I probably wont be posting anything again now until I finish the race. I am going radio silent. From the day after tomorrow I will be in the desert, and tomorrow I will be travelling for part of the day, then meeting my fellow Brits in Ouarzazate in the evening.
So I will leave you with the same message I posted the other day about how to contact me and how to follow my progress during the MDS. Messages of support that you send to me using the method below will be very much appreciated, and will give me a huge, much needed boost. If you want to watch all the action on TV there is a list of channels that will be broadcasting on the organisers website. Eurosport is one of those mentioned in the list.
My race number or dossard is 446, or alternatively you can find me by my last name Janes.
So now here goes:
For friends and family wishing to send you emails during the MdS from 7 April:
They will need to go to http://www.darbaroud.com/index.php?lang=en and click on ‘Write to a competitor’ or ‘Ecrire aux concurrents’. They will need to have your running number (DOS). They must NOT try to send attachments or anything other than plain text, or the email won’t be delivered! Messages left on the Darbaroud Forum will NOT be forwarded, nor will messages sent to me (although I will get back to the sender).
THIS FACILITY WILL NOT APPEAR ON THE WEBSITE UNTIL 7 APRIL AND WILL BE REMOVED ON 13 APRIL!
There will also be a finish webcam on the above page, so they might spot you crossing the line each day.
If anyone has trouble using the site, they can email me at mds@realmorocco.com or bommds@travelzest.com, however, as Monday is a bank holiday, I’m unlikely to pick up before Tuesday morning. You can also call me on 0845 026 4575 – I will be answering calls for the rest of the week.
Following your progress:
Daily results will be posted here: http://www.darbaroud.com/resultats/participants.php?epreuve_id=2012&langue=en
Last year, it was possible to follow arrival through checkpoints – I’m not sure if this will happen this year. Please make sure that your supporters are aware that these results take time to update – mostly they are quite good, but occasionally someone’s results get missed.
Wednesday, 4 April 2012
Last sauna done and precious grams shaved off my pack weight
I went to the sauna tonight for the final time before the MDS starts. In total I have done 9 sauna sessions in a row, and those combined with my desert runs in the midday heat, as well as the Bikram yoga lessons I did in the weeks before I came to Morocco should stand me in good stead to cope with the heat I will encounter during the race.
I stayed in the sauna for 40 minutes, but once again the staff had forgotten I was coming, so I got in the sauna while it was still heating up. When I first got in, it was below 60C (140F), but by the time I left it was a respectable 82C (179.6F).
The rest of the evening I have trying to shave some precious grams off my pack weight. I managed to cut some buckles off my rucksack that seemed surplus to requirements, and I decided to take 1 spare shoelace instead of 2 (what are the chances of 2 breaking). I also managed to put my windproof jacket and windproof trousers in a single stuff sac, so I saved a few grams there. Really when I looked at everything laid out on the bed, apart from the food I must only have a couple of kilos worth of stuff.
There is only one thing that bothers me and where I feel I did not make a good choice. The tube of suncream I am carrying is huge. It is 180ml and that is way too big a tube for 6 racing days when almost my entire body is covered with clothes (other than my face, hands and a small section of my legs). My suspicion was confirmed when I saw a report from the previous year's highest placed Brit that 100ml of suncream is ample. Now I could squeeze out some suncream before the race starts, but I will still be left with the honking great tube taking up needless space. If you think I am being a little over the top you should have seen my kit laid out on the bed. It was basically food, medical and survival kit, sleeping bag, windproof clothes, sand goggles, fleece, and then the great honking tube of suncream. I guess I will just have to squeeze some excess out and then put up with it, unless I can make a pact with another competitor that I share my sunscream with them in return for them carrying a small item of mine.
My final comment on how the day went is related to some frantic email exchanges that were going on throughout the day. Some of the Mencap participants wanted a confirmation of how many calories they needed to present at the checks, and then another team member told them they only needed food for 6 days. Actually the rules make it clear that you need 2,000 calories per day for 7 days i.e. 14,000 calories must be presented at the checks. The confusion was soon cleared up and everyone except maybe the person who thinks you need food for 6 days is happy. The rest of the exchanges were related to packing and what should go in the hand luggage and what should go in the hold, incase the hold luggage gets lost. I was not so interested in that discussion though, because I am already here in Morocco with all my stuff.
