Goodbye 2012

2012 is going out with a woosh as the wind continues to bater us. So much so that todays training was moved indoors; a 1 hour turbo session followed by yoga and then a core workout. Most people find the turbo excellent for their fitness but boring however I try and deflect from the boredom by using the time to think (between breaths!). So I reflected on the year that has just been. It was a good year for the family with health, exams, sporting achievements, a job and the eldest passing his car test. We had an unbelievable holiday in the Caribbean and business has done well. I achieved a great result in Ironman Lanzarotte (considering a year earlier I almost came home from a training camp 'cause I couldn't hack the cycling in the wind and the hills) and am now well into my training for MdS. So as the sweat poured off me I was smiling contently thinking 2012 was a good year all round and tomorrow I will welcome 2013 with the biggest challenge of my life - the Marathon des Sables. In 27 days time I will be taking part in the longest run of my life, The Great Glen which involves running from Investness to Fort William in 2 days - 79 miles. That is 2 back to back Ultra Marathons and this will give me a good insight as to how tough running long distances day after day will be. I'll get a taste of the real thing in a 4 day training camp in the Sahara in February and finalise my training in march before heading off in April. I hope you all get time to reflect on 2012 and put down some markers for 2013 and beyond. Have a happy, healthy and successful 2013 and please keep following my journey and spreading the word about Mission Ironman. Cheers!

Train hard, fight easy

Train hard, fight easy my training partner said to me as I was digging deep into my reserves today. I'd set off with a group of ultra runners and was expecting an easy pace but as half of them weren't completing the full distance they ran faster. I was already tired from yesterdays run so I knew it was going to be tough. The wind picked up and we could see the rain in the distance. We completed the 30k in 3 hours and this included some walking on the hills but I felt shattered. On the home straight I met 3 of my club mates out on a bike ride battling in the wind and rain - hardcore. I was glad to see others out in the terrible conditions training hard so they can fight easy when the day comes. There are no short cuts in training and digging deep is what's required to achieve what you want. A warm shower followed by hot food and hydration and I feel great. Now I'll take my rest and let my body recover.

Technical problems

Sorry you haven't had any updates but that doesn't mean I haven't been out there battling with the elements. Unfortunately a "boy racer" rolled his car outside my house a few nights ago and took with him our telephone pole. Therefore no phoneline or broadband - kids aren't happy! Fortunately the "boy racer" and his passenger walked away from it but the car is a total wreck. A reminder for all young drivers out there, including my son, that we're not as good as we think we are behind the wheel some times. But I've been putting in the miles running with 4kg on my back and getting used to it. I'm just back from a 10 mile trail run which was tough and had to hose my self down before I was allowed in the house. The mud would have jammed the washing machine! Some big miles coming up at the weekend and I'll report back next time I have access to broadband. Hope you're all enjoying the break?

Boxing day run

With no one available for a run I headed out to work of yesterday's excesses. With the rucksack now weighing 4kg I headed off into the countryside. It was grey but dry. I covered 22k in a reasonable time, slower than my normal running without a rucksack but faster than my ultra pace. The rucksack isn't bothering me and it's great to have a couple of water bottles to keep me hydrated. No aches or pains so I was happy with my run. I am now actively recovering by eating as much food as possible while watching telly. Ah don't you just love Xmas holidays? Hope you're enjoy yours!

Webbed feet

It's Xmas eve and that means the last opportunity to....train of course. The last push before a day off. I had a couple of pals join me as we went trail running rather than splosh through the streets. The forrest run provided some protection however there was severe flooding at one stage and we had to go across a farmers field which doubled the size of my trainers! 15km of splish splosh and avoiding slipping on the mud was fun but one of my pals decided to up the pace in the last 3km and we ended up with a full on race. I was running with my rucksack but it didn't hold me back so I was happy with this progress. Back home and hosed down my trainers before dropping my soaking wet filthy clothing in the washing pile - I'll be popular! So to everyone who visits my blog and keeps me motivated to get out there when it's hosing it down with rain, I hope you have a Merry Xmas and enjoy a break with your family and friends. I'll be back on Boxing Day!

Mental toughness or just mental?

Last night I was well behaved so I could have my long run this morning. Up at 6.30am to have breakfast and give it an hour to digest. It was pitch black outside and didn't sound too windy but I was at the back of the house. My wife suggested I was completely off my head to go out in those conditions - but I had to. I was running with my rucksack weighing about 3.5 kg and as I turned out the drive the gale force wind and rain hit me - wow! Man up I thought, this is what makes you mentally tough. After a mile I turned west straight into the wind and rain. Now I was struggling to move but I kept going and imagined that the rain smashing into my face was sand in a sand storm in the desert. But then I found myself in an oasis or to put it another way, water over my shoes as the road was completely flooded. Time to reconsider on the grounds of health and safety - mine! The run was meant to have involved a big climb and the wind was so strong at this level and I could hardly stand up. When I turned around I almost got blown over as the wind caught my rucksack. When I got back home I had covered the slowest 5.3k ever and had to admit to my wife that perhaps she was right, I was mental! Note to self - Sometimes safety overrides the need to complete a task.

Noah's Ark required

After a day off training yesterday due to our staff party, which was excellent and well behaved, today I ran in the worst rain so far this year - wouldn't be surprised if someones building an Ark! I covered 11.25 miles at a reasonable pace but ran with a rucksack I am trying out for MDS. The rucksack was empty but I had a bottle strapped to each strap. This will allow me to run longer and get used to the rucksack at the same time. In January I will start to weight the rucksack but until then I will be working on my back strength. I'm out partying again tonight but will need to be tee-total as tomorrow I am setting off in the darkness around 6.30am pto run 8 miles with a big climb to meet my fellow ATHelite Club Members for a 7 mile fancy dress run. Once this is finished I will run the 8 miles home. The weather looks dreadful and where we are running is up high and exposed! Should be fun, bring it on. In the meantime my brother is making a good recovery, thankfully.

Maintenance

Today was about maintenance - making sure my fitness continues while avoiding injury. So a leisurely start at 6am on the turbo followed by a yoga session. Not exactly taxing but essential to make sure my body doesn't think it's getting a rest. But all that was put into perspective when I discovered my brother had been in a car accident and was in an ambulance. Everything all of a sudden goes on hold. It's funny how your focus can change in an instant. A reminder to us all that we could be gone in the blink of an eye so we should enjoy ourselves while were here. As for my brother it looks like he'll get home in a couple of days. Thank goodness for A&E and the NHS. Tomorrows another day, fortunately!

Big mileage

In the last week I have run 54.5 miles over 4 runs. My minimum run is now 10.5 miles and when I got home tonight it was hammering down with rain. It had been a long day but I had to get the run in so tomorrow morning I could start with a turbo bike session followed by yoga to flush out the lactic acid. Both will be done by 7.30am. This will mean when I get my sports massage tomorrow afternoon, I will get the full benefit. It would have been so easy not to have gone out, it was totally miserable but I seem to run in "a bubble". Music on and focus straight ahead looking for potholes with my head torch. Writing my blog also helps. I don't want to have a gap in my training and I want to be able to tell you what I've done. So thank you for reading my blog because when it's raining, snowing or freezing you motivate me to get out there!

One on one increases results

It was as if yesterdays comment on yoga had been read by my teacher Pamela Young (www.pamelayoung.co.uk)as I turned up at 6.15am this morning and was put through the most incredible session. Working on a one to one basis in my opinion gets 3 times more out of me. I couldn't possibly put myself in those positions but with her adjusting me or applying some physical pressure, I got there. The sweat was pouring off me and I just managed to keep it together (i.e. without passing out!)for the full hour but she had noticed I was out of alignment. So to finish off she used some ti massage methods which sounds a lot more pleasant that it was. Bloody agony at times but afterwards my shoulders and back felt amazing. That's led me to book with my sports masseuse for the "full bhuna" on my back. I've said before this is an area that I will need to strengthen but also to increase the flexibility as running with 10kg is going to be challenging. If you get a chance for a one on one with a coach / teach or instructor, take it as whatever your practising will improve much quicker and cut out bad habits. Think I'll go for a lie down now!

Yoga keeps me moving

In the last 4 days I've run 46 miles and walked almost to the top of a big hill with a weighted rucksack. So I knew how I was going to feel this morning - stiff! My legs felt good when I got up but I knew my hands would hardly get past my knees as I started my first sun salutation (yoga). However I was confident that 15 minutes later I'd feel a lot more flexible and I did. But I need to increase my yoga practice as it gives me a stronger core and increases my flexibility therefore reduces my risk of injury. My lower back obviously was telling me it had worked at the weekend and that would be climbing Tinto hill with 5kg on my back. This is a reminder that I need to strengthen my back as it is hard to imagine what running with 10kg will be like - and it's not that far away! But that is what I love about this journey. Discovering what you are capable of and it is usually much more than you initially think. You could spend time worrying about how you are going to achieve something but that is a complete waste of time and energy. It's better to break the task down into incremental stages and get on with it. We are all capable of achieving much more so why not start that process today? Enjoy, you're only here once!

Running with the bionic man!

Today was a 6.30am start so I could have porridge before going out for a long run with a legend - Chris Moon. Chris lost his lower leg and arm by stepping on a landmine but is an unbelievable ultra runner. During our 23 mile run he talked me through the Marathon Des Sables which he has completed, with one leg! I picked up lots of tips regarding my training and learned that the walk / run is essential. He advised me that you should walk the hills, which doesn't come naturally to me, but carrying a 10kg rucksack while doing 5.5 marathons in 7 days in 40 - 50 degrees may make the walking easier! This was an important run for me as I have gone from 6 miles to 23 miles (15 miles last Sunday)in just over 2 weeks without any problems - not to be recommended though. Normally you'd only increase by 10% a run but I had to get back to the longer distances following my 5 week layoff. Come January my runs will involve a weighted rucksack. Bring it on.

2013 - what will it bring?

