It has been a few months since I posted the last update to the blog. This has primarily been due to the lack of Internet in our rental house in Dubai since we returned. We are now on line and starting to settle into our new place.
Since the last blog, I have been averaging just over 50 miles per week with a few weeks topping in at nearer 70. I suppose the second reason for not posting an update is that this hasn't exactly produced many anecdotes or things to share. In fact it has been quite a trudge, but necessary to ensure I am in shape for the race. The only highlight, I can recall, was completing the Dubai marathon fully loaded in just over 5 hours.
The new pad on the outskirts of town has provided me with more suitable training environments than living in Downtown. surrounded by concrete Just a mile down the road are two circuits that are proving top notch for my final preparations for the Sahara.
The first is a one mile lap around an undulating gravel/rock/sand wasteland and the other a 10k lap of sand dunes, some higher than a two story house. Both have definitely strengthened my legs, especially my ankles. They are a good combination as the flatter circuit can be run round whereas the dune circuit is a real struggle with some dunes having to be climbed on all fours with the sand coming up to my knees. It has made me really hope my gaiters last the course in the Sahara as I am seemingly having to continuously empty my socks and trainers.
Not surprisingly the sand dunes sessions have been really tiring and I have sometimes resembled C3PO crossing Tatooine in Star Wars: A New Hope, but I suppose its better to die on my training circuits than out in the Sahara...
It hasn't been all training and no play though otherwise I would have gone, completely, mental. We had a trip to Istanbul in January and have been to see the Tennis, Dubai Jazz Festival and Horseracing in February. I am really looking forward to this Friday when we go to the Stone Roses... :-)
With only 43 days to the start of the race I am on the final push till I return to the UK in March to begin my taper and final preparations. Over the final few weeks of main training I am combining the dune and wasteland sessions some days and doing one long run run each week along the beach from the creek back to home. Last week I posted my highest weekly mileage of 75 miles and I hope to be nearer 80 this week. I am still contemplating the value of a 100 mile week versus the risk of injury.
I just can't believe how close it is to the start of the race. It only seems like yesterday that I made the decision to enter. The last year and a bit has gone quickly. It really hit home how close the race is when I received the e-mail confirming my race number (660). This comes with mixed feelings as I am obviously getting nervous about my preparation but I suppose you just have to face up to it at some point. No matter how bad the race gets I know that it is all self inflicted. It is not as if a plane I have flown in has crashed in the Sahara or I am absconding from the French Foreign Legion.
The good news is that I am probably 90% finished getting gear for the race. I have bought all my food for the race and got most of the big items bought for the race.
After research and trying out some of the foods I have went with Expeditions Dried Foods to provide the main source of calories for each day. Each meal is low weight and high calories. Breakfast will be Porridge with Sultanas. Dinner each night will be two different packets of their main meals followed by either one of their rice pudding or custard desserts. I actually find the different varietys of the main meals quiet tasty so I should be able to eat these for a week quite easily.
Lunch will be a Peronin Shake. Again high calorie with the advantage of being easily drunk and digested on the go as all you need to do is add the powder to water and bingo. In between meals I will be mixing power gels, Cliff Bars and Jelly Belly Sports Beans.
The remainder of my foods will be treats consisting of nuts, beef jerky, peparami and super noodles.
On the kit front I bought Thermarest NEOAir sleeping mat before Christmas and have just received the Mammut Ajungilak Sphere Alpine/Summer Sleeping bag in my last delivery from Likeys. Whilst expensive at £215 I couldn't justify any of the cheaper makes as they either we too short, too heavy or too bulky and most weren't recommended to be comfortable in the cold desert conditions.
The other big purchase which I am waiting on to receive in Dubai is the Adidas Devil Eye Prescription Sunglasses. Again expensive at £189 but can be worn as goggles perfect for when the enevitable sand storm strikes and have different inserts. I am just waiting on the glasses to be delivered. I even have my CSI-eque Tyvek Suit for the evenings. Sexy...
The only major thing I am still yet to receive are the Raidlight Gaiters. Likeys are still waiting on their bulk order being cleared by customs. As soon as this is received I am down to bits of my first aid kits.
Completed Research
MasaAalama...
