MY STEP CHALLENGE JOURNEY
 MY TRAINING
In order to crack my 5,000 step ups, I needed a training plan that would test me both physically and mentally, but not to scare me off.
Having completed the London marathon in 2008, carrying 10kg dumbbells in each hand and doing 100 step ups at every mile point 26 times, I felt I had a great deal of experience in the field of endurance step ups. I said to myself, I could use a similar approach to crack my new challenge, which was doing lots of weight holds and lots and lots of step ups. Good thinking batman
I done my weight-holds every Monday without fail to strengthen up my grip; this was vital and proved to be successful. They were horrible and extremely boring.
My final weight hold was a 2 hours, holding 17.5kg dumbbells in each hand. This gave me massive confidence and knew that my grip would not be a problem.
Every Thursday I would do a BIG set of step ups, believe it not, I done set of 100 step ups with 12.5kg’s about a year ago and decided I wanted a challenge, my PB (Personal Best) at the time was 3,000, which was about 9 years ago, that was pretty tricky, I am much older, but also wiser and maybe a little stupid, I knew with a lot of hard work and luck I could go further and that’s when the 5,000 came into my head.
 I wanted to enjoy doing the challenge and not go to big too soon.
It took me a couple of weeks to get to 500 with 10kg’s which was pretty comfortable.
Once I got to 500, I decided that I would go up in increments of 500 reps every week, which was quite a bump up.
500 reps working on a 3 mins 30 secs per 100 rep pace, would be 17 mins 30 secs approx. I built up to 3,500 which was also a new PB and then I got injured, where I strained my Achilles and then burnt my calve icing it, silly me, should have known better. (We all make mistakes)
To make up for the disappointment, there was some good news, I did do a 4 hour weight hold with 12.5kg’s dumbbells in each hand on charity day, Phil Price done an 8 hour treadmill run and lots of people from Calso and friends and family of Calso, took part in a charity step up day, where we raised lots of money for the Maypole Project.
RE-STARTING MY TRAINING AGAIN
I had about 4 months off and re-started my training again at home, with a weak Achilles it was to risky to go back in with 10kg’s to soon. I started back with 7.5kg’s and tried 1,000 to see what it felt like. It felt good and no problems with my Achilles.
Because I was still unsure with my Achilles I decided to stick with the 7.5kg’s and use the same process moving up 500 every week again. The plan was to get to 5,000 and then drop back down to 2,500 with the 10kg’s again. I did manage to get to 5,500 with the 7.5kg’s which helped me with my leg and lung endurance, this took me around 3 hours and 20 minutes. It was way off pace, but I just wanted numbers and time in the bank. I did suffer from cramps from the gods after this. I have never experienced nothing like it in my life, I thought my legs were being machined gunned, from the back and front, which was very scary.
 The following week I went back onto the 10kg’s and went for 2,500; it was a lot tougher than I wanted it to be. I kept following my process again of 500 per week, the 3,000, was ok, the 3,500 felt beautiful and equalled my PB, but the 4,000 was disgusting as I felt so drained as it was quite humid outside, but I did it. I did say fuck, I’m fucked and still have another 1,000 to go, which another 35 minutes, I’m really looking forward to next week
I stayed positive and trusted my process and thought how can I make it better? It was now 4,500 do OR die time and just over two weeks to go for the big day. I prepared really well and placed a fan close to my back, plus the temperature outside of my home was much cooler that week. I was dreading it, but I smashed it! Hup! Hup!
After the 4,500 I felt so good and knew it was definitely was on again and was really looking forward to achieving my 5,000 in Southampton at the Hampshire fitness competition.
ATTEMPT 1
It was now the big day in Southampton and all the timings of my preparations were different. I manage to fuel and prepare really well and I was ready to go and feeling good.
The hall was spacious, cool with two good fans on my face, because this was on my face, it was keeping me cool from the front only, I had nothing on my back and that was my downfall.
