The End Of A Love Affair....

So over the weekend a very important relationship for me ended..

We had been together for nigh on 2 years now, shared some good times, bad times, awful times and amazing times. We had travelled around the country together taking in the various sights that good ole Blighty has to offer and spent alot of one on one time just soaking up the view and connecting with nature..

We met across a crowded Ebay auction about 2 years ago, when I saw them I knew they were the right trail shoes for me.. Inov-8 Roclite 295's oh how you have served me well.. In the last 2 years I have run nearly 600 miles in those bad boys; from my first trail race, to my first trail marathon, my first ultra marathon and my first multi day ultra marathon. I have to say they never let me down, I have always felt confident running in whatever conditions Mother Nature has thrown at me, and I think I have experienced her greatest hits! From the slippery clay of the Jurassic Coast, to the slippery mud of the Jersey North Coast, to the Slippery Clayey mud of the North Downs (see the theme here???) and so on and so forth..


Anyway I would like to bid them a fond farewell, I hope you will join me in raising a glass to my faithful, battered, muddy Inov-8's.. I will be consigning them to the bin this evening.. By the way I have replaced them with a much younger, sexier model who is sure to give me many ups and downs over the coming years!! :-)

There is a shoe in there honestly!

The weekend just gone I participated in the XNRG Pilgrims Challenge 2 Day Ultra on the North Downs Way in Surrey. My mate Pete and I flew over on Friday night and were lucky enough to spend a night in a travel lodge in Aldershot. Saturday morning I awoke after a great nights sleep and we set off to the start line, not really knowing what to expect, but having the vague idea that the course would be less extreme than the Dorset Ultra weighing in at about 3000ft of elevation as opposed to nearly double that in Dorset.

Remember these Signs?

I was set to start at 10am, but it was so cold I asked if I could switch to the 9am start to get going.. We started and the day was beautiful, cold, sunny and perfect for a 33 mile run.. Apart from the mud! Right from the off I paired up with a couple of guys who ran way beyond my ability levels, and one of who had a GPS map of the route on his IPhone and seemed to know the way, there were alot of points along the initial part of the route where the signage was not obvious so I thought it prudent to stick with them.  We blasted off at a crazy pace running all the hills and completely turning my carefully thought out race strategy (drawn on the back of a fag packet!!) out the window.. By 15 miles I had said goodbye to my fast friends, taken a few wrong turns and set about the painful task of living with the damage I had inflicted by committing the cardinal sin - Going out too fast! The rest of the race passed uneventfully, if a little painfully with beautiful scenery and some very muddy pathways along the way. The XNRG crew at the check points were all very friendly and supportive and were a welcome sight after a couple of hours on my own listening to my cheeky girls play mix on my IPod.. The checkpoint food was also spot on, with a selection of fine cheeses, pretzels, sausage rolls and other culinary delights. I finished the day in 5 hours 20 mins with no real wrong turns and a lesson learnt about the need to control pace at the start of a 2 day event. I had a massage right at the end of the race which set me up for the next day and kept the aches and pains at bay. The field was a very strong one, with the winner for day one coming in at just over 4 hours and breaking the course record.

That night was spent listening to ultra endurance athlete Andy Mouncey doing a presentation on Ultra marathon running and his career which was very entertaining, and was good to see him manning checkpoint 2 on Sunday morning giving words of encouragement to all people moving through. The big highlight of the Sat evening for me (apart from the delicious Pasta Bolognese) was when the last 3 guys in from the race arrived in 12 hours later after starting at about 8am and the whole room erupted in a standing ovation for them.. This sent shivers down my spine and summed up one of the things I love most about ultra running.. One of the 3 had a bottle of Stella in her water bottle carrier, I think she had earnt that!

The Presidential Suite For Me!!

Onto day 2 and after a restless nights sleep in a school gymnasium with 200 other smelly endurance athletes the lights came on at 6am and up we got. 8am start for the race today, and the course was the reverse of the previous day taking 33 miles of the beautiful North Downs back to Farnham which psychologically was home for the day.. Pete and I had a flight to catch at 7pm which added a nice little bit of motivation  to make it snappy so off we went. The legs were stiff to start and I decided on keeping a steady pace initially so that I could ease into the day and not blow up too early on. This plan went out the window when I took a wrong turn about 10 miles in, and added an extra mile or so plus an extra hill to my race. I trudged back up that hill a broken man after galloping down it like a leaping gazelle.. I joined the race and the North Downs Way once more and set about trying to reclaim some of the time I had lost. I did hit a few bad patches periodically and thought that it was going to be a long day indeed, but after bumping into a few people and chatting a bit along the way I found my spirits lifting and hitting a nice flat section where I got into a good rhythm and ticking of a good few miles which made everything look a lot better.

