Monday 28 January 2013

Part 4 of the new year

Well I guess it is really coming closer. I've sorted my food. An eclectic mix of Mountain House www.mountainhouse.eu, Expedition Food www.expeditionfoods.comand and Reiter Travel Lunch. Using some stuff I had and ordered some new. Mountain House 2*1190 calorie spaghetti and a load of high energy breakfasts from Expedition Food.

Now I need my snacks. I am talking with makers of bounce balls www.bouncefoods.com and the makers of chimpanzee bars http://www.chimpanzeebar.com to see if they are so friendly to donate some food in exchange for wearing their flag on my bag or shirts.

I also decided on my shirts (Under Armour Heat Gear) and have ordered a 2XU short/compression tight integrated. Not sure about the 2XU one, depends on how tight. Would have liked to try a Salomon one Exo S-Lab Twin Skin Short but out all are out of stock.

I have decided on my shoes The North Face Hayasa and I will go to the recommend Clapham cobbler. Recommended by two well known MdS runners, namely Simon Martin and Wayde Edwards. I was thinking of putting middle nick names for them but couldn't think of any.

The main item not decided on is my sleeping bag. Yes I have one but I doubt that even with a silk liner it will do.

I've taken up sleeping in the spare room with my Klymit mat and Bench Mummy sleeping bag as part of the training. Not comfortable yet with my Klymit. So that has to improve otherwise I may re-think.

Hot Bikram Yoga has commenced again. I've added treadmill running and have been able to be on a treadmill for 50 minutes with a 10k bag. It's not the 10k bag, it's the boring as hell treadmill that is the issue.

I'm lucky, my doctor will do my ECG and form, however I am not as lucky as other people who'se doctor isn't charging. But can't complain, saves me a trip to Stevenage.

I've also got myself a cheap £8 mp3 player with 8Gb and normal battery. For when I need a boost. I did ask some old pro-cyclists for some boost advice but they could help out in the desert.

I've seen a really light weight (57 gr) jacket that is on my list. For those chilly nights.

I'm doing probably not enough running, but it's augmented by lots of other activity (Cardio, Yoga, Pilates, Weights, Cycling, Swimming (not a lot)), so I'm quite comfortable that in about 66 days I will be there and ready.

So for now, another episode done and some more browsing for stuff I need.


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http://www.therunningaroundmethod.com

Saturday 19 January 2013

2013 Part 3

This week I realised something, which I did know for a long time, but it came home much harder.
Warrior
Worrier
Do-er
Thinker

You would think what have these words in common? Well I think the perfect mix is if you have all 4 in the right doses. I don't know what the right mix is, but if you have only one, you will have issues.

The below are my assessments - they do or may not be in line with the Oxford or any other dictionary or thesaurus. But I never cared about being in line with anything or anybody so why start now?
What is a warrior - a person who has fear but knows how to overcome this and uses it as an advantage in their quests for greatness.
What is a worrier - a person who worries and doesn't really know how to overcome this worry and therefor it will hold the person back in their quest for greatness.
What is a Do-Er - a person who does things and is lucky that it sometimes goes right and sometimes goes wrong. But in the main, stuff gets done. But it could be done better.
What is a Thinker - a person who thinks it through and than does things. This person gets it right a lot of times, but less happens due to the thinking.

The above is my view and is not a value statement on people or people who apply any of the above trick of their trades. None of them is right or wrong.

So what this all to do with the MdS? Well we are now getting close to about 11 weeks before we are there. People have had a number of years to think an the closer we get the more they think they are wrong.
Then there are people who will wait till the end and just go on a splash and do / buy everything they need.
There are people thinking so much they get worried. Which means they are worried and start thinking about how to remove their worry.
The warriors will just dive in. They may be worried or have thought it through, but they have overcome their fear.

I'm not sure why I wrote all of the above, but it's been in my mind for a while and I wanted to stop thinking about it and do something with it so I wouldn't get worried and end up in a war with my self.

So Hot Bikram Yoga is really a benefit (thanks Wayde). I love it and will keep it up for another 1.5 months. I may do a heat chamber in Kingston University but not sure yet.

