The 2022 Svalbard crossing expedition is on. The sabbatical is booked. I’ve blown the dust of the kit checklist and done several happy-dances round the house. After two cancellations, I’m remaining cautiously optimistic and I do need to have a defined Plan B if it cancels again: mostly around what I do with the sabbatical. But that planning is for later. My attention is now on being ready for April 2022.
In July 2019 I ran/walked the Thunder Run, a 24 hour relay race around a 10km trail in Catton Park in Derbyshire, UK. I completed 4 laps for my team and felt pretty good about it, and by April 2020 I was ready for the Svalbard Crossing. Fast forward to now and I can walk 55km in 12 hours so I am much fitter this time round with 9 months to go. That being said, I am the queen of self-doubt and I am definitely not in as good a place mentally as I was in July 2019. This is hardly surprising but I know that over and above physical training, I need to focus on training my mindset. This is supposed to be fun, after all!
So what does this mean for the Cheshire Challenge? Next weekend I will clock round my target of 30% complete this year, 50% feels way off but maybe 42%? I’m going to press pause on the challenge for a few months over winter, the Cheshire plains will turn into a clarty horrible mud-fest and I desperately want some winter mountain time. So 42% by November? That feels like a good number.
Onward!
Rando' Girls 