A bit further down the track I bumped into 3 runners around the 20 mile mark who were obviously preparing for the MDS and had done both days of the Pilgrims with the rucksacks they would be using in Morocco plus approximate weight. This was where I learnt my second valuable lesson of the weekend: Its good to run with other people! I stuck with the guys I met, Tom, Damian and Therese and really hit it off with them, we had a good couple of hours together and the banter was great and really kept my spirits up through the latter part of a very tough couple of days. I look forward to this type of camaraderie in the desert, particularly touching base again with all the people I met over the weekend who will be doing the MDS: Joey, Warwick, Sally, Gordon, Pete, Susie, Rory, Ian, Stuart, Kate and alot of other people who I chatted to along the way, at meal times, ran with and said hello to.

In summary the Pilgrims was a great event, well organised and great value for the entry fee. There were alot of MDS 2013 competitors there which was great to put face to names and to exchange information. I would not hesitate to recommend the event and will probably venture back there myself next year. Lots of lessons learnt for the MDS as well as a great confidence boost ahead of the big one.

More to follow soon!

I will be running in aid of Jersey Hospice care and in memory of my friend Natalie Moss - if you would like to donate please visit my just giving page here

10 Weeks To Go.......

First segment of “Hard as Nails” training completed!! It was a tough 3 weeks taking in around 210 miles on road and scenic Jersey coastal and cliff paths culminating in a 3 day back to back session averaging 20 miles per day for the 3 days. Happily I completed the 3 days well, and felt good after each day, and managed to run each day at a decent pace, so all on track and looking good at the moment.

I took the opportunity over the week after the tough training to take it easy and to let my body recover and repair, scaling down the mileage to a still respectable 48 miles for the week but maintaining a lower intensity and less frequency. I visited a local masseur Samantha Wade at Tonic Body and Skincare (Click here) who massaged my legs back to normal and I even had a lie in at the weekend just gone which was much appreciated. It wasn’t all self pampering though and I was out for a nice Sunday 15 mile run the weekend just gone with my friend Simon McKenzie where the sun came out and it almost felt like spring! (Apart from the woolly hats, gloves, puddles and wet feet!)

Good Game! Good Game! :-)

So everything feels like it has now settled down, little niggles that were starting to appear have been tended to and I am now tapering for the XNRG Pilgrims Challenge Ultra Race. This takes place on Sat 3rd and Sun 4th Feb and is 33 miles on each day over the North Downs in England. This is a very popular race amongst people training for the MDS and I expect to meet quite a few people from the UK who are travelling to Morocco in April over the weekend. I think I am looking forward to this as much as the race. The forecast for the race is sunny on the Saturday with rain on the Sunday which I will take as last year it snowed on the Sunday and apparently the going was pretty tough. This will be the last race I do before the MDS so will be nice to gauge where I am and to identify any tweaks to my training regime.

Next weekend also sees us moving into single figures with the amount of time left before I go to Morocco. 9 weeks! Basically right now everything is about the MDS: Training, equipment choice, mental preparation, massages, nutrition, fund raising, thinking about MDS, writing about MDS and talking about it :-) I can imagine people who know me & who don’t run might be a little MDS’ed out to be honest. I am not particularly nervous at this point, more excited, although there have been a few reports of people getting injuries who were due to take part in 2013 which is a little unsettling. It’s the delicate balance of training and putting stress on the body to improve vs. not putting too much on the body so that it cant cope.

I got a great quote off Canadian ultra runner Jason Loutitt when I contacted him a few weeks ago which kind of sums up the balancing act of rest vs. training and also testifies to his abilities as a runner: "The more you cross that 'too tough' barrier in training, the easier the race will be and the better the result guaranteed... But to do that and not get injured is everything so you have to really know your body. If you don't have good body awareness take subtle training like Pilates. If all good and you can kill yourself in training, stay on top of recovery in all aspects – nutrition, massage etc. Give ‘em sh1t out there!" I didn’t realise this at the time but he had about 10 hours or so previously come second in a 100 mile race called the H.U.R.T. 100 miler in Hawaii so was pretty awesome of him to come back with advice at all, let alone so quickly after a race! 

As I have previously covered in this blog one of the big factors of prep for the MDS is equipment, particularly the clothes you wear, the shoes you wear and the rucksack you carry. I have pretty much decided on the clothing and recently took order of some shiny new Salomon gear courtesy of Craig Meredith at Fit 2 Function here in Jersey (click here) who is a specialist local supplier of Salomon and Inov-8 trail running shoes, accessories, clothing and hydration packs amongst other things.

I have decided on my footwear (99% anyway..!!) and have opted for the Salomon Crossmax Guidance Trail shoe which is a road to trail shoe. It has great support; great grip and is very cushioned so on the surface appears to fit the requirements I have for MDS. I tried them over the weekend on the cliff paths in very boggy, sludgy wet conditions and the grip was second to none. I found them to be very comfortable and I really felt the medial support post in them and as someone who pronates i feel that the support will come in to play quite heavily in the latter stages of a stage or a race. I will test them further this weekend at the Pilgrims and then decide more fully after this. Once I have decided on the vital shoe choice, I need to get them off to a cobbler where I need Velcro sewn around the whole shoe in order to be able to attach the sand gaiters that will keep the sand out of my shoes/socks and protect my feet from blisters (hopefully!) 

