January 2007 2nd Entry

Posted January 22, 2007

 

Greetings from Singapore – The torrential rains over the past weeks seem to have abated and the heat is returning – the effect other than the 95 percent humidity is that my favorite running area “Mac Ritchie” has been transformed into a jungle bog making the runs with a weighted pack heavy going. On my early morning runs before work I can’t help feeling that all the bog eyes that reflect back from my headlamp are perhaps envious of my Gortex Montrail shoes …even though they don’t really keep out knee deep water as suggested by the salesman.

The target of 50km for the week was achieved though I did vary the pack weight a little as well as the distances rather than sticking a straight 5 x 10km runs. What in reality occurred was this:

 

·        Sunday 12km afternoon off road run with pack at 9kg

·        Monday 9km morning road run with pack at 7kg

·        Tuesday – too many beers in the pub … There goes the N.Y. resolution!

·        Wednesday – 12km (5am jungle run) with pack at 5kg

·        Thursday – 9km lunchtime road run with pack at 7kg

·        Friday – 9km morning road run with pack at 10kg.

·        Saturday – official day off … and writing to you lot.

 

I mentioned last week that I would write about some of the equipment which I have tried and tested and this week I will mention a little about the running bag and a few safety aspects. Boring … perhaps so, there again you may well pick up a few obvious tips which will help you in your training and in the race.

 

The Bag, the rice and the sewing kit.

 

20 liters for the racing snakes (you know what to pack anyway) … A 75 litre bag for the ex army guys and girls … you never know when you may want to use that 40 meter rope you packed to tie up the person snoring in your tent !  The rest of us would probably do well with a 31 litre bag. I now have four … my wife knows not why!

 

In the bag a Salomon ‘Raid Revo 30, I have lots of small packets of uncooked rice and a cushion and space for a water bladder.

The water bladder is a product by ‘Platypus’ and I have found the 2L size to heavy and not functional between the 10km water pit stops that are defined on the race. I do still keep the 2L for the long training runs but its not getting a free ride to Chile. The 500ml are too small other than for training with. For me the best was the 1 litre size. Buy two of these as they are a popular size – one to train with and one to bring with you. I recommend two mouth bites that go on the end of the pipe and bring both. These water bags also double up as a hot water bottle in your sleeping bag. So where is the catch … well its simply this – You arrive at the water point and then have to start un-packing everything to get to the bladder to refill it which is a pain (literally everywhere) hence I recommend that you modify the shoulder straps on both the left and the right to carry a 500ml recyclable standard water bottle (yes, the cylinder shaped ones you buy at the petrol station). Use thick elastic and anchor in two places. This way you ‘grab and go’, mixing electrolytes or what ever else you put in water, as you go. And the sowing kit? 

Well that I would advise you get now and keep it in the bag. There are great products out there such as the ‘Adventure Medical Pack’ but in reality there is also a group of very able and over qualified doctors (of course lacking all bed side manner – this is after all what you signed up for) in the field hence save your money and the weight and bin the splints, the Solu-Cortef and sixteen different snake bite anti-venoms. What I suggest taking provided your not allergic to any of this stuff is a ‘Swiss Card’ (like a Swiss army knife – don’t take hand luggage), lighter, safety pins, some plasters, some painkillers like Ibuprofen, deep heat, a couple of gauze / shiny sided patches to cover a cut, a stretch bandage non sticky, antibiotic ointment, alcohol swabs, a few Imodium and flu tablets, a daily ration of Vit-C, sun block factor 50, ear plugs and some duc-tape.

This week I am aiming to maintain the average of 5 X 10km and the bag will average a weight of 8kg including a 500ml water bladder and pipe.  Remember always ‘run safe’ – know and mark your blood group on your bag, be very visible , run towards on coming traffic, carry a mobile phone, carry water, run unfamiliar areas with a friend, put your name and address in a water proof section of your bag. Most of all have fun!! There is a long time to go before the race and the secret is to run injury free and make it to the start of the race. More next week.

 

January 2007  1st Entry
Posted January 15, 2007

 

Date Sunday the 14^th January 2007.  1^st Blog entry.

Welcome to 2007!  Welcome to a Blog that I have offered to write in the hopes it will help both you and I prepare for a memorable adventure across a section of one of the worlds greatest deserts.

A brief introduction – I am to be 42 this year, I am an Englishman living and working in Singapore. So as to put my training methods into perspective for you I am 5’10 and weigh in at 64kg. I suffer from allergic Asthma. I now work in an office but many years before that I was a medical extraction training officer attached to an arm of the air force. Education wise I have a bachelor’s degree in law and am a post graduate in International Trade Law from the University of Northumbria.

 

So enough about me – on to preparing for the adventure now only eight months away!

Most of you reading this will have committed to the race, paid up some money and be reasonably fit despite a few Christmas setbacks. I recommend that even if you think your fit you have a medical examination as soon as possible, learn to train with any medication that you will require, know your blood group and train from the very start with gels, bars, additives that you are going to take on the trip with you.

Whilst I will write about equipment in more depth in later submissions its safe to start of with the fact that this race requires you to run firstly off road and secondly that you need to be self sufficient … I.e.: Hoof your own kit. 

 

The basic kit to start out with is a good pair of running shoes … I suggest that you start to try out with a strong pair which are at last one to two sizes bigger  than you usually wear and get two pairs of thick ¾ inch socks. Feet expand when you charge around with the back pack. In a few months when you have found the best shoes for you go out and secure another two pairs … Its amazing how suddenly Murphy’s Law will dictate that the shoes you trained in and now wish to buy 2 months before the race are … Yes … discontinued!

 

Next up – get a 30 or 35 litre rucksack / backpack – the Salamon “Raid Race 30” is a great bag for those runners seeking a mid pack position finish … Racing snakes will be aiming to cut weight on the packs and will probably go with a 20 litre bag. Remember these bags are not designed to last a life time so again try one out and then later once you like it get another and run it in two months before the race. So what do we put in the bag … that comes later but for now I suggest you go to the super market and pick up 2 X 5KG packs of rice. Break the rice down into lots of 500grams and 1kg packs and then tape the packs with some brown box tape so that its unlikely to burst open. The rational behind this is to learn to increase and decrease the weights on certain running days and most importantly to learn to distribute the weight around the pack. My suggestion is also to place a square sofa cushion in the bottom of the bag this will simulate a sleeping bag and a shock absorber …

 

This week I am kicking of with 5 runs each 10km and the bag will weigh 7kg including a 500ml water bladder and pipe. In the bag place a water proof note with your name and contact details.

 

Have fun and great training – More next week.