Hello it’s me again, wanting to wish you and your loved ones a Merry Xmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. I also wanted to give you something to think about over the festive period and you’ll be pleased to know, it won’t cost you a penny! It’s that time of year again which seems to sneak up on you – doesn’t seem like a year ago I was thinking the same thing! Can I get my work finished before the break and what will 2013 bring? For me it’s a big year as in 16 weeks time I will be completing in (with 800 athletes / nutters) the Marathon Des Sables; 5.5 marathons across the Sahara Desert in 7 days carrying my own equipment (10kg) – temperature around 40 - 50 degrees! Although I have completed 2 Ironman competitions in the past, this is in a different league so I’m pushing the boundaries. My training schedule is full on and, with the exception of Xmas day and New Years day, I will be training in whatever weather is thrown at us – currently running in the dark in freezing conditions. In January I will be running 50-80 miles per week (with a weighted rucksack) and at the end Jan I am running The Great Glen – 79 miles in 2 days. In February my mileage goes up to 80 miles plus per week and I will also be going out to the Sahara for a 4 day training camp. In addition I will be swimming, cycling and practising yoga to reduce the chance of injury. I hope you will follow my journey including the blood, sweat and tears! Please spread the word, tell others to increase awareness of Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres. I will be arranging a night in March to visit Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre in Glasgow so you can see first hand where my fund raising efforts go. I’ll publish details nearer the time. Finally I thought you might be interested to see how complex the MdS is from a logistics point of view. Here are a few facts from the organisers of what is required to run the event: 120,000 liters of mineral water, 400 support staff, 100 volunteers for the course, 100 4�4 vehicles, 270 saharan and Berber tents, 2 “Ecureuil” helicopters and 1 “Cessna” plane, 23 buses, 6 MDS specific commercial planes, 4 camels, 4 quads bikes, 3 mountain bikes, 1 incinerator lorry for burning waste, 52 strong medical team, 6,5 kms of Elastoplast , 2,700 compeed blister plasters, 19,000 compresses, 6,000 painkillers and 150 litres of disinfectant, 6 satellite telephones, 15 computers, fax and internet, 1 editing bus, 5 cameras and 1 satellite image station, Unbelievable isn’t it and I can’t wait to get out there. Thanks for reading my post. I am often told I am MAD but I hope you’ll agree that what they really mean is that I am Making A Difference! Have a fantastic Xmas. Derek

Learning to walk!

This morning I headed up Tinto, a beautiful hill in South Lanarkshire. Many years ago I used to fly a hang glider on Tinto but today it was a treck with a weighted rucksack (5kg). The path was rutted, covered in ice and lying water so I had to be carefull. On the steep sections you could feel the weight in the rucksack and it made me wonder how tough it will be going up large sand dunes with 10kg in 40-50 degrees heat! Learning to walk is an important part of the training and Tinto provides me with a perfect training ground. I didn't get to the top as it got too icy but I did reach cloudbase so for safety reasons I turned back. This type of training is active recovery and has loosened off my legs for tomorrows long run which will be between 15 - 20 miles. I'll be back on Tinto soon and hope, in the better weather, to run to the top as this is the kind of fitness I need for MdS.

Ordinary people, extra ordinary achievements

Last night I went to a business meeting of the IOD and met some inspiring people. Not olympic athletes but ordinary people doing extra ordinary things. Whether it was organising the medals for the rowing presentations at the Olympics, to climbing new peaks in Antartica, to changing peoples lives. When I am in company of people like this it inspires me to work harder to achieve my goal of completing MdS. So tonight I was out for a 10 mile run in freezing temperatures. This will be a 4 day block of running with a long distance run of 15 - 20 miles on Sunday. This will be my training pattern till April to get my body used to condensed mileage before I start adding weight into a rucksack. That's when the fun will start but it's amazing what ordinary people can achieve.

High tech feet

Feet are awesome. They take the full burden of our weight and if there are any imperfections it can affect our whole structure. Years ago I realised this and when running I wear orthotics to balance out the imperfections. As I've had a foot and ankle injury recently I revisited my Poditrist to check my orthotics. I ran with "electronic pads" in my shoes which gave a pressure map showing 60 pressure points on each foot. When running with the orthotics the map was well balanced which is good news. However without the orthotics I was like a runner with one leg! Now the poditrist is sourcing a new covering for the orthotics to reduce friction and keep the heat down. He is using me as a case study so it should be interesting over the next few months. However training in freezing conditions isn't very helpful for preparing for the heat of the desert. But there isn't much choice at the moment so I'll just have to layer up and get out there with my high tech feet!

Winter running

The wind was howling when I woke up this morning. Did I really have to go out this morning? Of course I did. It was dry but the roads were a bit tricky in places as I headed out with the "ultra crowd". I was looking forward to a nice slow paced long run - I got neither. They were only heading out for 10 miles so as a result on the second half of the run they upped the pace. It wouldn't normally be a problem except for my lack of running but I hung on. At the end of the 10 miles I tagged on another five on my own as I really do need to increase my mileage. In 6 weeks time I'll be tackling the Great Glen which is 79 miles in two days so I don't have a choice. In 9 days I've gone from 6 miles to 15 and I hope to be up to marathon distance at the beginning of January. When I got home I jumped into a freezing cold bath. The first 2 minutes are agony but it helps with the recovery. Then into my compression tights, not a pretty sight, followed by hydration and lots of food. After all I've burned off 1,800 calories this morning and my muscles need protein to help recover. Now off for a recovery nap!

Hibernation!

It all makes sense to me know - hibernation. I mean, who in their right mind would be outside in this bitterly cold weather? I've tried but had a few "Bambi moments" and headed back indoors. This week has been extremely busy, stressful and involved travelling. My son shadowed me for a week at work for experience. We had a great time but 2 days in London knocks the training out. So I've been on the turbo trainer, which sits next to a radiator, and am delighted to report my "turbo legs" are back. My heart rate is back to normal so I'm feeling good. In London I ran on a treadmill for an hour and although this isn't something I enjoy, it was a good workout. Last night I headed out for a run in the dark and was on my bum before I reached the front gate so back in for another turbo session. But I need running miles in my legs so I'm heading out on the trails this afternoon on this dry, sunny and freezing cold day. Here's hoping I stay up right. But before that I'm off to the local farmers market with my wife to get in the food for tonight we are having friends round for dinner. I'll need to be carefull on the liquid carbs as tomorrow I am away running with the Ultra Runners. Should be fun!

OMG!

At 6.15am I was on my yoga mat with my teacher Pamela Young (check out www.pamelayoung.co.uk). She took me through most of the Ashtanga series for the first time although I had covered all the individual moves before. It took me to the limit of my fitness and beyond. I was completely exhausted by the end and tonight I had to clean my yoga mat which had been saturated in sweat. It's not often I reach a point where I really don't think I can go any futher. But I have complete faith in Pam and while I feel as though I can't breath and am drowning, I know she wouldn't put me in danger. Yes this is yoga I am talking about. So the stiffness that was in my legs that needed a sports massage - gone. When I got home from work I was exhausted so I jumped in the bath. I couldn't believe it when I was able to reach past my toes - getting to my ankles is difficult enough! This is a full body workout and is essential to my training programme so it reinforces my belief that yoga will serve me well in the preparation for MdS.

First snow

This morning I awoke, early, to a blanket of white snow. Not too thick but enough to know the usual car accidents would be happening in the morning. So I jumped out of bed and got on the turbo trainer to exercise out the stiffness in my legs from yesterdays run. I could easily have stayed in bed but there is no room for being lazy as my trining is behind and I try and play catch up. My legs started to ease by the end of the session but I'd put them under no real pressure. Much more interested in flushing out any lactic acid. However when I started my yoga I was surprised at how stiff they still were. After a spin I am usually ok so the 10 mile run had affected them. The good news is that there were no aches or pains from my foot, ankle, achillies or calf. It was mainly my quads and hamstrings that were complaining. I am sure tomorrows yoga session with Pam will sort me out but I'll also be booking a spots massage just to make sure my legs are getting some TLC!

2nd run

After my birthday which involved a few more liquid carbs than healthy I went out for my second run since returning from illness and injury. You are meant to increase your running distance by a maximum of 10%, but I don't have time for that. So my 6 miles increased to 10 miles. I managed without any problem but my legs did feel it. So when I got home it was straight into an ine cold freezing bath. I lasted 5 minutes but thought my feet were going to explode with the cold. My legs are a bit stiff so tomorrow I'll be on the turbo to ease my legs. So progress but we'll see if there is any fall out in the next couple of days! What a great weekend.

Birthday boy

Today was my 51st birthday. Last year was the quickest year of my life - woosh! The amazing thing is, I'm fitter at 51 that I've ever been in my life. And it's all due to a change in mindset. Today I was away with my wife at the Nick Nairn Cookery School making a three course meal - what an amazing experience. Doing things I never thought possible. A bit like preparing for MdS. The older I get I realise it's not physical, it's mental. If you think you can, then you'll make it happen. Tomorrow I will stretch my running but at the same time be careful as I don't want any more set backs. I've come to the conclusion, my mind is expanding the possibilities and I'm getting younger! All because I'm pushing the boundaries and loving it. Come on. Join in!

I'm back

My new running shoes arrived today and having not run in five weeks I thought it time to see how the possible stress fracture, the swollen ankle, the thickened achilles and the tight calf were getting on. But first I had to put in a days work. So at 5pm I headed out into the dark with my head torch. It was 1 degree centigrade - bloody freezing. Within 20 metres I had gone over on my ankle - running with a head torch isn't ideal but fortunately there was no damage. I ran easily for 10k and ignored the time. It was good to be back running. I had felt a few tweaks but nothing painful. So as a precaution I soaked my calves and feet in an ice cold bath for 5 minutes. Brrrrrrrr. Tomorrow I have a day off training but on Sunday I'll pick up the training and stretch the distance.