Other equipment I have been testing includes the Power Traveller Explorer Solar Power Charger, which was kindly provided to me by the guys at www.mymemory.co.uk. An amazing bit of kit which is a battery that can be charged by a solar panel, which is handy as I hear there is a lot of sun in the Sahara! I am in the process of testing this to see how many charges I can get out of the battery, how quickly the solar panel charges the battery and general reliability of the item. 

Once the Pilgrims is done, it looks like another 3 weeks of intensive training is on the cards within which I hope to introduce some weight to replicate running with a more heavily laden rucksack, a bit of running on sand and also a bit of Bikram yoga to get used to heat and also maintain flexibility. On Feb 16th a few of us are going to run round the island of Jersey (48 miles) as there are a number of us taking part in long distance events over the coming months (Simon McKenzie – Thames Path 100 and South Downs 100, Phil Taylor – Endurancelife CTS Ultra Sussex, Leanne Rive – Connemara Road Ultra, Matt Cuthbert South Downs 100) So alot of races for Jersey runners coming up in the next few months with alot more on the horizon in 2013 for those of us hoping for UTMB qualification for next year. But that is another story.... Happy training! 

I will be running in aid of Jersey Hospice care and in memory of my friend Natalie Moss - if you would like to donate please visit my just giving page here

Training and Recovery....

Since the start of January I have embarked on my specific MDS training proper. My plan, which was set by Rory Coleman back in November sees a massive ramp up in mileage and intensity for me, so the last few weeks have been tough going. The first week was tough and I think after the xmas and new year indulgences my body didnt really know what had hit it the first few days!

My plan basically means that I am training every day of the week, running 5 times a week and weight training for the other 2 days, so at the moment it is go go go every day with no real rest. I am operating on a 3 tougher weeks then a slightly easier week to avoid burnout and injury. My workouts have looked a little like this for the past week:

Mon - Weights session (legs, core and upper body
Tues - Spartans speed session (track 9 miles on avg)
Weds - Half Marathon (8 miles at lunch and the rest in the evening
Thurs - Spartans Hill session (avg 9 miles)
Fri - Weights session (Core and upper body)
Sat - Long run one (17 miles - cliff paths)
Sun - Long run two (17 miles - road)

As you can imagine it has been pretty intense, but I have been loving the training and the challenge of pushing myself. The track nights have helped and I have also been doing some of the longer runs with friends such as Phil Taylor and Lee De St Croix so the craic has been good..

One of the biggest things I have been contending with is recovery. As I am training every day, I have been trying to ensure that as soon as one session ends, my recovery for the next one begins. This has meant stretching thoroughly, taking in food/recovery shake within 45 minutes of session end and foam rollering the hell out of every part of my body. This strategy has been working out well and so far I have been coping well with the higher intensity track sessions, and then recovering well enough for the long runs at the weekend. I think this for me is one of the biggest considerations for the MDS as the main challenge (apart from the heat!!!) is getting up and running after having run a large distance the previous day and doing this for six days. This weekend is a big one for me I will be running 19 miles on Sat, 19 mile on Sun and then 19 miles on Monday so should be a big test. I will be employing all that I have learnt about recovery and hoping I get through it well!

After the big miles this weekend I have a relatively easy week of training next week followed by the Southern Cross Country championships next Saturday in London. Its a 15km course and I along with 16 others will be representing Jersey Spartans in the race. Should be a good event, apparently its 800 people storming up a hill at the beginning so should be quite the atmosphere! Check this vid to get an idea:

The 2012 National Cross Country Champs - Parliament Hill

After this the following weekend (First weekend in February) I have signed up for the XNRG Extreme Energy Pilgrims Challenge - a 2 day ultra marathon on the North Downs in England. Day one is 33 miles, we sleep over night in a school hall, then 33 miles back to the start the following day! Alot of people taking part in the MDS will be taking part in this also, so I hope to make contact with a few over the two days. This should be another great test and upon successful completion I would hope it would indicate the training is heading in the right direction.

So in-between training, entering other races and working, I have been slowly picking my way through all the decisions that have to be made as far as the equipment I need to take, the food I need to eat, the clothes I need to wear and the shoes I need to wear in the desert. I never contemplated how complex this part of the planning would be, with a lot of advice being bandied around - a lot of it conflicting! I am 85% of the way there with a lot of the decisions although I imagine I may U-turn on a few of these before April.. I can imagine I will be selling a lot of surplus equipment on Ebay so watch this space for a bargain :-)

I will be running in aid of Jersey Hospice care and in memory of my friend Natalie Moss - if you would like to donate please visit my just giving page here

Snow forecast this weekend here in sunny Jersey which should prove to be interesting for the weekends running!

More to follow as and when it happens!

Raidlight Desert Pack 20+4 Review - First Impressions

Le Sac!

