Virtual Challenge - Europe from top to bottom!

[Northerner]

Many of you will remember our previous Diabetes Support Virtual Challenge, which took us through the length and breadth of Great Britain and representing a tremendous effort from all the members in keeping up their exercise and activity levels! Well, it is time to move on to our next challenge now - a journey along the GR5, which is a long distance footpath from the North Sea to the Mediterranean, passing through some wonderful countryside along the way 🙂

All you have to do to participate is to post any exercise you have done and I'll use my complex formula to convert it into kilometres travelled along the route! So come one everyone, let's hear about your efforts! 🙂

We'll be starting from the Hook of Holland:

and our first destination is Bergen op zoom, a journey of 85 km:

 

[Caroline]

Wow these places look fantastic, I want to visit them for real, where's my passport and hiking boots?

 

[Mark T]

When do you want to get started? 🙂 and do you want a weekly summary of exercise or daily? (I do a minimum of 1.5 km on my pedometer each day)

 

[Northerner]

When do you want to get started? 🙂 and do you want a weekly summary of exercise or daily? (I do a minimum of 1.5 km on my pedometer each day)

We'll start from today - just report your activity when it's convenient to you 🙂

 

[AlisonM]

Can we stop by Delft on the way, I need to replace a couple of tiles?

 

[Northerner]

Can we stop by Delft on the way, I need to replace a couple of tiles?

Just for you Ally, the view from the top of the Oude Kerk in Delft, taken when I was there in 2008 🙂 Very high and very scary! 😱

 

[AlisonM]

It's a lovely town. I first went there, aged 10, when we were stationed in Bruggen (an ex NATO base on the Dutch/German border) and returned in the late 90s when I took mum on a tour of some of our old haunts. If you head out of the station and over the bridge (there's a really cafe on the left near the bridge) into the main square, then head diagonally across the square to the right there's a little side street with a delftware shop just around the corner. That's where we bought the original tiles in the 60s and some replacements in the 90s. Now I need a few more.

 

[AJLang]

For my exercise Susie tooK me for a fifty minute walk today

 

[Northerner]

For my exercise Susie tooK me for a fifty minute walk today

Excellent! Well done Susie!

 

[Mark T]

Unfortunately I don't think we are going to get to the end point in time to pop along the coast for this years Monaco Grand Prix

 

[AlisonM]

Unfortunately I don't think we are going to get to the end point in time to pop along the coast for this years Monaco Grand Prix

We might make it in time for next year's though.😎

 

[HelenM]

4.47 mile run, 145m climb ought to give it a bit extra, though could be a bit in the bank for when we get to the alps!

 

[Northerner]

4.47 mile run, 145m climb ought to give it a bit extra, though could be a bit in the bank for when we get to the alps!

Excellent Helen! I had a rest day today, so will add my bit tomorrow 🙂

 

[Northerner]

6.5 mile run for me this morning (10.5k) 🙂 VERY hot by the end of it! 😱

 

[Northerner]

Resting my legs today, hoping for a nice long run tomorrow, so I've just had 15 minutes with Gay Gasper this morning! 🙂

Come on everyone, let's hear what you've been doing! 🙂

 

[AJLang]

50 minute Susie walk yesterday and another 50 minute Susie walk today

 

[AlisonM]

Well let me see, there was the wee jaunt to the office to deal with the cheques which hadn't been signed so, off to Tesco's for a quick raid and home - about a mile. Text from bod to say cheques now signed so back to office. Minor (3.7) hypo, so bought a couple of nanas from bakery next door, just in case and had some coke. Off into town to post cheques and pay my wages in, hypo on High Street (3.2), jelly babies - forgot about nanas. Finish trip to the bank, get nabbed by environmental campaigner. Hypo again (2.9 - oops) nice chat about her T1 brother and more jelly babies. Up to 4.7 and walk home, just in time for another hypo of 3.4, remember nanas and have half of one followed by the second half a hour later ending up at 10.9 before bed. Woke at 1.15-ish and 3am with two more minor hypos before finally flaking out around 6 am. Total distance covered, around 2.5 miles. Woke around 9am BGs were 6.6 then 5.7 now, still have one nana in reserve just in case.

 

[Northerner]

50 minute Susie walk yesterday and another 50 minute Susie walk today

Really nice to have Susie along with us AJ!

Well let me see, there was the wee jaunt to the office to deal with the cheques which hadn't been signed so, off to Tesco's for a quick raid and home - about a mile. Text from bod to say cheques now signed so back to office. Minor (3.7) hypo, so bought a couple of nanas from bakery next door, just in case and had some coke. Off into town to post cheques and pay my wages in, hypo on High Street (3.2), jelly babies - forgot about nanas. Finish trip to the bank, get nabbed by environmental campaigner. Hypo again (2.9 - oops) nice chat about her T1 brother and more jelly babies. Up to 4.7 and walk home, just in time for another hypo of 3.4, remember nanas and have half of one followed by the second half a hour later ending up at 10.9 before bed. Woke at 1.15-ish and 3am with two more minor hypos before finally flaking out around 6 am. Total distance covered, around 2.5 miles. Woke around 9am BGs were 6.6 then 5.7 now, still have one nana in reserve just in case.

Goodness me! That's a lot of hypos in one day! We'd better load up the back up vehicle with hypo treatments! 😱 Hope things have been more settled today Alison 🙂

 

[Northerner]

Another 15 minutes with Gay Gasper this morning. Was considering a run, but my legs are still a little sore from Friday's run and I'm always mindful of the time I overtrained and my leg broke - not something you quickly forget! 😱

Hope everyone is able to get out and active in some sunshine and pleasant scenery today! Yesterday was a scorcher here - I discovered in the evening that I'd missed a bit on my knee when applying the suntan lotion as it was bright red! Shows the value of using the stuff 🙂

 

[AJLang]

Susie said that she is so pleased at taking part that she took me on another 50 minute walk today and added in 20 woodland steps for extra fun (which really showed me how unfit I am😱). I also swam 20 lengths How far have we travelled so far?