As it's raining cats and dogs in Boracay I thought I would whack down some of my post Gobi thoughts and reflections. Since finishing on Saturday I have been lucky enough not to have to return to work so I have tried to get my head around how I feel about what we all accomplished. Funnily enough, when you are sat in the middle of the Gobi each day, repairing your broken feet, eating some rubbish freeze dried food, crapping on your leg etc, all you think about if getting to the finish. All that mattered to me for six months was completing the race but once I got there I found I didn't really care.

For six months I envisaged breaking down in tears at the finish, broken and yet truimphant but now I have finished all I think about it the journey and the people. The medal doesn't matter to me, being given it by Chris on the finish line does. The long hours of hiking through intense pain doesn't register, the moments spent with fellow competitiors and new friends having a laugh, sharing life experiences and stories does.  I spoke with many many people who had great stories to share but several people and their experiences had a profound effect on me and I hope I can learn from them. 

My new friend Dave the vet, fastest walker in the east. One of lifes good guys and got me through the long day. I feel like I know him well already as we chatted about some pretty personal stuff as we went through the highs and lows of the long day. Also a superb pharmacist. Looking forward to our seafood dinner already.

Blair, New Zealands energiser bunny, I hope we keep in touch. Probably the most humble fellow in the race, always asking how others were getting on and offering encouragement whilst quietly caning the crap out of the race. When others were sitting fixing their feet after arduous stages, Blair would be walking to the top of the next mountain to take pictures, or walking into the next village to watch how they farm their crops and teaching their children. An inspirational character and proud dad. Probably best summed up by his quest to find a trumpet on completion of the race. Jogging around Kashgar making 'trumpet' gestures and noises to bewildered local townspeople. He was successful as ever.

Mitchel and Aric. What an experience for a father to share with his son and what a way to go about it. Not only were they both constantly upbeat but for a 20 year old to see what we saw and go through what we went through with his dad was the stand out experience for me in the race. Driving each other on when times were tough, picking each other up and dusting each other off during their worst moments. Their closeness at times was touching and for me, the fact a 20 year old wants to do this with his dad was testament to the strength of their relationship. I would chew my right arm off to have the chance to do something like this with my dad or brother. They also found me and Chris funny which I liked.

May from Japan showed that you can be hot and have real depth and guts, walking on a shot knee and feet and every time I asked if she was ok she would give me a big grin and say she was fine and ask if I was ok. Lovely... and very hot... did I mention that?

The Saffers Kimberly and Simone who raise huge amounts for charity, not surprising as they are too tough to say no to. They also gave Chris lots of hugs which helped keep his 'spirits' up.

And Liz and Fiona, desert troopers who kept carrying on carrying on. Such resolve. Ross asked me to make a comment on camera for his video, but I'm more of a reflector so didn't know what to say. Having had time to think about it I would have said if you transfer the determination, character, loyalty to friends and independance that you displayed everyday in the desert, in your every day life then you will be a great success at anything you want to achieve.

Finally, the aussies chicks, especially Sharon, who also showed their character and said to me that their friends all read my blog and would love to meet me. I like that a lot but mainly because it makes me feel more attractive to women;->

My tent mates, great fun, great personalities, great farters to a man (of course the ladies wouldn't do such a thing). Thanks for not stringing us up as Chris and his snoring reached previously unheard volumes and stay in touch.

So my big reflection was that the event is not life changing and the medal doesn't matter. Like so much of the rest of life it was about the journey and not the end result. We're all heading to the same place, it's about how you get there. I think. So final ometers:

Moreattractivetowomenometer: Popular with Philipinnos it would seem

Didn't die in the Gobi Desert. 

Do they have Lizards in Australia or Atacama?

Well here I am, sat at the last station before it's all over and done with. Managed to scrape through the long stage last night. Again, it's called that because it is long and a stage. It was pretty much agony from start to finish as the old tootsies are a little sore. I drilled my blister before the off (first thing I have drilled in a while) and then it was 15 hours non stop from start to finish. Not quick, not slow, somewhere in the middle, I walked. Thye stage was made easier as I did the whole thing with a new friend Dave the vet, also fom honkers. I think we managed to talk for about 13 of the 15 hours and traded off on our highs and lows, helping each other through. Again, the scenery was truly stunning on the long stage, parts looked like a golf course, small villages, lots of police taking pictures of us as we walked past. Can't blame them though, we are in a restricted zone and I looked hot.
 