I took delivery of this little beauty just before christmas as mentioned in my last post, so I have been waiting for the festive period to return to normality so I could give it a little run out and see if all the shiny zips and abundance of pockets and other exciting bits and pieces really delivered what I was looking for in my pack for the MDS in a few months time.. It comes with the main ruck sack, front pack, 2 Raidlight bottles, and a "trail quiver"which is like a pouch that attaches diagonally over the sack.

A Bit About The Pack

So on to the technical info that the website gives.. To be fair there isnt alot of information about this pack and the details on the website are sketchy, so I bought this as a leap of faith really based on their great reputation for MDS kit..

The website states that with all the gear attached the weight is about 870g, frontpack being 100g and the sack on its own is 590g  and this is all I used this morning on my 15 mile trail run on the beautiful (if a little windy, muddy and wet!) cliff-paths of Jersey. Heres a bit more about whats included directly from the website:

Characteristics of Olmo Desert Pack 20+4

Straps Characteristics’

• 2 strap’s bottle holders
• 2 accessories holder ziped pockets on straps (gel, bar)
• Mesh pocket on bottle holders (gel, bar..)
• Comfortable chest strap

Front Pack Characteristics’

• Large ziped pocket on one side
• Mesh pocket on the other side
• Compression System
• Bottle Holder
• Map holder

Back Characteristics

• Large main compartment with mesh separate bladder’s compartment
• Inside ziped pocket for documents or small accessories
• Front mesh pocket with flap for easy acces
• Side mesh elastic pocket for easy access
• ziped pocket on the flap with key clip inside
• 2 large mesh elastic pockets on the back
• Compression system

Bottom Backpack Characteristic

• 4 plastic buckle  to fix sleeping bag with 2 straps

Made for a bladder used

• separate pocket for bladderwith bladder fixation
• 2 tube exit (right and left)
• NEW: Bladder compartment in the front pack. (in option)

Belt Caracteristic

• Removable Front Belt
• Belt included bib carrier and gel holder (can be used separatly)

Pole Holder / Flare Holder Caracteristics

      Trail Quiver included (can be used separatly)

• Pole holder or flare holder  ( possibility of access without removing the backpack)
• 
  

So lots of stuff going on on the pack and lots of storage and pockets. I am a bit of a Salomon Junkie as I think they just do running equipment so well, and in this pack Raidlight have really taken a leaf out of their book. This is the 3rd version of the Olmo just released in November so it appears they have put alot of thought into the details that people need on these types of races.

Initial Impressions

I was a bit concerned about it being white, as it ain't gonna stay clean with the trails here and the amount of falling over I seem to do! However I put it on this morning with about 2KG of weight in and put 2 bottles of water in the front bottle holders and was really pleasantly surprised at how stable it was, the bottles even when full stayed put and the pack felt nice on, lots of straps to adjust it to how I liked it and off we went!

Side View

Front View With Salomon Bottles

Rear View

Over the 15 miles the legs didn't feel so good, but the sack felt great to be honest, I didn't feel the sack got in the way and I didn't have to adjust it once I had found the sweet spot..
One thing I was a little concerned about was how waterproof the main compartment would be; However we got caught in a torrential hail storm for about 3 or 4 miles and the contents of the main compartment were relatively dry, which is encouraging, this bodes well for having gear in the bag and lugging it through sweaty days in the desert and it being dry ish at the end.. I did however have my Iphone stowed in one of the front pouches in aforementioned hail storm and this did not come out bone dry.. It is now drying out (fingers crossed its ok!)

Conclusion

I am pleased with the leap of faith I took, I know some people would say Raidlight can be flimsy and I can see this could be an issue with the pack, however weight is low on this and the pouches and pockets are great. I did try the front pack and it secure by 3 different points on each side and feels really stable, I haven't run with it yet but I think it will be fine..

The pack some might say is quite expensive, but to be fair with alot of the rucksacks you might consider for the MDS there are alot of add ons. Once you have purchased a front pack, bottle holders and bottles the price would be comparable I think. The Trail quiver is a nice touch for those who may use poles, I dont think I will use this myself however.. It is also mentioned that you are able to affix the sleeping bag to the bottom of the rucksack, I am struggling to see where, but I can be a bit dim sometimes so will keep persevering with that one..

I am also a little concerned by the size and how I will get a weeks worth of equipment and food in it.. I know that I will have to pack ruthlessly anyway, but now you actually see what 20 Litres looks like... Yikes!! But alot of people use the 20L and so I am sure I will be able to get beyond this..

As an aside I got a Raidlight Buff free with it, and also a really handy book on Multi Day stage racing which is written by two guys who have done the MDS and a few others and they provide some really useful tips and walk you through what to expect when taking on the MDS.

I would say if you haven't got your rucksack for the MDS yet it might be worth checking this out, I would like to say at this point that I purchased the rucksack myself and am in no way affiliated to Raidlight and my opinions are based purely on the testing I have done.

