Katy Willings’ Mongol Derby blog: The missing kilo

Former international pony dressage rider Katy Willings’ latest update on her progress training for the Mongol Derby

I have lost a kilo. It’s been gone for over a week now. If this were a household item, such as a sink plug, favourite sock, or something else I habitually lose, I would not be confident about ever seeing it again. Kilos are different. Nevertheless, Bruno the personal trainer will be delighted. Although possibly less so if I explain how I have lost it. He advised plates of steamed broccoli. To date there has been no broccoli, and definitely no steaming, but I have been very busy and not generally around at mealtimes. My training commitments have also meant I haven’t had any alcohol (well, apart from the remains of a bottle of Chenin Blanc after a particularly rubbish day at work on Tuesday — ok, I haven’t actually been OUT drinking. I think that’s the crucial determinant of calorific intake) in the last week.

Training so far has been a bit less hardcore than last week’s burpees barrage. I went swing dancing on Monday night with regular partner Ed, we generally work up a reasonable lather and are getting quite twinkle-toed. So much so that we are going to graduate to the “intermediate/fast improvers” class next week. It’s all immaterial anyway, come 9pm the whole floor goes freestyle, a fabulous retro band shimmy on, and everyone goes bananas. Weirdly it’s the old duffers who are the best dancers — it’s a much better pulling place for Ed than me unfortunately. Lots of glam girls in red lipstick and pincurls. Anyway, 3 hours’ lindyhopping in the 100 Club, the dark underbelly of Oxford Circus, and I am pretty well cooked. Bit of a low point waiting for the bus home when I succumbed to a MacDonalds. Whoops. Still, was one of their taster menu little wraps, about the size of a matchbox. I reckon that’s ok.

Yoga class and a little run on Tuesday — nice sensation of having your limbs pulled out of all their sockets. Feel slightly taller. When you are this small that’s significant. Also, everyone has a little lie-down at the end. Super! I knocked out a decent gym session at lunchtime today, having met two important deadlines at work. Zen-like calm this afternoon, for an hour or two at least.

Riding has had to take a back seat this week on account of my getting my purse nicked at the weekend. I can’t buy any petrol, or a train ticket, and I have a rubbish poker face so there is no point trying to fare dodge. It’s now Thursday and my replacement credit card has arrived, which means I am slightly more liquid, but only slightly as have put flights to Ulaan Bataar on said card and a fair slug of other stuff too. It’s been a frugal week of cycling everywhere and inventing “new ways with home-grown lettuce” at mealtimes. Rob, step-father, he of chicken-fancying fame, is also quite the kitchen gardener and insisted I bring one back to London. It’s been a lifesaver. In the absence of bread and cash, lettuce is a good receptacle for eggs, the only other foodstuff in my fridge. Egg mayonnaise on lettuce, anyone?

Digressing. I can now go home, and have lined up two neddies for tonight and tomorrow morning respectively. No shows this weekend, and in fact it looks like I have been jocked off by Mum, who is much better than me anyway. I will jock her back off when the Basingstoke Gazette come to photograph me, on fabulous steed, looking wistfully into the distance (beyond the chicken run) on Saturday.

Katy

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now