Less than 3 Weeks to go.......

Good Morning Everyone

I hope you all had a really lovely sunny weekend!

My weekend was lovely. It was my last weekend off before I go to Peru as I am working for the next two. I had a lovely lie in on Saturday morning, a quick trip to Burford Garden Centre for a coffee and then a nice sunny ride on Saturday afternoon. Sunday the horses got a day out in the sun and I walked the dogs, went for a run and spring cleaned the house! I have also packed my Peru bag with all the things I have so far!!!

I cannot believe there is less than 3 weeks to go - the time has flown by so quickly it is unbelievable and I know the next couple of weeks will be gone in a flash!

I have had some lovely people sponsor me this weekend and now I am so so close to my target! So I would like to thank Josh Harrison and Katy Hill for sponsoring me! THANK YOU! Also, an extra Thank you to Katy as she is being entrusted to ride my horse, Marti while I am away! I hope he will be well behaved and she enjoys it!

Training needs to step up a notch now so I am running around our schooling field a few times every night......it has been suggested that I run round the circular gallop but I am not too keen on that idea!

I know you will all think I am begging but please please sponsor me.....this really will be the toughest thing I have ever done and I want to make sure those charities get the money they deserve!

www.justgiving.com/Cazsperuchallenge

Or email me with your pledge at Caralaz19@yahoo.co.uk

I am so overwhelmed and grateful for every one's support and help!

Caz xx

FOUR WEEKS TO GO!!

Hi

I hope you have all had a lovely week and have an even lovelier weekend planned!

The last two weeks have been busy for me with work, home, horses and fundraising and I feel really tired now! My horse, Marti, is not very fit so he has been put into a strict fitness regime, which to be honest doesnt seem to have bothered him at all, but it means I am riding him every single day - no matter what! So I have cantered him once followed by flat work in the school, and a few hacks every day.

I must admit, I feel much better for it and Marti obviously does too - he has helped my fitness levels - and he is now behaving like a complete angel!

I went to a Power Plate trial last night at the gym in Upper Rissington and it was AMAZING! I can highly highly recommend it. If you haven't heard about Power Plate before it is basically a piece of equipment with a base that vibrates very quickly! You can adjust the times and vibrations and you use the power plate to do different exercises which wouldn't normally be that hard - but this makes them 3 times more intense! After half an hour I really felt it and have booked in for 10 sessions in the next four weeks! Lets hope I am fit and toned ready for Peru four weeks tomorrow.

Time has flown so quickly and I really am amazed at how quickly it has gone. Four weeks tomorrow I will be setting of for Peru and the task of trekking the Inca Trail.

I now a few people I have spoken to have asked me how many miles I will be walking - the answer is about 26 miles. This doesn't seem like a lot at all but when you are battling with heat, altitude and millions of steps and rugged ground it makes it really hard work.

I really hope I make it to the top and succeed in raising lots of money for charity - please keep telling people about the trek and what we are doing. Every single penny makes a huge difference to these charities so please please take 2 minutes to sponsor me!

You can sponsor me in person by calling me/emailling or popping into the office in Bourton!

Or online at my justgiving pages
www.justgiving.com/Cazsperuchallenge

or

www.justgiving.com/Caroline-Smith4

Please please do help me if you can I am so hugely grateful for everyone's help and support!!

Have a wonderful weekend

Caz xx

Final preparations...

Good Afternoon!

This week has seemed to go very slowly for some reason.....! But the weekend is approaching which means FIVE weeks tomorrow I will be on a plane to Peru!

I really cannot believe that it has come round so quickly and although slightly apprehensive, I am thoroughly looking forward to it! I know it will be very tough and I am sure I will not be prepared but it is a once in a lifetime experience and I am going to enjoy every second! I will make sure I take lots of photos to add to my blog on my return!

I have been sponsored by lots of lovely lovely girls this week......Carrie Massingham who is the best equine dentist in the area - she is highly recommended! Check out her website http://www.the-horses-mouth.co.uk

Jane Lloyd who I have known for years also sponsored me and has come along to every event I have organised, be it as a guest or a helper so I am hugely grateful!

And finally, Alicia Rowley who owns Sweet Berries Patisserie has also sponsored me! She makes the most delicious wonderful cakes you have ever tasted so if you are near Bourton I recommend you pop in and treat yourself! You can also look at her website http://www.sweetberriespatisserie.co.uk/ and she would happily make cakes to order for those special occasions!

Thank you to you all, you really are making the training and the blisters I will no doubt endure worth it!

Caz xxx

6 weeks to go....

Hi Everyone

I can't believe it is just over 6 weeks until we set off for Peru. Time seems to have gone so quickly and I am sure the next few weeks will fly by.

Training is going ok - helped along by leaflet drops at work so walking round all our local villages has added a bit of extra walking to my weekly regime!

Just have the last few jabs to have at the end of the month and then I am all set and ready to go!

I am so thrilled with everyone's support and help and just need to keep raising money until I set off. It really is so quick and easy by doing it through my justgiving pages www.justgiving.com/Cazsperuchallenge or www.justgiving.com/Caroline-Smith4

These charities really do deserve people's help and support and considering I have never slept in a tent before trekking the Inca Trail and camping each night in sub zero temperatures is going to be a real challenge for me.

Please Please help!

Thank you

Caz xx

54 days to go!

Good Afternoon - I hope you had a lovely weekend. After many months of racehorses going off to the racecourse and not winning, my boyfriend had the pleasure of leading up a winner at Cheltenham on Saturday, only problem was - its wasn't one of our horses!! But he enjoyed being in the winners enclosure none the less.

I have been walking between 5 - 8 miles every weekend but failed dismally this weekend and didn't walk at all. Dreadful I know, but I worked on Saturday morning, rode my horse (who was naughty) on Sunday afternoon and had the biggest lie in on Sunday morning. A normal lie on for me is no later than 9am - but I managed 11.15am on Sunday! The German shepherds didn't even wake me up which is a first!!

I had the joyful visit to the doctors on Friday for the second batch of jabs for Peru. Tetanus and polio boosters this time which were nasty and I still have a lump and bruise on my arm. Still contemplating whether to have my rabies jab or not....moving towards not!

I had a lovely weekend with lots of sponsorship coming in from lots of people including Jo McLaughlin, Alexander Cole, Val Davidson, Katie MacDonald and Alex McEntyre. So a huge thank you to all those lovely people and all the people who have already sponsored me.

I am under no illusion about how tough the Inca trail is going to be and it is approaching so quickly! I really cannot do it without the amazing support I am getting from everyone and really hope I can exceed the £850 target on my justgiving pages soon!

If you haven't sponsored me yet please please do so - it is hugely appreciated

Thanks

xxxx