No Turning Back....

I have just made the final instalment payment for the 2013 Marathon Des Sables...

So this means there is now no going back, I am signed up for the race in April next year and there is nothing I can do!! Time is galloping away now, in just over 3 (yes 3!) months I will be on the start line of the race, my knees knocking my heart palpitating and my legs raring to go in the "toughest footrace on earth"

After the Dorset Ultra I felt pretty decent, I took part in a track night at the local athletics club in Jersey on the Tuesday, felt too good in fact! It wasnt long after that that I picked up the dreaded tummy bug thats been going round Jersey, with a few xmas do's on the go over the last week the bug has been most inconvenient as I haven't been up to going out and letting off a bit of steam, but its all on the mend now and hope to get some decent mileage in over the following week..

So to equipment for the MDS...

Over the last few weeks my attention has switched to what equipment I will take with me to the desert, as vital a part of the prep for the race as the training itself, so I am now the proud owner of a very light very warm (i hope!) very expensive sleeping bag; the Raidlight Combi, which conveniently doubles as a puffa jacket for those chilly evenings in the desert.. It weighs just under 600 grams so am really pleased to have got this major bit of kit sorted..

So as it was xmas I have also treated myself to another major bit of kit, a new rucksack. Presenting the Raidlight Olmo 20L + 4L, a lovely looking bit of kit that I have just taken delivery of yesterday. Its new out in the last month and specifically designed for the MDS, it has a front pack, 2 bottles and lots of handy pockets and pouches which is ideal to me for a long race.. It is quite small however and I am a little concerned how I will fit in a weeks worth of food and other stuff, although I have been informed that I need to be ruthless when packing! I had a quick try of it today and it feels great on, I dont think it will move much much when running which is great, I will be trying it in the near future so hope that it is ideal for the job.. 

As far as other equipment it is all coming together, I am 99% certain on the shoes I will take, the sand gaiters I will use and the clothing I will wear for the week. Weight is the main consideration and I need to really ensure that I take the minimum of equipment and try and keep the pack weight down to 6.5kg (or as close as possible) Over the coming months I will be looking at and testing the various hydrated food options I can take with me as well as the other nutritional aspects. Again I am looking for highest calorific value against least weight whilst also being half decent tasting!! Could be quite a tough thing to satisfy these issues..

So it is now christmas time and training has dialled down slightly.. I am looking forward to getting back into it come new year, 3 months of hard training ahead in which intend to get used to back to back days, build strength and endurance and get used to heat and running with weight.. Phew! Makes me tired just thinking about it.. As far as the heat acclimation I am hoping to adopt a sauna training strategy. I will be building up time spent in the sauna and then introducing light exercise such as step ups to raise my core temp slowly..

Lots to do and lots to look forward to! Have a great xmas and an amazing new year.

Endurance Life CTS Dorset Trail Ultra Marathon Dec 2012

Its Official!

I'd forgotten how severe the hills on the beautiful Jurassic Coastline were to be honest.. This was the third time I have raced on this section of coast and as soon as I was stood at the base of the first climb, which incidentally was right at the start, the pain, lactic acid build up and "what am I doing here" - ness came flooding back from the previous races!

The Course Elevation Profile

Endurancelife always organise a good race, and the Ultra was well organised, I think 130 people started the race and by the looks of the results only 46 made the aggressive final checkpoint cutoff time of which I believe was 6 hours 15 mins. When you take into account the amount of climbing involved for the day (around 6000ft) to make the cutoff is no mean feat. The conditions were also super muddy with more than a few people spending quality time on their behinds and one guy I met even cutting his hand on barbed wire when falling.. 

Beautiful

The Hills Are Alive...

I was lucky in that I didnt actually fall, but as I was traipsing through the mud I was silently cursing the organisers, it was treacherous in parts with slippy sections right next to sheer cliff drops!! I also took a bit of a wrong turn in the first 10 or so miles which lost me a few places in the overall rankings but in a way was a good thing, I ended up running alone for a good 10 miles or so and stopped worrying about pace, position and all that, plugged my Ipod in and enjoyed the run! I think if anyone could have seen me running along singing along to Tina Turners "The Best" or air boxing to "The Eye of The Tiger" they might have questioned my sanity, although I guess not many sane people run 35 miles in those conditions for fun in the first place? Discuss.

         

Phil and Lee

Me!

It was a hard day, but it was sunny and the scenery as always was beautiful, it was great to go over with my friends Phil Taylor, Lee De St Croix and Peter Wright, the banter we had was amazing and we all did well. I was lucky enough to meet a few people who are taking part in the MDS next year, Joey,

Mark and Fred so this was definitely an added bonus for the day.

