South Downs Marathon Report

As tough as last year, terrain-wise, but fitter this year which showed with a time of 3:55:20, 12 minutes faster than last year and more importantly inside the 4 hour mark. My biggest problems were caused by poor weather forecasting, which had most runners preparing for chilly conditions and rain and instead we had 19 degrees and dry hot conditions. This lead me to suffer from cramping at 21 miles as i didn't take any salt tablets with me and there were no isotonic drinks on the route. Not a problem for the MDS as i will have properly prepared for the conditions and be suitably kitted out.

Apart from that it was a very enjoyable race in very nice scenery.












Training has begun again (3 days rest after the Marathon) with little side effects apart from low glycogen stores which are being replenished, as i type (bagel with almond butter), so the next target of the Faversham Marathon in 6 weeks looks on target.

Still nothing as regards to corporate sponsorship (tight !!!!!!!!!!!!!!) but hopefully something will appear or else the re-mortgage may need to be upped a little).

Official training for the MDS starts week commencing 7th July as back-pack training begins and sights are set on that rather than the intermediate races in the run up, and i have just planned a 45 mile route for a run-walk day in mid August, which will give an indication on progress.

Gait analysis being done this weekend as i think i may be starting to pronate, judging by the blister on the side of my ankle, so a change in running shoe might be called for.

Anyway, better get back to work, and will trot back on in a months time for the latest update.

Safe running Y'awl

MDS 2009 Dates

Dates for next years race have been confirmed.

Sunday 29th March to Saturday 4th April.

Fly out on 26th March, travel to camp on 27th, Admin on 28th, start running 29th.
Finish running (walking, crawling etc) 4th, prize giving (yeh right!!) 5th, return to UK 6th.

Plan next adventure 7th (i'm thinking Himalayas 100mile stage race, but could be put off for life).

10 months to go!!!!!!!!

Yet another change of plans

Like the British weather, my plans have changed again for the 4th time in a week. This weeks Baddow 10 was cancelled at the last minute (by me - due to wanting a good family day) so Fridays 8 miler turned into a 19M run and promptly caused a massive blister under my big toe - great. Usually ignore blisters but this one is a pain (sorry).

Apart from that, things are looking good for the South Downs Marathon, now only 3 & bit weeks away, and mileage will taper off after this weeks 22m run, in preparation for the race. Just to add a bit of spice to thing i have also signed up for the Faversham Marathon in mid July, which should be interesting as it is a 40 lap race race, which could be very soul destroying or a lot easier as the race is divided into pieces. Time will tell.

Poor news on the corporate sponsorship front. 100 letters sent - 40 replies - total of £50 for GOSHCC (thanks to Rowse Honey), nothing on the corporate side, so i can only hope that someone, somewhere will read this and feel sorry for me and send in that corporate sponsorship cheque to help (now what is David Beckham's address).

Will hopefully have better news next month and will have done the South Downs as well, so next months Blog should prove interesting.

TTFN

Monthly Up-date

I have finally sent out my presentation files, to over 100 companies, in the hope that someone will provide enough corporate sponsorship to get me to and through the MDS. Hopefully i will start to get some feedback by the end of the month, and with the London Marathon just finishing running should be in the public eye at the moment.

Training has been going well, although the target of the Halstead Marathon on May 11th has changed, more due to babysitting duties, rather than a lack of training time (main sitters are away - so can't leave my daughter with anyone for 5 hours), so the new target is now the Baddow 10 mile on May 18th, and if training continues as planned i should be looking at a PB for 10 miles (currently standing at 1:07:14).

Still on target for the South Downs Marathon on June 14th, and will be planning a night away at a travelodge the night before, to cut down on travel on race day. I did this race last year and it is a good challenging yet very scenic course, so will take a small digital camera with me, to capture what i can.

Will sign off for now, but back same time next month
In Cha Allah -as they say on the MDS

Up-date time (again)

Well it's the end of the Easter weekend and all of this years MDS runners are probably nervous as hell as they fly out this Thursday (lucky buggers).

Training since the last entry has ticked over as due to a few weeks break through colds and illness that Kent 30 mile challenge ended at the 20 mile mark, with a sprained knee and lack of energy. Plans for next year have taken shape and the presentation files are being collated in preparation for sending out to the 100 or so target sponsors (hopefully at least 10% will give me something).

Current training is aiming towards the South Downs Marathon in Mid-June, although the Halstead 26.2 race in May might be run if i feel that i have trained enough for that. The South Downs is probably the best off-road race that i could find and will give me a good chance to test the type for shoe i will need for next year. Kit issues will no doubt surface over the next few months and once monies start coming in i will invest wisely.

That's all for now, although i intend to update on a monthly basis (unless something exciting happens??????). Facebook link is also up so any viewers can link to all my web-site through one http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=671892127.

Ciao

Up-date time

Thought i had better update the Blog, although not much has happened since the last post.

Failed to get into the London Marathon (again), but have lined up another marathon for the same time. This meant i could get ready for the Kent Midnight challenge, 30 miles of mixed terrain, so my first ultra-race is planned.

Spent a morning with Luke Cunliffe, discussing the MdS and what was needed to get me through, very pleased with the meeting as Luke has a wealth of information to give.

Next race is the Santa Run in Colchester on the 9th of Dec, so expect a few photos posted in various location.

Back Soon
Rich

Been & Gone

Well that was fun. 13 miles of great scenery one large hill and an obvious loss of fitness.

I struggled badly from 8 miles onwards, finally finishing in 1hr 50min. The lack of training over the last few weeks really showed and spoilt my 40th birthday race (organisers gave me number 40 as a gesture). But it was all to be expected.

Back to training for the MDS, albeit gradually, with races planned. But lets see how the next few months go, and see if i get a place in the London Marathon next year.

Things ain't getting better

I have finally hit rock bottom on the running front. The chest infection i had resulting in some heavy coughing, which in turn has pulled several muscles in my stomach and back, consequently i cannot run at all now. Hopefully i will finally be able to do some light training next week, and with the Henley ½ only 6 weeks away will have revise my target time. Initially this was to be about 1:24, but i will have to aim for 1:30ish instead.

Good job the Kent 30 mile was cancelled, as that would have been a no-go and a waste of a trip. Have ordered a pair of Inov8 Roclite 315's to train in as these may be the footwear of choice for the MdS, so i thought i would see what they were like. http://www.sportsshoes.com.

R

Another bad week

Not another bad weeks training - i'm getting a bit pee'd off about this. It all comes down to a chest infection now and not being able to breathe when you are running is a bit of a handicap. Still i have another 8 weeks to go until my next reace (Henley ½), and having run 8 miles last week in under an hour hopefully i can get my PB down from 1:29, depending on the course.

Will have to take a week off to recover, and as i am taking the family to Cadburys world on Monday, will have to watch what i eat (Not).
R

Kent Challenge hits the dirt

Not the best of news for those of us training for the MdS, but the Kent Challenge series has been cancelled for the 30 mile runs. As this was a run i was training for in the run up to the Henley ½, it has meant a complete re-write of the training schedule to cater just for the ½. Having said that, training has been difficult, with work related issues, combined with a personal illness so, in all, not too bad news in the long run (poor joke).