I stayed in the sauna for 40 minutes, but once again the staff had forgotten I was coming, so I got in the sauna while it was still heating up. When I first got in, it was below 60C (140F), but by the time I left it was a respectable 82C (179.6F).
The rest of the evening I have trying to shave some precious grams off my pack weight. I managed to cut some buckles off my rucksack that seemed surplus to requirements, and I decided to take 1 spare shoelace instead of 2 (what are the chances of 2 breaking). I also managed to put my windproof jacket and windproof trousers in a single stuff sac, so I saved a few grams there. Really when I looked at everything laid out on the bed, apart from the food I must only have a couple of kilos worth of stuff.
There is only one thing that bothers me and where I feel I did not make a good choice. The tube of suncream I am carrying is huge. It is 180ml and that is way too big a tube for 6 racing days when almost my entire body is covered with clothes (other than my face, hands and a small section of my legs). My suspicion was confirmed when I saw a report from the previous year's highest placed Brit that 100ml of suncream is ample. Now I could squeeze out some suncream before the race starts, but I will still be left with the honking great tube taking up needless space. If you think I am being a little over the top you should have seen my kit laid out on the bed. It was basically food, medical and survival kit, sleeping bag, windproof clothes, sand goggles, fleece, and then the great honking tube of suncream. I guess I will just have to squeeze some excess out and then put up with it, unless I can make a pact with another competitor that I share my sunscream with them in return for them carrying a small item of mine.
My final comment on how the day went is related to some frantic email exchanges that were going on throughout the day. Some of the Mencap participants wanted a confirmation of how many calories they needed to present at the checks, and then another team member told them they only needed food for 6 days. Actually the rules make it clear that you need 2,000 calories per day for 7 days i.e. 14,000 calories must be presented at the checks. The confusion was soon cleared up and everyone except maybe the person who thinks you need food for 6 days is happy. The rest of the exchanges were related to packing and what should go in the hand luggage and what should go in the hold, incase the hold luggage gets lost. I was not so interested in that discussion though, because I am already here in Morocco with all my stuff.
Last run done - now just to pack my bag and shave my toes
I just completed my last training run before the MDS. It is not crazily hot here today, but it is pleasntly warm and sunny and I wore 2 tops to make myself sweat a bit more. The weather forecast says it is 21C (69.8F). For the next 2 weeks in fact it is showing temperatures of below 30C (86F), but we will see.
As planned I ran 5km in the sand dunes. The pace was very comfortable and it took me 37 minutes and 11 seconds. If you recall when I first arrived in Merzouga on the 23rd March I only managed 4.9km in 45 minutes, and I found that much tougher. So basically 8 minutes of improvement and at a lower perceived effort. One of the reasons for that is of course acclimatisation, but I believe knowing how to run on the sand and how to pick a good route also play a big part.
What I have learnt about running in the dunes is that it is best to stay more forward on your feet and to take short quick steps rather than long bounding ones. It is also best to tread as lightly as possible, as often the top layer of sand is like a crust, and provided you tread lightly it may support your weight. This is especially important going up steep slopes where if the crust breaks you end up slipping back at least half of the distance you progressed forward. In terms of picking a route, virgin sand seems to be a better choice on the flat and downhills rather than following someone else's footsteps. On the uphills it depends. If you can avoid breaking the crust then virgin sand is a good choice, but if you break the crust or you know that you will then it can help to follow someone else's footsteps, as they provide a bit more traction/grip. Also the less up and down you can do the better so you need to try to choose a route that is as flat as possible (even if it is not the most direct route). Running up the dunes is very tiring and to be avoided if at all possible. Running down the dunes can also jarr your legs significantly and you risk hyperextending your knee if you are not careful. In addition it is the time when you are most likely to get sand in your shoes, as sometimes running downhill your leg slips into the sand so deeply that some sand gets in through the top of the gaiters if they are not done up tightly enough.
Now that I have got my last run out of the way I am going to go and finalise my packing. I will see if I can shave some more grams off the total pack weight by getting rid of more packaging and so on. I already did this several times but I will do it again from a fresh perspective. The 180ml tube of suncream I have been using the last few weeks will also be sufficient to last me through the MDS, so I do not need to pack a new tube in my running pack as I had originally planned (another 80g or so saved). 100ml should be plenty sufficient as only my face, hands and a small section of my legs between the bottom of my shorts and the top of the gaiters is exposed.
