A recent article (blog) I wrote on 23 April 2019 was called ‘UltraHumps – Jacobs Ladder 7 Peaks Challenge‘. This challenge, which I came across in the gym whilst overseas for a number of months, was to simply climb the seven highest mountains in the desert totalling almost 195,000 feet or steps on a Jacobs Ladder conveyor belt system. This was all in the name of fitness, but also for a free t-shirt at the finishers line (how could I resist). Then I spotted another challenge to get a free t-shirt which I couldn’t resist either.
This challenge was simple. In six months you’ve got to run or walk 1000 kms during that period, but it must be during a time of physical training (no walking around all day with a step counter), inside or outside (bearing in mind it is a desert location so you have to juggle heat). If the mileage is done inside (obviously on a treadmill), a minimum incline of 1.0 is required.
So people look at either doing the challenge of the Jacobs Ladder or the 1000 km run/walk. Not this nut job. I couldn’t resist both challenges, let alone 2 x free t-shirts. I told the Physical Training Instructor from another nation what I was up to. She replied with something like, “You’re going to be busy in your spare time”, and rolled her eyes back muttering “Crazy Kiwi”.
Of course I didn’t plan on picking up an injury, which always appears to happen right on cue. This time I have picked up a pronation in my left heel (or something like that – Coach Ray will know what I mean). I can run on it, but then it gives me grief to walk on for a day or so. So off I went to a Physio with my running shoes in tow for him to have a look. Nothing like a bit of pain and suffering while the Physio does his magic and he said “Ditch this type of shoe and use these other ones you bought in. It’s not helping you with all your craziness”. Job done. I just need to take it easy, so I am doing a mixture of running and walking just to keep Coach Ray rolling his eyes back.
So how is it going? I alternate each day between the Jacobs Ladder Challenge where I whack out 5000 steps each time, and the next day I run for about an hour to an hour and a half depending what we have on with spare time available. I do this for six days a week and have a stretching day or rest day where I normally go for a 50 km cycle, which is another story to keep everyone amused.
So far I am just over a third of the way through the Jacobs Ladder Challenge and a quarter of the way through the 1000 km challenge. All in the name of free t-shirts.
Stay tuned team as my journal continues.
Regards John Humphries (aka UltraHumps)
Humps will be writing weekly as he continues his journey raising funds for the Fallen Hero’s Trust.
Read Humps’ article from last week here:
All his previous articles are stored here: