Highest Mountain

One of my dearest friends, on reading my last post texted me a Richard Nixon quote that he, correctly felt was apt. It seems that the infamous Nixon had quite a flare for delivering memorable soundbites, as any Google search will testify. The saying in question was that "only if you have been in the deepest valley, can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain.”

Another close friend, who has experienced the expat lifestyle, commented that living abroad accentuates the normal highs and lows that life provides; partly due to the isolation and partly due the fact that this isolation results in any couple living in a bubble, without the distractions of friends and family to de-stress.

I think the most important thing is that life is all rosy again in Chateau Deane and the, alcohol fuelled, argument cleared the air and stopped me for taking Becs' love and support for granted. These challenges are quite resource hungry. They demand a lot of time and money to prepare yourself to be your best the moment the gun goes.

In some ways I regret the post. I regret the post as I feel a tad embarrassed for slightly over egging the demons I am face. I also regret that it has publicised something that was, and probably should have remained, private. Primarily I regret the post as it paints an incorrect picture of my wife and the support she provides.

One reason that I don't regret publishing the post is provides a snap shot of the full range of emotions one goes through on the journey to completing a challenge. I always intended this blog as a warts an all account of my preparation for the MDS such that readers can get an impression of the commitment and emotions that come with obsessing over achieving this feat.

All in all I think that when I receive my medal in the Sahara from the race director my thoughts will pause on that post as one of the reasons that I can marvel at reaching the submit of a high mountain.

The week of the 5th November was, training wise, another good week. I ended up exceeding my target of 35 miles by over ten miles. This was primarily due to my spending 6 hours on the Thursday completing a long walk of 20 miles to clear my head after the said argument with Becs. The week started out with a slow 8 mile run followed by an even slower ten mile run/walk after a rest day from running on Tuesday. I completed the 20 mile walk on Thursday and then finished the week with an 8 mile run on Sunday to complete 46 miles for the week. This week also included 6 gym sessions centred again around strength training of the core and big muscle groups.

The following week, 12th -18th November, went more to plan and I finished bang on target of 40 miles. I was a bit leggy at the start of the week, after the long walk the preceding Thursday, so the pace was marginally slower and my walking stages slightly longer in duration. The long run of the week was on Wednesday consisting of 12 miles. The rest of the week was two 8 mile runs and two 6 mile runs of differing tempo and intensity. My only mistake, in hindsight, was the scheduling of my gym sessions around these runs. As I was a bit leggy at the start I skipped a few gym sessions in the first few days so it concertinaed these sessions, especially the strength training for the legs, towards the back half of the week. This is a mistake I am keen to avoid repeating as my mileage increases.

The good news on Sunday 18th was that my package from Likeys had arrived. Whilst not 100% smooth sailing, the Marmot fleece was out of stock so I replaced this for their desert hat and another water bottle, it does mean that I know that I can expect a two week turnaround on deliveries; which I think is quite good. This delivery meant the start of this current week (19th November) had renewed gusto as, during the run on Monday, I could wear some of the kit I am intending to take and also digest the Peronin shake that should for the basis of my lunch intake.

Monday was a slow 23 mile run along Jumeirah beach to the Burj Al Arab and then back across the Sheikh Zayed Road so that I could weave my way back to the Burj Khalifa through some pretty grotty industrial estates and workers accommodation to find a couple more parks that come recommended.

All in all it was a good run, especially as I have settled back into my normal 25/5 routine of 25 minutes running followed by 5 minutes of walking. Not only does this allow the body to recover (Karl King writes a good article on the merits of following a 25/5 approach that is included in A Step Beyond: A Definitive Guide to Ultrarunning) but its quite good psychologically as you can break long runs down into running segments.

I did learn a few things during this first dress rehearsal. Firstly the front pack bounces quite a bit. I need to have a play with the straps and weight of contents to see if I can get an optimal relationship to reduce this bounce. Whilst not painful it was quite irritating. I suppose that my final decision when I pack my ruck sack will be whether I take this front pack with me. My first inclination is yes such that when I have eaten a bit of space in my back pack I could simply stuff this into it if need be.

The second pearl of wisdom comes with the positioning of the zips on the front pack. Originally I had the zips centred at the top but the bounce affect caused the zips to move such that its contents spilled, thankfully, on a pavement after a mile or so. After this the zips were to the bottom and side so that gravity could negate this.

The final, and probably most important, lesson was regarding my new purchase of water bottles and shoulder straps for the backpack. I have learnt to be careful when pulling the straw out to start drinking; especially when the electrolyte tabs have only recently been added to the water. A couple of times this pseudo champagne effect caused me to be covered in sticky isotonic drink. which wasn't great. I have now perfected the art of pulling the straw with my teeth so that I can catch this splurge in my mouth.

Today was a slow 8 miler. This means I can fly to Australia tomorrow already on 31 miles for the week knowing that I can do a 10 mile run on Friday, when my friends are at work, and a quick 4 mile run on Saturday to hit my target of 45 miles. More importantly this will mean my running won't interfere with me catching up with everyone.

