Buoyed by my achievements of 2011 and discovering the power of the blog I have entered the Marathon Des Sables in 2013 and have decided to write a blog. The blog will capture my experiences and memories of both the preparation and event itself. It might even prove to be a valuable tool for some other Muppet who bites off more than they can chew and needs to learn a lot; fast...
In the reference books that I used to get me over the line for the ironman they included a whole chapter on post ironman blues. The big advice to avoiding a period of being flat and depressed was to schedule in some short fun events to keep you fit and interested. I do not recall my state of mind when I transferred £500 into the Mencap account the next week but some would argue that it was probably a bit unbalanced. I do know that I had a great time in 2011 planning, training and completing the LeJOG and Ironman so I must have wanted to take on another challenge.
For those not in the know, and for me to realise how much trouble I am in, the following extract from Wikepedia gives a good top to toe introduction to the Marathon des Sables (MdS):
The MdS is a six-day, 251 km (156 mile) ultra marathon, which is the equivalent of six regular marathons. The longest single stage is 91 km (57 mile) long. The race, between the 4th and 15th April 2013, is held in southern Morocco, in the Sahara desert. It is considered the toughest foot race on Earth. Apart from the distance I will be battling extreme conditions (think dunes, 120°F temperatures, sand storms) whilst carrying everything I need for the entire race on my back! The terrain is uneven, rocky, stony ground, and 15-20% of the distance is over sand dunes.
So, as I sit at my dining room table on Monday 16th January 2012, sipping a glass of wine after a nice steak dinner, enjoying all the creature comforts I realise that life, if only for the next 15 months, will not be the same again. Well, as I am sure you are shouting at your computer screen, tough. Do the crime, do the time.
During the preparation I will probably be completing a weekly update of training and how I get on procuring the mandatory kit list (not sure how I am going to run 156 miles carrying a 20kg rucksack). During the race I will probably carry a pencil and paper so I can complete a diary to upload when I cannot move from the sofa on my return.
I will try to keep to the spirit of the LeJOG blog by keeping this blog light and fresh however this time I am light on comrades and alcoholic lubrication to keep highlights flowing so it might get a bit dry in places.
One sobering thought to sign off with, all the information I have read on the Internet tonight seems to suggest that this time next year I should be up around a total distance of 100 mile a week...
On that note I think I might refresh my wine (large) and have a lie on the sofa watching guff while I can.
TTFN
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