I thought I hadn’t climbed a mountain before, however I was reminded recently that once when we were in the Isle of Man, Stew and I went up Snaefell. I remember being at the top and being told that it was possible to see seven “kingdoms” from there – but we could see nothing, because there was a howling gale and it was very foggy. We hung on to the “trig point” to stop ourselves from blowing away! I felt quite chuffed to think that maybe I have climbed something before, until I was told there is a tram that goes nearly to the top. So that’s why we were there: for the tram ride! Stew would travel across a continent to have a tram ride, and for sure, that is how we got up. We just walked a few yards from the tram stop.
I have ridden a bike of some sort all of my life, but other than that, I did no voluntary exercise at all that I can think about, during the first half of my life. I always tried to avoid PE at school, and was fairly successful in that. However, in my mid 30s, my friend Pat told me one day that we were going to start jogging and that I had to buy some running shoes. I did as I was told and we started jogging, mainly over the local army range. We went at it quite hard. I remember coming back to her house one day after doing a few miles absolutely red in the face and exhausted. Pat’s mother met us at the door and took one look at me and said “She’s sweating like a bull”! I don’t think my step mother would have been impressed with that: she always told us that “Horses sweat, men perspire and ladies glow”. Well – I ain’t no lady! I am proud to be a woman.
I continued jogging with various friends for about twenty years, until my knees told me it was time to stop. I am eternally grateful to Pat that she pushed me to start, as I don’t think I would be in any state to even think about climbing Kili now otherwise. When I stopped running, I started going to Pilates classes in Canterbury, and have been going ever since. I have really enjoyed that and it hasn’t made me too sweaty! I have done every kind of Pilates, including mat, ball, studio and reformer classes and know that I am stronger and more flexible as a result. I will continue with that in the next few months, but need to step up the more aerobic activities, such as walking and cycling. Come the warmer weather, I will go swimming in the sea too. I’m not a big fan of swimming pools, since I was taught to scuba dive in a local pool, and saw the delightful variety of debris on the bottom!!!!