I have been in a bit of pain this afternoon as I trod on a twig. It doesn't sound much but the other end of the twig pierced the big toe on my laft foot and ripped the blister off under the nail. Following several tears and the C word I headed to the medics who made me clean it myself before bandaging me up. Honestly, I was joking about the tears, I just had something in my eye... saline solution.
 
On a positive note I saw more lizards on the long stage. A couple of nice lizards, perhaps even different types. Lots. Grey. I was happy.
 
We only have the 10k to go before we head home. I'm not sure how I feel about that, it is a strange and intense experience doing these races and the idea of running on my  newly flayed toe doesn't fill me with cheer. Gobi coming to an end feels a bit like when you know you are heading home from a school trip and you don't know what the rest of the school holidays has in store. I have met some great people, seen some amazing sights, experienced some tough times, craved a can of coke, drilled my own toe with a syringe (many times) and crapped on my own leg. Not an average week by any means.
 
I haven't mentioned Chris much this week, it was his race too, he did a great job getting as far as he did. The first day was the longest hike he'd ever done due to injury. He then did that four days in a row on awful blisters before injuries got the better of him. He did bloody well, believe me, my blogs are stupid but this hurts like buggery. I imagine.
 
Moreattractivetowomenometer: A cool american fella who I chat to looked at my foot and said 'Duuuuude, the moreattractivetowomenometer is doooown'. I don't think that is a positive.
 
Likelihoodofdyinginthegobidesertometer: No chance. I chewed it up and shat it.
 
Will do a post race report if:
 
1. I can be arsed
2. My toe doesn't fall off
 
Thanks for the notes of encouragement as we went along, I'll remember who took the time to write something as it truly helps you get through when you want to quit.
 
xx

I sit here writing this in a sandstorm, which is novel. Quality music has been restored to the cyber tent and I am back in the land of rock, mid to late eighties I'd say but I am no expert in such things. I've just got in from the hilly day. It was very challenging and I fear we'll have a few casualties so fingers crossed everyone gets in ok. Temperatures are back up in the high thirties and although there is a strong breeze it takes it out of the legs. It took me about 8 hours and I think I came in 43rd which shows how much it has slowed the field down. On some of the hills I was huffing and puffing so badly I was in danger of blowing your house down (I may have used this joke yesterday, apologies, I am tired). Big hills, high temperatures, altitude= Buggered.
 
My race report. I walked. I came 43rd. The race felt longer than 40 odd k. My legs hurt.
 
But not as much as me feet. I think I'll have to take care of the feet this evening, if my blisters get any bigger they are in danger of being shot down by the Chinese airforce. However, I can't complain as blisters are the only friction burns I am suffering from. My months of experimentation with an assortment of lubricants has paid dividends. Hopefully the girls in Wan Chai understand.
 
On a serious note, for once, the course today was beautiful. It was how I expected the Gobi to be. Hugely challenging, walking over mountains, standing at Shiptons Arch, sweeping desert vistas. That's what it's all about.
 
Moreattractivetowomenometer: I was given 5 mini peperamis by my tent mate earlier. Never have I been so keen to receive multiple sausage. They were also small which served to give me more confidence in my ability.
 
Likelihoodofdyinginthegobidesertometer: I have a funny skin thing on my leg. Can you die from dermatitis?
 
We are on buses at 6.45 to the start of the long day. Looking forward to it as I have asked the medic for painkillers that could take down a horse. I plan to float round like the dainty soul I am.

They call the gobi the windy desert, the parameters of wich are being redefined each morning with our very own Dawn chorus. The large intake of carbs, protein and eloectrolytes is having its way with all of us. We seem to awake to the baked bean schene from Blazing Saddles. I think we managed to lift our tent of the ground a few times this morning. Not good in general but it definitely helps with the hills.
 
We;ve seen a marked change in weather today, come on, I am a brit, I have to give a weather update. Yesterday we experienced highs of 44 degrees C but today its cloudy and in the mid twenties. This is good for me as being a typical brit on tour I managed to get burned to a crisp yesterday. All I need is the hankie to tie around my head to complete the look. It was an interesting day today, think is was called the farm day, because we passed through some farm land. I can see a pattern developing in the naming convention. I wasn't overly impressed with todays route as we went in and out of water and my blisters are already pretty epic. I seem to have escaped any more harm today though and apart from the pleasure of redrilling my big toe nail it's all good, if a tad sore. My race report- walked with Chris to the first two long checkpoints, walked some more by myself. It was good. I got wet. It wasn't that hot. I am still happy (although as ever I look miserable).
 
