Seeing the world differently!

I had another short fast run last night as I cruised the streets with my head tourch and rucksack getting funny looks from the dog walkers. Why is it that it's always the wee ones that have a go at your ankles? Bloody owners should have them on a short leash not an expandable one! But this morning I had a very differnt experience. My yoga teacher was trying to get me to do a head stand. Scary stuff. The fear factor really got to me and I couldn't get into the headstand without collapsing. Part of the problem was being upside down - the world looked completely different and I was confused. I couldn't tell where my feet or my bum was as I was so confused. But how could I fear doing something so realatively simple? Good practice for entering the new teritory later on this month of the Sahara Desert. Long miles for Saturday & Sunday as I build the mileage back up. Once I get back from my Sahara training at the end of Feb I'll probably have 10 more days of hard training before it tapers off as my body gets time to repair and rest. Happy weekend folks.

Number 836

It's getting close - 8 weeks to be precise and I've even got my number, 836. For 2 years I have dreamed about setting off for the desert. What it will be like running in that heat, in all sorts of different conditions underfoot? Cooking my freeze dried food on a small stove, repairing my feet and sleeping under the stars while avoiding any beasties! I'll get a first glimpse of it at the end of the month when I will spend 4 days in the desert testing out my gear and myself. Between now and then I will be building up the miles in my legs. Tonight by contrast I went out for a quick 10k run with my rucksack on my back. Lit up like a xmas tree as I was running on "b" roads with no streetlights. Dodging the potholes and avoiding the ice wasn't easy but running in zero degrees is going to be completely different from 40-50 degrees. Perhaps in the double marathon day when we run through the night the temperatures will be near freezing but by then I'll be exhaused and running on empty. I can't wait but there's a lot of work to be done before then.

Wise words from a Scottish caddie!

Gail force wins, sleet & hailstones - thank goodness my training plan had this down as a rest day. However it won't mean my son misses his outdoor athletics training tonight - that'll toughen him up! I had a yoga practice this morning and as usual, following a running weekend, I was as stiff as a board. It's like 1 step forward, 2 steps back but I knew that after the practice I'd feel the benefit of it and if I keep this up all week, which I will, then the results will be so worthwhile. That's the thing about training. Sometime you really can't be bothered especially if it involves getting up on a dark and cold wintery morning. But that's when you have to question "why am I doing this?" I've explained to anyone who will listen that to achieve something worthwhile you have got to have a reason, a desire within you or else you'll give up when the going gets tough. My reason for going through the hours of training / pain is to raise money for Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres and this afternoon I visited the Glasgow centre. I had a cup of tea with two of the fund raisers and the boss of the centre. Everywhere I looked people were smiling and engaged in conversation. Not a sad face in the building. It took me a few minutes to realise that those smiling faces were on either cancer patients or family members of cancer patients. This is because the whole ethos of Maggie's is about life, not death. We'll all die one day and getting cancer isn't necessarily a death sentence. A positive attitude helps and in the wonderful, beautiful Maggie's Centre there was plenty of that around. I'm sure it's not easy to be positive when tackling cancer but as a wise old Scottish golf caddie once said to me when I was moaning about a bad shot, "at least you are the right side of the grass sir" - meaning not buried under the ground. That brought a smile to my face and I stopped moaning and guess what? My game improved. So to all those wonderful people I saw at Maggie's today, keep smiling. There is a magnificent support mechanism around you and if through my small efforts I can help raise some well needed money then I will. Thanks for making my day.

Recovery running

Last week was all about recovering. I felt very lazy doing only 2 yoga sessions and I had planned a few turbo sessions but was too tired. The rest did me some good and allowed the massive blister on my heal to repair. It now looks like a 2 inch oval shape of raw skin. But as it's been exposed to the air it's lost its senitivity. On Saturday and today I ran the same 10 mile trail route with my 6k rucksack. I was 2 minutes quicker today but that was probably because I had a running partner. However it wasn't easy as my legs were tired which was to be expected. I'll take a couple days off running now and concentrate on yoga, rest and recovery. I also need to set time aside to finalise the equipment I am taking and my nutrition. 8 weeks and 6 days to go!

Rest & recovery

This morning I noticed my throat was a bit "croaky". This has developed as the day went on but in the past when you take a rest this tends to happen. One of my fellow "Great Glen" runners has also come down with flu like symptoms so I guess the near hypothermic experience is taking it's toll. Looking at it positively taking a rest this week is essential to ensure my tired limbs and muscles don't get injured but I need to balance that against doing nothing. So I'll restrict myself to some light yoga and light spinning sessions. I will also use the time to make my preparations for the food, nutrition and equipment I will be taking which is a huge task. Let's see what tomorrow morning brings and hopefully it won't be "man flu"!

Team work gets you there

I've been reflecting over the last few days about our epic 76 (or 79 if you take the officials measurement) Great Glen run. During the two days there were points that were very tough both physically and mentally. In the end I concluded that it was the mental side that took more out of you - having that voice in your head telling you how difficult it was is a real pain in the arse and serves no purpose! But it was my team mates that came to my rescue and visa versa when you saw someone suffering. On numerous occassions one of them would slow down, start a conversation to distract you from the pain and help you back to "a good place". On no occassion did anyone say "this sub-zero temperature is killing me so I think I'll stop". We were all feeling it, all going through the turmoil but instead of moaning (which would achieve nothing other than finding yourself running on your own) we all helped each other out. Even the super fit ones would enjoy helping someone else because it distracted them from any aches and pains they had. This experience will be the making of "The Tartan Army" in the Marathon des Sables as we will need to support each other over 6 days of gruelling physical and mental challenges. At 6.15am my yoga teacher treated me wisely taking account of what I'd been through. There were some physical signs and after an hour I felt great. Then off for a sports massage but not with the normal pressure being applied - wise move again! The weekend has taken it's toll on my body but with "my team" of experts around me, they can rebuild me! It's just great to be surrounded by so many "can do" people who are all pushing their own barriers and inspiring others. Thanks team.

The morning after the weekend before

I eased myself out of bed this morning checking my aches and paines. Achilles were tight, quads felt like they had been beaten up, scabs on my back were crusty and cracking - ouch! But I was able to walk down stairs so that was a good start, but not without some discomfort. A huge plate of porridge set me up for the day as I was in calorie deficit from the weekend back to back ultras. If I sat at my desk for too long and tried to get up it was comical - for anyone watching. A massive lunch followed by a massive dinner. Tomorrow I know it will be worse so I am tackling it with a 1:1 session with my yoga teacher at 6.15am followed by a sports massage. Neither of these will be particularly pleasant but they are essential. So is it worth it? When I think about what I (and my pals) achieved at the weekend, running 76 miles in 2 day with a racksack I have a satisfied grin on my face. It's amazing how quickly you forget the pain...until the morning.