I’ve been busy as of late. I started a new job, have been away on business and have been in an intense planning phase for the 40s 4 40 challenge I set myself. The above has left little time to train for long distances but I’ve done numerous 10 kilometer runs with some speed work and cross-training by hiking and cycling. Currently, still keeping my feet out of the local pool to be socially responsible….

With the onset of the corona virus pandemic I appreciate my current plans may be impacted but for now, I’m aiming to complete the 40s 4 40 challenge as follows, starting with the main events:

Run over 40 kilometers: I entered the Manchester Marathon on the 5th April 2020

Climb over 40,000 feet and climb the 4th of the world’s ‘7 summits’: To achieve this I will summit Aconcagua and Puncak Jaya. I summited Aconcagua in January of 2020 so that accounts for 22,837 feet of the cumulative 40,000 feet I have to climb, I will achieve the rest when I climb Puncak Jaya (16,024 feet) for or around my Birthday in November. Puncak Jaya will be my 4th of the 7 summits. To achieve the final thousand feet or so I will include the climb of my favourite hill, Great Hill (1,252 feet). By my calculation, this would give me a cumulative total climb of 40,113 feet (not including training ascents).

Some friends are climbing Denali in July and I really want to to climb with them but based on the time it takes, my already depleted leave balance, having started a new job and with Ironman Kazakhstan in August, I’ve concluded that a Denali attempt in July is probably too demanding of myself and is likely to have a negative impact on my other commitments.

Ironman 70.3 in 4 hours 40 minutes: I have entered Ironman Kazakhstan

Free dive to 40 meters: I will use the travel restrictions to my advantage and should events get cancelled will spend more time earlier in the year off the Red Sea coast with Zakaria

On a month-by-month basis the current schedule looks like this:

January – Aconcagua

February – Train and first attempt at 40 press ups in one minute

March – Train and static apnea practice

April – Manchester Marathon

May – Free dive

June – Train

July – Train

August – Ironman 70.3 Kazakhstan

September – TBA

October – Cycle 40 kilometers in one hour at the Riyadh Wheelers’ Bonita time trial

November – Puncak Jaya

December – Schedule margin, rest and inshallah celebration…..

That of course leaves the less rigid challenges that do not need as much organisation and can either be attempted flexibly around the others or require constant attention throughout:

Donate £40 to 40 charities: Time now, this requires at least one donation per week so I will attempt to post a blog once per week and follow each post with a donation.

Drink a ’40’: Unless someone brings a 40 to me this could mean me travelling to the USA for the first time!

Run 10 kilometers in 40 minutes: This is going to take a lot of work because based on my current performance and ability I don’t think I even know how to run this fast…. so, I will spend a few months doing speed work and then commit to a race later in the year.

Do 40 press ups in one minute: I gave this a go in February and although a handful of the press ups were of questionable technique, by practicing throughout the year, I think I will be able to perfect the technique.

Sleep 40 winks more often: if I get round to it….