Training - extreme shopping run...

Day off today so decided to go against the grain and run in the morning. Needing to buy some Spray Mount (type of glue!) so that me and Emma can finish the Christmas cards we started making at the weekend I decided to run to Ilkley to visit the art shop.


The route I took can be seen from our window - out along the west end of the Chevin, through Menston, up to Burley Woodhead and then along Rombalds Moor above the Cow and Calf rocks before descending down into Ilkley.


After my purchase and a quick Geobar I followed the back road from Ilkley, across the wire suspension bride and through Askwith back to Otley.


Just over 15 miles in 2.5 hours. I ran with about 1.5 ltrs in my camelback with one sachet of SIS Go powder, water melon flavour. This was the fist time I had used Go stuff since Tooting but it was surprisingly refreshing, especially as the fluid stayed cold. It was into the wind and uphill on the way out, warm and sunny on the way back. Overall 942 ft of ascent climbing to just over 1,000 ft above sea level. Here are a few pictures of the route:





View of the route from the office at home. The craggy skyline just right of centre is the Cow and Calf rocks just above Ilkley.





Looking down onto Otley from on top of the Chevin, just above our house.

Cow and calf rocks just above Ilkley












A painting of Ilkley Moor that I thought summed up the atmosphere today.














The suspension bridge leaving Ilkley.

Kit - sleeping!

Two pieces of essential kit for sleeping. 1. a very lightweight sleeping bag. This is a Rab Quantum 200 weighing 450g. Not only is it light though, it also packs down really small. 2. Sleep matt. This is a Thermarest Z-lite weighing 428g.

Kit - anti venom pump

One of the compulsory pieces of kit that has to be carried in the MdS is an anti venom pump. The main danger apparently being from scorpions. The pump enables you to draw out the venom from the bite. All a bit cleaner and less heroic than sucking it out and spitting out the venom John Wayne style......this is what it looks like and it weighs 76g.

Kit testing!

Finally took the plunge and decided to test out one of the freeze dried meals. This one:

As you can see 'Chicken Tikka' from Expedition Foods (they are based in North Yorkshire so they must be good!). Basically you boil some water, pour into the bag, stir, close up the bag and leave for 5-8 minutes, then tuck in! And the verdict?

Well, it looks like a bag of sick. No, it really does! But it actually tasted quite good. Texture was OK, even felt like pieces of chicken (very small pieces obviously) and it was quite spicy.

The technical info: the bag weighs 136g and contains 700 calories. So, just about one third of the minimum I'll need to carry for each day.

Will now try out more flavours and some breakfast meals, but this really was 'OK'.


COOKING

Well, the Tibetan stove, MSR Titan kettle and spork all perfomed very well. I used a single fuel tab and the water was very near boiling - simmering rather than rolling, but more than hot enough to rehydrate the food and make it palatable. This was the set up:










And this is all you need for a gourmet meal in the desert (this and some fresh naan breads, a few poppadoms, mango chutney, real rice, an ice cold beer......).



Some more technical info for those interested.

The Kettle weighs 126g and holds up to 800ml (brim full). The stove weighs 10g, a pack of 24 fuel tabs in box weigh 172g and the spork 16g.

The lighter is a cheap disposable one, 16g and the knife is a Leatherman (that I may or may not take) and weighs 48g.

Admittedly this was all done inside, so no winds to contend with, or uneven ground, but the water boilded fairly quickly and the whole process was very easy.

Training

Speed work today. Did a 4 mile circuit around town and basically used Fartlek instead of the '3 x 1 mile fast' in my training plan. Perhaps not so hard but more fun. then back home to train with my kit....

Training

6 miles today. Route followed the main road out of Otley to pool. This is mostly unlit so wore my head torch. I have run this road in the dark with no lights but find the on-coming car lights too dazzling. Also, the light is fairly essential climbing Old Pool Bank. This steep, though relatively short climb, gets steeper towards the top and I could very readily have walked. But, stuff like the MdS is as much about mental fitness as physical, so I stuck it out to the top. From then on in it was the very familiar 2 plus miles gentle down hill on the Leeds Road into Otley.

Still chilly, and flecks of rain in the head torch beam looked like sleet. Only passing though.

Rest day tomorrow.

Training - Part Two

Just completed today's run. Just short of 14 miles and only 202 feet of ascent/descent so fairly easy. Still, did feel those extra 6 miles over yesterday's run.

Not much to report. It was dark, saw one other runner out, not too cold, chilly hands into the westerly breeze but generally uneventful.

Completes 32 miles for the week and 24 bike miles. Road shoes have now completed 385 miles from new so will need to think about replacing those before too long.

Did 5 miles in trail shoes this week and got slight rubbing on my left ankle so will need to test those out again before the Round Rotherham 50.

Training

8 mile out and about in the dark yesterday. Weather was awful all day so no advantage in going out in daylight. Ran up Leeds Road into Bramhope and then did a few loops of the back streets. Got completely lost and with no street lighting it was very eerie - quite a bright moon though...