Amazing new diet

I am very fortunate never to have had a weight problem. However the drawback would be if I ever fell over board I wouldn't last long in the water as I have little body fat. But if there is one thing I don't want to be it's the skinny guy with a pot belly! So what am I on about a diet for? A strange thing happened to me this morning when I finished my training. My stomach requested a change in my diet. It's happened before when training for Ironman events and I can only assume it's like the cravings pregnant women get. When training for an endurance event you need more calories than normal, but the right type. Recently I have been overdosing on chocolate which isn't really a problem but you do feel sluggish. After a breakfast of porridge (my norm) and a fresh green smoothie I was off to the supermarket for my greek yoghurt, bananas, grapes, mixed nuts & raisins (1,000 calories in that pack alone), tuna and wholegrain rice. I've snacked during the day and my energy levels are through the roof. My stomach is now quiet and I think happy. So I'll be piling on the veg tonight or salad with my meal. It seems that my body is guiding me as to what I need for the sharp increase in exercise - feels great!

Sore, tired but feeling good!

It's nice to be feeling almost back to normal. As I woke for my 6am turbo session I took stock; slightly dehydrated from 3 glasses of wine late last night (they were required after a seriously crap day), sore muscles either from some weight training with my son 2 days before or the yoga session yesterday or the fall in the shower! So generally ok. I did an efforts session on the turbo parked next to a radiator to get me used to working out in the heat. The sweat poured out of me and I consumed double the amount of water - note to self, lay off the wine when training at 6am! But it's great to almost be back to normal - I'll say normal once I have a few runs under my feet and the injuries don't flair up. You forget what it's like to feel healthy when your a shivering snot factory so I'm going to enjoy this feeling. The aches and pains are just a result of my body getting used to regular training again - bring it on!

Rule 5 - MTFU

My cycling pals will all understand rule 5 - man the @@@@ up. It was often shouted as encouragement as I was dying on the bike and biting the handlebars as I tried to claw my way up another yet hill. But I never thought I'd be saying it to myself in my yoga lesson! It's been 4 weeks and today at 6.30am I was on the mat while Pam (my wonderful yoga teacher) was getting me back into positions my brain was telling me were impossible. Sweat and almost tears were steaming down my face as she tried to get my "core re-engaged" but any muscle memory was long gone. But it's more the mental side that was holding me back so by the end we had made some progress. As always I felt great afterwards but almost ruined everything by slipping in the shower. I caught the shower pole with my head 6 inches from the deck - that was close as it could have been a nasty injury. I think the fall may have engaged my core so tomorrow morning may be a bit tentative! I promise from here on in, no more winging at the yoga session (ok Pam?). I'll just apply rule 5!

Christmas is cancelled!

Normally at this time of year, I'd be looking forward to the odd Xmas party, a few extra beers and some time off training. Even last year with Lanza Ironman in May I enjoyed a few days break but MdS is 6 weeks earlier and I've had 4 weeks off running so I'm way behind. Therefore Xmas is cancelled, well sort of! I am going out for my first run on Friday and hopefully the foot and ankle injury should cope with the strain - if not then Xmas is back on and the Mds is cancelled! But that can't happen. Every effort will be made and I'm heading home for another turbo training session to get the base level fitness back. At least my heart rate is back to normal now I'm over my cold. I've got a target of running the Great Glen, 79 miles, over 2 days at the end of January and as long as the pace is right then I should make it. Then I've got an Mds training camp in Morocco at the end of Feb and before I know it I'll be standing at the start line for the biggest adventure of my life (so far!). Fingers crossed!

Ice station zebra

Last night the temperature plummeted and when I dropped my daughter off at dancing in the morning the roads were glistening with ice. Although it was a sunny day I decided on the turbo trainer indoors rather than risk it on the roads. It turns out to be a wise choice as several of my club mates ended up kissing the tarmac by the time they reached the end of the road. So 75 minutes of turbo torture. Music blaring and the TV on, with the sound down, anything really to take my mind of the boredom. Being indoors the temperature quickly rose and the sweat started dripping off me. As I am coming back from a layoff and being unwell I paid close attention to my heart rate. I made sure that it was steady but at the same time increased the intensity slightly. I followed this with a short yoga session and it's going to take me some time to get my breathing in order. I need to be patient and ignore the other athletes who are at a different stage in their training cycle.

Early visit to Morocco!

Xmas has come early for me. I have been looking at going abroad to train in heat and desert conditions but didn't fancy going out on my own. The challenge is not just the heat and the sand but hydration in the desert when you don't have any support. Perhaps been captured and held for ramsom might be another but that would be unlikely. So yesterday I received an invitation to train with a three time MDS winner in Morroco for four days at the end of February. It covers all the preparation I'd require including night running and obviously there will be a support team. This is where the family support comes in because permission was given as it will end up a six day trip and a month later I will be away for the best part of 2 weeks. I got their blessing as they know how much preparation is required to be ready for this challenge and having laid out a small fortune, I don't want to mess it up through either lack of training or knowledge. Remember I live my life by the 7 P's (piss poor preparation precipitates piss poor performance)! I think this 4 day excursion will be a fabulous opportunity to learn from the experts. Can't wait.

Getting there

This morning I increased my turbo time by 50% to 45 minutes and although I felt a bit sluggish a the beginning I soon got into the rhythm. My garmin gave me a few scary readings on heart rate jumping from 145 to 155 up to 175 within a matter of seconds but I ignored that as I was still breathing easily. Time on the turbo allowed me to reflect on last nights MdS lecture and how Martin had given himself a whole year to get ready whereas I won't be. His first pair of running shoes were bought was after he entered the race - there was a 3 year waiting list back in 2008. So were starting in a different place. He talked of sub 3 hour marathon runners and ironman bringing up the rear and said that was down to their lack of appropriate training. In particular hill training, hill walking (time on feet) and back to back long runs (20 mile plus - each!). Good advice and as soon as I'm back to base level fitness and injury free I'll be putting it into practise. Have a great day!

Meeting my MdS mates

I am determined to "catch up" although the theory goes you never do. But at 6am I climbed on my turbo trainer and put in a steady 30 minutes. When I got off I had to lie down as I felt dizzy and sick but my heart rate recovered quickly so that was a good sign. This evening I went to a talk on the MdS in Edinburgh and met three of my tent mates who will be on the journey with me. It's interesting seeing the different backgrounds and approaches to training for the event. We've organised to meet up for some runs and I think it was important to establish these relationships before going to Morocco. The talk was interesting with lots of useful tips. The speaker was very laid back and it just got me one step closer to the desert. So when I'm up tomorrow for my 45 minute turbo session I'll be more focused and hopefully will feel better at the end than I did today.

Starting again

If I thought the MdS was going to be a challenge, having 3.5 weeks off training has made it even harder. I've got 20 weeks to go but woke up this morning feeling "normal". So I started slowly with 5 sun salutations and a head stand. Hardly a workout but a start. Tonight I visited my physio and he is pleased with the progress with my achilles but says that the jury's out on the stress fracture. So I've got some tests to do over the next few weeks to check it out. In the meantime I will be on the turbo trainer and swimming. I'm also checking out pool running in order to get my fitness up without putting too much strain on my foot or achilles. So today was a small but not painful step so here's to more of that, after all there is only 20 weeks to go!

Spectating, again!

Today I had the pleasure of watching my son Ali get a PB on his 800m race - currently unofficially 2 min 11 sec. For his age group if he'd got under 2:10 he would have got a UK ranking. He could hardly walk after it but recovered over the next hour to take part in the long jump followed by a 400m. I almost had to carry him out after that as he'd given it everything - nothing was left on the track. Spectating gives you a different perspective on events but it makes me all the more determined to "get better". But watching athletes,and their parents, at the start of their careers learning their trade. It's great to see so many kids taking part and trying their best. Not sitting on a couch getting fat while they play on the xbox! So the rest continues but I am hoping to start light training next week. I'm not convinced about my foot but time will tell.

Phew!

I visited my podiatrist to check out my feet and my orthotics today. He was so concerned about my foot injury that he didn't run the pressure tests and I went straight to A&E for an X-Ray. The 2 hour wait had me thinking through the possibility of a stress fracture and how long that would put me out for. MdS was beginning to look like a DNS (did not start). Reluctantly they X-Rayed my foot and the result..........was nothing was broken and that it was tendonitis. Phew. Two more weeks off running which will mean I won't have run in 5 weeks! My man flu continues so perhaps this is a good time to be injured. But as soon as I can I'll be back on the turbo trainer and also in the pool. This will get my base fitness back but I will have to come back steadily with the running as I can't afford another injury. My other leg injury (calf, ankle and achillies) is being looked at again next week by my physio. Here's hoping.

Everyone needs support

Having made my pals aware of my potential injury problem and the consequences, support flooded into my Facebook page - well at least five suggestions. They range from the sensible "listen to your physio and take the time off" to swimming, cycling and running in the pool. It's great to have a support mechanism as most athletes will end up injured at one stage or another in their training and when they do they tend not to be happy bunnies! In the meantime, today is a long day as I headed down to London on the first flight and am coming back on the last flight - a 17 hour day if the flights on time. Good practice for the long days in the Marathon des Sables and I am very conscious of how mu foot and ankle feel as I walk miles around town. But as I partake in some liquid carbs (just 1) I'm wishing that Star Trek technology was available and that Scotty could "beam me up". It's not going to happen so I'll apply some "mental" training and zone out in the queues at the airport and the nonsense you have to go through at security followed by the "herding of the cattle" onto the plane. I'll practice my yoga breath and imaging I was back in the Caribbean. Yea man...see it's working already!

I'm a celebrity get me out of here!

The contestants in "I'm a celebrity...." are struggling. But it's not a physical pressure it's a mental pressure that's causing the biggest problem. In Marathon des Sables it's both but everything I have read or heard from people that have completed it leads me to conclude it's the mental side you have to conquere. That was until 6.15 pm today when I visited my physio. Having had 2 and a half weeks off due to "man flu" I was surprised I had a sore foot. It turns out I have some mechanical problems with both feet and going by the expression on my physio's face, he's concerned. It could be any number if things that have caused it but the likely cause is my yoga! It has improved my ankle flexibility which has caused instability when running on trails! So no running for a week. At the weekend I'll start some turbo training to regain my cardio vascular fitness while not loading my feet or ankles. Massage my feet, ankles and achilles and use cold walter and anti-inflamitory tablets to aid the recovery. Until tonight I thought the mental side would be the challenge, as it is in "I'm a celebrity..." but I was up for that. I never thought for a minute that I may have a physical issue that would make 5.5 marathons in 7 days almost impossible. Fingers crossed but I'm now off to see my podiotrist to see what's changed mechanically in my feet and if I need new orthotics.