So.. I placed 11th overall in the end finishing the course in 6 hours 46, I was so pleased with this, and shows a real improvement as a result of my training over this year. The biggest thing for me was being able to climb some of these mountains/hills and then being able to run at the top, this meant I was sustaining a good overall pace during the race and didnt really start to feel tired in the legs until the last 6 miles or so, where you came back to the start line and have to go out and do another 6 mile loop of the initial course. This was tough psychologically as getting to the start/finish and keeping going is very counter intuitive! Once I had gone through I kept telling myself 6 miles to go, 6 miles to go and listened to my cheesy chart iPod playlist and soaked it up..

As far as things to take away from the day? I would say that cheesy chart music works better than thrash metal to keep the spirits high during those difficult times (particularly Katy Perry's Firework...!!), Hammer Perpetuem is an amazing energy source for long races (kept me going and supplied with energy for the duration), leg strength training definitely paid off for those hills, Salomon Exo calf guards were invaluable to keep the legs feeling fresh, and really strong Ibuprofen makes everything ok when all else fails.. :) Onwards and upwards now to 2013, maybe one more Ultra marathon before the MDS just to keep ticking over...

Thank You!!

Another high point this week was that I reached my £5000 target for Jersey Hospice Care. I am raising money for this amazing local charity as a dear friend of mine Natalie Moss spent time there this year before she sadly passed away and they were amazing to her and her family. I am running the MDS in memory of her as her grace and poise under such awful circumstances and her strength was amazing and so inspiring. I am humbled by the support of everyone who has donated either by attending the various events I and my good friends have organised or through my justgiving page, thanks so so much and I hope to raise more before I go to Morocco in April for this great cause.

So whats next? More training now in the lead up to christmas, interspersed with my works xmas do this Friday and various other social events, so a slight reduction in mileage I think for the next few weeks, then back into it at full pelt in January to get me to the Desert. Its just under 4 months til we fly to Morocco and face the biggest challenge I have ever faced. I found the James Cracknell documentary about the MDS on Youtube the other day, well worth a look to see what the race is about, click here

The Hard As Nails Training Plan

So last week saw the first week of my specific training plan for the MDS begin. After seeing Rory Coleman I was armed with a program which if followed will make me in his words "As hard as nails" It is quite a jump up in mileage and I trained every day last week which I have always been averse to as I subscribe to the "Rest is best" school of thought so as to give the body plenty of rest to recover and also to avoid injury.

The program introduces weight training alongside the higher mileage so at the beginning I was worrying about how I am going to fit it all in! I took it in my stride last week though and took each day as it came and quite got into the training every day routine. The weights sessions gave me active recovery from running and I was lucky enough to train with my friend Leanne who is a PT and has really put me through my paces swinging kettle bells, doing bench presses, press ups, squats and all sorts of other exercises. The runs themselves last week were on the cliffpaths mainly and I was lucky enough to run with friends most of the days which made it enjoyable as well as nice scenery and views.. I ended the week on 69 miles run, with some quite long runs in the mix to achieve that. It was a good week and a nice confidence booster before the Dorset ultra in a week and a bit.

It is week 2 of the program and I fear the mileage wont be as high as last week but I will give it my best shot to get somewhere near my target mileage.

Fundraising has been going well for Jersey Hospice care, a good friend of mine James Wilson has been kind enough to set up a Facebook page to publicise the MDS challenge and my fundraising, which has been instrumental in raising over £500 in donations in the last week and a half. I have just over £200 left to raise which means I can focus more fully now on the training as I am nearly there with the fundraising, which is a great weight off my mind. I am doing a cake sale in work on Friday which I hope will raise some more funds and get me closer to my goal.

http://www.justgiving.com/Paulsdesertrun

I have been watching quite a few youtube videos of peoples experiences in the MDS over the last few years. One in particular really gave a feel on how hard on both the body and the mind the race is, I have included the link here:

So just over a week until my final race of this year, the Endurancelife CTS Dorset Ultra Marathon. It is a 33 mile ultra taking in about 6000ft of climbing, to put this in perspective Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the UK is 4000ft so its going to be quite a tough day out! The upside being the scenery on the Jurassic coast is some of the most beautiful in the UK. I am really looking forward to going back there to compete.

So far this year I have taken part in 6 races: 2 Ultra marathons, 2 marathons and 2 half marathons. I look back on the year and think it has been a successful year in alot of aspects, my times have tumbled mainly due to alot of training both over distance, height and speed over the year, I have made some really good friends through running this year and really feel I have found my niche in life, which is a really good feeling. I think in other aspects of my life things have left a little to be desired which has meant that running has been a rock to me and a constant when other things have been a bit tough. I am really looking forward to the MDS in April and with just over 4 months to go I am pretty much thinking about it most of the day! As I have previously mentioned in other posts I am in the process of selecting the right equipment to take with me which in itself is as vital a part of the preparation as the training. Lots of decisions to make about sleeping bags, rucksacks, shoes, food, energy gels, cooking implements and a myriad of other details! The goal being to get to the start line with as light a pack as possible so that I will be able to run and hopefully do well in the race.

