It’s the final count down!

What a journey it has been. At the end of September 2017 I had completed the Grand 2 Grand challenge and was sitting at the airport with no race lined up for the future.  My phone pinged and one of my new friends from G2G asked me to check out the Tahoe 200.  I bit as soon as I read about the race and I’m delighted that 6 of the G2G gang will be toeing the start line at 9am on Friday 13th September.
In case you’ve forgotten it’s 205.5 miles with 40,200ft of ascent and descent and all above 6,500ft topping out at just below 10,000ft.  That’s going to present some new challenges which is what excites me and attracted me to the race.  It will be new territory and I will be pushing myself beyond anything I’ve done before now.
I’m going to be assisted by Becky who will join me at mile 63, 23 hours into the race, and she should be running with me for 100 miles.  This will help when, not if, I start to hallucinate - another new experience.  Reggie will join me for the last 30 miles which I am so happy with as mentally and physically it will be tough at that stage with a big climb and descent.
My wife Fiona will be my crew.  She can have contact with me from 63 miles and there are some big gaps in time between check points.  I’ve already apologised in advance for the behaviour she is likely to witness and I’ve told her on no account let me quit - it’s her 1st and possibly last time of crewing! Any ultra runner will tell you that during the race you question your sanity, swear (a lot) that you will never do this again and will want to quit.  But that’s just your mind in “Diva mode”.  Unless the medics are taking control of the situation, she’s to remind me why I’m doing this.  I’m dedicating this race to my good friend Carol O’Docherty who was taken too soon.  The money raised will go to Maggie’s who provide such valuable services to cancer sufferers and their family.  So no matter how much pain, and there will be plenty, I am going through in a weeks time I’ll be fine.
But before I sign off I have to thank my amazing coach Genevieve who has once again delivered me to the start line of a major race despite all the challenges we faced during the training.  She has worked her socks off making sure the programme was absolutely specific to me, my fitness, my life and my body.  Thank you Genevieve.
Then there’s my training partners.  You guys absolutely rock.  You support me while taking the piss at the same time.  You need thick skin but you’ve given as good (possibly better) than you got.  You’ve headed out in hellish weather into the mountains without batting an eye lid in order to support me.  Even though you’ve been tired you’ve come out the following day to keep me company or to push me as I’m the one that’s tired.  You’ve guided me in the mountains as I can get lost in a car park and even introduced me to Greggs as a fuelling station!  Thank you.
And finally my long suffering wife and family.  Many missed social occasions or me trying to sneak out at 5am without disturbing them only to set the alarm off!  Early morning runs when on holiday and then of course there’s the Lycra washing!
I’ve always talked about the journey being the most important part, and it is, so you need to enjoy it and I have loved it.  My stats say I’m fitter today than I have been in 7 years.  The race, or adventure as I like to call it, is the icing on the cake.  However you need a bit of luck as one turned ankle, snake, bear or upset stomach and it could be curtains.  But I’m 100% focused on delivering this result and know that I’ll have your support.  I’ll post a final blog before the race and give you details as to how you can track me live - it will be like watching paint dry!  Fiona should be posting a daily blog when she gets a spare minute and a signal.  Thank you all for your support during the last 2 years.  It’s been a blast.

One step closer

It’s been a good weeks training although not the one originally invisaged as I took it easy to make sure the back niggle stayed away.  Consistent running was the key with 2 two hour runs on Thursday & Friday to get me ready for the weekend.  I had a sports massage on Friday and my legs certainly got a good workout.  My back was tight but ok so I think the right decision was made in cutting back on the training plan - I’m one step closer to the start line.
On Saturday another 6 hour hill route was planned and my pals Michael & Beth were there to keep me company while they prepared for a different race.  Ben More is described as having a “relentless” climb and it lived up to it’s reputation (the last time I attempted it I didn’t make the summit due to the weather) - no step machine could replicate this climb.  Your feet are soaking wet from the start and in the end it was like running through a paddy field.  Being on the Scottish mountains can be very dangerous and you need to come prepared.  The wind whipped up and at one stage it was supporting my full body weight as I was leaning into it.  Add to that the temperature and you end up with a wind chill factor of freezing or below.  So when the rain comes hammering down in the strong wind it feels like hailstones - my skin now has a nice completion on my face though!
At the summit we were losing the feeling in our fingers even with gloves.  Michael had mitts and was fine so that night Beth and I ordered a pair because it really could have been an issue and in Tahoe the temperatures can fall to freezing in the altitude in the mountains at night.  The rest of my gear got a proper test and was up to it so that’s good news.  We cut the run short for safety reasons so only got in 2.5 hours and not 6 but the upside of completing the run in those conditions were out weighed by the potential downside.  If one of us had fallen or got hypothermia then it put us all at risk.
The forecast today was better, but not good enough to go into mountains plus I was on my own. So I power walked up Tinto and ran down - 4 times.  That’s almost 2,000m of climbing which is exactly what I need and then running down hill which needs to be practised.
I’m almost there but have 1 more week of important training.  I’m meeting my coach tomorrow to go over the final plans including the race plan.  I’m also so pleased to say that I have a “pacer” for the race.  Becky sent me an email on Tuesday and not only has she run the race before, she did it in my target time!  There will be numerous emails this week between us and I’ll be meeting her a week tomorrow for some last minute planning.  In the meantime Fiona (wife & crew) is drawing up lists of lists to make sure I have what I need, when I need it in the race.  One step closer with 11 days to go.