2 steps forward...and 1 back!

It was a busy day yesterday and I managed another 30 minutes on the turbo trainer. I did the same routing so I could compare my heart rate against effort and it had improved. It was much more consistent alough probably still too high for the effort. I felt great afterwards and did 5 sun salutations - hardly a workout but I was sweating plenty. I am not sure if it was this workout or the busy day I've had or the fact I gave up caffeine three days ago (going cold turkey)but I am currently feeling crap and am about to head home to bed. Hopefully I will get back to normal soon but all the advice is don't push it so on this occassion I won't. Catch up soon.

Gently does it

Gently does it was my motto this morning. I'm desperate to get back into training after 13 days off but I dont want to cause a set back by going at it too hard. It was a beautiful morning and there was a group ride going out but much as I wanted to join in, that could have finished me off. I have a niggling pain in my foot which is causing me to limp occasionally so I'm seeing the Physio on Wednesday to have it checked out. So I went for an indoor turbo session where I could control all the elements. I cycled steadily for 30 minutes and if my Garmin is to be believed my heart rate was all over the place. Half way through it settled down but now I'm resting and monitoring it to see how my recovery is. Not great is the answer. My resting heart rate is normally 52. If I'm sitting watching TV it might be 60. As I write this blog it's 78 so that's telling me to gradually introduce exercise over the coming week. Based on what's flowing out my nose, sorry about that detail, I won't be risking any exercise outdoors or in a pool. So I'll just need to fall in love with my turbo and get back to the yoga.

The plan begins

I may be out of action in that I am recovering from man flu, did I mention that before, but tonight I sat down with a two time MDS veteran and discussed my training plan detail. I was delighted to hear that what I've been doing to date has me on track. He has informed me of the mileage I will need to be running in Dec, Jan, Feb & March and the hard work is about to begin. We went over the core work in addition to my yoga as I need to have the strength to carry and run with 20 kilos on my back. I was given a great insight to the nutrition required and tips on hygene which are essential seen as there are no washing facilities or water, over and above your 9 litres a day. Now I've been armed with this info I will build my training plan. In two weeks time I am going to a workshop on MDS and then I will decide on my equipment as it will need to be tried and tested before I step into the "sandpit". Thanks Tony for imparting your knowledge.

Supporting role

One week into my "man flu" and still not well enough to train. So today i decided to support my team mates who were running in a local 10k race. I picked the half way point because that is where a tough climb comes in and there is nobody out there supporting in the wilderness. I always liked getting support from the croud and remember the boost you get by a call out from a friend. It was inspiring watching runners of all standards, shapes and diverse running styles giving their best. No matter what time the athletes took, as they crossed the 5k mark they all looked at their watches. They needed to know how they were doing in relatation to the target they had set themselves. There was a pace maker for anyone wanting to get in in 58 minutes and there were a large group of runners in that group. By the time they reached the finishline they had spread out but I think their real target was to get under 1 hour - many did. Afterwards I talked to the athletes about their training, their journey, the race and how they felt. There was a great deal of pride in their accomplishment whether they managed it in sub 35 mins or sub 1hr. The target is relative. I felt inspired watching and listening to the athletes and am looking forward to getting my running shoes back on but I will need to be careful as to when and how I come back.

160 days and counting

When I applied to enter the MDS in May 2011, it seemed a long way away. There are now only 160 days to go and I have spent the last 5 recovering from "man flu" - I'm not happy about that. But worry about what you can control and not what you can't has always been my motto. So I've taken the opportunity to rest although I don't feel very rested. Over the weekend I hope, depending on my ability to breath, to start my yoga again. I'll take it easy just gently getting my body used to some exercise and my lungs used to filling with oxeygen. I'd like to think I could run but it's probably too big a risk. At best i might manage to spin my legs on the turbo trainer. It's only when you are forced not to exercise that you realise the benefit of it. Other than the "man flu" I feel sluggish, still and lathargic. Roll on next week when hopefully I will return to my old self and back in my lycra pounding the streets and the trail around Scotland. Have a good weekend folks.

Time out

When you are well you generally don't realise it. Life goes on and you take it for granted. This was how I felt until a few days ago and then was "struck down" with "man flu". I know, it's pathetic but when you are swallowing broken glass all day, popping pills, sipping lemslips by the dozen, gargling salt, sucking stepsils, drinking lemon tea ginger and honey.... you get the message. I have swollen glands in my kneck and a viral infection according to the doctor. As a result I can't train and have had to pull out of a 16 mile race I had lined up on Sunday - it would be unwise to race with a virus. I'll have to take the rest and make the best use I can of the time. I'll pick up the training when I recover. I also reflect on people who are really ill and have months or years of discomfort and realise how luck I am - man flu or no man flu! So I'll just have to accept "rule 5" as they say in cycling - man the frig up!

Swallowing broken glass

I've been dodging a cold for a couple of weeks now with family members and work colleagues all suffering. So it was inevitable that I'd catch something. I woke at 4am with a feeling of swallowing broken glass and had to eat some ice to help my throat and allow me to get back to sleep. Today I've been substituting tea for lemsip and feel this has a few days to go - hopefully it won't turn into anything like my sons which has been two weeks of hell. So I've skipped training today and I'll treat that as my one day off per week. I am scheduled for my tough yoga session with my teacher at 6.30am tomorrow and will do everthing possible to be there. I may have to adapt me training to "tick-over" mode with indoor turbo training (easy sessions) and yoga for the rest of the week. On Sunday I have a 16 mile race and based on yesterdays run I was in good shape. Time will tell but when your body starts to "break down" I've found the quickest way to recover is to back off the intense training. It's fortunate I have this now and not in March/April!

Sir Chris Hoy Veladrome Glasgow

What a fantastic weekend. It started with my early morning yoga to get the stiffness out of my legs. Then out for a fast 6.25 mile run. It felt great but had to be short because I had tickets for the Thunderdrome at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow - what an unbelievable facility, worldclass. The racing was brilliant and the drop on the banked corners frightening - I'd be scared to ski down it. Now my cycling pals have all been trying to persuade me to get accreditation so I can ride on the track but I've been refusing. There was a raffle and guess what I won? You guessed it, free accredditation! Must be a signal. The we went off to the Braveheart Cycling Charity dinner and mixed with the cycling elite including Sir Chris - it was wall to wall fit athletes. I met Roddie Riddle, ex Commonwealth cyclist, who is doing MDS and we planned a long running excursion. Good to actually meet someone of that calibre and know we will be sharing a tent in the "sandpit" - with 6 others! I paced myself so that at 9am the next morning I could go running. It was chucking it down with rain so we went for a trail run. I was hoping to do more that 15 miles but circumstances kept it to that although I felt I could have run all day. The mileage will have to increase next week though and soon I'll be running with a rucksack. Bring it on.

Cross training

I have come to the conclusion that Triathlon training is brilliant for fitness and keeping relatively injury free. Whenever you feel a niggle, you just switch the emphasis to reduce the pressure in that area - this week I didn't run for 3 days to give my ankles a rest but kept training. In addition swimming, cycling and running are all good for you but combining them gives you an all round fitness. Why am I telling you this? Perhaps just to reassure myself that while all my newly found MDS pals who will be in the sand pit in 2013 are murdering themselves on long runs, ultra races and even starting to run with back packs, I'm swimming! Apart from the fantasic cardiovascular workout it eases off my legs and helps with my current ankle niggles. This means over the weekend I can put in some decent mileage running with my ultra pals knowing I'm not causing a problem with tired legs. I'm building up so that I peak just at the right time for the event. Right now I am just building the base fitness which I can then build on.

Hill training pays off

At 5.20am I can here my son getting ready for an early shift. I'm thinking about my yoga and run when my alarm goes off at 6.10 - that was a nice lie in! It amazes me how withing 5 sun salutations I can get 6 inches closer to my toes and by the end of the short practise feel brilliant and ready to take on my run. It's midweek and pitch black outside so it was only a 6.25 mile run but it seemed effortless and fast. Obviously the hill training on the trails is having a positive affect so there will be more running at the weekend. My yoga teacher was slightly concerned with a thickening around my achilles but I've rested this and am feeling the benefits. It's nice to see results as sometimes the training can seem like a slog, but not today my friends!

Perfect practise

You'll have heard the phrase, practise makes perfect. Sadly that is not correct as practise is only any good if you are practising the right things properly. Otherwise you get better at making mistakes. Let me explain. Today was a day off training but I was running a breakfast meeting for my clients and the guest speaker was Justin Urquhart Stewart of Seven Investment Management. If you watch the BBC you'll see this eloquent investment commentator who wares the red braces - it's his brand. He is a true professional and he speaks without notes, seemingly easily. However I also had the pleasure of his company the night before and the same phrases were being used. I know just how hard he works at researching the information and rehearsing his presentation, before he stands up in front of his audience. He is a true professional who makes it look easy. If we relate this to swimming, cycling, running or any other discipline then it's exactly the same. It takes perfect practise to deliver excellence and it requires a mindset to reach that level of professionalism. Today might have been a day off training, but I learned a lot. Thanks Justin.

Mind games

Isn't our brain a wonderful thing? It seems to contain a wee voice in our head that constantly talks to us. Usually it is critical or full of reasons why you can't do something and this is a daily challenge, even to someone as positive as me. This morning was a perfect example. I was in my yoga class and being pushed hard. At times I though my muscles were going to snap but my teacher kept telling me that if I breathed then the oxygen would help the muscle stretch. In the meantime my brain was screaming at me to stop. Nothing snapped. It got worse when I went upside down, that really confused me but again the voice kept giving me negative feedback. "Just breath Derek" I was being told - so I did. The mind plays games with you and this kind of practise is going to be good for the desert when my mind and body are telling me I can't go on any longer. But if I can breath and silence my mind then I will have the best chance of achieving the seamingly impossible and that's worth working hard for. It will be relentless with 5.5 marathons over 7 days carrying a 10kg rucksack, and in the end, ignoring the false signals and focusing on breathing to feed the muscles will get me there. Why not try working on your breathing when you feel under stress? It's a great way to relax. Have fun.