I said yesterday I would kill for a can of coke, todays thougts centred around beer. As I was wandering up the last 8/9 k climb to camp (we are now officially at altitude, always good for an asthmatic I have heard) all I could think about was having a cold lager outside stormies listening to some 80's and 90's classics. I would probably torture most of you for a beer right now, no quick coke type death today. The music has been pretty good here so far but today there is some housy type crap being played in the background. Not sure it is epic enough for the views we're seeing out here. When I gety back I am going to drink lan kwai fong dry... not a very inspiring thing to write but there you go. That's my deepest thought of the day.
 
Generally I am having the time of my life in a weird way. Not much happens, we just get up walk and run and eat and go to sleep but the vast nothingness outhere is so impressive and they really do have a lot of rocks in the gobi. If you're a fan of rocks you should get yourself out here, they are everywhere. Grey ones, black ones, gray ones, black ones... honestly, it;s really rocky. It doesn't look as good as when its on the telly but maybe that's because it's being seen through my eyes, who knows. I haven't seen the night sky yet, apparently it's pretty inspiring so I am going to sit mysekf down with a nice camomile tea and wait to see it tonight. Imagine if I didn't have tea, no one would be safe.
 
Moreattractivetowomenometer- I am in the same clothes I was in at te start and I got a bit of poo on my leg earlier. I aven't perfected Frosties Sumo tecnique yet but I am getting there.
 
Likelihoodofdyinginthegobidesertometer- Frosties snoring has abated. We may get through this alive.
 
I didn't see many lizards today. I am a little disappointed. There's always tomorrow.
 
We can get comments onblogs and e-mails for those of you who have asked. We have the hilly day tomorrow we get to see heavens gate, or shiptons arc as it is known. I imagine the day is called someting eaven related but I can't be arsed to read my course notes.
 
Hope everyone is well and happy.

Daay Twoo in the Goobi Dessert, sorry still got that big brother thing going on. Today was another great day in the gobi, also known as gods quarry. I don;t know the geologiocal basis for it but its a rocky bugger. It was the Mars stage today, so it was dusty and red... probably not much of a surprise really. Red, dusty, rocky, red... some more dust and a bit more red. Like Mars. I walked it all but did it fairly swiftly, finished in six and a quarter hours or so.maybe a bit more. As I flew along I felt like I was doing it for the fat lads. Come on, Maccy D's, Maccy D's!! Speaking of which I had a bit of a result last night as someone was binning some stuff so I got a free dinner. Love it.
 
I did todays stage by myself as I wanted to see what sort of time I couold do and mainly it went well. It is still a race, still in a desert, I walked again. It was good.
 
On the spiritual front, being in such a vast beautiful and lonely expanse makes you ask a few questions about life... like when can I get a coke... a really cold can of coke. With little beads of condensation running down it. Whoever reads this I love you but I would kill you in an instant for a cold can of coke (even you mum).
 
I just had my first trip to the docs just now, he put a safety pin through a blister and threaded it to drain the fluid. Then the macabre git put a safety pin through my nail to drain some blood. I am not convinced medicine has changed a great deal since the battle fields of old. Mostly people are ok though, my blisters don;t seem to have upset them too much. I am sure it is because they haven;t realised how muchh pain I am in.
 
We;re currently camped out in a field, quite green and pleasant but it is stinkingly hot today. Speaking of camping, as I was walking today I starting humming 'In the Gobi' to the tune of in the Navy. A couple of times, I was singing away. Not sure what this says about my attractiveness rating.
 
I saw some more lizards today. I had the same special reaction.
 
Likelihoodofdyinginthegobiometer- Depends if that doc gets his hands on me again (actually he was great, tanks doc)
 
Moreattractivetowomenometer- I have thread hanging outside of my heel and blood and puss coming from the centre of my big toe. Macho.
 
Lizard!!
 

Having a lovely time, HI MUM!!
 
Just kidding of course, I do love a good blog and sitting here typing on a dusty street surrounded by the village children in the middle of the Gobi with Piano Man by Billy Joel playing in the background ranks as my all time bestest blogging experience.
 
It has been a bit of a rollercoaster few days so far. Since we departed HK airport early Friday morning for a further two interconnecting flights to Kashgar, or Kashie as us hardcore slightly less fat by the day, ultra types call it, I have met more people than you can shake a very large stick at. Its a bit like a fitness freshers week with the beer replaced by electrolyte. It is a kit freaks dream. Imagine being able to ask a hundred and thirty people what rucksack they are using.Example conversation:
 
hello
 
hello
 
Where are you from..
 
Hong Kong
 
Cool
 
What rucksack are you using
 
Raidlight
 
Cool, me too.
 
Cool.
 
