ENVIRONMENT CHAMBER

Good news today as I have received a phone call from one of the lecturers at Liverpool John Moore University confirming that I will be able to use their environment chamber before setting off for the Sahara Desert. I had contacted them last week and wasn't sure if it would be possible. The call today was from an environmental physiologist - but even better he did the Marathon des Sables himself in 2005, so has real experience of what I will be facing.

The plan is for 4 sessions (March 11th, 13th, 18th and 20th) wearing the same kit as I will be running in and carrying rucksack etc and taking fluids on board as expected for the event. The temperature will be between 30 and 35 C and I will do 1 hour sessions. This will push up my core temperature and should help acclimatising to the temperatures I will face in the MdS. I will also have weight checked before and after each run and will monitor my pulse rate and this should give me a good idea about fluid replacement strategies.

Last week was a very gentle recovery week - did just under 30 miles and also managed 3 gym sessions and 3 core muscle sessions. I also actually played golf for the first time in about 6 months as well as getting out with my camera for a couple of hours. It made a good change from churning out the miles.

Have started this week with a 10 mile sand dune run on Sunday. I have decided to take trekking poles with me - what a difference they made when working my way up and down the steeper sand dunes. Followed up with an 8 mile run yesterday with the middle 4 as a tempo run and have just had a gym session for an hour tonight. Am planning 9 miles intervals tomorrow and if time permits a gym session on Thursday morning before heading to the airport and out to the apartment in Tenerife. Will be good to run in some warmer weather - predicted to be low 20s on Friday and Saturday - and hopefully will help a little with acclimatising.

Next blog entry will be written either in Tenerife or when I get back!

DEFLATED AGAIN - AND VERY TIRED

I hope I am getting all my bad luck out of the way before I go out to the Sahara! On Thursday I was heading into Preston to do a talk about my Antarctic Marathon when once again my tyre pressure low sign came on. Another flat tyre and another bill for nearly £270!

In addition it reduced my mileage for Thursday - although possibly a good thing as have been very tired at the end of this week. Started off with a good tempo run on Monday and a good interval session on Wednesday, with faster mile split times. Also managed 2 gym sessions at beginning of week.

However, I really struggled on Friday and Saturday. Went to Lakes again on Friday and a much nicer day. Did just over 21 miles with a full rucksack and lots of hills, which was what I was looking for. Struggled and felt very tired at the end.

I was going to do a training session of 15 to 20 miles in sand dunes on Saturday, but wimped out when I saw the rain. Did treadmill session in gym, with a gradually increasing gradient each mile, but stopped after 8 miles as felt drained. Felt very tired and generally aching by Saturday night. Cherith has had some sort of viral infection so not sure if I have picked something up or just tired from high mileage and intensity training.

Fortunately after many years of running I know my body fairly well and also know that a few days of reduced mileage or complete rest wont make any difference. Feel a bit better today and am starting a "quiet week" - will do no more than 30 to 40 miles. Following that 10 days in the next 2 weeks will be in Tenerife, with some warmer weather and a change of scenery and lots of recovery time lazing round the pool with a book or two. Then tapering for the final 3 weeks, so feel as if training is coming to an end.

Sponsorship going well. It was really encouraging to get back on Friday feeling a bit low and tired and find 3 people had gone on line and sponsored me. With the gift aid added I have now got to nearly £3000-00 - and that will make such a difference to the Happy House Project.

SNOW, SNOW....WHAT SNOW?

While most of the country has been brought to a standstill by unprecedented amounts of snow, and training for many of those running in the MdS has been seriously curtailed, hardly any snow has fallen in Blackpool and training has continued unaltered. In fact apart from an odd flurry and a superficial covering lasting for a few hours only, we have been snow free and the last two days have seen clear blue skies and lots of sunshine.

The training has followed a similar pattern to last week. The intention was to head to the Lakes again on Friday but in view of the weather and the resultant tragic deaths of two climbers I decided to use some common sense. I changed my plans to two long local training sessions. The intention was to spend about 10 hours on the go on Friday with a full rucksack and to cover probably about 40 miles while leaving enough energy in the tank for an 8 hour session on Saturday covering about 30 miles.

Set off about 7.30 on Friday and went via Weeton, Plumpton, Westby and Ballam to the front at Lytham. Turned and headed north along the beach for about 14 miles until I got to Rossall. Unfortunately while heading of the beach had to walk through a lot of water which was deeper than I realised. Even my excellent waterproof shoes can't cope when the water is past my ankles. My feet were soaking and I stopped and changed my socks (which I could wring out) for a dry pair from my bag. My shoes were wet through and I was concerned about blisters, but had no need to worry as no blisters after two hard days of training. Headed back along the River Wyre where I saw the boat in the picture. I am sure it was aptly named "Good Hope" at one stage, but the dreams have now turned into a wreck. Hope that's not some sort of omen! Returned home via Poulton and then finished off by taking the dogs for a 4 mile walk.