Lovely nails!

When my alarm went off at 5.45am I thought I was dreaming. It was pitch black and silent the other side of the curtains and I really didn't feel like getting up. But I had to so that I could get in 20 minutes of yoga followed by porridge which would give it 1 hour to digest before swimming. In the pool I worked on keeping my legs closer together and I thought my times were ok till I checked my watch - even slower than last week! 4 x 500m was my session but I mustn't get dispondent about the time because I am not training enough to warrent a better time. I am only there to ease my legs from the running and that it did. Tonight a "foot doctor" came and checked out my feet and toe nails. They got a nice filing and any calluses were reduced with a scapel. I've been advised to put moisturising cream on my feet twice a day to get them in good shape for the desert. I know it all sounds like I'm getting in touch with my feminine side, but this is all to help me survive in the desert. If your feet aren't properly prepared the it will be a very painful and perhaps short adventure in the sand pit! It would also be a waste of all my fitness training so my feet are now a priority!

The Red carpet

After a week of rain we've had the most wonderful autumnal weekend. Yesterday I went out on the bike for 2.5 hours. I haven't done that in a long time and I really enjoyed the feeling in my legs. Cycling keeps my fitness up while giving the legs a bit of a rest - but not too much. You're using different muscles which keeps a balance as too much of either discipline can cause problems which I have experienced before. My pals had gone out earlier so I was on my own for the ride. Again I didn't use my Garmin and just went on feel. It felt good. Then I had to clean the bike due to all the muck on the farm roads because of the previous weeks rain. It was filthy. This morning the sun was shining brightly in the blue sky and I headed out for a 14.4 mile trail run. My ultra running pals were either exhausted from a race the day before or hungover from the night before or both - they train hard, race hard and play hard. So it was Derek no mates again. The trail is tough with it's constant ups and down but the scenery makes up for it. At one part there was a red carpet of leaves , absolutely stunning. I lost my water bottle on the first lap and decided that I would continue and treat this as "desert dehydration training". Fortunately I found it on the 2nd lap as running for 2 hrs 13 mins with no hydration isn't advisable. Now I'm home and resting so I can start again tomorrow.

Improvement

The last few days I have noticed some aches in my ankles and have put this down to increased mileage on trails i.e. uneven ground. So a trip to the sports mausseuse Grant this afternoon was, painful. But a good kind of pain. It's been too long since my last visit but the yoga has kept me going. Grant was impressed by the greater range in movement in my ankles and again this is as a direct result of my yoga. That's the first time in 3 years that I have seen a marked improvement of that nature and that encourages me to go keep going with the yoga. I went out for an early morning run with my swimming pal in the dark and pouring rain but he developed a stitch so we cut it short. But this will act as a warm up for a tough weekend of distance running!

It's a drag

Swimming was never my strong point and as I stirred at 5.10am I realised I would be getting up in an hour for my swim session. At 6.10 I was thinking of every reason I could to stay in bed but then I remembered I'd have to report back to you in the blog. That's one of the reasons I write the blog almost daily as it keeps me going when the motivation is weak. So into the pool for 4 x 500m and I had to drag my ass up and down the lane whilst getting passed by an excellent swimmer and fellow triathlete on a frequent basis. He made it look so easy that didn't help my frame of mind as my times got slower with each 500m. But being realistic I can't swim once a week and expect to see improvement. It's not my priority but is there to help my legs recover from the running. So tomorrow I will bury that swimmer when I take him out running and later on will suffer at the hands of the sports masseuse. With all the running I expect there will be a few sensitive points, you'll probably hear me screaming!

Key session

When I was training for Ironman Lanzarote I realised that there were key sessions which you "banked" and they paid off on race day. But you must complete them. Today I had a key session. After 1.5 hours of wonderful yoga which keeps pushing me to new limits, I came home and rested in anticipation of what was to follow. The weather was awful with the rain hammering down so I waited till the afternoon when it wasn't as heavy. I had ran 14 miles on the road on Saturday and 10 miles trail running on Sunday. So I had miles in my legs and wanted to push it further. So I went out in the rain and completed a 14.5 mile trail run. Not a huge run but the important aspects were; I was on my own so tougher mentally; the trail is up and down and the weather made it difficult and heavy under foot; my legs had covered 24 miles in 3 days so it wasn't going to be easy. The session was a success and it's important to put in mentally and physically tough sessions. In 3 months time I won't regard this as a tough session as I'll be running with a weighted rucksack but at this stage of my training, it was important. As I sit and recover watching the footie I realise that my legs feel great. But a sports massage would be wise in the next couple of days. The yoga is really working at keeping me injury free and today I did my first headstand! Chuffed to bits.

Bike fit

A weeks holiday at home with the family and the chance time to relax, spend quality time with them and train. So today I went out on my bike for the first time in 7 weeks. I had no Garmin, no targets in mind, I just wanted to spin my legs after all the running. It was also the first time I had ridden my bike since the bike fit and what a difference it made. My quads felt great. The scenery was amazing in a crisp autumn day but I stopped to take a photo and when I started again I was freezing! It was great to be out on the bike but my bike fitness has gone. No worry there as this will improve when I started my turbo training this week. Tomorrow I have my 6.30am yoga which will be followed by a couple of hours trail run. I feel so good just now, I'm loving it!

Lighten up!

Winter is definately here and we seem to have skipped Autumn. After my yoga session I went out running at 6.50am and had to wear a head torch to enable me to avoid the potholes on the pavements and the roads and as a warning to car drivers that I was approaching. The rain was relentless but I had dressed appropriately and other than wet feet, stayed relatively dry. But it was only towards the end of the run that the darkness started to lift. I suppose there is no choice but to get used to it and not be tempted to pull the covers over and enjoy an extra hour in bed! My long runs will be contained to the weekend so I can do them in day light and having back to back long runs (between 10 - 30 miles) is ideal training for the desert.

Virgin training

I declared today my weekly rest day - I'm allowed 1 day off a week and this was it. However it wasn't exactly rest as I was on an early virgin train to London (Virgin training!) meaning a 5.30am start and I won't get home till 11pm tonight. But the strange thing about training for an event like MDS is that it's never far from your mind. On the way down I laid out the foundations of a training plan to improve my focus. When meeting with clients they ask how the training is going and usually as I lay my head on the pillow, not during client meetings, I turn my thoughts to what it will be like sleeping under the stars in the desert. This really is the adventure of a lifetime and the more I read about it the more excited I become. However before I feel the furnace of the Sahara a lot of work needs to be done and many miles covered. It's hard to contemplate how my body and mind will cope especially when I start to run with a loaded rucksack. But I've stretched the boundaries before and gone through a similar thought process so I'm not going to waste any energy worrying unnecessarily. I leave that to others. In the meantime I can look forward to my yoga at 6am tomorrow!

Being in touch with your body

I am totally amazed by the transformation my body is going through with yoga. Only yesterday I reported struggling to touch my knees after some running at the weekend. However today in my yoga class I got to touch my toes! This might not sound much but it's a major break through for me and it came about because I was able to tilt my pelvis by engaging my core muscles. I have always had good stomach muscles but your core is so much more than that. I also realised yesterday that my bum was higher in the water when swimming therefore improving my effeciency which again was down to engaging my core. The workout is hard and I am sweating buckets but with the support of my teacher Pamela Young (check out www.pamelayoung.co.uk) I am in touch with my body. I feel energised and haven't felt any of my usual hamstring or calf muscle twinges since I started. I've a long way to go but with this kind of progress and feeling so good it's not exactly a task - more of a pleasure.

Stiff as a board

My legs didn't feel too bad when I go up at 5.45am for my yoga session, but when I tried the second move in the 1st sun salutation my hands reached my knee caps and no further - ouch! Most people I know can get close to touching their toes but for me that is a goal. Normally I can get a good six inches past my knees but it didn't start that way this morning. However by the end of the session I had improved and felt a lot looser but it just goes to show how important the yoga is going to be with the running mileage increasing. Then I headed off to the pool for part 2 of loosing up my legs. I have worked really hard at my swimming over the last 4 years to become reasonable at it but I have hardly swam in the last few months so I knew this was going to be tough. My times were all dramatically down but I reminded myself there is no swimming in the desert and the only reason I am doing it is for fitness and something to help my legs recover which it does. As for my times they should improve with some hard sessions over the coming month and this will give me a focus in the pool. Having scoffed a "heart attack roll" (black pudding, bacon & egg) and a coffee I feel brand new!

Building up the miles

Last weekend I ran 22 miles on the Sunday and It feels like I spent the rest of the week recovering. So this weekend I decided to have 2 medium runs to allow my body to recover fully. Yesterday it was an 11 mile run but I could feel the difference running on Tarmac makes. I'm pleased that my running will involve more off road as it certainly has less impact on my body. I was at a wedding last night so took it easy with the liquid carbs (beer) because I was meant to be out with the ultra runners in the morning. However no run details came through, I suspect they were hungover, so I ran around a football pitch while my son played his match. I managed 13 miles and running on soft grass is tiring so good practice for the desert. No for some proper recovery. Feet up watching the grand Prix then the football. Life is good.