I will also have to shave my toes as part of my final preparations. I found the places on my feet where friction blisters are most likely to occur these last 2 weeks (through having had them), and it seems the tops and the underneaths of my toes are vulnerable. For this reason I will tape them up before the first day, and it makes it much easier to remove the old tape and apply fresh tape when the toes don't have any little hairs on them. I ordered my shoes 1 size larger than normal, and till now I have not experienced any foot swelling, so the blisters were caused by my feet moving around in the shoes. Hopefully having run in the oversized shoes for 2 weeks now though, my feet will be used to them and have toughened up significantly.
That's all for now folks. One more post to go (after the sauna tonight) and then I wil just leave up a post with the details of how to write to me during the race and how to follow my progress. You wont hear from me then until I have finished.
As planned I ran 5km in the sand dunes. The pace was very comfortable and it took me 37 minutes and 11 seconds. If you recall when I first arrived in Merzouga on the 23rd March I only managed 4.9km in 45 minutes, and I found that much tougher. So basically 8 minutes of improvement and at a lower perceived effort. One of the reasons for that is of course acclimatisation, but I believe knowing how to run on the sand and how to pick a good route also play a big part.
What I have learnt about running in the dunes is that it is best to stay more forward on your feet and to take short quick steps rather than long bounding ones. It is also best to tread as lightly as possible, as often the top layer of sand is like a crust, and provided you tread lightly it may support your weight. This is especially important going up steep slopes where if the crust breaks you end up slipping back at least half of the distance you progressed forward. In terms of picking a route, virgin sand seems to be a better choice on the flat and downhills rather than following someone else's footsteps. On the uphills it depends. If you can avoid breaking the crust then virgin sand is a good choice, but if you break the crust or you know that you will then it can help to follow someone else's footsteps, as they provide a bit more traction/grip. Also the less up and down you can do the better so you need to try to choose a route that is as flat as possible (even if it is not the most direct route). Running up the dunes is very tiring and to be avoided if at all possible. Running down the dunes can also jarr your legs significantly and you risk hyperextending your knee if you are not careful. In addition it is the time when you are most likely to get sand in your shoes, as sometimes running downhill your leg slips into the sand so deeply that some sand gets in through the top of the gaiters if they are not done up tightly enough.
Now that I have got my last run out of the way I am going to go and finalise my packing. I will see if I can shave some more grams off the total pack weight by getting rid of more packaging and so on. I already did this several times but I will do it again from a fresh perspective. The 180ml tube of suncream I have been using the last few weeks will also be sufficient to last me through the MDS, so I do not need to pack a new tube in my running pack as I had originally planned (another 80g or so saved). 100ml should be plenty sufficient as only my face, hands and a small section of my legs between the bottom of my shorts and the top of the gaiters is exposed.
I will also have to shave my toes as part of my final preparations. I found the places on my feet where friction blisters are most likely to occur these last 2 weeks (through having had them), and it seems the tops and the underneaths of my toes are vulnerable. For this reason I will tape them up before the first day, and it makes it much easier to remove the old tape and apply fresh tape when the toes don't have any little hairs on them. I ordered my shoes 1 size larger than normal, and till now I have not experienced any foot swelling, so the blisters were caused by my feet moving around in the shoes. Hopefully having run in the oversized shoes for 2 weeks now though, my feet will be used to them and have toughened up significantly.
That's all for now folks. One more post to go (after the sauna tonight) and then I wil just leave up a post with the details of how to write to me during the race and how to follow my progress. You wont hear from me then until I have finished.
Last run before the MDS kicks off
Good morning. Even writing the title above makes me slightly nervous. After my short training run today, the next time I run will be in the MDS itself. I have no intention of running tomorrow, and none of the other UK competitors will be able to run tomorrow either, because they will be flying out to Ouarzazate. Then there are 2 days in the desert, but I think most of us will be content to rest and conserve our energy. It is most definitely too late now to get any extra benefits from last minute training. Three days of full rest will be good for us, and also give us a chance to make sure our bodies are fully hydrated and that our glycogen stores are fully topped up.
