Current kit list

I have been reading a lot about going light weight backpacking in TGO and various blogs.

This is my current list of kit in bracket after some of the items is the light weight alternative I would like to buy.

Backpacking

Solar 2 tent (Laser)
TNF Blue kazoo sleeping bag
Bivvy bag
Pod Expod rucksack 70 litre (OMM - MM45+10RL The Villain MSC or ...)
Pod 40 ltr cragsac 40 litre
MSR pocket rocket stove
MSR titan kettle
Montane Superfly
Montane Terra pants
Asolo Fugitive GTX
White Box Stove

Running

Inov8 flyroc
Asics Gel Enduro 4
OMM RunningLight rucksack
Montane windshirt
Ron Hill Trckster - original may not be the best but I love em.

Run to work

Ran 8 miles to work today, partly in the dark. It was at a reasonable speed for me but felt hard at the end. During long runs like this strange thoughts come into our head - "If you wear a wicking top inside out do you get wetter" and then "When they put the first electricity pylon up and it made that buzzing noise in the rain did they panic". I am using a Petzl Myo 3 headtorch which is working OK might upgrade to Myo XP.

I am back

I hope to use this site to record my activities and sometimes adventures in the outdoors. My main interests are off road running, backpacking and cycling (on and off road). I am also going to records some of experiences of having had a kidney pancreas transplant for over a year now.

In case you were wondering about the title it a reference to one of my first tents, seen above at Lake Stream hut, Nelson New Zealand. I know you cannot tell that for the picture but trust me.

Run out

Well we made it back. After about 2 miles I got very low and spent the next half an hour stuff glucose tablets in to myself. It was a lot harder on the way back because of the terrain and obviously it was the second run of the day. At the end although we were all shattered I think we felt comfortable that we could manage another 8 miles on 30 June which is the aim.

Run in

Ran in to work this morning. About 10k off-road, which we have done a few times before .. however today we are planning to run back again.

This morning blood glucose was 7.7 an hour before the run and 11.0 after the run. 40 minutes into the run I had a Honey Stinger gel.

2nd Call

On Monday morning I got my second call from Oxford. The logistics this time were a bit different as we were both at work so had to get home, contact my parents to pick up the kids, and then left form Oxford.

After about an hour and a half we got a phone call in the car to say that the organ were not suitable and they were cancelling the operation. We turned around and headed home. I had mixed feelings again - relief that the stress and anxiety of getting there is over and disappointment that it is not going to happen this time.

For Starters

I am on the waiting list for a simultaneous kidney pancreas transplant at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford. This month I have started to get phone calls asking if I can come in for an operation to be the reserve recipient. I guess that means I am near the top of the list.

In this blog I am hoping to log my progress on the waiting list and during recovery afterwards.