I love it. Everyone here is suitably more impressive and knowledgeable than I. It;s quite an eclectic mix, ok it isn;t really. People generally fall into three categories, bankers, attorneys (I believe this is american for lawyer but I am not sure still) and armed forces (hinting at mysterious careers in far off places). Its a lot of fun actually, everyone here seems decent, chatty and helpful. I am assuming that this is because I am clearly not a threat.
 
So, the race. Day 1 was fun. We walked. We finished back of the mid order. Others were faster. No blisters yet. All expected really and nothing to write home about.
 
So, the desert. Without doubt the most amazing place I have ever been and I feel so gratefull to be able to be here anbd take part. Its bloody hot, probably not a surprise, part of it being a desert and all. It;s bloody dry, again no biggy. But it is more beautiful than I could have imagined. Stage one started through a canyon with a bit of a stream/ river flowng through that we crossed several times. Cliffs rising each side in a sort of reddy rock and stone. Very grand. Then we followed sopne trails and dirt roads across a long plain with distant view of snow capped mountains. I am like a small child, every tije I saw a lizard I;d shout "Lizard". Not the most imaginative thing but definitely factually correct.Generally I am a fairly sober type, dull some might say, but out here I feel possessed with a kind of child like joy. The same as Attenborough sounds when commentatinging on the wild, except less distinguished and shouting "Lizard"... a lot.
 
I am carrying one of the quotes from previous blogs but I won;t need it. It is the most inspiring place I have ever been, and if I can finish I will. Come to the Gobi, we had a talk from the tourist fella from the commie party who wants to encourage more people to come here so I thought I would back him up. He had a nice hat and a shiny belt so I think he could be trusted.
 
Anyway, there are too many things to comment on, there are too many experiences to recall, too many people to talk aboput and it is only day 1 in the Gobi desert. As I wrote that it was said by the guy from Big Brother... Daaaay won, in the Gooobi Desart (geordie I believe). I think future blogs will be in the style of big brother. Day one in the Gobi Desert... Nick, is quite tired but having a lovely time. He comes to taalk to big Gooobi... been a long day sorry.
 
Likelihoodofdyinginthegobidesert- if Chris snores any louder our tent mates are going to string us up. Frosty is absolutely world class. You can;t coach that.
 
Moreattractivetowomenometer- I had my first crap in the desert today. I got a bit on my hand.
 
On a side note, there is a chinese fella here who couldn;t afford to enter. His mates are taking water to him and he is running unofficially. He beat the winner by 20 minutes. 42k cross country in 3.10. There is nothing to say about that.
 
"LIZARD!!"

that I said the last blog would be the last one, but bloody hell, what a week. I am not sure whether everyone has these sort of dramas of if I am just particularly useless, I suspect it is the latter, but I only got trainers sorted yesterday and nothing fits in my Raidlight. Thirty litres, my arse, as the great Jim Royal would say. And where the hell do you buy safety pins in Hong Kong? So with two days until departure, well one a half now, I have nothing finalised. No patches on my shirts, brand new shoes, not broken in, and a headache.

And it is the best thing ever!!!

I am enjoyinhg every moment of applying the worlds most disorganised techniques to completed a multi day stage event. The great Rob J once wrote about the new and useless people (not in those terms but we all knew) who have everything splayed about the tent, not knowing where anything is and being generally useless... that is going to be me! I am in a tent with a bunch of military types by the look of things and I think they are going to be appalled by the level of total disorganisation I have displayed this week. I'll probably get lynched (and yet again my mother would be ashamed, I'll probably have dirty pants), but I am loving it. So much to think about, still so much to do, flying to the Gobi desert, what a bloody adventure!

My new trainers are a particular worry as they have sold out in Hong Kong of the trainers I have trained in. I am a tad concerned about having never worn them, a tad concerned about the effect this will have on my legs and feet... but utterly appalled by their colour. Bright red for heavens sake, who wears bright red shoes? Ronaldo did but he had something to brag about, my step over is crap. I am going to be drawing all sorts of attention to myself and I'll be rubbish. Chris reckons I think I am Superman and asked where the rest of my outfit was, he said he laughed so much a bit of wee came out (git). I think Noddy is more appropriate, but I have big ears so it's a little controversial...

Also, now I have stopped training all I do is eat. Is this normal? I'll be fat again by the time we get there, my ometer ratings will be down, but my word these Singapore Noodles taste goood!

Likelihoodofdyinginthegobidesertometer: I am going to be strung up for being useless. If I get there at all, we've got three flights to negotiate yet!

