My peak challenge 2018

I’m back peaking again for a third year! Registration for My Peak Challenge 2018 is open and I have signed up.

Read about why I joined My Peak Challenge in 2016.

Previous years’ challenges

My challenges and achievements over the last two years:

My peak challenges 2016
My peak challenges 2017

My peaker experience

Once you start peaking you can’t really stop. I slipped a little in some of my challenges last year, especially the healthy eating part. I lost 18lbs in time for my wedding, then some of it slipped back on somehow 🤔

I’m trying not to worry myself too much about it though. As long as I complete at least two or three big challenges that’s a major personal achievement for me.

I mostly run, walk, hike and sometimes cycle. This is the exercise I enjoy most as it gets me outdoors. For me, running is still very challenging. Some days I can keep going, other days it’s a real struggle. I’ll always keep trying though!

Writing my blog about exploring Scotland, including photos and video, is my main non-physical challenge.

Donations to Bloodwise and Marie Curie

In 2017 I donated to Bloodwise through buying a membership to My Peak Challenge, sponsoring fellow peakers and raising funds via my very own Just Giving page.

This year I’ll be donating via my membership and separate donations to peaker group challenges. In 2018 we are also raising funds for the charity Marie Curie.

My own peak challenges for 2018

Running

I will sign up for some of my favourite runs and try a few new ones:

Running	My progress
May – Troon 10k	✔ 😊10km in 1:13:34 (chip time) (2017: 1:03:39) I was 10 minutes slower than last year. I haven’t been training as much this year
May – Road to the Isles 10k	✔ 😊10km in 01:19:54 (chip time) (2017: 1:06:23) Again I was much slower than last year . I walked up some of the hills and stopped to take photos on route. I really enjoyed it though and didn’t feel any pressure to run it all as many people were doing the same.
July – Run the blades 10k	🙁 Sadly I didn’t get to run this 10k. My knees were sore and I didn’t put in the training. I did other activities this month though. Hiking, long walks and cycling. All in for July my recorded total distance was 108km 😊
October – Dramathon 10k – new	✔ 😊10.76km 1:32:05. My moving time according to my Garmin was 1:28:14. I stopped a bit to take photos and video and walked some of the trail. Read my story and watch my video. When I was away this weekend I also explored this beautiful area and wrote the following stories. Exercise and writing mixed together 😊 Camping at Beautiful BraemarBalmoral Cairns: Royal Woodland Walk
Run a 10k in under one hour	🙁 This won’t happen this year
Run/walk 2018 miles with peakers as part of the Run the Year challenge	Sadly we didn’t reach our 2018 mileage this year due to injuries and other challenges in our lives. I didn’t contribute as many miles this year. My own recorded long walks, hikes and runs for 2018 was 385.39 miles.
Run at least three times a week	🙁 I didn’t manage this either …

Hiking, exploring, blogging, photography and video

I’d love to explore more of Scotland and write about my experience.

Writing is still a big challenge for me. I do love it though and always happy to share my stories, photos and videos. I really love taking photos of beautiful landscapes. There are so many places I want to see. It will be mostly day trips as this is cheapest way for me. There will be some camping too. I might add more to this list.

Explore	My stories
Climb my second Munro and hopefully more Scottish mountains. I’d like to hike the corbett Ben Arthur (The Cobbler) and Beinn Narnain (munro) first ~ or maybe it’s Narnia 😍	✔ Read my story about hiking Ben Arthur (The Cobbler) ✔ Watch my video hiking Ben Arthur I’ll need to go back to hike Beinn Narnain
Loch Doon and Ness Glen, Ayrshire	✔ Photos, video and story about my day trip to Loch Doon and Ness Glen
Ailsa Craig, Ayrshire	For next year
Hidden Valley, Glencoe, Highlands	For next year
Dean Castle and Country Park, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire	I have explored the park many times, but the castle is closed just now.
Kilmarnock Town Trail, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire	I’ve also walked around here many times, just haven’t found the time to walk the official trail, take photos and write a post.
Isle of Arran – The Holy Isle, Ayrshire	For next year
Inchcailloch Island to see the Bluebells	Third time lucky I saw the bluebells! My first post about Inchcailloch Island Inchcailloch Island video
Isle of Arran – Three Beinns hike/walk, Glen Rosa, Ayrshire (photo on this page)	For next year
Isle of Arran – explore lesser known hill routes and find some of the 17 trig points on Arran and one on the Holy Isle	✔ Hiked Goat Fell with my sister. It was her first mountain hike and she totally conquered it. Yay! She’s a peaker in the making: Watch my video on YouTube ✔ Eas Mor waterfall, the library in the woods, Loch Garbad and found the hidden trig Cnoc na GarbadWatch my video on YouTube ✔ Meeting peaker friends of My Peak Challenge
Longer walks (maybe) Isle of Bute West Island Way Ayrshire Coastal Path	😞 Isle of Bute West Island Way and Ayrshire Coastal Path – we didn’t get to do this on our holidays. It will need to wait until another time.
Isle of May to see the cute Puffins	😞 sadly I missed my chance to visit here. Not to worry though, it will always be there for another time!

Non-physical challenges

Challenge	My progress
Healthy eating – I totally strayed off my healthy eating plan last year and gained weight. I know fine well what I’m supposed to be eating, so it’s totally my own fault. This year I will try to eat healthier and lose at least 21lbs.	I didn’t lose any extra weight this year. Mostly maintained though. I must get better at my eating again!
Creative challenge – I’ve always wanted to learn how to draw or paint. I want to be able to draw and paint a tree in my hall when I eventually get it decorated!	This challenge will need to wait for another time. My hall still isn’t decorated.
Reading – this is not my strong point. I really need to work on this and read books.	I never managed to finish any books that I started. Reading online and social media takes over.
Training – sign up for online training courses to learn about web development and design, photography and video.	Ongoing.

I’ll try my best to work towards these goals this year. Sometimes things don’t go to plan though.

Stay positive and keep challenging yourself!

Dawn-Marie x