Keeping my eye on the prize

It’s been a week of ups and downs.  The highlight was Mondays 33 km run before work.  I was meant to have company but ended up on my own.  Running with the backing track of the dawn chorus is such a privilege and the rain held off which was a bonus.  All the stats looked great and show that I am in great condition for Tahoe which is now in touching distance -  18 days time.
Being in the “final straight” feels a bit strange.  Every waking moment is referenced to the race and the worst is when trying to get to sleep or when you wake up in the middle of the night with your head full of Tahoe thoughts.
My back played up during the week and that resulted in me cancelling Saturday which was a 6 hour run with pals in Glencoe.  It was a difficult decision to take as I might have been able to complete it however the downside would have been making it worse and affecting my race preparation.  Of course the weather was perfect and my pals had a brilliant time although it took them over 7 hours and it looked a brutal course - I live to fight another day.  I used the time to go over, again, the logistics for the race and double check I have all the gear/equipment required - time well spent.
I was also advised to skip the big run today but to go a short and gentle run just to see how my niggle was.  Again a blisteringly sunny day which I would have enjoyed a long run on but I made do with a 37 minute run.  No issues which is great so the rest has been good for me.
With my coaches direction we will adapt the training to make sure I get to the start line in the best possible condition taking account of any niggles.  If I have to rest or run shorter than normal distances then so be it.  I have to keep my eye on the prize.  It’s been an amazing journey over the last two years to get here and I’ve loved watching the transformation of my body, my fitness and the expansion of my mind.  I know I am capable of whatever I turn my mind to and if that raises money for Maggie’s then that’s a win win www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Derek-stewart8.  The race will be the “cherry on the top” and I can’t wait to be standing at the start line.

Where did our summer go?

The week started with three planned days off training.  It was delicious.  I loved every moment of it and ate like a king while I rested my body.  The sad thing is the weather was good but as soon as I was due back to train, it turned! The rest was in preparation for a tough weekend.
My trusted guide Michael Martin and I headed out early on Saturday to tackle 9 Munro’s in the  Glenshee area.  We’d chosen to head further east as the weather forecast was shocking!  The first two hours were fab. Windy but dry and the first climb was steep - ideal.  It was shaping up for a special day when after 2 hours the rain started.  It came tipping down and unfortunately it led to a map reading error - difficult reading a map off your phone when it’s pissing down.  This led to us spending the next hour and 45 minutes tramping round a bog and ultimately meant we only managed 6 Munro’s.  Bog walking is like a non stop leg session in the gym!  At one stage it was so cold I had to put my poles away as I couldn’t feel my hands.  But Michael got us back on track and back to the car. A tough 5 hours 30 minutes.
Today I was out on my own.  The weather was meant to be better but it was atrocious.  I felt for my team mates who were taking part in the Aberfeldy 70.3 triathlon and whilst I was getting soaked they were swimming in Loch Tay and cycling 90k before the run - I thought about them and felt I had the better, shorter suffering!
I was given a low level route by another great guide, Graham Kelly.  Once I’d found the beginning, easier said that done when the visitors centre actually doesn’t have a sign saying that, I headed off through forest trails. There was some good ascending and I got to test my full waterproof gear as it never stopped raining.  I ventured off the main trail but was then back to walking in a bog. The tops of the hills were in cloud base so they were out especially as I was on my own.  Being forest trails I was able to get a decent run downhill and my legs felt great despite yesterday.  I stopped at 2.5 hours which was under half what I was scheduled for but the conditions were shocking. Every path was a river.
Tomorrow I have a 5.30am start tomorrow and am running 33km. I’ll be meeting my coach around 15km so it will be a great run, no matter what the weather is doing.
On Friday I got a check up from my amazing chiropractor Gill and I’m glad to report after she’d adjusted my spine, neck and shoulder she was happy.  She’s given me an exercise to help stretch out my lats which I’ll build in with my other exercises.
This adventure started 2 years ago after Grand 2 Grand finished and I can’t believe we’re almost here.  I head off on the 9th with my crew, Fiona, and before I know it I’ll be toeing the start line wondering what lies ahead.  Despite training in sub optimal conditions, I don’t think my coach could have delivered me in better condition.  There’s still a few weeks of training left and she’s still cracking the whip as she wants me even fitter than I already am.  You can’t set a high bar and then slack off as the start draws near.  She, like me, is expecting 100% before, during and even after when the active recovery starts. Nothing is being left to chance.

