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.