After my training run today I will pack my rucksack exactly as I will be running with it in the MDS. It is almost fully packed now, except that I had removed my sleeping bag, fleece and several freeze dried meals to make space for a 1.5 litre bottle of water that I always carried around with me incase I needed it.
My training run today will be very light. The last couple of days I ran on the hemada so I want to go running in the sand dunes one last time. I will either run 5km, or run for one hour, whichever comes first. Then in the evening I have my last sauna session (making 9 in total). After that the countdown begins.
Mental preparation can of course continue. In my mind I will picture myself doing well and getting a good placing. I will picture myself crossing the finishing line and try to imagine the feeling of elation it will give me. I will try to imagine how it will feel to have Anny there with me at that special moment (she will be there at the finish remember, as she is flying out to Morocco with the friends and family package). I will learn to embrace pain and stiff and aching muscles (they are a reward for hard work after all). When Sunday comes I will be ready for it in my mind. Nothing and noone will stand between me and my goals.
After my training run today I will pack my rucksack exactly as I will be running with it in the MDS. It is almost fully packed now, except that I had removed my sleeping bag, fleece and several freeze dried meals to make space for a 1.5 litre bottle of water that I always carried around with me incase I needed it.
My training run today will be very light. The last couple of days I ran on the hemada so I want to go running in the sand dunes one last time. I will either run 5km, or run for one hour, whichever comes first. Then in the evening I have my last sauna session (making 9 in total). After that the countdown begins.
Mental preparation can of course continue. In my mind I will picture myself doing well and getting a good placing. I will picture myself crossing the finishing line and try to imagine the feeling of elation it will give me. I will try to imagine how it will feel to have Anny there with me at that special moment (she will be there at the finish remember, as she is flying out to Morocco with the friends and family package). I will learn to embrace pain and stiff and aching muscles (they are a reward for hard work after all). When Sunday comes I will be ready for it in my mind. Nothing and noone will stand between me and my goals.
Tuesday, 3 April 2012
The sauna hit 96C (204.8F) today
I am just back from my daily sauna, and it was a pretty intense session today. When I entered the sauna it was already 90C (194F), but by the time I left it was even higher at 96C (204.8F). I managed to stick it out for 30 minutes without feeling the urge to leave, and after I finished I felt absolutely fine. One could use words like radiant or glowing.
It is amazing that the body can withstand those kind of temperatures as a few degrees hotter and water can boil at that temperature. I can only assume that the dryness of the air makes it tolerable. By chance I decided to take my heart rate monitor and chest strap to the spa today, so I was able to monitor my heart rate throughout the 30 minutes.
At the beginning of the session my heart rate was hovering around 50 and it didn't change that much for a good ten minutes. After that it started to rise steadily till it was around 80. It went much higher when I got up and left the sauna, probably caused by the exertion of standing up and moving around. As I was taking a cold shower it started to go down, and when I sat down it returned to normal after around ten minutes or so.
It is amazing that the body can withstand those kind of temperatures as a few degrees hotter and water can boil at that temperature. I can only assume that the dryness of the air makes it tolerable. By chance I decided to take my heart rate monitor and chest strap to the spa today, so I was able to monitor my heart rate throughout the 30 minutes.
At the beginning of the session my heart rate was hovering around 50 and it didn't change that much for a good ten minutes. After that it started to rise steadily till it was around 80. It went much higher when I got up and left the sauna, probably caused by the exertion of standing up and moving around. As I was taking a cold shower it started to go down, and when I sat down it returned to normal after around ten minutes or so.
Final preparations - testing the foot pod
Hi everyone. I just went for a run to Merzouga centre and back in order to try out the Suunto Foot Pod Mini for myself (if you recall Anny tried it out the other day), and to see how accurate it is for me. The reason I chose that route is that I did the same route the other days with my GPS watch, so know how far it should be. I couldn't really wear both at the same time as they both use ANT so may have interfered with each other.
It is hard to follow exactly the same route as I took the other day when I was wearing my GPS watch, as the hemada is just an open plain and there are paths crisscrossing it everywhere. It should not make that much difference though, as I can more or less remember where I ran.