Moreattractivetowomenometer: See the responses to the blog. Back of the net! Lets hope they are a feeder so we can both be happy.

Right, lunch over, one and a half days to go. I want to write something macho and Hemingway-like but I am bricking it.

The end is near, it's time to face... well, not the final curtain hopefully but definitely the final training. It's hard to believe it's coming to an end and the Gobi March is upon us. I have finished training in suitably dramatic style by splitting the sole on my Asics Trail runners and being trainerless in the run up to the race itself. I'm not too worried, I have rough idea of what works and what really doesn't, as I've been through 5 different pairs of shoes in the last four months. Going into such an event with new shoes is certainly not ideal, so I'll probably add a final training session and look a bit odd round the office for the next few days as I try and break them in a little. As a man who suffers severe blisters my feet are going to look like something pulled from an egyptian tomb (plus lube... gruesome) so hopefully my experiences in the heat and humidity of honkers will get me through. Can you believe that I am meeting a friend who did Namibia, in a public cafe, for a practice taping session? Some of the things I get up to these days worry even myself.

Yesterday I did half the Hong Kong trail with a new friend, Kathryn, who is also doing Gobi. It was a fairly easy pace and we wandered along chatting about kit and other such exciting things. I really do think I have become a little dull as I find talking about rucksacks, shoes, socks and Gaiters very exciting. Luckily when you hook up with other people who are doing the event they are in the same boat and seen to think it perfectly acceptable! My mum doesn't seem interested but I am working on it. Speaking of kit, I suffered one of the most traumatic kit related incidents of my life last week when Chris came round to grab some of his stuff he'd left at mine. He decided rather rashly to try on his new skins tights that had arrived with mine in the post. I am not sure if you have seen the Skins Ice tights but they have 'cooling' properties... I am not surprised they have cooling properties as the front patch around the groin is mesh... yes mesh. I am going to leave the rest to your imagination but I have never felt so uncomfortable in my own home.... think 'no pants'.

I wanted to write one blog about why I am doing the race and I am still a little undecided. Every time I try and write about it, it sounds a little like a script for an episode of Dawsons Creek. As I am no longer a teenager this is unacceptable, so I haven't posted it but will keep some of the thoughts together in case I am feeling emotional when in the Gobi.

Apart from breaking in the trainers, this is the last of it and as the next blog will be from Kashgar. I am pretty ovrewhelmed by the very idea that we'll be into day 2 by this time next week. Probably about the most exciting thing I have ever done.

Likelihoodofdyinginthegobidesertometer: Depends if I see Chris in those tights again

Moreattractivetowomenometer: Still not. It didn't work. However, I am happier, fitter and think the world is a more exciting place which means a lot.

My favourite

Never give in, never give in, never; never; never; never – in nothing, great or small, large or petty – never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Winston Churchill

See some of you on Friday... gulp

Having let myself (mum, friends etc) down so thoroughly last week I recovered a little good feeling by training hard this weekend. It was my last weekend of back to back training as I begin to ease off before the Gobi and it consisted of a weighted walk on Saturday and a (disastrous) Action Asia event on Sunday. 

I did a shortish walk on Saturday, just half of the Hong Kong trail (25k), in beautiful weather, as I wanted to be fresh for the race on Sunday. I carried weight for the first 10k but it was starting to bite into my shoulders so I decided to bin it, as I knew we had some tough Kayaking ahead of us on the Sunday. Really this walk was about seeing whether Chris's knee held up as he has been injured for the last 5 weeks or so. The good news is that he got round ok and we'll do the same again next Saturday before a week of chilling before the event. I guess there isn't much either of us can do to be fitter, probably best to just avoid injury and be fresh. I am sure it has been clear from the blogs but we'll be firmly within the 'non-gifted-slightly-chubby-enjoy-a-few-too-many-beers-and-the-odd-curry-but-still-willing-to-appear-in-public-in-compression-clothing' amateur section and walking the route. As this is my first event of this nature I will be really pleased if I can just finish, to prove to myself that I can do it. Anything more would be a bonus, anything less desperately disappointing but I guess you just don't know until you give it a shot.