I am going to stop predicting when I will publish my next post as a quick scan of my last three includes references to my next post being at the beginning of December!!! Instead the plan for week commencing 26th November is a short recovery week of 25 miles. This is important as the last few weeks have been tough on the body and it also means I will not be running much whilst in Oz. Then the first week in December is my first meaningful dress rehearsal; the 1/4 MDS which includes the Dubai Half Marathon. I also hope to order some more kit

MasaAalama...
 

Trouble at Mill

Nights like tonight make me really appreciate that it is a shared journey: the ultra athlete and the other half. Which one is more important I don't know. I hope there is a bit of ying and yang. One can't live without the other.

My entry in the MDS 2013 currently lays in doubt. I have found out in a few short hours that my wife hasn't bought into this as much as I originally thought. I could rescind my entry and join the multitude of men that go down the pub and get smashed.

Quite simply I do these events because of two reasons: my Mum and my legacy.

For those who know me, my mum has always been, and will always be, my motivating factor. Whenever I complete an event, course or education I always go home and present my mum with the certificate or medal. I love my Mum, what boy doesn't, but in my case it's more. In my case its about survival and hope.

In my adult life I have had to live with quite deliberating depression. Some people have understood, others haven't; their loss. Part of the reason I love these challenges is that it is me against the elements. Survival of the fittest. You either roll over and die or you fight. I have always chosen to fight.

One of the reasons the Brecons run was so tough was that at the time I was in the grip of a severe depression but I chose to run 52 miles. Yes, I wasn't as good at it as I could but I beat it. And, yes I went home with my medal.

The legacy bit is that there are, and will be countless, people like me. Depression is the last taboo. Hopefully Obama's re-election will help us move to a world that the rights of marriage, despite sexual orientation, are universal. The last frontier will be mental health.

I have always won my battles because of hope: hope that tomorrow will get better, hope that people will understand and hope that on my death bed I have done my best.

Mental strength is separate to mental health. Yes I might not be 100% every day but I know the days I am 70%+ I am better than most.

Tomorrow is a new day. I hope its better than today. I fight on toward the goal of making my Mum proud once again...

Bring on the MDS!!!
 

Its a Small World

I had only just published my last post when I received a text message from one of my best friends from uni. It turns out that he used to babysit Steve Cushing's children when he was a youth and has managed to connect me to him by e-mail. I am just a little surprised that the Dicky that I know, and love, used to top up his pocket money by being a babysitter...

This connection has grown my MDS network to three finishers. I am also going to try to get in touch with a few other runners I have met at the Ultras I have completed, as I want to avoid leaving anything to chance when it comes to planning and preparation. For example, it is through these networks I have managed to dodge a couple of bullets already: it had not registered in my mind to date that self-sufficiency also meant packing your own toilet paper and that a pillow would be a great comfort during the night. Hopefully any more gaps in my planning will be filled...

I feel obliged to write an abridged version of the blog. Partially because my training has started to nicely ramp up, partially to mark the fact that I have passed the 6 months to go point and partially because I have continued to make progress with my planning and preparation for the event.

If the phrase that every long journey begins with a single step then each step along the way must be important, regardless of its size. If that is the case I made one of the smallest steps this week but overcame something that has, quite frankly, been doing my head in. Where is that damned whistle on the Raidlight bag. Every blog mentions it, Steve Cushing refers to it...

It is quite ironic that when I managed to find it during today's training run I wasn't even wearing that Rucksack but the Inov8 one that I use in training. I quite simply love running. It allows my mind to wander, ponder things and let the stresses of life wash from me. During one such moment I was looking at my chest strap and suddenly wondered why one of the clasps is a different colour and managed to find the said whistle. Its not a very powerful one but none the less it meets the requirement of the MDS such that one essential bit of kit is obtained; and, for once, at zero cost

I also need to clear up something that might have been unclear from the last post, especially as it worried Paul H to such an extent that he e-mailed me in a bit of a tiswas. I just don't want any person who comes across this blog, whilst doing some research, to get the wrong end of the stick and come a cropper in the desert. The subject was bladders versus water bottles. Currently in training I am using my Inov8 rucksack as in contains a bladder and I don't want to start using my Raidlight combo yet.

I am definitely not using a bladder during the MDS and will be using the external pockets of my Raidlight combo to strap, probably 6, water bottles about my person. My decision was made at the Brecons Ultra last year. In the rush to get to the race briefing, I burst my bladder by being too rough hastily squeezing it in place. I won't have the luxury of replacing any faulty kit in the desert unlike at this race last year.

In addition, the bladder also became fiddly later in the race when I was tired, it was dark and conditions didn't really lend themselves to refilling the bladder. The water bottles will be easier to decant and will also reduce the risk of one faulty bit of kit eliminating me from the race as 1) not much goes wrong with water bottles but, more importantly, 2) if 1 breaks I still have the other 5 to full back on. I have always been lucky over to the years to find some guardian angels. Haynesy is proving an excellent sounding board and I look forward to sharing a beer with him in December.