The Suunto Food Pod Mini uses an accelerometer to measure the speed and distance, so it will never really be as accurate as a GPS device. Saying that, GPS devices are not really practical in the MDS as if you want them to last the duration you either need to carry lots of spare batteries or to carry a solar charger, both of which add extra weight to your pack. The Food Pod Mini on the other hand can handle 400 hours of continuous use before you need to change the single lithium battery.
Apparently with some models of the Suunto watches it is possible to callibrate the Food Pod Mini using a run of known distance. I haven't figured out how to do that with mine though. Uncallibrated, Suunto claim that it is 95% or more accurate.
My GPS watch showed the run I did the other day following the same route was 9.73km. The Foot Pod Mini showed the distance as 9.42km, so this is certainly within the limits of accuracy specified by Suunto, and will be fine for the MDS as long as I allow for the error in terms of pacing. In fact it is better that it underestimates the distance rather than overestimates the distance to avoid premature sprint finishes.
The route today took me 1 hour 1 minute and 16 seconds, and that was a really leisurely pace with several photo stops included in that time. I had decided to take my spare pack with just a bottle of water, my camera, room key and sunscreen in it, in order to give my legs a nice breather. I was amazed at the difference it made running without the usual 8 to 10kg. Even though I still had several kilos in my pack I felt so much lighter on my feet than usual. When I start running without the pack after finishing the MDS it is going to feel like a breath of fresh air. I have basically had that pack permanently strapped to my back on every run I have done since I got it.
It is hard to follow exactly the same route as I took the other day when I was wearing my GPS watch, as the hemada is just an open plain and there are paths crisscrossing it everywhere. It should not make that much difference though, as I can more or less remember where I ran.
The Suunto Food Pod Mini uses an accelerometer to measure the speed and distance, so it will never really be as accurate as a GPS device. Saying that, GPS devices are not really practical in the MDS as if you want them to last the duration you either need to carry lots of spare batteries or to carry a solar charger, both of which add extra weight to your pack. The Food Pod Mini on the other hand can handle 400 hours of continuous use before you need to change the single lithium battery.
Apparently with some models of the Suunto watches it is possible to callibrate the Food Pod Mini using a run of known distance. I haven't figured out how to do that with mine though. Uncallibrated, Suunto claim that it is 95% or more accurate.
My GPS watch showed the run I did the other day following the same route was 9.73km. The Foot Pod Mini showed the distance as 9.42km, so this is certainly within the limits of accuracy specified by Suunto, and will be fine for the MDS as long as I allow for the error in terms of pacing. In fact it is better that it underestimates the distance rather than overestimates the distance to avoid premature sprint finishes.
The route today took me 1 hour 1 minute and 16 seconds, and that was a really leisurely pace with several photo stops included in that time. I had decided to take my spare pack with just a bottle of water, my camera, room key and sunscreen in it, in order to give my legs a nice breather. I was amazed at the difference it made running without the usual 8 to 10kg. Even though I still had several kilos in my pack I felt so much lighter on my feet than usual. When I start running without the pack after finishing the MDS it is going to feel like a breath of fresh air. I have basically had that pack permanently strapped to my back on every run I have done since I got it.
Feeling much better today, camel moans and dead camels
I woke up this morning at 7am without an alarm (although with the assistance of camel "moans" for want of a better word), and felt fine again. Yesterday in case you did not read my post I had a stomach bug. I also had a bit of a sniffy nose the last few days, and was a little worried, as you really don't want to start a race as tough as the MDS with a cold. Several people staying at the hotel had been sick and I was praying that they had not infected me with their germs, despite my best efforts to keep well away from them and to wash my hands like someone with obessive-compulsive disorder (you know like the guy in the American TV series Monk).
It seems that whatever I had yesterday is now gone praise the Lord. My stomach is back to normal and I have my usual hefty appetite back. In fact I am so hungry I could eat a camel (if I wasn't a vegetarian). Oh yes and talking of camels, there is something I had meant to say in my post-run post yesterday but had forgotten to include. Whilst I was running out in the hemada I came across the decaying remains of camels. Not just once but several times I stumbled upon them. Now I know that camels die and the owners have to do something with the corpses, but it would be nice if they could put them all in one place or burn the remains, so that people like me don't almost run over them. It is not the best impression to have lingering in your mind after a run.