Failing to plan is planning to fail

When preparing for Ironman I had a daily, weekly, monthly plan which I followed to the letter as on a weekly basis I had to go over my results with my coach. Having this "control mechanism" in place helped me stick to the plan and push myself through the tough sessions. For Marathon des Sables I have no coach (as yet) and am making the plan up as I go. Part of my reasoning is that in the desert it is down to me so I'd better get used to disciplining myself in training. However the downside is weeks like this one. Having finished the run challenge which lasted the month of September and had me posting my results daily to the rest of the team (a control mechanism)my motivation has failed. I did a hard yoga session on Tuesday morning followed by a tough swim session in the evening. I took Wednesday off to rest (I only normally train 6 days a week) but yesterday only managed my morning yoga. Today I was going to practice my yoga before swimming but didn't manage to get out of bed. Had I a coach there would have been no doubt I would have got up, even though I am feeling very tired. Guilt is a normal part of this journey and I've analysed my week and realise I am tired - too many very early starts and two late nights which is not normal for me. But on Wednesday I will be travelling on a train all day so I am going to set out my plan. That way I won't be like a rudderless ship and get back on track as there are only 25 weeks to go and a lot of hard work to be done before then.

Making improvements

The September running challenge is now finished. As a result I can get back to cross training in the build up to Marathon des Sables. The benefit of cross training is that it reduces the likelyhood of an injury, especially if I'm putting in high mileage on my feet running. So tonight I returned to the pool for a group training session. We spend the beginning of the session on drills to improve our technique. Then the main set is fitness based and because you are part of a group that are all aiming to improve, you put the effort in. You don't want to be dropped in the lane so you hang on and do what ever is required - even if your lungs are screeming to stop and your feet are cramping. All the hard work is done in the winter months and will pay off next season. Bring on the winter!

Seve's legacy

Sporting climaxes such as last nights Ryder Cup don't get any better. The mental toughness of those players under such duress was incredible. Even Lee Westwood was shaking over a critical 1 foot put. Great players crumbled on the greens that must of been like putting on a coffee table - super fast. But in the end, their belief in themselves, their pride in their team mates, the wanting to win for their team and their respect for their hero Seve Ballesteros pulled them through. We can all learn from these acts of courage in the sporting field but the one lesson I take from it is no matter what the score is you must fight on because it's "not over until the fate lady sings" to use a non-PC phrase which we all understand. The thousands of hours of physical practice in the end came down to the mental side and didn't they do well. Congratulations Team Europe - I'm sure Seve will be smiling down on you.

Mental running

Preparing for the toughest footrace on the planet makes you do things that people thing is mental. Last weekend I ran with the ultra runners but at 17 miles ran on without them as I found walking up the hills was making me too cold. Their pace was slower than I'd ever run before but at the same time they are extremely experienced and I will learn lots from them over the winter. But yesterday I decided to run the same route at Whitelees Windfarm which is an 11 mile out and back making 22 miles, but on my own. I did this for several reason; to see if I could pace myself & to practice the lonleyness and boredon that you experience in a long distance run. The weather wasn't great so that makes it even tougher to get out there. I dressed appropriately and got my music on and managed he first 11 miles in 1hr 36 mins. Half way is never half way in a long run and although I had a tail wind the pace of the first half began to tell. I was 7 minutes slower on the way back but I did walk two of the hills. My legs were tired and I had a large blister on on of my toes. My pace was a minute per mile quicker than last week and considering that was too fast I am really going to have to work at slowing down. It would be fine if I was just doing 1 marathon, but 5.5 marathons in 6 days carrying 10kg on my back while running on sand is a different "ball game"! The story of the tortoise and hare comes to mind!

2 days to go

I've stuck with the September challenge which is running 6 days a week throughout the month with a minimum run of 20 mins and a max of 1 hour. Well I've ignored the max as I needed to step up the mileage but the regular running certainly has helped. Today I went out in the dark and the rain and took out one of the swimmers for his first run. Triathlon is interesting because you can have people who are good at one discipline but struggle at another. My colleague did really well and I think he may be a runner as well as a swimmer. I am looking forward to two more runs over the weekend including a big one and then next week return to more cross training with the bike and the swim. Certainly the window for training during the week is shortening due to the light so I'll need to dig out my head lamp to run with. Oh well, summer was good when it was here!

London fitness

I headed out into the west end of London for my morning run. It's a vibrant city with many cyclists but when you go into the parks it's full of people running and groups taking part in fitness classes. It's fantastic to seeing so many people exercising and a bit unreal where the otherside of the fence is the hussle and bussle associated with London. As I ran around a small park I kept looking over the fence to see the stress in the drivers faces as they sat in their cars going nowhere quick. Quite a contrast. So now I am heading into the city and will have to put up with the "squeeze" on the tube where everyone will be "zoned out" listening to their music and avoiding eye contact or nose to armpit contact which is not nice! Although exciting I am looking forward to my early morning run tomorrow back home wrapped up for the winter conditions!

Tropical weather

It was an early start at 5am as I was flying to London. What a difference in 400 miles! The increase in temperature is incredible. I've just walked through Covant Gardens and people are sitting outside eating. Back home we'd be indoors with the heating on! But today is a rest day so I can enjoy wandering around town without wearing lycra - that comes tomorrow. I have a full day conference to attend so I'll be up very early and running round the streets and parks in London after my yoga session of course. I think it will be a lot warmer than I'm used to and I wish I'd brought running shorts rather than tights! I'll just put it down as a heat training session!

Pain free running

Since the age of 1 I haven't been able to touch my toes - stiff as a board I am but that doesn't stop me taking on daft challenges like running 152 miles across the Sahara Desert in April 2013. So when I pulled out of the Aberfeldy half Ironman (my first even DNF) due to severe cramp and a hamstring that was about to blow, I decided it was time to take action. I found a yoga teacher who took on "lost causes". 3 weeks later, having practised every day, I have pain free running for the first time in my life. It's only a 15 minute daily session with a 1 hour 1-2-1 session. The proof came when I ran 25.2 miles on Sunday and on Monday not only could I walk down stairs but went running, after my yoga warm up,and felt great afterwards. This is a revolution and as I approach 51, if anyone can get me touching my toes and running injury free then I'm sold. Check out http://www.pamelayoung.co.uk/. Namaste.

Local holiday

I woke at 8am and only because for some stupid reason I'd set an alarm. But this was a major sleep in for me. The weather forecast for today was windy leading to rain and then heavy rain and gale force winds. So I decided it was best to get up and finish my training early. I knew my legs had done some heavy mileage the day before, 25.5 miles, but they were in good shape. My yoga session had them feeling even better before I went out for a short and reasonably fast 3.26 miles. When you run long distance your average pace slows so it's important to mix it up with shorter faster runs. The wind was strong and I could feel it hold me back but it was the threatening rain that concerned me. Fortunately I got in before it started but I felt fantastic. Being on holiday is allowing me to rest so I'll be fit for the weeks work and training ahead. Batten down the hatches as the weather is building into a storm tonight!

Going long

Following last weeks training camp in the Trossachs I went out with a group of ultra runners for a 22 mile run today. They included Scotland's number 1 woman Rosie Bell and 2 West Highland Way vets (95 miles in 1 day). We did an 11 mile out and back (22 total)in an undulating track through Whitelees Wind Farm (the largest in Europe). We got plenty of strange looks from walkers and cyclists as it is really wild out there. I learned very quickly that the pace was slower than anything I had done before as this lets you go on and on. However on the way back they explained that I needed to walk some of the hills as an important part of my training. Starting to run after the walk wasn't easy but I started to cool down too quickly so agreed with them I'd run on and keep running back to town and they would pick me up. So it was a total of 25.5 miles for me in 4 hours and 7 minutes. It's not about the pace but about the miles on your feet. I'm extremely pleased with my performance as this means I've reached my marathon fitness 1 month early. So I'll continue with my yoga, swimming & cycling but these long runs will become very important. I'm excited already and have so much to learn from my "new found ultra running friends"!

Benefits of hill training

Yesterday I put in a short but intense hill training session. They are always tough but now that I am practising yoga every day my hamstrings don't cramp up and make me walk like a cripple afterwards. Mentally I don't look forward to hill reps but when I ran today it was easier and faster than normal - that's the pay off! But tomorrow I am hoping to run a long distance with some ultra runners. I'll keep you posted on the progress tomorrow. But now to enjoy the rest of this beautiful day.

Summers back!

Woke up to be beautiful morning. There hasn't been one like this in a long time especially on a holiday weekend! So practising yoga as the sun streamed in the windows was uplifting! Then out for some hill reps where each climb repeated had to be faster. I think this may become a regular routine and as there is a 2 metre wide grass verge I can run on that to prevent injury from too much road running. I'll increase the number of reps each time. Last night I had a "bike fit" where I was wired up and filmed on a 3D camera. It allows you to check all the angles to improve your efficiency. Some important adjustments were required and later on today I'll take the bike out to test it. The adjustments might explain the severe cramp in my last race. One more lesson learned.

Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres

Today I was visited by Elizabeth, a community fundraiser for Maggie's just to catch up and see how I was getting on. It's easy to forget that Maggie's is not funded and requires hundreds of thousands of pounds each year just to keep it's doors open so that anyone suffering from cancer can walk in and receive support and advice. If you haven't visited a Maggie's Centre before then you should as you'd instantly understand why they deserve our support. It also makes it easier for me to step out into the pouring rain today to run because at the front of my mind is the bigger picture - raising funds for Maggie's. The Marathon des Sables is going to take a huge effort on my part but the journey will be amazing. Linking that to Maggie's just increases the pleasure and in today's tough economic climate I feel an even greater need to raise funds. Elizabeth and I came up with a few ideas and I'll let you know what these are in due course. In the meantime, check out Maggie's http://www.maggiescentres.org/about/what_is_maggies.html or pay them a visit. It could be life changing!

Shattered

As expected I had a fantastic nights sleep but by 6am I was on the yoga mat. 6.30am I was on the road for a 10k run dressed as though it was winter. Hat, gloves and running tights were required as the temperature was marginally above freezing. The sky was clear blue and the sun was rising so it was a privilege to be out. I meet lots of people who think I'm mad doing what I do but you'd understand it better if you went out for a walk / run before getting on with life in the morning. By 8.15 I was dropping the kids off at school and heading off to Perthshire for some client meetings. However I felt drowsy and had to stop and get a can of Red Bull to keep me awake - not my usual brew! I was shattered so also had a 15 minute power nap at lunchtime. The intensity of the training since Friday has caught up and my body is struggling to keep up. Well it better get used to it as it's only going to get worse. So early night again and I can start all over again in the morning.