'I'd rather live a day as a lion than a hundred as a sheep' (apply this to the story below... baa... baa)

So the race report from Sunday... we had an absolute shocker, actually funnily bad. It started well and after the first Kayaking stage we were slightly above the mid point I reckon. We hit the first hill quite hard and took about five teams on the first climb. At the top of the hill was where it all went Pete Tong. It pains me to say this, and believe me I know I am pretty crap at such events, but we believed someone when they said to us 'I know the race organiser and he told me to take this route...', so we followed. I know. STUPID. On a running stage stage that we should have nailed in about 45/50 minutes it took over an hour to reach the first checkpoint as we clambered through untouched terrain. My shins are cut to pieces, I have pulled a further 3 thorns from my palms this morning and I am in proper pain. We got to the first checkpoint about 50th out of 60 teams. That is how bad we were and only that good because another 10 pairs of muppets followed team muppet 1 and 2 down the thorny hillside. You've got to laugh. One of the organisers summed it up with very dry wit when he looked at us with blood drippng down our shins, coverred in dirt and all he said was 'Yes, it's not a good idea to go off-trail in Hong Kong'. Sage advice. Git.

To cap off what was frankly a bad morning out, I got home and had run out of antiseptic cream, all I had was some alcohol wipes I bought for the gobi. My tetanus (?) is not up to date and in my paranoia about infection I cleaned the wounds with alcohol. I think they probably heard my high pitched and not very masculine squeling three tower blocks away. Bloody hell, if you're a little odd and into pain give it a shot, it's brilliant, if you're normal and don't like said activities, nip to the shops down the road and buy proper creams.

And I got sunburnt. Ok enough moaning for today... but it was really bad... ok sorry:

Moreattractivetowomenometer: I have a big red face and neck, cuts all over my hands and shins and I am really bloody grumpy. I don't care.

Likelihoodofdyinginthegobidesertsometer: My wounds from the Lantau hills should have festered nicely by the Gobi . I think death on the first morning would aptly round off yesterdays performance.

Rob James, keep the blogs going, really informative and enjoy reading them- shame about the result last week... I have rewritten that three times but struggling to make it look sincere:-> Other experts, help, my fear is growing by the day and I want to know what go faster kit will make me less crap. GPS? Also, a couple of people have mentioned my blogs in theirs. I want to use this opportunity to point out that I am single for a reason. Face to face I am not very funny and a bit introspective. Just in case I am building anybody's expectations that I may be vaguely interesting or that they may like to speak to me while we are there.

Something for me and my team mate from Action Asia to consider

One measure of leadership is the caliber of people who choose to follow you.  ~Dennis A. Peer

In case I haven't made the case effectively. We were crap and from this point on shall be known as Team Lemming, until we catapult ourselves off a cliff.

But most of all, I've let myself down...

I have fallen off the wagon again this week... twice. I am not an expert on such things but I imagine that if I have been rip roaring drunk two days in a row I have to question whether I am even on the wagon at all. I would think not. I'm not sure what happened but it seems the combination of anxiety about the Gobi in two weeks (how on earth did that happen?) combined with the excitement of the yearly Dragon Boating festval, as well as the Champions league final, got the better of me. Wednesday night was meant to be a few quiet beers which turned into about ten, meaning I had to run hung over yesterday. A tactical chunder about half way round got me through, it turned out that perpetuem doesn't sit well on a hangover so I got rid of it after 12k. Funnily enough, I knocked about half an hour off of my previous best for this route so I was quite happy... so happy that I thought I could have a 'couple' of beers to celebrate. Again, about ten beers later (they were very cold and refreshing) I realised that although it was a bank holiday it was in fact a school night so called it a night and headed home.

I now feel very guilty and the post alcohol anxiety is amplifying my already taught nerves about what lies ahead. No beers for me until after the Gobi. As we all know there is good anxiety, a healthy level of stress that leads to an increase in performance and there is bad anxiety that impacts performance levels adversely. I have tipped heavily off the edge and am a wreck today. I intend to go and buy some new kit after work, that will help me to at least feel faster and better prepared. Something tight, shiny and expensive will definitely help.

I've got the last weekend of decent training coming up before I taper. I am not sure I train enough to justify a taper but I like the word and it makes me sound like I know what I am talking about. About 8 beers in last night I remember talking to a group about tapering my training. They all looked very impressed, some might say slightly in awe, oh ok, just impressed, and although I felt a bit of a fraud I definitely felt more interesting. This is never a bad thing and was the aim of my participation in the Gobi March so maybe it is all coming together? So tomorrow is a weighted long ish walk and Sunday we have kayak and run number 2 through Action Asia. Anyone who may have read this previously will remember my lack of ability in a kayak and a very shiny whistle. The whistle and compass, sounds like a pub in Berkshire, are coming out again as is my lack of ability on water. Hopefully if we capsize we'll make it after the race has started this time!

Moreattractivetowomenometer: My tight white top was pulling hairs out of my chest so I got rid of the hairs. Although I am more interesting, I look like a freshly plucked chicken.