According to Mapmyrun this route involved 532 feet of ascent and descent. 13 miles planned for today.

Training

OK week so far. Two 5 mile runs. Last night went a bit off-road too, so a bit more fun. Three days on the bike as well, has been very misty travelling home and a bit icy this morning though.

Runs of 8 and 13 miles on the schedule for the weekend.

Training

Just completed 18 miles. Felt pretty good, but last 6 miles dragged a bit. Quite cold too, made worse by the damp and a north/north easterly wind.

Rounded off a good week though. 38 miles running and 29 cycling. A proper week!

Training

Roughly 8 miles yesterday. Weather a bit dull, but not as cold as earlier in the week, but chilly into the wind. Route was mainly uphill - up Leeds Road to Bramhope, up to Bramhope old village and out to the Harrogate Road. Back along Old Land and down East Chevin Road. Felt good.

Just contemplating 18 miles - Menston, Guiseley, Horsforth, Lawnswood, Bramhope, home circuit, but its dull, wet and cold outside and starting to get dark....

Kit

New kit this week:

Tibetan titanium stove and spork. See picture below. The stove weighs 10g, the spork 15g. Bought some fuel tabs today so will test it out soon.

Also got a 'Buff', but I'm not doing any pictures of that until Pamela and Emma stop laughing at me wearing it.....

Right, time to go for a run........

Facing Africa

Really good short film about the work of Facing Africa on BBC Yorkshire and Lincolnshire last night. Follow the link below to view the podcast - then sponsor me!!

Facing Africa podcast

Training

Is back on! Managed 5 miles on Monday, though felt a bit out of it (probably my cold still) and it was hat and gloves weather. Also did 7 miles last night and felt good.

Two days on the bike so far, 11 miles on Tuesday and will be 10 today by the time I've ridden home from work.

Also got some more kit on Monday - a really dinky stove and a titanium spork. Will post more information under 'Kit'.

Training

Well, probably the most pants training week I've ever had. No running and just 8 miles on the bike (though did manage a 4.5 mile walk today - really nice route around Grimwith reservoir).

Anyway, just as well as I've had a stinking cold and one or two other 'ailments' this last week, doubtless as a result of Tooting(!). Still, hopefully back on course tomorrow.

Kit

Met up with a guy called Jack O'Hern yesterday. Jack ran the MdS this year and was happy to sell on some of his kit. Also got to hear some more tales from the desert - consensus seems to be that its a 'once in a lifetime experience', 'most amazing thing I've ever done' type of event, but at the same time physically, and perhaps even more so, mentally 'challenging'.

Anyway, kit additions include:

• Rab Quantum 200 sleeping bag - weighs next to nothing and packs down really small. Yet to unroll it and climb in however....
• MSR Titan kettle - its a kettle! Very light though.
• Raidlight Front Pack - for that real 'Camel front' look.
• Anti-venom pump - one of the compulsory pieces of kit
• A Radilight desert cap - very stylish!
• Thermarest Z-lite sleep mat - its light but much bigger and bulkier than I imagined. Emma says I should leave it at home and sleep on the floor - not sure that is really an option though....
• Some freeze dried meals - a couple of which are the Expedition Foods 700 cal packs. Guess I'll have to actually eat those soon....

Will post an update on what the kit is actually like to use when I get the chance. However, my Salomon Raidrace 200 pack (20ltrs) is already looking very 'wee'.....

Kit

First bit of kit arrived today - one Tyvek suit thanks to BSK via Pamela. Have used these to keep warm before races in the past and they are very effective. Planning to use this to wear around the camp on the MdS and back-up extra layer at night and for the day-night stage.

Off to Lincoln tomorrow to buy more kit! Watch this space...

Training

Decorating is FINISHED!!! Glad that's over. Completed in time to do a quick 7 mile run in the dark - a simple out and back. Only three runs this week, about 18 miles in all, nice easing back in.

Rest day

Rest day today, painting daughter Emma's bedroom (does that count as cross training?). Saw Otley AC running down the lane at the back of our house, head-torches on, descending the hill....

Training starts now!

Well, this is a bit scary - entering the virtual world of blogs. So, why have I set one up? On one level, because I hope it will help me raise funds for 'Facing Africa' the charity I am running for in the Sahara desert next March/April. Secondly, it may be of some help to future MdS runners in the same way I've benefited from blogs and forums so far.

Its 24 weeks until the MdS and my training schedule started on Monday. An easy week to get going after a three week break following the Tooting Bec 24 hour race.

So far this week I've done an easy 4 miler around town and last night, complete with headtorch (a Petzel Myo XP for those that are interested) did a 7 mile circuit, all on pavement's, but not all of them lit, or very well lit. Decided to head out of town to avoid the trick or treaters....

Feeling good after three weeks rest and all aches and pains seem to have healed.