Building the base

Now the serious training starts. The weekend was about getting the mileage up in my running legs. Today I had my 1-2-1 yoga lesson and for 1 hour I worked myself into a pool of sweat. I'm loving it and it is so intense which is right up my street. I love learning new things especially when I can see the benefits. After a busy day at work I needed to fit in a short run before my swimming session. The September run challenge involves running 6 days a week for the month with the minimum run time being 20 minutes. So being time pressed I did the minimum and then went for my swim training. There won't be any swimming in the desert but it keeps my legs from stiffing up after the running. This is a coached session so we were worked hard and looking at my times, my swimming has slipped. But I'll pick it back up in the coming weeks. I think I'll sleep tonight!

Recovery is essential

After a big training weekend it is important to recovery properly. So with every glass of wine to ease the aches and pains I drank an equivalent galss of water! I slept like a baby but woke with legs as stiff as a board. So I went downstairs at 6am and did my 15 minute yoga practice and realised my legs felt fantastic! With hamstrings like mine this was a real surprise and it makes me realise how important that early morning yoga session is. So no more exercise for the remainder of the day and plenty of good food and hydration, without the wine! Tomorrow morning my yoga teacher will be putting me through my paces in a 1-2-1 session which will set me up for my return to swimming training in the evening.

Endurance training

What a fantastic weekend of playing at being an athlete. It's amazing what you can do when you "park life" and concentrate on running. After our morning session yesterday we went out for "efforts". That involved a 2 mile run out and back with 12 minutes of hill climbing in the middle. This was followed by a wonderful hour of yoga. That would be a wonderfully difficult or relaxing hour depending in whether or not you are "bendy". I'm nt so it was tough but hugely beneficial - thank Mark. This morning we woke up to horrible weather. 18 miles across beautiful countryside. That's double the distance I had ran this year. But it was brilliant. Day off tomorrow and a well earned rest.

Honesty

Generally speaking people either say I'm mad, daft or wish me well when they find out I am training for the Marathon des Sables. However when talking to a bunch of runners at the training camp last night one of them was brutally honest. "You won't finish it" he said - there was a pause in the conversation as the others looked at him. DK is known for his frank views but this one seemed too honest. People may think I won't make it but nobody, until last night, had actually expressed it. So a bet of £10 was made and I am looking forward to collecting it. Apparently my "continual positivity" annoys some people but that's not my problem. If people want to limit themselves then that is their choice. We didn't fall out over it as everyone is entitled to their opinion. So yesterday we did a wee 5 mile warm up and this morning a 9 miler with a very big hill! It's brilliant. I also started the morning with my yoga and will have another yoga session today after we have completed another run this afternoon. This is quality training and it will take me closer to removing £10 from a "doubting Thomas"!

How do you eat an elephant?

Taking on the marathon Des Sables is a bit like eating an elephant, or at least I think it should be althouth I have done neither. The point I am getting to is that rather than be overwhelmed by the magnitude of the event you need to break it down into smaller parts. So today was a simple run as part of my run every day in September challenge. However the man flu (aka a common cold) was lurking around so I decided to work from home and see how I felt. My wife who is definately suffering from the cold, sneezed all day so staying at home may backfire on me. At 5pm and lacking energy I decided it was now or never. I completed a very short 3.28 miles and although felt hellish all the way round, by the time i got out the shower I could feel my energy coming back to normal levels. These "small victories" help condition your mind to "man up...". There are people really suffering out there so I should count myself lucky - I do. Tomorrow I am off to a three day intensive run camp and I think the phrase "man up" will come to mind more than once. But if I am going to succeed in the Sahara Desert in 7 months time I can't miss out the small steps on the way.

Man flu?

Man flu is a lot more serious than most women give credit. However seen as this "bug" has been passed on by my wife she can't say it's not real! It's at an early stage and I feel tired and sore but this could also be due to the yoga and running session this morning - the later in the rain. It's bad timing as on Friday I am off to a three day running camp which is always tough. So I am resting for the remainder of the day and hope it will pass. Man down!

Andy Murray's belief

Can you believe it? Britain has it's first Grand Slam winner in 76 years - Andy Murray. As a nation there are mixed feelings about Andy with many doubting he "had what I took" to win a Grand Slam. But last night Andy took control and achieved what no other Brit had done in 76 years. It didn't happen over night, this victory has taken a lifetime to achieve. But most importantly, Andy ignored all the noise made by the press, all the doubters and kept his focus on the prize. I had the privilege of meeting him in 2008 when he was no. 11 in the world. Even then you could see his determination but he wasn't ready for greatness although he got to no. 4 by at year end. He has put up with so much rubbish in the press. I worked with him on three occasions with a group of kids and he gave them his full attention - he's a good guy. But my admiration is for how he has kept believing when it would have been easier to be the runner-up all the time. It will be interesting to watch his career develop now his belief has been rewarded, and his peers realise he's broken his "duck". Well done Andy.

The risk of learning

The best part of the day for me is early morning. I love getting up around 5.30 - 6am and getting started. Today was a 6am start and on my yoga mat (or should I say my wife's yoga mat - I haven't accessorised yet!)for 10 sun salutations (Sura Namaskar). It's an interesting experience starting something new and once again the success comes down to mind set and determination to continue no matter how uncomfortable it may feel at times. I then went off to the pool and I haven't been doing a lot of swimming recently so I struggled with my technique and therefore times were slower. I was offered some friendly advice from a seasoned swimmer and I gave it a try - nothing to lose. Immediately I could feel a difference and will get back in the pool to build on this later on this week. Implementing change doesn't just relate to yoga and swimming as my last telephone conversation with a potential client will illustrate. We were looking a a team building session (in a safe indoor environment) using well proven methodology but the group I was speaking to had never done this before. They were all highly intelligent people but perhaps they thought this would take them out of their comfort zone and didn't want to expose any weaknesses. It's a shame really because if the group aren't prepared to expose themselves to learning then they won't "grow". Why not learn a new skill and see how it brings excitement and new people into your life?

Yoga training

As you know I started yoga on Friday and have been set the task of 10 sun salutations a day before my next lesson on Tuesday. I know it's only the beginning but I am taking this seriously as a key element to my core strength and flexibility training. However my body is telling me it's been working muscles that haven't been worked for a while as I'm a bit tender. This morning I ran 5 miles to my son's football match to continue my running challenge in September. I am building up the mileage this week as I'm heading off to an intensive running camp on Fri/Sat/Sun which will be tough. As for Ali's match a 2-2 draw with last years league and cup winners, where he was involved in both goals. Sometimes the stress as a spectating parent is worse than the toughest training!

Time for rest

Even although I am not training at a high intensity level currently, I still need a day of rest in a week and today is the day. It tied in nicely with our staff night out on Friday with more beer than normal and a late night. So I got the chance to have a long lie till 9.30 - unheard off but necessary. The September challenge of running 6 days a week means taking today off is part of the schedule as you don't want to cause an injury. But before having breakfast I decided to do my short yoga routine I had learned on Friday as I am meant to do this 6 days a week. It's always tough learning something new and it surprises me how much you sweat in yoga. I considered going out on my bike but think it worth taking the rest and my training will benefit next week.

Every breath you take

Today has been a mixed day for me with highs and lows. Starting with the highs I had my first 1-2-1 yoga lesson with Pamela Young and what a fantastic experience that was. It was like nothing I'd imagined before with so much concentration on "the breath" - loved it. I left the session relaxed although my body had gone through a good workout. I continued the theme of Breathing with my run today where I had to work hard at only using my nose to breath. While it does feel like a strain I had no aches or pains in my limbs afterwards. This of course could be due to the more oxygen getting round the system. Then for the temporary low in the day. I attended the funeral of a friend who within 4 weeks of being diagnosed with cancer had died. I watch his children and grandchildren during the celebration of his life and my heart went out to them. How can you sum up 82 years in 30 minutes? They managed it and brought a smile to everyones face - after all it was a celebration of life. It was only a temporary low as I let the church uplifted by the stories I had heard. But my thoughts returned to my breath as I thought we don't give it any consideration until we're short of it. We should appreciate it more as it won't always be there.

50 shades of grey

Tomorrow I will be starting yoga as previous mentioned but my teacher had asked me to try a few things before turning up at 6.30am tomorrow. The first was to try breathing through my nose while running. She even suggested taping my mouth up but I didn't think I'd manage with that and after the first run, I'm pleased I didn't. Trying to change the habit of 50 years wasn't easy and by the top of the first hill I was doubled over and must have looked 50 shades of grey. However I persevered and drew some strange looks from passers by while I tried to suck as much air through my nose as possible while keeping my mouth shut. I will spare you the other details re my nose except to say it's not easy getting air in when there is stuff coming in the other direction. I had another go this morning in a shorter run and the result was similar but I'll persevere as getting more oxeygen into those muscles is fundamental. I was also asked to keep a food diary as she wants to see what I am filling myself with. Not that I have a weight problem, far from it, but she wants to see what is fuelling my system. That went really well until after dinner when for some strange reason 5 glasses of wine were consumed! This is rare but doesn't look good on my first day of keeping a food diary!

Confessions of a driving instructor

Ok, so the title gives away my age as there were a series of books back in the 70's, confessions of...they were serious rubbish, so I'm told as I was too young to read them. However at 6.15am this morning I gave my son his first driving lesson (he's had £600 worth of professional ones but 2 failed tests!)which was a bit of a shock to the system for both of us. You forget what it's like to be learning again and how reckless "white van drivers" can be, but he did great. That was the start to my morning followed by a fast 3.5 mile run and a 2km swim. I felt brilliant afterwards having felt lethargic for the last week; I think I have my mojo back! Busy day today as I am meeting a yoga teacher later to find out how we can get my stiff legs into shape for my running training. The stiffness is nothing new but if I don't get this sorted I'll suffer with the training and the Sahara in April. I spent 11 years struggling at karate trying to be more flexible but I think the problem is structural and pushing through the pain barrier did me more harm than good back then. Tonight I am speaking to Strathaven Rottary Club about Mission Ironman so that should be fun. Finally the sun is shining and that always helps. Have a fantastic day!