5 Months To Go..

Yesterday was the Jersey Half Marathon. Over the last few weeks I have been training twice weekly with the Jersey Spartans Athletics Club and have noticed real positive changes in both my speed and endurance. Yesterday was a chance to measure this in real terms and I felt I did ok. The course is challenging with a 2 mile hill at the start which certainly takes it out of you. I intended to run the course in 1 hours 24 ish and came away with 1 hour 27 which I was pleased with. Last year I ran the same course in 1 hour 34 so a definite improvement from then which is promising.. 

The conditions were great, sunny, no wind and a really nice vibe. Alot of people from our training group did well and placed highly so it shows that the speed training has been paying off!

I had a week and a half away in which I visited Barry Island in Wales which is my home, and was lucky enough to have a consultation with Rory Coleman who has completed the MDS 9 times. It was an informative session, we did tests to establish my VO2 max and then Rory gave me a strengthening program to improve my muscular endurance. We then spent the afternoon going through the various kit options that I could take to the MDS to optimise the weight carried in my rucksack. It looks like some tough decisions are to be made re carrying a cooking stove or not to minimise weight and maximise speed, non essential luxuries are out the window such as cameras, phones and hair dryers! :)

The optimal weight it appears is 6.5 kg to carry with some people carrying as much as 11 kg, with a kilo adding as much as 25 minutes onto your marathon time. The 6.5 Kg is including food, sleeping bag, mandatory equipment  and misc stuff.. It looks like I will be wearing one set of running gear for the whole week so will be smelling lovely by the end of the race!

Rory was also kind enough to provide me with a make me as tough as nails program which entails me running an average of 80 miles per week for the next few months, hello fitness goodbye life I think! I do hope that come March that I will possess the endurance and strength to withstand the rigours of the race. 

All in all the time with Rory was great, my lasting recollection of the day being doing lady press-ups in the gym whilst two muscle heads nearby bench pressed each other more or less and Rory valiantly not laughing at my pathetic upper body strength!! Anyway this will change over the forthcoming months and I hope to do the program justice..

Next up is the Endurancelife CTS Dorset Ultra Marathon on December 8th which is a 33 mile ultra marathon along my old friend the Jurassic Coast. There are a few of us competing from Jersey so will be a good outing and hopefully we will represent the island well.

Jersey Marathon - New PB!

The Jersey marathon was a week ago last Sunday. The conditions were perfect not too hot or cold and there were about 500 runners taking part.

I was aiming to just complete the marathon as I have another race in December which is my main focus, however as the time drew nearer to the race I was feeling like my training had gone well enough to push for a PB. I started the race at a fairly quick pace as I tend to do and then settled into a 6:50 - 7 min mile pace. At the half way point I was averaging just over 6:50 min mile which meant if I continued in this way I could be on for a sub 3 hour marathon. Alas at the magic 16 mile mark I started to fade and the trusty old legs started to slow, but I was still able to come in at 3 hours 12 mins 56 (chip time), 5 mins off my previous PB. 

Needless to say I was over the moon with this and I am making further progress which is awesome. Focus has now switched to hill 

training and getting as much elevation in as possible per week to prepare for the Dorset Ultra in December which takes in a heady 6000ft of climbing.. 

Speaking of races here in Jersey here is a video of Round The Rock ultra marathon that I put together based on footage shot my my friend Craig.

I have also recently been for a biomechanics screening session which unveiled a few deficiencies. I was given exercises to counter act some muscles that were spasming in my legs as well as a sciatic nerve stretch which is amazing... I found the session to be really interesting and it has given me alot of insight into how I am stacked up and what I need to do to develop a running style that will serve me well rather than potentially expose me to injury.

The last few weeks I have been looking at various kit options for the MDS also. It is mind blowing the number of options for kit to take, and what works for one doesn't necessarily work for others so decisions have had to be made on rucksacks, sleeping bags, compression wear and heat resistant wear etc etc. I have decided to invest in some X-Bionic gear as they reputedly conserve the bodies energy by regulating the bodies temperature by diverting the sweat away to parts of the body that need cooling. I purchased the Energizer top and wore it for the marathon and found it to be excellent to wear, supportive and I found that there were no issues with being too cold or hot during the race which is excellent. I intend to purchase the more expensive Fennec shirt for the MDS as this will be invaluable if it does what it says it will in the desert! I have bought other various bits and pieces also: headtorches, water bottles and the like and the whole picture is starting to come together.I intend to test the kit over the winter to ensure it is reliable and suitable for my needs. So much to think about!

I have also been fundraising on the back of the MDS challenge, and to date have raised £4300 for Jersey Hospice care. A friend and I staged a 8 hour treadmill challenge in M&S in town and raised alot of money, and then a week or so ago with the help of a few friends we staged a film quiz which raised over £3000 on the night, which took me so close to my £5000 target. I am glad to be almost near my target as I can now focus more on training.

