sam and the city

Doing things by halves

Good day faithful readers. I've never really been the type of person who does things by halves. My feeling is that if you're going to do something then do it properly and get the most out of it that you can. The best example of this is that I'm not the sort of person that just "takes up" running and then goes for a jog around the block a couple of times a week, no, no, no! That wouldn't even go part of the way to fulfilling my sense of achievement so that I could look back one day and say that, "yes, I used to be a runner". Instead I train for and complete a couple of marathons. Something that I think that I'll be proud to say that I did for the rest of my life.

Now I've decided to move my attention to something else, namely hiking. Of course I'm not the sort of person who is happy just to grab his trainers and an old backpack and go for a day walk around the countryside, oh no. Nope, I'm going for a multi-day hike in the Pyrenees along the GR10 (trail that basically traces the French/Spanish border across the Pyrenees all the way from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean). If you're asking why I'm not trekking through the Himalayas, then just calm yourself. Even I'm not that stupid! I ran a half marathon before I did the full marathon just as I'll hike in the Pyrenees before I do so in the Himalayas.

Unfortunately if you plan on doing ridiculous things like this it is wise to prepare at least a little... especially when you keep hearing stories in the news about people dying while descending from Mt Everest. As such I've been doing all my reading on where I'm going and what I should be taking and today I went and bought myself a few essentials, boots (shoes came first as always), backpack (I needed a new bag to carry all the crap that I've accumulated anyway) and some detailed maps. Only a few more bits and pieces that I have to get and I'll be set. Oh I can't wait until July!

posted by sam @ 9:34 pm