It seems that whatever I had yesterday is now gone praise the Lord. My stomach is back to normal and I have my usual hefty appetite back. In fact I am so hungry I could eat a camel (if I wasn't a vegetarian). Oh yes and talking of camels, there is something I had meant to say in my post-run post yesterday but had forgotten to include. Whilst I was running out in the hemada I came across the decaying remains of camels. Not just once but several times I stumbled upon them. Now I know that camels die and the owners have to do something with the corpses, but it would be nice if they could put them all in one place or burn the remains, so that people like me don't almost run over them. It is not the best impression to have lingering in your mind after a run.
Monday, 2 April 2012
By a twist of fate the sauna was much cooler today, which is just what I wanted
Good evening to you. As I mentioned in my earlier post I feel rather fragile at the moment, as I have a stomach bug. For this reason I did not want to push myself too hard by entering a super hot sauna and staying in it for 45 minutes, which had been my original aim.
When I turned up at the spa I found that they had forgotten I was coming and only switched the sauna on a few minutes before I arrived. What a fortunate mistake. That meant I was able to get in the sauna at a nice refreshing 50C (122F) and stay in it while it heated up. Even when it got above 80C (176F) I found the heat much easier to handle, presumably because my body had accustomed itself gradually to the rising heat.
In the end I was able to stay comfortably in the sauna for 45 minutes, and when I left it was at the usual 86F (186.8F), and had been for some time before.
When I turned up at the spa I found that they had forgotten I was coming and only switched the sauna on a few minutes before I arrived. What a fortunate mistake. That meant I was able to get in the sauna at a nice refreshing 50C (122F) and stay in it while it heated up. Even when it got above 80C (176F) I found the heat much easier to handle, presumably because my body had accustomed itself gradually to the rising heat.
In the end I was able to stay comfortably in the sauna for 45 minutes, and when I left it was at the usual 86F (186.8F), and had been for some time before.
Stomach bug
I just came back from a 10.22km run on the hemada, and it didn't really go that well. Something seemed to be not quite right from the moment I set off, and my speed was much lower than it would have usually been for the same level of effort. In fact it took me well over an hour, which is very slow despite the fact that I was not pushing it (1 hour 8 minutes and 28 seconds). I would usually manage it in under an hour even at a really casual pace.
It was only after a few kilometres that the familair grumblings that signal a stomach bug started to occur. It shouldn't have come as too much of a surprise because one family that stayed at the hotel were sick and then after that one of the staff got sick. So it seems I was next in line.
I managed to see a nice lake in the middle of the hemada before my big problems started. On the way back from the lake I was having to stop for toilet breaks every few minutes or so. In fact it is very lucky that I changed my mind at the last minute and decided instead of running to Merzouga centre to run into the middle of the hemada. Otherwise that could have been extremely embarassing.
I finally made it back to the hotel and went straight to my room. Hopefully it will be over quickly and I will be fine by tomorrow, fingers crossed. I have reserved the sauna for tonight, but considering my fragile state I will limit the total time to under 30 minutes and take frequent breaks to cool off.
It was only after a few kilometres that the familair grumblings that signal a stomach bug started to occur. It shouldn't have come as too much of a surprise because one family that stayed at the hotel were sick and then after that one of the staff got sick. So it seems I was next in line.
I managed to see a nice lake in the middle of the hemada before my big problems started. On the way back from the lake I was having to stop for toilet breaks every few minutes or so. In fact it is very lucky that I changed my mind at the last minute and decided instead of running to Merzouga centre to run into the middle of the hemada. Otherwise that could have been extremely embarassing.
I finally made it back to the hotel and went straight to my room. Hopefully it will be over quickly and I will be fine by tomorrow, fingers crossed. I have reserved the sauna for tonight, but considering my fragile state I will limit the total time to under 30 minutes and take frequent breaks to cool off.
Contact during the MDS
I just received the following communication about how to keep in touch and follow my progress during the MDS:
For friends and family wishing to send you emails during the MdS from 7 April:
They will need to go to http://www.darbaroud.com/index.php?lang=en and click on ‘Write to a competitor’ or ‘Ecrire aux concurrents’. They will need to have your running number (DOS). They must NOT try to send attachments or anything other than plain text, or the email won’t be delivered! Messages left on the Darbaroud Forum will NOT be forwarded, nor will messages sent to me (although I will get back to the sender).
