wish me luck!

Ooops, running a bit behind. Still not properly packed and its getting late.

My rucksack seems huge. Just keep reminding myself that its all food and after a couple days running it will soon shrink.

This time tomorrow I will be bedding down in 5 star luxury before a long coach ride in to one of the worlds great deserts. Sweet dreams everyone.

Ps. Thanks to everyone who has sponsored me and please feel free to go to the darbaroud website and email while I am out there. My race number is 763.

Neverland

Everyone keeps asking me if I am excited, or nervous etc. It all seems a bit unreal at the moment. I feel like its happening and I am comfy with that but at the same time it feels like I should not of rested so much and should be doing some training. Then thoughts about the nitty gritty kick in: can I get away with less food? Need to buy lipsyl, new socks? What about a lighter? Where the hell am I going to fit the flares and survival kit the organisers give me? Where can I get straps for attaching roll-matt to my rucksac?.........you get the idea.

I am definitely in the final throws of getting this show on the road and I have to say that packing is my least favourite bit of these trips. I remember Kili being the same. Its kind of bitter sweet, I love the running around and jumping in the car to scream off to the shops for that little thing I forgot. Its the sinking feeling you get when you keep remembering things that make it stressful! The really cool bit is you know that when you do leave the house and head to the airport you have this amazing sense of order and focus about the task ahead. Really looking forward to that.

Anyway, lets focus on something else: Acclimatisation. I have been going to the sauna everyday since last Tuesday and it has been getting easier. This morning I managed 30 minutes straight quite easily. Followed with a short break then 10mins and then 5 break etc etc. To top it off I was chatting with a stunning Italian air hostess this morning. Que bella!

Will try and update again before I leave but no promises. For all that know me, feel free to text and call in the next few days so say hi and good luck!!

Nearly there

Hello, hello. Well it has been a while since I got back from that great few days with Stockford in Gran Canaria. I took the best part of ten days off after that and I have to say I felt crap. My body went to sleep after a few days and I started getting aches and pains. Best thing for it was do some exercise!

So, the two key things I have done since returning have been a nice 20 miler last Thursday and and a 50 miler two days ago. Feel pretty good all things considered!

I should also mention that after a nerve racking wait for a second opinion I have the all clear on my medical! So I am hot to trot baby!

Its all about sunbeds and saunas here on in!!!!!!!!

Well apart from the all the bits of kit I still have to organise.....I mean, Christ, it feels never ending at times! Ordered all my food yesterday and hopefully it will arrive soon. The reason being that HOLY CRAP that I fly to Morocco in 8 days!! Holy shit balls! Hahahahah!!!

Gran Canaria - Day 4

Well, well, what do you know! We ended up getting pretty blitzed before during and after the rugby! So Sunday was a bit of a wasted opportunity but we did head into the Dunes again for a bit of a session........a photo session! Vanity, definitely my favourite sin.

Gran Canaria - Day 3

Day 3 was again about 20 miles and honestly one of the best runs of my entire life. Exploration, excitement, good personal performance, great company, great weather, the ocean, beaches.....outstanding. I even persuaded Charlie to stop for a little sunbathe once we were about an hour from getting back.

One particular bit worth a mention was flying round a precarious little path that did not leave much room for error. It was just awesome. Stimulating and beautiful sum it up pretty well. Anyway, I will let the pics do the talking.

After we got back we headed back to the beach to watch England get beaten by Ireland in the 6 nations.

Gran canaria - Day 2

In the evening of day 1 we were sitting at the poolside when a very organized looking couple strolled past with a walking sticks. We grabbed them for a chat in order pick there brains about where it was good to walk and run. They were kind enough to get their maps out and showed us the route they had taken up into the mountains. That was Day 2 sorted!

So after the same hefty breakfast we struck out in to the mountains. Despite the heading in a direction that turned out to be a bit crap for running we eventually found a good track up the mountain and had a great days running. We totalled just over 20 miles and it felt really good. The brisk downhill parts on the way back were great and I could feel my core and upper body working to stabilise itself. I love this stuff!! As charlie remarked the joints and cartilage take a pounding but we really powered our way back and it left that bionic feeling in me for the rest of the day. Nice. We were out for just over four hours again.

Oh yeah, almost forgot to mention the outstanding t-bone we had in the evening of day 1! The restaurant owner even gave us a lift home!

Gran canaria - Day 1

Hola!

Okay I got back on Monday night and have been a bit slack about getting this done. So unlike me.

Day one, we had a breakfast identical to our MDS rations, filled our packs, affixed gaiters to shoes and set off in the sunshine towards the beach. Have I ever mentioned I love beaches?! So, we ran along looking like a complete pair of idiots for about 10mins till we hit the coast. I gather the sand dunes in maspalomas are quite famous and they certainly gave us a taste of just how challenging the huge ones in the Sahara are going to be. Especially as our gaiters were effective for about 10 minutes. After that our shoes were full of sand. Bugger.

So after getting the sound out we continued through the nudist areas and down the coast. Why are nudists never super hot? Not grossly overweight would be a good start!

Towards the end of my first bottle of water I tried a new electrolyte tablet called Nuun and have to report it was a very tasty way of maintaining the the correct balance - nice change from water as well. Little moral buzz as well - happy days. I was also using some new sunglasses and hat for the first time. Both worked really well. effective and comfortable.

We were out for a little over three hours and very pleased with our first day. Lessons included gaiters need more work, Nuun is good, massive calorie intake before run works well - ration pack is 800 calories!