Paralympics

When talking to people about the goals, what they would like to do with their life or just life in general, we tend to have a "but". I'd like to ...."but". We can't help ourselves. However, how inspirational is the paralympics? I'm watching the 1,500m final while writing my blog the Irishman has just completed it in 4:08.11! Even the back marker is 4:29 - these are very special people. Most able bodied people couldn't match these times unless they were serious athletes. But they have a "can do" mindset. I am going to have to call on that side come April for my MDS challenge as I am no where near fit enough at this stage. In fairness I shouldn't be but when I read what some of my fellow competitors are doing currently I shudder. But I've been there before with Ironman and it's that experience that reassures me that I have 7 months to get into the best shape of my life to allow me to "push the envelop" i.e. take my physical and mental strength beyond any limit I know. I just need to take my time, not become impatient and know that as long as I believe in myself and commit to my training plan then I'll succeed. No if's, certainly no buts and definately no maybes. That I am sure is how the paralympians think and they overcome greater obsticles than me.

Gate crashing a race

Multitasking helps with my time management so after I dropped my son off at his football match I went for a run. Is would allow me to get a workout and be at the sideline for the start of his match. I ran into Strathclyde Park and immediately realised I had gate crashed a triathlon. However as a public park you can still run, walk your dog etc even in the middle of a race. So I had people cheering me on, thanks for that, offering me drinks and eventually argueing with me as to the right direction! The fact I was in the race made me run harder so when I checked my stats at the end it was the fastest I have run in over a month. So the balance of my training has shifted to running but I will continue swimming to relax my legs and cycling / turbo training for my stamina. Now to put my feet up to watch the Grand Prix!

Barriers to success

Today is the first day in a 30 run challenge that I have taken up. Run a minimum of 20 minutes a day for 30 days. The theory is that at the end of the month your running will have improved significantly. However in this part of my fitness cycle, coming back from having peaked 4 months ago, it will be hard work. This morning I was out in the wind and fine rain covering 6.2 miles around a hilly course. My heart rate is too high but I don't want to slow down as it's only a short run so you just feel awful as you climb the hills. At this point you could easily walk or just give up as nobody knows you are out there - but I do. Despite feeling sick I push on because I know every step is a step closer to my goal and every run is "miles in the bank". I know that on the Marathon des Sables I will probably overdraw that bank account but the more I have in it at the start, the less the debt if you get my drift. So my current lack of fitness is a potential barrier to success but only if I allow my mind to believe that and that is not going to happen. As I said to my daughter this morning "it's the things you work hard for that you appreciate the most".

Autumn blows in

There has been a distinct change in the weather in the last week. On Wednesday we had hailstones and I had to put an extra layer on when I went out for my run tonight. Call me a pessimist but I can't see the promised "Indian summer" that we're promised every year and it's now dark by 8.30 pm which limits when you can train. So I face training 6 days a week in inclement weather conditions for the next 7 months as I prepare for the toughest foot race on the planet - Marathon des Sables. One particularly difficult challenge will be trying to acclimatise myself for 40 degrees when training in freezing conditions. So I'll be layering up to run hot. Sounds much more fun than I'm sure it will be but I'll do whatever it takes to be prepared for this "mother of all challenges"! After all, the money raised will be for a fantastic cause - Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres.

Blister care

I have spent the last 2 days in London and due to my schedule no training took place so these will count as rest days - hardly a rest! But walking round town yesterday resulted in a nasty blister on top of my big toe. So I limped around until I found a chemist and got hold of a blister pad. As was in a rush and managed to stick it to on to two toes and when removing it from one I ripped all the hair off my toe - ouch. I realise I'm a wimp and will reflect on this when in the Sahara Desert treating the odd (I hope) blister - I'll probably laugh at how my pain threshold will have increased! So tomorrow back to training with a run in the morning and some cycling and running over the weekend. I've missed my training over the last 2 days and am looking forward to getting back to my normal routine.

Oh the pain!

I'll come back to the pain later but this morning I was easing off my legs following two days running by training in the pool. 4 x 500m timed was a good session and my legs always feel better after it. Swimming is so precise in that every stroke counts. I know that seems obvious but if the balance is out on my left arm stroke it affects the kick on the right side which creates additional drag and therefore requires more effort. Not only can I feel the ineffeciency but when I download the results from my watch it confirms it - no hiding place. As for the pain, this was financial. Today I received the 2nd invoice from MDS. The initial payment was £500 just to confirm you had money as well as being mental. Now they want £1,575 and before the event they will want another £1,575. I am also setting up my insurance which will cost £100 and that's before I start buying the specialised equipment! Ouch! Well it will be the trip of a lifetime and one I intend to enjoy and raise lots of money for Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres.

On your marks, get set.........

I stated yesterday that today was the official start of my MDS training. So as I looked out the window on the bank holiday Monday, the trees were swaying in a way that told me it was very windy. I was surprised I could see them for the rain was chucking it down. Only an idiot would go out in that I thought, so I delayed my run. By 4pm I was starting to get worried as I had made a commitment on this blog yesterday and didn't want to wimp out at the first step. I made an executive decision to run when my son was at training and that way wouldn't eat into family time. I dressed for the worst and the sun came out, the rain stopped and the wind died down. I managed to convince myself that the heat I was experiencing was good but it would be a lot hotter in the Sahara Desert! I was also trying out some new shorts - compression shorts. This was to help my hamstring and I can report that at this stage they feel fine. But tomorrow I will loosen them off in the pool. My heart rate in the last 2 runs is higher than average signifying my fitness has a bit to go to get back to where I was in May but I need to be patient. I'm building this up gradually and my objective is to be Marathon fit by November before the more specific MDS training starts with the weighted rucksack - that should be fun! But my yoga and weights will start in the next 2 weeks as I build my strength and flexibility. This transformation will take the full 7 months I have available to me.

Motivation

This was going to be my last weekend off before starting 7 months of consentrated training to get me ready for the Marathon des Sables in April 2013. Since Lanzarote Ironman in May my training has been half hearted and not focused but starting tomorrow it becomes serious. However yesterday I was watching the James Cracknell dvd where he tackles the MDS and becomes the highest ranked UK athlete ever by finshing 12th. It had been a while since I had watched it but it reminded me of how hard a challenge this will be. A friend of mine also watched it and by the end was convinced I'm nuts to attempt anything so difficult. But other than give me a reality check, it motivated me to go out running today and put in a hard session to see how my hamstring was. The run was fast and I had no difficulty on the run although am now beginning to stiffen up. To be expected really. Motivation can be generated in many different ways but this morning my son was playing football in an extremenly competitive match. He was feeling good because he had new football boots and also a friend had gone to watch him. He scored a hatrick! So I'm now motivated to get back to serious training and I want to feel the way I did prior to Ironman but this will take at least a month as I build back my fitness. Can't wait!

Time to Plan

After my hamstring strain on Saturday I decided to do no exercise or stretching until today. This was only after my sports massage yesterday which as expected HURT! When Grant hit "the spot" he almost got a kick in the face but he took this as a positive and kepy going - he loves his work! My legs felt tired and tender after that session so that dictated this morning I would return to the pool. Although I do not kick much when swimming, typical triathlete who came late to swimming, it seems to ease any tension in my legs. So at 7.30am I was in the pool for a quick 1000m warm up followed by 10 x 100m against the clock. I could tell from my times that I need to spend more time in the pool. However with my MDS training starting I will only be using the pool for fitness during the winter and keeping my legs loose. I'm not concentrating on it as a main discipline, not much requirement for it in the desert, but wouldn't like to lose 4 years of hard work getting to this level. I was surprised how "empty" I felt after the swim so headed off for my second breakfast of the day; a roll and bacon, egg & black pudding with a large cappuccino! That's the great thing about training, you can enjoy your food!

Time management

I am officially recovering from the almost half ironman on Saturday and resting my hamstrings and quads. Tomorrow I will face the "inflictor of pain" who will give me a sports massage and hopefully confirm I should be able to start light training this weekend. So you'd think with no training I'd have plenty of spare time on my hands - think again. The time just seems to be absorbed through family, work and the odd extra 30 minutes in bed. This happens to everyone in that we allow our routine to take up the available time when what we should be doing is scheduling our activities better so we can make better use of the time. Do you get my point? This is simple time management and when my training commences next week the focus will return and I will be better organised and make the most of the time available. Until then, I'm going to eat chocolate, drink beer, have big meals out, enjoy extra time with my family and take a long lie. But unfortunately none of that will prepare me for Marathon des Sables so normal service will be resumed next week.

Harsh realities

In my journey from non-athlete to ironman and beyond, I have always talked about a 5 stage goal planning process. The 5th stage is the review / reflection and an uncomfortable one. Where you sit down and examine the result against the expectations. It's vital as you can't move forward until you have. So since Saturday when I had my first DNF result (did not finish) I have been looking at all aspects in the lead up to the event and then the event itself. I've concluded that I was under prepared which was partially down to motivation following ironman and also a late injury. I had set myself a PB target and that led to a fast swim and bike but not being prepared meant the run was always going to be a problem. I didn't hydrate enough in the 2 days leading up to the event and on the day itself. Finally my flexibility has always been an issue but with the list of other failings above it was the final "straw". The one thing I am certain of is that I made the right decision to withdraw on the run. My fellow athletes have all backed me up on that decision and if I had gone ahead I would have ended up with an injury that would have et me back 2 months. I have already booked my sports massage and my 1st hot yoga session to see how that can help my flexibility. I intend to make yoga a main part of my preparation for the Marathon des Sables in April next year. I can't afford to have a repeat of the severe cramp in my legs again. Now I will progress from stage 5 review to stage 1 objectives as I reset them for the coming 8 months. This bad experience will make me stronger, more determined and more focused. Look out Sahara desert mission ironman is coming to get you!