I got hot too quick and dehydrated a lot faster without knowing until it was too late.
Boom! It hit me and I had to put my weights down at 4,600, I was out of control, I had crashed and burned and if I carried on god knows what could have happened.
I had promised myself all along my journey if I go out of control the weights have to go down.
I desperately wanted to do it, but it was not my day, I was gutted.
I got over it and knew it was the fan I had not used on my back. The reason I did not use it as the hall was cool and I had good cool air blowing at me from the front, it just seemed perfect.
Thank you Ty, Liam and the Hampshire crew for allowing me to use your facility.
ATTEMPT 2
I decided to go for it again the following Sunday in Calso studio with some of the Calso members. I prepared and planned perfectly with fans in the front of my body, a large fan on my back and the air conditioning unit on, which was pretty close to my face.
 After about 2,000, I did not feel right, I was out of breath more and my nose was constantly streaming, due to cold air blowing on my face, I kept asking Johnny C to wipe my nose; this was hard work as it put me out of my rhythm and I really was not enjoying it. I was getting nose wipes probably every 15 minutes, I was getting frustrated as I had to keep stuping down, this started to make my upper back ache big time and the pain was going into my chest which was scary; I finally cracked at the 3650 mark and put the weights down. It was too much for me and way too many reps to go.
Coming off Sunday’s 2nd attempt failure in front of a lot of my Calso friends, I did feel I had let them down, but I did know it would have been madness to do more.
Monday morning, I still felt pissed off and said to myself how do I feel, I said to myself, I feel amazing considering what I have just gone through yesterday, I did have a bad back from Sunday but it had eased down a hell of a lot and no signs of a Snotsville-Arizona.
My upper legs feel pretty fresh and my calves feel good too, my hands were a little cut up, but they felt good and nothing to worry about.
People were telling me to quit and you do not have to prove anything anymore, I knew I had it in me to do it, I just needed to get my preparations and conditions right and Thursdays was my days I done all of my training sessions. I kept this quiet as I did not want any negative comments and it put less pressure on me.
Would Thursday be enough time to recover and to have another crack? I still have virtually another 4 days recovery time.
ATTEMPT 3 - 3rd TIME LUCKY!
I'm now at home the big day arrived and I felt a funny optimistic feeling and the little parrot that constantly sits on your shoulders, the one that plays games and fucks with your head, said, "Gazza today will be your day". Hose me down, I will do my best Mr P, I replied back.
Before I started, I prepared my body meticulously, fuelled my body like the Soyuz space rocket. One and half hours before blast off, I had a large bowl of Pasta and chicken, I had been drinking loads of water all day too so that I could hydrate my body; in the last 1 and half hours I drank 4 pints of water, two of them with my super duper Elete-electrolyte in (Thank you Paula Redmond).
After my pasta I played a new card, which was nuts, I grazed on lots of nuts which are great for replenishing and boosting energy.
With 10 minutes to go I had a big bowl of porridge, which I just about get down me without chundering.
With the one and half stone I lost through the past 3 months, I think I put it back on in past one and half hours.
Feeling rather laden, I wobbled over to my music system and hit play and made my way to my step.
My step was situated right by my patio doors, which was open; this gave me cool air but this time not blasting in my face. I also had a nice fan on my back and another small fan blowing the side of my head.
I’m now set up as perfectly and ready to go!
Sarah Coatman very kindly was my counter and drinks lady, Sarah was going to attempt 2,500 step ups with 5kg’s in each hand and then at 3,000 drink me up and look after me.
BLAST OFF
I started off at a nice steady pace and went through the first 500 feeling good and smack on schedule. When I normally hit 500, I start sweating like a lawn sprinkler, but this time it was not until about 900 that I started to sweat heavy, this was a real good positive sign.
I went through 1,000 and 2,000 barriers still feeling really good, at 2,400, I said to Sarah, “Are you good for 3,000”? “I will try,” she said, “good girl,” I replied.
