Wednesday 19 August 2009

2nd Blog Post...The Yak Attack - March 2010



I've entered the The Yak Attack in March 2010. Basically, it's a MTB ride over one of the highest mountain passes in the World. Here's a brief of the event that I was sold on...

IT'S A RACE, AN ADVENTURE AND POSSIBLY THE TOUGHEST CHALLENGE YOU'LL EVER TAKE ON.

YAK ATTACK WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE HARDEST TERRAIN ON EARTH, THE HIMALAYAS.

IT ISN’T ABOUT HUGE DISTANCES *(remember this), IT’S ABOUT BATTLING WITH NATURES EXTREMES – HEAT, COLD, SUN, SNOW AND ALTITUDE.



420KM OVER 10 DAYS *(Pfffft, not about the distances my ar*e!!) WITH OVER 8000M OF CLIMBING – PEAKING AT AN AWE INSPIRING 5416M.

ARE YOU TOUGH ENOUGH?


5416m is the equivalent of 17 Eiffel Towers or for some of the less traveled people, 3,008 Ikea Wardrobes or 3185 Tom Cruise's.

With all this in mind, I have contacted the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and British & Irish Lions conditioning coach Craig White regarding getting some info about the effects of altitude and how to prepare and deal with it once there. Although he's buggered off to Thailand for 4 weeks. So should be meeting with him sometime during the end of September 09. Will keep you updated...

Now the funny parts. I had the idea of inviting James Cracknell and Ben Fogle to join me out in Nepal during watching their show...On Thin Ice (documentary about their Arctic adventure). So, here is the e-mail I sent to the PA's of the two dudes...


How do,

Was watching your man on the tele box last night doing his Antarctic walk, crawl, fall, ski, camp...etc and thought to myself;'He seems like a bit of an idiot'. (Not the offensive one, idiot as in mental, crazy or bonkers - I coined that phrase waaaay before Dizzee, Dizzy, Dizee....Daisy Rascal)


So, I would cordially like to invite Ben Fogle/James Cracknell to join me in Nepal in March for a bike ride so that he can look after me, and make sure I don't do anything stupid like fall off a mountain, ride a Yak, get lost in the Annapurna's (I'll check where that is and get back to you soon*) or become involved in witch craft due to my rare blend of pale skin, a rich mahogany beard (that's right, ginger) and the ability to look terribly offensive in lycra or rubber. There are witches in Nepal right? If not, forget the above statement.

Anyway, formalities. I've entered a race called the Yak Attack - Showdown in the Annapurnas. It's a mountain bike race which involves tight clothing, padded rears and lots of climbing, near 420km of riding and 8,000m of climbing with temperatures ranging from er…warm to cold, then back to warm again. The event starts on the 8th of March and finishes on March 20th. So that's 13 days. In 2010.

Now, before Ben/James says 'YES!! I would love to join John in his lycra in Nepal', I would like to describe myself in a paragraph or so.

My name is John Williams. I'm 26. Welsh, not from North Wales where no-one understands what they say, but South. A place called Ammanford if you want to google it. And have a 32" inside leg.

I'm from a rugby background (hardly surprising I'm Welsh) and recently, over the last 3yrs become a triathlete. I have completed races from sprint (400m swim, 25km cycle and 5k run) to Olympic (1.5km swim….then double the previous distances…ish) and more recently, a Half Ironman (1.9km swim, 85km cycle and a 21km run).

I'm not vegetarian, my favorite color is red…no blue, I enjoy a good apple, I have two dogs and a girlfriend (should that be the other way round?)…I have a girlfriend and two dogs (not sure) and grew a beard to annoy my girlfriend but no the two dogs. I also ate 24 doughnuts without licking my lips a few years ago - a lot harder than it sounds.

Righto, I think that's enough about me. So, if Ben/James (I haven't put Ben down first due to favoritism, it's alphabetical) would like to join me on my trip, 'Holla back ya'll'.
Yours sincerely (with deepest regrets about mentioning 'The ginger beard'), John B Williams I have included a picture of myself so you can see what I….(obviously) look like. This could be make or break in the deal to get Ben/James onboard.


*The Annapurna's are in the attached photo; (according to wikipedia - which everyone knows can be wrong…I once edited a paragraph about a friend of mine who plays rugby professionally to include "Emyr Lewis is a professional rugby player who currently plays for Neath RFC. He has exceptionally big ears and has a gap in his two front teeth and often struggles to say the letter 'R' to the amusement to his 'wugby fwiends'" I've highlighted the part I edited incase you couldn't decide which part was fibs (lies).

Thanks.

THE REPLIES I HAD;

From Ben Fogle's people.

Thanks so much. I have forwarded your email onto Ben.x

From James Cracknell's people.

Hi John,

Thanks for your email. Very amusing and one of the more original emails that we've had in... Afraid James isn't taking on any more commitments at the moment though, so I'm afraid will be a 'no' from him.

All best wishes,
James


So, not a bad result. But I will still be going on my own...never mind.
That'll do for now...

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