We started training for our expedition in April 2006. Its been a very steep learning curve. Over the last year or so, I’ve had to learn a whole load of new techniques and skills to enable me to safely camp and work in one of the most extreme environments on the planet.
You can follow some of our training through my blog. There are a few pictures here to give you a better idea of what I’ve needed to do in order to turn from a complete novice into someone who can take part in an expedition to Antarctica.
I’ve had to concentrate a lot of effort on my fitness, so there have been lots of visits to the gym. I was very lucky to get a free membership from LA Fitness in Loughborough. I need to build up my aerobic fitness so I’m better able to deal with the physical strains of the expedition.
I’ve had to learn how to use crampons and ice axes to be able to work safely on ice and snow. I especially enjoyed learning an ice axe arrest, to stop me from slipping down into a crevasse. I’ve also had to learn techniques for rescuing myself and other people from crevasses using ropes and pulleys.
I’ve had to get much better at camping. In particular practicing camping on ice and snow, being able to pack only what I really need to survive, being super-organised so I know exactly where each item of my kit is at all times, being able to light a stove and cook inside a tent, being able to get tents up in bad conditions and, most importantly, being able to go to the toilet inside my tent just in case conditions are too bad to get outside.
