Feeling tyred

I'm on a training week in Norway in two weeks time where I will hopefully find out who my team mates are, and find out what James Cracknell and Ben Fogle are like on Ski's. The third member of their team is yet to be announced.

The week will involve two days of lectures and then a five day mini expedition pulling sleds and sleeping under canvass. We will meet the Norwegian teams as well.

As part of my training I'll be pulling tyres around Plymouth and the Plym Bridge area for The Amber Trust - a charity that supports music, instruments and scholarships for blind and disabled people.

So if anyone sees me and wants to donate then all money will be gratefully accepted, I don't mind the extra weight!

I am also hoping lots of people will come to my talk on the North Pole on the evening of Thursday, 31st January at Derriford hospital's Postgraduate Medical Centre at 7pm.

Parking and food will be available, and people will find out about polar bear defence, loo stops in minus 40, losing weight on a diet of nuts, chocolate, sweets and cheese, burning 6000 calories a day, lots of pretty pictures, skiing 320 nautical miles across the arctic wastes, navigating through ice rubble in a white out, midnight sunshine and views to die for.

Tickets are just £2, and there'll be a raffle with all proceeds going to The Amber Trust.

If necessary donations can also get to me via The Physiotherapy Department, Level 7, Derriford Hospital, PL6 8DH, or go to www.justgiving.com/rachesouthpole where people can read a bit about the North Pole and look out for updates.

www.thesouthpolerace is the site for info on the Nov 2008 race itself.