THIS FACILITY WILL NOT APPEAR ON THE WEBSITE UNTIL 7 APRIL AND WILL BE REMOVED ON 13 APRIL!
There will also be a finish webcam on the above page, so they might spot you crossing the line each day.
If anyone has trouble using the site, they can email me at mds@realmorocco.com or bommds@travelzest.com, however, as Monday is a bank holiday, I’m unlikely to pick up before Tuesday morning. You can also call me on 0845 026 4575 – I will be answering calls for the rest of the week.
Following your progress:
Daily results will be posted here: http://www.darbaroud.com/resultats/participants.php?epreuve_id=2012&langue=en
Last year, it was possible to follow arrival through checkpoints – I’m not sure if this will happen this year. Please make sure that your supporters are aware that these results take time to update – mostly they are quite good, but occasionally someone’s results get missed.
For friends and family wishing to send you emails during the MdS from 7 April:
They will need to go to http://www.darbaroud.com/index.php?lang=en and click on ‘Write to a competitor’ or ‘Ecrire aux concurrents’. They will need to have your running number (DOS). They must NOT try to send attachments or anything other than plain text, or the email won’t be delivered! Messages left on the Darbaroud Forum will NOT be forwarded, nor will messages sent to me (although I will get back to the sender).
THIS FACILITY WILL NOT APPEAR ON THE WEBSITE UNTIL 7 APRIL AND WILL BE REMOVED ON 13 APRIL!
There will also be a finish webcam on the above page, so they might spot you crossing the line each day.
If anyone has trouble using the site, they can email me at mds@realmorocco.com or bommds@travelzest.com, however, as Monday is a bank holiday, I’m unlikely to pick up before Tuesday morning. You can also call me on 0845 026 4575 – I will be answering calls for the rest of the week.
Following your progress:
Daily results will be posted here: http://www.darbaroud.com/resultats/participants.php?epreuve_id=2012&langue=en
Last year, it was possible to follow arrival through checkpoints – I’m not sure if this will happen this year. Please make sure that your supporters are aware that these results take time to update – mostly they are quite good, but occasionally someone’s results get missed.
Sunday, 1 April 2012
Just a regular day at the office - 45 minute sauna, 25 minute jacuzzi and then a sandstorm on the way home
Today I decided not to run or walk in the dunes and to take a complete rest day instead. It can never harm to have a rest day during the tapering down period. I still went to the sauna though, to boost my heat acclimation.
The sauna was the same temperature as yesterday, so it stayed between 81C (177.8F) and 86C (186.8F). I think that kind of temperature range is perfect for heat acclimation. You can stay in the sauna for some time but yet it is still very hot. Much hotter and it is hard to remain in the sauna for long periods.
I stayed in the sauna for 45 minutes in total, but I left briefly at 30, 35 and 40 minutes in order to douse myself with cold water in the shower. I would have liked to have stayed in the sauna the full 45 minutes without leaving, but it felt like that would have been a struggle. I may try that tomorrow instead.
After finishing with the sauna I decided to try out the jacuzzi. It seemed like the perfect way to wind down and loosen up all my muscles. The staff set the temperature of the jacuzzi at 37C (98.6F) and then left. Shortly after they left the power went off briefly and the jacuzzi cut out. When it came back on the jacuzzi was still not coming on, so I had to turn it on myself. Unfortunately I couldn't seem to figure out how to set the temperature and whatever I set it to, it kept changing to 39C (102.2F) several seconds later. That was slightly hotter than I wanted but as the French say "tant pis". After 25 minutes I left the jacuzzi, showered, dressed and prepared to walk home.
The door of the spa is normally always wide open so I found it strange that it was closed. As I opened it and walked outside I realised why it had been closed. There was a big sandstorm brewing. I thought for a second about waiting it out as I didn't have any goggles or sunglasses and the walk home is around ten minutes, so I didn't fancy ten minutes of getting sand blown in my eyes. The storm looked like it was firmly dug in and not likely to subside anytime soon though, so I decided bugger it and left.
