Well i did the half-marathon today, well my own half marathon running around the streets of London! I think 13 miles is the furthest i've ever run in my life and to be honest, at 1h 48 mins, I was pretty happy. I had the backpack as well, but only had about 3-4kg on, so not the normal weight I would carry, but still pretty happy with that time, especially on a bottle of wine last night as well ;)
The first couple of miles were a bit achey, with the shins hurting, but once I got into my rhythm, all was good... but when I hit about 11 miles things started to seize up quite a bit, but overall, pretty happy with the run today. Just need to do much more of them now!
Monday, March 19, 2007
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Training 17.03.07
Done a couple of shortedd runs this week... need to find the time to get more doe to be honest, so did a few 3 milers... nothing special, but managed to strain my hamstring a little over doing it on Thursday morning! Also went for an 7.5 miler on Wednesday evening too, and shins were a little sore for the following few days. Think I went round the 7.5 miler in around 62 mins... not too bad with full backpack on again. Whilst it's knackering runnning with the backpack, it's going to do me some good in the long term! Am going to try a half marathon tomorrow, 13 miles... see how we go!
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Training
Well after getting accepted and going for a little 8 mile run on Monday (5th), and somewhat pushing myself a little to see where i am fitness wise, i guess the training really does begin. Although the event is two years away, I really think I need to start training now, and so I have. I guess for the next 3 months, I'll look to do 2-3 8-10 mile runs a week, just to build up the miles and the stamina, and then go from there!
I think the reality of what i'm doing has hit a little now as well. People at work think I'm stupid, in fact most people do, but that makes me even more determined to be honest. So off I went for a run tonight, a nice little 9 1/2 miler, which i did in just under 1hr 20 mins, and thats with my backpack on and about 8kgs in there. To be honest I'm quite happy at this stage, the shins are holding up, as I've been suffering for the last few years with shin splints... but so far so good!
I think the reality of what i'm doing has hit a little now as well. People at work think I'm stupid, in fact most people do, but that makes me even more determined to be honest. So off I went for a run tonight, a nice little 9 1/2 miler, which i did in just under 1hr 20 mins, and thats with my backpack on and about 8kgs in there. To be honest I'm quite happy at this stage, the shins are holding up, as I've been suffering for the last few years with shin splints... but so far so good!
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Who and Why?
Thought i might be time to actually expalin who and I and why I'm doing this. Well, the name's Dan, but you've probably looked at my profile already. I'm 28 (at time of writing), live and work in London as a PR consultant. I'm originally from a tiny village in Warwickshire called Tanworth-in-Arden and I guess I've always been facinated by doing challenges.
The way I look at it, 'will I regret it in 30 years time if I dont do it?' The answer is probably 'yes', and whilst I know doing this race is going to hurt like hell, it's that challenge that inspires me to do it. Last year, after many years of just thinking and not actually doing, I climbed Kilimanjaro, which was an amazing experience. However there has to be more. Ultimately I want to climb Everest. I think that is the ultimate goal of anyone in my kind of mindset, however I heard about the Marathon Des Sables whilst watching a programme on channel 4. I can't remember what it was called, but it featured a guy called Chris Moon (http://www.chrismoon.co.uk/about.htm), a minefield deposal expert, who in the early 1990's was kidnapped by the Khmer Rouge. Whilst escaping he lost a leg when walking over a mine... and towards the end of the programme he showed him completing the Marathon Des Sables, and I thought... 'I can do that'.
So here we are, I registered and got accepted today and I'm so excited. Even though it's 2 years away, I went for a little 8 mile run this evening with about 10kg on my back. It's not the first run I've done, I got a little excited last week and went for a nice 8 miler as well. But here begins the training, 2 years of torture and pushing myself.
The aim of this blog is to not only share my experiences of training and leading up to the event, but I hope that others competing in the event, be it this year, 2008 or 2009 will share their thoughts too.
The way I look at it, 'will I regret it in 30 years time if I dont do it?' The answer is probably 'yes', and whilst I know doing this race is going to hurt like hell, it's that challenge that inspires me to do it. Last year, after many years of just thinking and not actually doing, I climbed Kilimanjaro, which was an amazing experience. However there has to be more. Ultimately I want to climb Everest. I think that is the ultimate goal of anyone in my kind of mindset, however I heard about the Marathon Des Sables whilst watching a programme on channel 4. I can't remember what it was called, but it featured a guy called Chris Moon (http://www.chrismoon.co.uk/about.htm), a minefield deposal expert, who in the early 1990's was kidnapped by the Khmer Rouge. Whilst escaping he lost a leg when walking over a mine... and towards the end of the programme he showed him completing the Marathon Des Sables, and I thought... 'I can do that'.