6 Months to go..

I found out yesterday that I am now within the 6 month mark to go til the MDS, which I cant quite believe to be honest! I remember signing up and it seemed so long ago. Time flies whilst You're having fun I guess :)

So this Sunday I take part in the Jersey marathon, the weather is meant to be atrocious at the moment, to be honest as long as it isnt too windy I wont be too upset. Last year was very hot and took everyone by surprise I think so at least I know what to deal with in the rain! My current PB after Mont St Michel in May is 3 hours 18 so I would love to knock a bit off that to be honest..

I recently had a biomechanics screening session which was extremely informative, the screener Mandy explained that it was to analyse how the body stacks up and to highlight any inconsistencies. A few things were highlighted and I have been given some exercises to release spasms at various points in my body and I will be going back in a few weeks to address more. I think this is a worthwhile investment as it will mean I should go into the MDS as strong and as physically right as I can be.

I will be meeting legendary ultra runner Rory Coleman 9 times MDS competitor in November for a training session, he lives in Cardiff which is my home town, so I am going home to see the family and coincide a gym session, and tips on how to pack the bag so it is light as possible and hopefully some other great bits of advice to be as strong and as efficient as possible lining up on the first day of that race!

I have started to buy equipment for the MDS, and as one of the keys to doing well in the MDS is carrying as little as possible the lighter more technical stuff is looking like my bank balance is going to be suffering over the next few months.. I have been researching alot about what has worked for previous competitors and trying to make decisions on things like sleeping bags, rucksacks what compression wear to wear, head torches, camping stoves.. The list goes on and on.. Secretly though its quite cool as it is all gear I need, so it feels like xmas every time a new parcel arrives at my door.

After the Jersey marathon I am taking part in the CTS Dorset Ultra which takes place in December along my old stamping ground the Jurassic coast. I have done a trail marathon along this and also a 3 day event so know what to expect as far as course profile, so it will be good to go back almost a year later to mark how far I have progresses both fitness and strength wise. Its a 33 mile course with 6000ft of elevation, and when you consider that Ben Nevis the highest mountain in the UK is 4000ft this gives it some kind of perspective. The Endurance Life events are well organised and it should give me a good idea of where I am t as far as more training needed for the MDS.

I have begun to fundraise for the MDS also, I have committed to raising £5000 for Jersey Hospice Care here, I am 25% there with the target at the moment, having done a 8 hour treadmill challenge in M&S which was amazing and also a carboot sale. I have a major event planned this evening (5th October 2012) a film quiz which will hopefully take me alot closer to the £5000 mark.

So lots going on at the moment, lots of positive things and I guess this is the business end of the training plan as far as the MDS is concerned. I look forward to meeting a few of the other competitors over the coming months and enjoying the journey as well as the destination. Happy running!

Injury Challenges & Ultra Marathons

It’s been a while since the last update. I have been focussing on building distance over the last few months since the Mont St Michel marathon back in May. I have been training with some guys and was involved with the Team Jersey Trailwalker 100km challenge, and was set to take part on July 14^th but I unfortunately came down with IT band issues on my knee a few days before and had to withdraw. As it was a team event I felt that I wasn’t in good enough shape due to the knee and felt that I  would let the team down if not able to complete the challenge. Here is a great link to the story about the Team Jersey Trailwalker record attempt and you will see that they managed to be the first civilian team over the line and break the mixed team record by 20 minutes in horrendous conditions! http://www.takeachallenge.org/100km-Record-Attempt.aspx

After having to withdraw from the trailwalker it was quite a difficult time, I had intensive rehab and a cortisone injection in my knee to try and get back ready for Round The Rock 48 mile ultra marathon here in Jersey on 28^th July. I had a test run a few days before the event and the knee felt ok so I entered and my racing season was back on track!

The race itself started at 6am in St Helier and it was a beautiful sunny day. My goal for the race was to improve on the time of 9hours 25 I had set last year and if nothing else to finish due to the precarious nature of knee! I set off and made good progress but quickly realised my knee was going to be an issue. I had prepared for this and took ibuprofen which seemed to dull the pain and made good progress to the 25 mile mark and check point 2. I had a drop bag here and decided to wear a knee support which seemed to take the pressure off the IT band however I did find that if I stopped at check points for too long the knee seized up and took a while to get going again. I had an embarrassing moment at checkpoint 3 where I was running into the checkpoint tripped over a stone and faceplanted into the floor, cutting my hands open all in front of about 40 or so people!! I managed to carry on and whilst it was hot I managed to finish the race in 8 hours 26 and come 19^th place, which was an hours improvement on last years time. The legendary Daniel Doherty won the race in 6 hours 15 which is amazing and he said he had had a tough day!

So next for me now is my fundraising for Jersey Hospice for the Marathon des Sables in April of next year. I am not sure where all the time has gone but it seems scarily close! I am running this Saturday on a treadmill with a friend in the local M&S in St Helier to raise funds for Hospice as well as other events planned over the next few 
months to achieve my target of £5000.

My Just giving page is http://www.justgiving.com/Paulsdesertrun if you would like to donate, and it tells you a little more about the charity I am raising money for.