

Compeed blister pads (not corn pads)

Loperamide / Immodium diahorrea tablets

Any medication you normally use

Dioralyte sachets or similar rehydration packs

Health

Malaria Tablets (if you choose to take these)

Factor 30+ sun cream

Sun barrier cream white / blue for nose and ears

Documents

Passport (with additional 6 months’ validity after proposed expedition return date)

Tanzanian Tourist Visa

Air Travel Documents

Cash in US dollars in denominations of $10 and $20 and $1

Credit Card 

Travel Insurance Documents (Though not essential, most climbers choose to insure as lost baggage is a frequent occurrence)

Vaccination certificates (Yellow Fever, if visiting a ‘risk zone’ prior to entering Tanzania)

Other stuff

Camera and film or digital camera and spare memory cards

Sunglasses with UV-filter lenses

Optional high energy snacks for trekking (cereal bars, dried fruit and nuts)

Spare contact lenses and saline fluid, if worn

Watch

Head torch with spare batteries and bulb for summit night & tent admin

Water bottles & Camelbak (minimum total fluid carrying capacity should be 3 litres)

Water purification tablets / iodine drops (most choose to supplement purification achieved by boiling)

Ear plugs and blindfold (to aid sleep on afternoon before summit night)

Plastic bags (for dirty washing, wrappings, etc.)

Telescopic walking poles (optional)

Optional evening entertainment (playing cards, travel chess, book, etc)

Of which, as I was reading over this, we actually most of. Thanks to running I have all of the clothing I need for the climb.  HOWEVER, unfortunately thanks to running, none of my clothes are safari-appropriate.   Apparently, one should avoid blue, white, camouflage and bright coloured clothing on safari.  That pretty much lets out all of my casual clothing.

So ... that is our current focus - safari clothes, figuring out how to keep me warm at night (I am perpetually frozen) and all of the other odds and ends on this list.

Speaking of lists, what is that <img> at the top you ask?   Well, that's me finding html elements in the real world.  I've got a <div> bucket to hold my pics, DQ <menu>s, a <span> of table settings, a <p>aragraph about exercising trees, a <li>st of lovely faces we met in Sepilok, a nightmare of elevator <nav>igation in Bangkok, the <time>, an ordered list <ol> of our wedding day events and ... last but not least a great <blockquote> from Mr. Hemingway about Kilimanjaro:

“Kilimanjaro is a snow-covered mountain 19,710 feet high, and is said to be the highest mountain in Africa. Its western summit is called the Masai 'Ngaje Ngai', the House of God. Close to the western summit there is a dried and frozen carcas of a leopard. No one has explained what the leopard was seeking at that altitude.”

― Ernest Hemingway, The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories

OUCH!!!

My legs hurt a lot today! A lot of a lot in fact! The stairs in my house have become my worst enemy. My second worst enemy is now the stairs to catch the bus from work. My third worst enemy ... well, you probably get the point!

In all of my years in martial arts I have never felt such a full on toe to hip discomfort. The strangest part is that I am getting some sort of joy from the discomfort; like because I hurt so badly, I must have done a GREAT job!!! Very very strange. I feel that the more I run, the stranger it becomes!

I wonder though if I should also take this discomfort as a sign that I might not be ready yet for the trek back down Kilimanjaro. Most people focus on the trek up as being the hardest ... will I succumb to altitude sickness, will the last day up be too challenging etc. etc. etc. In my conversations not many people think about what happens after you summit. The answer: a long long long (40+ kms) walk down hill in 1 day. That doesn't really sound fun. In fact, for today it sounds completely impossible. I think I'd have no choice but to roll down! So, while I am beginning a new 1/2 marathon clinic immediately (tonight actually ... could prove interesting), I am also going to focus a lot more on cross-training in June. I have a new yoga class pass, can always do BodyRock and am discussing CrossFit with a good friend.

I'm also continuing with my mission to learn web design and had to pick a word editor. I've chosen Notepad++ for the sheer simplicity of it. While I did download Vim and have been playing with it on and off, I will focus for now with Notepad++ to move forward in my learning; Vim can be a later challenge!

Have a wonderful Tuesday and cherish your health! 

Complete a half marathon ... check!

Snazziest medal yet!

The list of Samantha's things to do once is one item shorter now as I checked off 'complete a half marathon' this morning.   

I'm not really sure yet what to type about this event ... except that I'm excited for the next 2 that I have already registered for (Army Run and Toronto Waterfront).   Running is a strange strange thing.  I finished today with a head that felt like it was going to explode (yay dehydration) and yet almost immediately started going through my game plan for the next one.  Strange.

Although, my next one is going to be very different in that I'm running it with Mum ... we are going to cross the finish line holding hands and share in the awesomeness of voluntarily inflicting harm on ourselves for 21.1kms.   

I had a few favorite moments today ... 1 being high-fiving a nun - how often can you do that?!?!   The second, for some reason, being the insane giggles I suffered after seeing a 'WORST.PARADE.EVER.' sign - genius! And my final collection of favorite moments all involved my brother bellowing at me as though he would murder me if I didn't 'GLUE YOURSELF TO THAT PACE BUNNY'.   

Oh, speaking of the pace bunny ... awesome ...I loved the pink tutu'd 6 ft tall male pace bunny that I ran behind while he casually sauntered.  Sigh.  One day ... one day.

So,yes,  an awesome day with a pretty great accomplishment (2:16:4).   I'm going to enjoy the Army Run with Mum and then push hard for the Toronto Waterfront Marathon ... I will get that sub 2:00 one day soon!

37 days to Kilimanjaro!!!!

I'd rather be running!

Today is one of those days where I want to do just about anything other than what I am supposed to be doing (aka working).  I have had a wonderful realization though in that, even though I am somewhat uncomfortable from a trial run of the ½ marathon route yesterday, my first thought was ‘I’d rather be running’. 

Kilimanjaro is coming sooo close around the corner (including today, 51 days until we leave and 55 until climb start day), but even closer is the upcoming Ottawa Race Weekend.   

I started running with my Mum with the Merivale Running Room Learn To Run program in August 2012 and have LOVED it ever since.   We’ve completed the LTR, 5k and 10k programs together and I’m now finishing off my first ½ marathon clinic in preparation for the ½ marathon on May 26^th.  

This used to seem like an insanely daunting task but now it just seems like what my training has gotten me ready for.

With this being said, I am sooo nervous.  More nervous, in fact, than I am for Kilimanjaro.  Although, I suppose that the more likely probability is that this event is currently stealing my nervous focus.   Or perhaps I figure that if I can kick tush at a ½ marathon than Kilimanjaro will be a breeze.   That sounds stupid though even as it comes off of my fingertips … probably not a good sign!

The reason why I am nervous is what amuses me though.  I know I can do the distance but I am nervous about letting myself down.  I like to set my bar very high and then get completely wrapped up in nerves about failing to meet that bar.  Isn’t that silly?!?!    Dear self, as long as I try my hardest, don’t be let down by whatever notions my hyper-competitive version of you has come up with!!!

I think I’m normal though (words that don’t often come out of this one), in this regard.

So anyway, the biggest part of my training for Kili has been my running and I think its serving many purposes: 

• it is building up my leg strength;
• it is building up my endurance;
• it is building up my mental strength to push through discomfort;
• and, currently above all, it is distracting me from the nerves that would otherwise be associated with all of the Kili final payments and details that are due this month!

It is all becoming very very real!!