We got to 2,900 and I posed the question, “could you get to 3,500?” Sarah being Sarah said “YEP”. We got to 3,500 and agreed that Sarah would stop and give me a drink, plus click count the remaining 1500 reps.
At 3,500 I’m still feeling strangely strong and kept up a good pace up to 4,000.
I’m now at 4,000 with no drink yet, aren’t I supposed to be getting tired and thirsty now? My mouth does not feel dry I’m still chewing gum normally and it feels good, I don’t feel tired, YES I’m working hard and I’m sadistically enjoying it.
I got to 4,200 I screamed out to Sarah I’ve got it, the hairs stood up and I thought I turned into an android. I cranked the pace up but then kept saying to myself excitedly your not there yet, be effin sensible, you still have about another 25 minutes to go. It could be taken away from me at any time, just like my first attempt when I had to put them down with just 400 to go.
Sarah was calmly clicking away and did not say anything as she knew that it could be on and did not want to spoil my rhythm.
I got to 4,600 my PB and I had a flash thought of Sanny Taylor watching me nearly passing out last time at this point. I smiled to myself and said let’s go, stay in control Gazza and finish the job off.
I could not believe it, I did it! YES! YES! YES!
I knew I could do it as I trained so freakin hard for it. Planning and preparation plus the conditions were always key for me; it all came together beautifully in the end. I had a training plan and process which I 100% believed in. My goals and targets along my journey I was hitting 99% of the time so I was getting right. I had to keep the faith and follow my process and believe.
 MY FINAL TIME
My time of 2 hours 52 minutes and 24 seconds was just slightly under a 3 minute 27 seconds per every 100 reps and my target was a 3.30 pace. I’m really happy with that
3 hours was my outside target!
Not once did I feel it was not on, I felt so strong, it was an amazing and memorable experience.
The best part of it, I did not need to refuel once, which seems crazy bonkers konkers. I think I had so much fuel in the tank to start off with and as I went along, I got lighter and lighter and instead of slowing down, I got faster and faster.
A FEW HURDLES
Challenges are never plain sailing; if they were they would not be a challenge
To get to the 5,000, I had to go over a few hurdles, from chest pains, screaming back-aches, neck, shoulder, elbow, fingers, wrist, ankle and knee pains, manky blisters, damaged Achilles, strained and a burnt calve, snotty snot hanging from my nose, cramps from hell, dizzyness and near blackouts, failure and self doubt, other than that wasn’t too bad.
The good news was, I could work out where I went wrong and eliminated my injuries one by one.
HOW DID I FEEL THE NEXT DAY AFTER I HAD FINISHED?
I felt good, I felt amazingly considering, I felt relieved and now I feel it’s time to move on with a fresh challenge and training…
FUTURE CHALLENGES
I am looking at working on my mile, my PB 4.43 which was about 12 years ago, I would like to break a 4.24 which is a speed of 22kph all the way, which would be great for a big guy and an old git.
I would like to do some kind of bench press challenge too that would keep me strong and stop me going too skinny, so both of the challenges would work nicely together.
BIG THANK YOU’S
Thank you to everybody who has supported and sponsored me during my Step up training, you really kept me going and believed in me.
Special thank you’s goes to my clickerette’s Carol Foss, and Sue Deeprose for helping out with the counting and Sarah Coatman for stepping with me and counting. Well done Sarah for achieving 3,500, great effort!
A massive thank you to my good fiend John Currell who has looked after throughout my training, John is the kindest and caring man you could ever meet and I am very grateful to you! Thanks Johnny C x
FINALLY
Since doing my step ups in the London marathon in 2008 and my 5000 step challenge I have learnt so much about the human body and how amazing it is, if you treat it with respect, train it right and look after it, it will do the same back to you with large amounts of interest.
A great journey and amazing learning curve and experience
MISSION COMLETE – ROGER OUT!
HUP! HUP!
Gary
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