As I walked home I didn't get too much sand in my eyes, so was able to watch the storm in all its glory. The fine sand was lifted hundreds of metres into the sky, blackening out the remaining daylight and creating an ominous and foreboding scene. The smaller palm trees were being blown almost horizontal and several power lines had been blown down. When I arived back at my hotel the door (which is always wide open) was closed, and I had to use the huge metal door knocker. This added to the whole drama of the scene, and I was half expecting Igor to answer the door.
I decided to take a short video clip with my camera, which I can post once I get back to Zurich. I am not sure whether it will capture the scene in all its glory though, as photos and videos rarely do.
The sauna was the same temperature as yesterday, so it stayed between 81C (177.8F) and 86C (186.8F). I think that kind of temperature range is perfect for heat acclimation. You can stay in the sauna for some time but yet it is still very hot. Much hotter and it is hard to remain in the sauna for long periods.
I stayed in the sauna for 45 minutes in total, but I left briefly at 30, 35 and 40 minutes in order to douse myself with cold water in the shower. I would have liked to have stayed in the sauna the full 45 minutes without leaving, but it felt like that would have been a struggle. I may try that tomorrow instead.
After finishing with the sauna I decided to try out the jacuzzi. It seemed like the perfect way to wind down and loosen up all my muscles. The staff set the temperature of the jacuzzi at 37C (98.6F) and then left. Shortly after they left the power went off briefly and the jacuzzi cut out. When it came back on the jacuzzi was still not coming on, so I had to turn it on myself. Unfortunately I couldn't seem to figure out how to set the temperature and whatever I set it to, it kept changing to 39C (102.2F) several seconds later. That was slightly hotter than I wanted but as the French say "tant pis". After 25 minutes I left the jacuzzi, showered, dressed and prepared to walk home.
The door of the spa is normally always wide open so I found it strange that it was closed. As I opened it and walked outside I realised why it had been closed. There was a big sandstorm brewing. I thought for a second about waiting it out as I didn't have any goggles or sunglasses and the walk home is around ten minutes, so I didn't fancy ten minutes of getting sand blown in my eyes. The storm looked like it was firmly dug in and not likely to subside anytime soon though, so I decided bugger it and left.
As I walked home I didn't get too much sand in my eyes, so was able to watch the storm in all its glory. The fine sand was lifted hundreds of metres into the sky, blackening out the remaining daylight and creating an ominous and foreboding scene. The smaller palm trees were being blown almost horizontal and several power lines had been blown down. When I arived back at my hotel the door (which is always wide open) was closed, and I had to use the huge metal door knocker. This added to the whole drama of the scene, and I was half expecting Igor to answer the door.
I decided to take a short video clip with my camera, which I can post once I get back to Zurich. I am not sure whether it will capture the scene in all its glory though, as photos and videos rarely do.
Future Challenges after the MDS
The MDS has not even started yet but my next challenge has been decided. It will be to complete a sub 3 hour marathon. I have only ever done one marathon and that was last April in Zurich in just under three and a half hours. My running has come a long way since then though, and I am five kilos lighter.
I want to try to get together a group of runners in Zurich with a similar goal so we can train together. If you are from the Zurich area and are interested in training for a sub 3 hour marathon or have already completed one and would like to help by offering some training advice then please get in touch. I have also set up a group on glocals.com incase you are a glocals member.
If you not from the Zurich area you can still help by offering your advice to me. Just like the MDS I want you all to feel that you are part of my experience and I will be writing about it every step of the way, warts and all.
Once I complete this aim, and I say once because I will keep trying until I do, I will be looking for the next challenge. That has still be decided and I am open to suggestions. Remember, you are part of the experience.
I want to try to get together a group of runners in Zurich with a similar goal so we can train together. If you are from the Zurich area and are interested in training for a sub 3 hour marathon or have already completed one and would like to help by offering some training advice then please get in touch. I have also set up a group on glocals.com incase you are a glocals member.
If you not from the Zurich area you can still help by offering your advice to me. Just like the MDS I want you all to feel that you are part of my experience and I will be writing about it every step of the way, warts and all.
Once I complete this aim, and I say once because I will keep trying until I do, I will be looking for the next challenge. That has still be decided and I am open to suggestions. Remember, you are part of the experience.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)