Likelihoodofdyinginthegobidesertometer: Wagon dependant.

The Gobi March is two weeks away. Is it only me who finds this terrifying?

I have managed quite a lot of training since last week, inspired by the stories coming from Namibia. Congratulations to my friends Nicky and Kim who both made it through, I enjoyed following their progress as the event unfolded and logging in tentatively each day to see whether they had made it through to the next stage. Great work all round.

I went out again with the runners from last Wednesday and this week I managed to nearly keep up, no stretcher required and I felt human enough at the end to go for a few beers in Wan Chai. It felt really good to be less of a wreck and I was told I was most improved runner of week. Probably because I was such a shambles the week before but hey, I'll take any compliments I can get at this stage. Personally I put the performance down to the fact I had a new 'even tighter' white t-shirt. My skins compression stuff arrived from the UK this week and I thought I would give it a go. When I removed it from its packaging I thought they had accidentally sent me  one from their '8-10 years of age' collection. It was bloody tiny, but I was changing in the office and had no option but to wear it. Ten minutes of swearing and squirming later and to my great shame, I minced back through the office to dump my stuff at my desk before hastily departing for our run. I was greeted by my new running friends who all agreed I very brave for wearing such a thing at all, let alone through the office. Not sure I'll ever live it down, but if it works, it's coming to the Gobi. I'll also be bringing the matching shiny white tights. Ladies, control yourselves. The was my first shame filled event of the week but more was to come.

The weekends training didn't go to plan this week as Hong Kong is experiencing some almighty rain. Unfortunately, due to a spell of nice weather I had placed all work on my Ark on hold so I decided to stick to the gym on Saturday. As Sunday morning came around I was overwhelmed by what is commonly known as 'three weeks until the Gobi guilt' so decided to push on and get my lazy butt out for a run. I ran out of glide before I left (I actually have a full one ready for the Gobi... Write 100 times, idiot, idiot, idiot) but decided that rather than nip round to protrek, I would just get one with it. A couple of things went wrong after this.

1. It rained. Really, really hard. The trail was like a stream and I was soaked for three hours.
2. I got chaffing. I know, I know I have banged on about the merits of the lube. In fact I would go as far as saying I saw myself as the Obi One of lubing... use the lube Nick, use the lube. School boy error on my part. However, the lube wasn't completely empty so I am sporting some rather novel chaffing today. Not on my thighs, no that would be to common for this man.... not under my arms... not my nips.... not my feet.. oh no, my chaffing is confined to a small area (unfortunately this is true)... known commonly as my scrotum. I know I have proven through past blogs to be happy to talk about most things but I feel embarassed for the first time. I've gone all red while I am writing but I just had to tell people. It was so bad that I did the last 3k holding my shorts away from... well, it!

It really is bad and were it not for Savlon I don't think I would be in the office today. You could sit me on a cliff in Cornwall and ships wouldn't run aground, you could put me in a greenhouse and peoples veggies wouldn't be affected by the frost (no not Chris, he's not into that kind of thing). It hurts and I have to pretend everything is ok for fear of humiliation. Well, there you go, it's out there now! Oh, the shame.

So ometers, one of which is pointless this week:

Moreattractivetowomenometer: Female monkeys might be impressed, the girls I go for not so much. Then again beggars can't be choosers, I am relocating to Borneo.

Likelihoodofdyinginthegobidesertometer: Already died of embarrasment, I won't be there

No quotes this week, read the blogs from Namibia, particularly the last entry that a tent mate wrote for a guy from Singapore called Bruce Ford, apparently his knee went and he finished on makeshift crutches. Hardcore. Respect to Mr Ford and to all the other participants. Good Skills.

I've just been reading the first bunch of blogs to come out of Namibia and I have to admit that they are making me a tad nervous. People who I know have done 50k on the Hong Kong trail in six and a quarter hours taking up to 11 hours to do 38k, now that sounds rough! Rather than descend into anxiety I'll focus on my last week which was one of my best for training since starting out on this adventure, but which did put me firmly in my place.

After the exertions of last weekend I eased back into training on Tuesday with a gym session and lots of stretching. I was heading out hiking on Wednesday with a new group so didn't want to be too tired. So Wednesday morning I was sat at my desk, stretched, supple, concentrating on admiring the weather, e-mailing friends as you do when at work, when I got the confirmation e-mail that tonights run was on... hang on I thought... run? I e-mailed Mel back in my usual style.. haha, mistakenly put run when you meant hike.. haha etc etc. Mel e-mailed back, well we do like to push on... oh dear. And so it was that I did a 20k run on Wednesday night with a bunch of people quite obviously fitter and faster than me. I think the highlight, and there were many, was at around the 17k point when Mel was physically pushing me in the back shouting 'stretch out, stretch out!', and I was thinking 'stretcher, stretcher'! Having been so firmly put in my place, I didn't do a great deal on Thursday and Friday as my legs weren't working, I put a call in to Motability, our charity for the Gobi but they didn't have any electric scooters going spare, so I just chose to rest up. 