I was walking / running for 9hours and 57 minutes and covered 38.5 miles. Slower average pace than I expected. However, when I got home I thought my bag was rather heavy and so weighed it. I had obviously made a mistake before setting off. I thought my bag was underweight and had put another 2 kg weight in. However, the actual weight when I set off, with water, must have been about 13kgs. As I expect to be no more than 11.5 kgs with water on day 1, and as this will drop to about 9.5 kgs by the time of the 50 mile day, I was obviously training with a heavier rucksack than I will be carrying. So actually felt very pleased.

Was the third intended outcome achieved - that is to be able to do another long day on Saturday. Again delighted that I was able to do 30.2 miles in 7 hours 32 minutes. Bag weight was reduced to about 8kgs, and felt really good at the end, and have recovered well by today (Sunday), and feel could do it all again. Training well on course.

Last week was the highest mileage at 105 miles that I will be doing. Although I will still be doing high mileage for another 3 to 4 weeks I will drop it and concentrate on quality (tempo and intervals) along with gym sessions. The back to back sessions last week have confirmed my training is on course and was psychologically important, but I don't feel I will gain anything by more similar sessions at this stage - apart from an unwanted injury.

The itinerary has arrived this week, along with a request for the final payment of a security deposit - to be cashed if I don't finish or if I infringe the rules! Not sure if it pays for the body bag if I need alternative transport home, or if that's already payed for!

DEFLATED AND COLD

I am not personally deflated. On Friday night as we headed out to meet friends for an Indian my "tyre pressure low" warning came on. Fortunately I have "run flat tyres" so didn't have to stop and got home OK. Unfortunately run flat tyres are not cheap and so having contacted garage next day I started my run yesterday 2 hours later than planned and £270 lighter! Ouch! And it was certainly cold with that bitter wind.

In fact as far as the training goes I am far from deflated. It is going very well. Ran a little less in total than planned last week at 89 miles (although still pleased with this) but total distance although important is not everything. Very pleased, however, with the quality and variety of my training. Have managed gym sessions, tempo runs, interval runs as well as long slow sessions. Again my main effort was on Friday when I did 26 very hilly miles in Lake District with a 10kg rucksack, followed by 21 miles running yesterday.

Friday morning and the alarm was going off at 6.15. Pitch black, wind howling around the house and peeing down! The delights of training! By the time I got to Coniston at 8.30 it was raining in a way that it can only do in the Lakes. Very tempting to stay in the car. On with full waterproofs and set of on Cumbria Way. By the time I had been going for an hour my gloves could quite literally be rung out. The photo looking towards Elterwater doesn't really show it but the weather was absolutely horrible. My route took me via Tarn Howes and Colwith Force to Skelwith Bridge and then via Elterwater and Chapel Stile to Dungeon Ghyll. I set off up the track at the back of Dungeon Ghyll to go to Stickle Tarn. It took me over 30 minutes to do the next 0.6 miles as it was very steep and very slippy with all the rain. Climbed about 900 feet during this time. Didn't make it to Stickle Tarn as was concerned about doing return journey in time before it got dark. Got back to car just before 5, having had a few hours with very little rain. However, just as I got back it started up again and so my "dry clothes" which I changed into for journey back where wet by the time I was back in the car.

Despite the exertion of Friday I also managed a slow 21 mile run yesterday - and felt fine at the end. Must be getting it right in time for MdS - 8 weeks today.

My full training week was as follows:

SUNDAY Gym - 10 minutes on bike and weights
MONDAY 7am - 5 miles slow - 46mins 33secs
1pm - 8 miles tempo - 2 miles warm up and warm down with 4 miles in
31.15 (average 7.49 per mile)
TUESDAY Gym - 10 minutes bike and weights
WEDNESDAY 7am - 5 miles slow - 48 mins 46 secs
4pm - 9 miles interval - 2 miles warm up and down with 4 miles
intervals and 1/2 mile recovery jog (mile times 7.40; 7.33; 7.33 and
7.55)
THURSDAY 12.30 - 15 miles slow 2 hours 37 mins 21 (average 10.25 per mile)
FRIDAY 8.45 - 26 miles with 7,500 feet elevation in 7 hours 55 minutes
SATURDAY 11.30 - 21 miles slow - 4 hours 10 minutes (average 12 minutes per mile)

Finally some good news from Sue in Kenya. BBC are showing a programme this Wednesday and next at 7.30 about the Children of Watamu (Inside Out - BBC1 North West). Hopefully will raise awareness of the charity I am supporting.