So here we are, I registered and got accepted today and I'm so excited. Even though it's 2 years away, I went for a little 8 mile run this evening with about 10kg on my back. It's not the first run I've done, I got a little excited last week and went for a nice 8 miler as well. But here begins the training, 2 years of torture and pushing myself.
The aim of this blog is to not only share my experiences of training and leading up to the event, but I hope that others competing in the event, be it this year, 2008 or 2009 will share their thoughts too.
Accepted!
Well here it is, the start of two years of immense hard-work, training and down right graft! Today (I think), I've got a place on what is called the toughest race on earth... the Marathon Des Sables... to give you a taster, this is what it's all about:
Why this IS the toughest footrace on Earth?
It covers 243km/151 miles (in sections similar to 25, 34, 38, 82, 42, 22 km) run over 6 days (7 for some) - equivalent to 5 1/2 regular marathons. That's a speed of between 3 and 14 km an hour for competitors aged between 16 and 78). In addition to that, competitors have to carry everything they will need for the duration (apart from a tent) on their backs in a rucksack (food, clothes, medical kit, sleeping bag etc). Water is rationed and handed out at each checkpoint.
You will have to prepare all your own food throughout the race and I warn you that there is not a chain of Tesco stores or corner grocery shops dotted around the Sahara. You will experience mid-day temperatures of up to 120°F, of running or walking on uneven rocky, stony ground as well as 15 - 20% of the distance being in sand dunes.
The heat, distance and rubbing will trash your feet and may cause severe trauma if incorrect shoes and equipment are used. Mental stamina probably constitutes at least 50% of whether you will complete the distance or not. Physical fitness is important but don't underestimate the mental stress that you will need to endure. Even if you have run dozens of 26 mile marathons, this does not mean that you will automatically find the MdS easy - either way you will be planning to do lots of training prior to the MdS.
On the 4th day, you will set off across the barren wilderness to complete a 45 - 50 mile stage. Few people complete this before dark that evening and some will not come in till after dark the next night. This is followed by the 42km Marathon stage!! Its tough, so don't say that nobody warned you in the strongest terms.
Whilst the race is two years away, I'm going to start my training now, with regular updates and postings on this website, and when the race day comes... hopefully a diary of how it's all going. The plan is to also raise a significant sum of money as well for Cancer Research UK. Some say I'm a nutter, some ask why I'm doing it? Well I'm doing it because it's there....
Why this IS the toughest footrace on Earth?
It covers 243km/151 miles (in sections similar to 25, 34, 38, 82, 42, 22 km) run over 6 days (7 for some) - equivalent to 5 1/2 regular marathons. That's a speed of between 3 and 14 km an hour for competitors aged between 16 and 78). In addition to that, competitors have to carry everything they will need for the duration (apart from a tent) on their backs in a rucksack (food, clothes, medical kit, sleeping bag etc). Water is rationed and handed out at each checkpoint.
You will have to prepare all your own food throughout the race and I warn you that there is not a chain of Tesco stores or corner grocery shops dotted around the Sahara. You will experience mid-day temperatures of up to 120°F, of running or walking on uneven rocky, stony ground as well as 15 - 20% of the distance being in sand dunes.
The heat, distance and rubbing will trash your feet and may cause severe trauma if incorrect shoes and equipment are used. Mental stamina probably constitutes at least 50% of whether you will complete the distance or not. Physical fitness is important but don't underestimate the mental stress that you will need to endure. Even if you have run dozens of 26 mile marathons, this does not mean that you will automatically find the MdS easy - either way you will be planning to do lots of training prior to the MdS.
On the 4th day, you will set off across the barren wilderness to complete a 45 - 50 mile stage. Few people complete this before dark that evening and some will not come in till after dark the next night. This is followed by the 42km Marathon stage!! Its tough, so don't say that nobody warned you in the strongest terms.
Whilst the race is two years away, I'm going to start my training now, with regular updates and postings on this website, and when the race day comes... hopefully a diary of how it's all going. The plan is to also raise a significant sum of money as well for Cancer Research UK. Some say I'm a nutter, some ask why I'm doing it? Well I'm doing it because it's there....
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