Sensible head

With 32 days till I’ll be standing on the start line in Lake Tahoe, my focus is sharpening. Training has been going well and in July I ran 380km which included 14,000 metres of ascending.  But now the clock is really counting down and every training session critical.  Hard to image that I’ll be running 328 km with 13,000 metres of climbing in 4 days!  Elephant eating will be required - small pieces!
This week has involve long runs, a sport therapy treatment and a 1.5 hour leg massage.  My quads were like concrete so they took a pounding and it wasn’t enjoyable.  But I need to keep my body in good working order.
My Monday morning run to the office was made more pleasurable as my coach joined me after I’d completed 15km, only 18 to go.  But I left 5 mins late (toilet issues) so had to run faster than planned.  I got there early.  I’ve said this all along but having someone to run with makes it easier so it’s no surprise that my pace for 33km was faster than the day before despite the fatigue and the elevation in this run versus a flat run the day before - result.
Yesterday was a 3hour 20 min run but it came on the back of a night out.  I suffered. Self inflicted but I completed the run.  Can’t afford to do that again before Tahoe!
Today was meant to be a 6 hour hill run.  The weather forecast was vile so I headed up north to where it was meant to be better.  I was on my own on a hill I hadn’t climbed before, Ben More, and the climb was described as relentless- it’s an accurate description.  I couldn’t see the summit from the bottom due to clouds.  The terrain was boggy, wet, slippery and rocky.  I made it 3/4 of the way up before my sensible head took over.  The wind was picking up, I was just below cloud base and rain would be arriving at some stage so I decided to call it a day.  The way down was treacherous but I managed to stay upright.  Don’t know how I’d have managed had it been raining as it was tricky getting down.  I’ve got a niggle on my ankle which has a little bit of swelling but with the next threee days off hopefully it will settle down.  Next weekend is 2 X 6 hours so I’ll need all the rest I can get. Tick tick.  As you know I’m raising money for Maggie,s Cancer Caring Centres in memory of my good friend Carol O’Docherty. If you can help the link is www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Derek-stewart8 - thanks.

It’s where you set the bar,

As my training hours and intensity builds, my body and mind are “going through the ringer” as they say.  It’s like tenderising a piece of meat , you just keep hammering it.  I’ve never set the bar as high before and the great thing is having a bunch of likeminded people supporting me through this journey.  Nobody in that group is questioning the height of the bar, or the reason it’s set so high. They are all just playing their part in supporting me which is helping me work outside my comfort zone.
On Monday I set off at 5.30am and ran 33km to the office - remember that was on the back of a lot of  KMs in the previous 3 days. Tuesday was gym and swim, Wed was a day off, Thursday a 1 hour run with hill reps.  Friday was a gym, swim and 3 hour run.  Yesterday I spent 5 hrs 15 mins in the mountains expertly guided by my friend Alan Stirling.  There was over 4,500 ft of ascending and the conditions underfoot made it almost impossible to run.  Today I ran for 2 hours 40 mins and was grateful for Beth’s support for the last hour and 20 minutes.  My body was tired and yesterday’s blisters didn’t help but the session was done.
Tomorrow is a 5.30 am start with a run to the office - 3 hours.  Now you know what I mean about tenderising meat! But surprisingly my legs feel ok.  They might not tomorrow night!
Everyone sets a bar. The worst thing you can do is set it too low and accomplish it.  But if you have a support network of likeminded people around you then you really can set that bar high.  Go on, edge your bar up a few notches.  We are all capable of so much more and it’s great fun pushing the boundaries. How else will we find out what we are capable of?

It’s getting serious

What a week it’s been.  Some great training sessions and as the clock ticks down, 47 days to go, the mileage begins to build.  On Friday I headed off to Ben Lawyers with my friend and guide Michael Martin.  With a weather front coming in for the weekend I rescheduled my training so that we got the best weather for the mountains.
In the morning the mountain was clagged in and no view available - nothing new there for me!  It was very windy on the summits and having had my cap blown off 3 times, I put it away.  1,800 metres of climbing and 28km covered in 5 hours 15 mins.  We spend a considerable time either traversing the mountains or cutting through boggy ground which sapped the strength from our legs and  twisted our ankles while our quads were grumbling with the pressure of heading down hill.
Saturday was always going to be a mental day. It wouldn’t have been safe in the mountains on my own with wet weather forecast so I stayed local.  I ran up and down Tinto four times - mind numbing but that’s part of the preparation.  It’s slightly higher elevation in total than the day before but the distance is similar.
This morning was 3 laps of Chatelherault which was tough having put my legs through a lot in the previous two days.  I was starting to flag when I met a runner on the final lap.  We finished the last lap together and when I checked my stats afterwards it was my quickest lap!  It’s always good to have someone to push you when you’re tiring - thanks Lorna!
My coach has been busy and since I’ve got home and got cleaned up and fed, she’s been sending me my schedule for the next few weeks.  It’s going to be tough for the next two weeks, very tough.  Major miles to be run and tomorrow morning I have 3 hours to complete before work.  My legs have held up well which shows the gym work is paying off.
I’ve also been deciding on equipment based on how my kit has been performing in my long runs.  This weekend decided my top and shorts. These are important decisions and I have to take into account the conditions I’ll be running in.  It’s getting close but I still have to put the miles in so the next two- three weeks will be brutal and critical.  After that my body will start to recover and feel amazing, but I’ll need to get their first.  What a journey!