As an aside, I would love to have entered the Brecons Ultra again year, but certain logistical problems couldn't be overcome. It is a tremendous race, is good preparation for anyone entered into the MDS and I would have loved to have improved on my performance from last year. Dulled by a full year training for the Ironman and Lands End to John O'Groats cycle my race disintegrated into a death march. However it was another race completed and was a good entry into the psychological well that I will probably have to drink from during the MDS...

I started my first tranch of procuring kit and essentials this last week. I bought two Raidlight bottle holders which affix to the shoulder straps of my backpack. I have four external pockets that are designed to fit bottles in and these two holders will increase the number to 6. They also each come with a 750ml bottle which have a screw top incorporating a flexible straw so you can drink hands free.

I also bought an array of socks and a pair of twin skin shorts to start testing them for the desert. Most of the advice on blogs and in books is get the decision of what shoes and socks you are going to wear done way in advance. They mention that a lot of the people that have really trashed feet have, amazingly, left deciding and buying socks and shoes to the last minute; sometimes even only weeks to spare.

I have bought three different grades of the Injinji inner toe socks and two different pairs of outers (Wigwam Trail Trax Pro RRP and Bridgedale X-Hale Trailhead). Also, as Likey's are having their end of season sale, I bought a nice Marmot fleece that will be perfect at night in and around the bivvie. Another reason for buying this bundle now is to test the speed and accuracy of delivery to the UAE so I know the drop dead date of ordering any last minute things to replace anything faulty or simply stuff forgotten.

The last item in my Likeys hamper was a sachet of Peronin High Tech Food. I have never used this on any of my previous Ultras or during the Ironman, so I wanted to get one to test in December on one of my long runs, before I go back to the UK. The product information and testimonials on their site are quite impressive as it claims, when mixed with water to make shake, that this lunch on the move passes through the stomach within 7 minutes and then absorbed almost immediately in the intestines providing almost a instant hit of energy.

I have also been munching a few things after training that I think I will be taking with me as treats. Things that are definitely going in the bag are Peparami, Beef Jerky, Super noodles and Lemon Tea powder. The star arrival this week has been the Lemon Tea powder as I think that will be quite nice drink to water to rehydrate myself after I have finished each stage; before making a brew.

During the last week I increased my mileage to 32 miles, slightly above my target of 30 miles. Monday was a 7 mile run which took be to the much heralded Safa Park. Regular readers will note this name from previous posts and sense my 'Cities of Gold'-esque obsession with getting there.

Most will not be too surprised to note, aside from the mileage covered, that I was disappointed, especially as things never really turn out as you expected them. Safa park is the antithesis of an English Park. Not only do you have to pay to get it, it has 6 foot high railings around the outside so you never really feel you are at a park, there are only 3 gates to enter and the running track is around the outside. In addition the logic deifying contradiction between the advice signs and distance markers on the running track summed it up. The sign recommends running counterclockwise yet the distance markers are measured in a clockwise direction.

Tuesday was spent doing a 6 mile run down to Jumeirah beach and back. Whilst not a picturesque beach, it will be a useful spot to do some of my sand running as the public section of the beach must be 3 miles long and contains a concrete running track that separates two different grades of sand. The gulf side seems to be the more softer type of sand whereas the city side of the track seems to be more courser and rockier. I just need to find some dunes now.

The rest of the this week contained two 8 mile runs and finally a shorter 2 mile tempo run. I also weaved in some sessions in the gym concentrating on core strength. With the two rest days I was quite pleased as I built the mileage and felt fresh yet the runs were turning from walk/runs into more run/walks.

I suppose the final thing to mention in this, now quite long, abridge to the blog is that to mark passing the 6 month to go point I watched James Craknell's 'Toughest Race on Earth' DVD. This guy is quite simply a legend. Some would say mad, and I would partially agree, but his dedication and ability to push his body not only to the brink but recover quickly to push again the next day, and the next is outstanding.

It made me quite emotional to think that within 6 months I will, hopefully, facing some of my finest days and finding more out about my ability to survive under pressure, in extreme conditions. Despite the fact that my ambition is at the opposite end to the spectrum that James operated within (he wanted to finish in the top 50 whereas I just want to finish) I am not ashamed to say it also made me nervous. I think this is a good sign as all challenges are things that need to be respected. You can't leave any stone unturned during training and preparation so that you line up at the start 100% prepared to give it your best showing.

The next time I expect to post will now probably be the beginning of December. This should be the end of my recovery week, which I am now going to spend in Australia visiting one of my best mates and introducing myself to his gorgeous little boy. This post will also be at the start of my first dress rehearsal as I am running the Dubai Half-Marathon on the 7th December and planning to run a 1/4 MDS that week.

MasaAalama...