Football Time

I am off to see the football tomorrow. The first time I have gone to a game featuring a premiership team - going to the FA Cup game between Bristol City and Middlesborough

I am really excited about the football and going out in Bristol with friends afterwards. I am then planning to go orienteering on Sunday nr Weston Super Mare. This will be the first event I have been to since the transplant - I am not going to push it but just want to get out into the forest and read a map.

Interestingly I am watching the New Big Brother with a load of young talented people. I hope that this programme is a success and that all the young people watching it recognise that these young people have varied ambitions and skills and that ambition is not just to become a footballer or singer. I will not be watching it but "good" effort Big Brother a nice twist - lets hope it works and shows young people as talented, ambitious people....

Orienteering

Finished writing an article for Compass sport - the national orienteering magazine. I will publish the article here once it has been published in the magazine and on the web. I was delighted to write an article for me as orienteering (which I discovered last year) has provided me with the incentive to get fit, get tougher physically and to get out and about.

It is a good sport for a number of reasons and particulary good for kidney dialysis patient (I believe) because it offer the following

1. Go at your own speed but in a competition environment
2. Get out and meet new people
3. See you fitness and map reading improve.
4. Not high impact on the arms (fistula consideration) unless you fall!
5. Gets your heart rate up
6. Makes you sweat which removes both liquids and toxins. (this makes me feel so much better - it is like an extra dialysis)

I could go on but I think you get the point. To find out more about orienteering visit http://www.compasssport.co.uk/

Not posting

Have not posted for a while - not much medically changing. Still waiting for doctor to organise text re transplant work up. Otherwise things fine, have done quite a lot of orienteering which is fun but hard work.

Also did the Chagford challenge on Dartmoor. I just turned up to walk not knowing what to expect. Had the option of 20,25 or 30 mile walk coarse. Felt pretty good at the decision point and carried on for the 30 mile course. Took 10hours 42 mins - came in last with one other guy and the sweeper. Hard work but fun - the moor was lovely as normal although it did rain for a couple of hours.

Orienteering

Stayed at my brothers and sister in laws this weekend. That was nice went to some child clothes sale in which I bought a baby outfit for there soon to be (well 5 months time or so). They seem pretty relaxed about it all - they had a friend/aquantance there who was quite the opposite. I felt that she had got pregnant to hold onto her boyfriend and to have something that she can be in charge of - perhaps I am wrong but I actually felt quite sad for her, her boyfriend/fiance and the child to be.

On the sunday we went orienteering. I did a more advanced course, it rained during the whole event which took me 1hour 25 minutes. I arrived at the finished drowned but having thouroughly enjoyed it. A good work out giving me the desire to do more. I found it much more challenging because the points were hidden so much more than the previous light green course.