Since the last blog, I have been averaging just over 50 miles per week with a few weeks topping in at nearer 70. I suppose the second reason for not posting an update is that this hasn't exactly produced many anecdotes or things to share. In fact it has been quite a trudge, but necessary to ensure I am in shape for the race. The only highlight, I can recall, was completing the Dubai marathon fully loaded in just over 5 hours.
The new pad on the outskirts of town has provided me with more suitable training environments than living in Downtown. surrounded by concrete Just a mile down the road are two circuits that are proving top notch for my final preparations for the Sahara.
The first is a one mile lap around an undulating gravel/rock/sand wasteland and the other a 10k lap of sand dunes, some higher than a two story house. Both have definitely strengthened my legs, especially my ankles. They are a good combination as the flatter circuit can be run round whereas the dune circuit is a real struggle with some dunes having to be climbed on all fours with the sand coming up to my knees. It has made me really hope my gaiters last the course in the Sahara as I am seemingly having to continuously empty my socks and trainers.
Not surprisingly the sand dunes sessions have been really tiring and I have sometimes resembled C3PO crossing Tatooine in Star Wars: A New Hope, but I suppose its better to die on my training circuits than out in the Sahara...
It hasn't been all training and no play though otherwise I would have gone, completely, mental. We had a trip to Istanbul in January and have been to see the Tennis, Dubai Jazz Festival and Horseracing in February. I am really looking forward to this Friday when we go to the Stone Roses... :-)
With only 43 days to the start of the race I am on the final push till I return to the UK in March to begin my taper and final preparations. Over the final few weeks of main training I am combining the dune and wasteland sessions some days and doing one long run run each week along the beach from the creek back to home. Last week I posted my highest weekly mileage of 75 miles and I hope to be nearer 80 this week. I am still contemplating the value of a 100 mile week versus the risk of injury.
I just can't believe how close it is to the start of the race. It only seems like yesterday that I made the decision to enter. The last year and a bit has gone quickly. It really hit home how close the race is when I received the e-mail confirming my race number (660). This comes with mixed feelings as I am obviously getting nervous about my preparation but I suppose you just have to face up to it at some point. No matter how bad the race gets I know that it is all self inflicted. It is not as if a plane I have flown in has crashed in the Sahara or I am absconding from the French Foreign Legion.
The good news is that I am probably 90% finished getting gear for the race. I have bought all my food for the race and got most of the big items bought for the race.
After research and trying out some of the foods I have went with Expeditions Dried Foods to provide the main source of calories for each day. Each meal is low weight and high calories. Breakfast will be Porridge with Sultanas. Dinner each night will be two different packets of their main meals followed by either one of their rice pudding or custard desserts. I actually find the different varietys of the main meals quiet tasty so I should be able to eat these for a week quite easily.
Lunch will be a Peronin Shake. Again high calorie with the advantage of being easily drunk and digested on the go as all you need to do is add the powder to water and bingo. In between meals I will be mixing power gels, Cliff Bars and Jelly Belly Sports Beans.
The remainder of my foods will be treats consisting of nuts, beef jerky, peparami and super noodles.
On the kit front I bought Thermarest NEOAir sleeping mat before Christmas and have just received the Mammut Ajungilak Sphere Alpine/Summer Sleeping bag in my last delivery from Likeys. Whilst expensive at £215 I couldn't justify any of the cheaper makes as they either we too short, too heavy or too bulky and most weren't recommended to be comfortable in the cold desert conditions.
The other big purchase which I am waiting on to receive in Dubai is the Adidas Devil Eye Prescription Sunglasses. Again expensive at £189 but can be worn as goggles perfect for when the enevitable sand storm strikes and have different inserts. I am just waiting on the glasses to be delivered. I even have my CSI-eque Tyvek Suit for the evenings. Sexy...
The only major thing I am still yet to receive are the Raidlight Gaiters. Likeys are still waiting on their bulk order being cleared by customs. As soon as this is received I am down to bits of my first aid kits.
Completed Research
The few bits I need to do over the next couple of weeks are to finalise the EGC/Medical, finalise my Charity Page and book my flights back to blighty for March.
MasaAalama...
That is a lot of kit - how much did it all weigh when you were fully loaded for the marathon?
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