Today (19 Jan) I had a really great 30 minutes run on the treadmill with a 10k powerbag in my back. It even made the time on the daunted treadmill go faster (well not faster but I didn't get that bored). So a plus. Did a bit of running in the snow this week, very enjoyable. I should have done more, Hopefully I can get myself out of bed tomorrow (20 Jan) in time to be in Richmond Park at 08:30.

I've ramped up on the TRX and other bodyweight exercises and reduced weight training in return.

My main worries are:
What sleeping bag? Well I have options, haven't decided yet. Thinking, thinking.
What shoes? Well I have 3 different pairs, haven't decided yet. Thinking, thinking.
For the rest I either have most or it's not a relevant thing to think about.

I had jabs this week, as I seem to get scratched by the only thorny plant on a mountain, I got Hepatitis (a or b don't know) and Tetanus jabs. My shoulder a bit sore, but in the main no issues.

I really look forward meeting the people in life in the sandpit and some others in London at the end of February.

I understand we get a little tent flag. The so called Richmond Park Tent. That's quite cool, will go well with my Greek (birth country, Netherlands (grow up country), United Kingdom (live country) flags.

So that's it for now. I will be back soon with more. First a trip to the Netherlands somewhere this week.

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Monday 14 January 2013

2013 Part 2 of the new year

Most of my time has been spend doing Hot Bikram Yoga and Weight training. Very little has gone into real running.
As the Hot Bikram Yoga was in London, I did cycle there which added a 30k round trip, so not very guilty of not doing enough.

However, all instalments settled, €200 in February to go I believe. Most stuff bought. Three pairs of shoes, choose one. Luckily fellow runner Simon Martin has found a tailor in London, where I would need to bring my shoes to get the velcro stitched.

Signing up for more Hot Bikram Yoga and have a long run planned 18 January. Planned, not committed.

It's just over 11 weeks now, can't wait.

When I started this blog I wasn't sure what I was going to write. What I was sure about was that I wouldn't use it to tell you all my weekly kilometers or nutritional intake. There are enough out there that  do that. Also my training plan is not on here.

As I believe, as I won't be in the top 10, I'm going to have a blast and fun, and meet even more great people I'm chilled.

What I am doing is working/communicating with some recognized names in Ultra events to see what can be done as part of a show later this year. Very premature, but I really like it.

I would like to say how impressed I am of my friends who did the Country to Capital this weekend. Well done you all.

There is a lot going on right now in my life and I believe it's all for the better.

Two races coming up before we go of, London 50k Ultra and Bath Half Marathon.

My advice to my fellow runners and participants. Chill out, all of you are better trained than me, so you will make it as a walk in the park.

For now, I'm starving, need some dinner. Despite being on a diet. So speak soon.

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Wednesday 2 January 2013

2013 Part 1 of the new year

This will be a small contribution, but I didn't want you all to think I had given up writing this. Primarily to show you guys/ladies I am ready.

As one of my compatriot runners said. About 13 weeks. That is less than it sounds in days, but better than months, 3. That is before we fly off on the 4th of April to Morocco to start running on the 7th of April. This will be 6 days, 42.195 km / 26.2 miles per day = 260 km  / 156 mile in those 6 days.

What a lot of fun will we have. We will laugh together and alone, cry together and alone. We will yell at each other and what ever other human emotion exists.
But as I understand it, it is an event never to forget.

It seems people are getting really nervous now. What shall I wear, what will my feet do? Love it. Winding each other up (and your self). ;-)

So what am I doing:
1) The Runners Festive - not such a good contribution this year. But at least 2 runs in Spain which included climbing on rubble. Only did about 45 km between 23/12 and 01/01.

2) Hot Bikram Yoga (yes you Wayde, thanks for this). ;-) Been 3 times now, will go another 5 times before I call it quits as boredom may start to kick in.

3) Pilates - need to pick back up.

4) Cycling - seems to go well. But probably not very useful in the desert this time.

So all in all - I'm ready. And I only will get readier every day. However I will be careful. I don't want to get ill or break something.

So far,  a new year, it's going to be a great year. I am sure of that. So for now, enjoy yourself. Be careful because illness and breaks at this stage could be severely limiting.

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