I managed my longest weekend yet with 42k with 10kgs on Saturday and somewhere between 32-35 on Sunday with just the Camelback at a bit of a jog. The weather here in Honkers is just gorgeous at the moment but probably better suited to sitting on the beach and not travelling 70 odd k by foot. It really has got hot and it is a wonderful reminder of how much tougher it makes even the easiest trails. You sweat so much more, you chafe more, your feet get wet and blister. It's a wonderful environment to build your understanding of what works and what doesn't and how generally feeble the human body is if you don't fuel it right and lube it appropriately. Fortunately I have developed a love for lubing, so that isn't a problem but I'm not a big eater. I am half expecting the sales assistant in protrek to give me a little wink and present me with bodyglide the next time I go in. Not sure what she thinks I get up to at the weekends but she is probably doubtful that someone this chubby is exercising enough.

I picked up new orthotic inserts that I've had made on Friday and I am not sure how to proceed. I tried them in my trainers but I am a little worried as they make my foot sit so much higher in the shoe that I lose ankle support. Think I might give them a miss and just deal with the hot spots, blisters and knee pain that is the result of my high arches. Any tips anyone?

So as the weeks of training are reaching their climax (nothing lube related I promiss):

Moreattractivetowomenometer: They wouldn't know and neither do I. I don't go out anymore so I am not sure. I have probably lost the ability to talk to new girls which was not exactly a talent before. When I do go out I don't get drunk and therefor struggle with the confidence. I also need a haircut, I have bouf the envy of the cast of dynasty at the moment but I am not sure I care as all I can think about is the Gobi. It's a vicious circle you know.

Likelihoodofdyinginthegobidesertometer: I'll probably be fit enough and then I'll 'stretch out' and do myself a damage. Vicious circles are the theme.

Never give in, never give in, never; never; never; never – in nothing, great or small, large or petty – never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Winston Churchill

The question is, is the Gobi March good sense? We'll see.

I learned a few things this weekend, all of which I can take with me to the Gobi, most if not all of which I should have known already. Apparently there is a condition which most people have attained by their thirtieth year on the planet called 'common sense'. I've never come across it and have been asked many times, mostly by my mother, about whether I have any. Quite often it comes after the word bloody.

Mum- "Have you no bloody common sense"
Me- whilst staring at shoes, "nope".
Mum- 'You were not meant to answer that!"

... point proven, no common sense, therefor not my fault.

So, on Saturday morning I set off to learn my lessons on a 50k hike carrying 10kg's. Up until this point I hadn't done more than 10k with weight, admittedly up very steep hills but not a great distance.  Lesson number 1- 50k is a long way when carrying 10kg's. Like a really long way, probably too far judging by the fact that my John Wayne walk is back. I feel like I spent the weekend astride an elephant and I didn't have enough beer for that sort of behaviour.

So as I say, off I set in black t-shirt and shorts. And I knew, I actually knew that the forecast was for high twenties/ early thirties of heat... damn it that's lesson 2! Lesson number 2- When it is hot, black stuff attracts, retains and bakes you alive in said heat. I am going to include lesson 3 in lesson two as I am not sure how much time you have. It is not hot at 6 in the morning, it gets really hot when the sun comes out. This is the point that most people will stop reading thinking you will not learn anything from this blog and you'll go read one that talks about calories to weight ratios, or satisfies you craving to know what rucksack others are using. This is the right thing to do, unless like me you have no common sense otherwise read on. Did I mention that my black t-shirt had long sleeves? It did, really long ones and they got hot too.

So off I went, I managed the first 25k in three and a half hours and felt strong, the second took five hours which tells you all you need to know about how I was fairing. I met a good friend of mine at the half way point, who was appropriately attired, i.e. shorts and vest, however, lesson 3 is on Erin. I wouldn't have added this point had Erins first words on seeing me not been 'wow, how come you're wearing a black long sleeve top, I'm not wearing nearly as much and I'm really hot!'. Had I known what Erin was really wearing I would have responded with, 'How come you aren't wearing sun screen, I'm wearing loads and still feel sore?', but I didn't know that until later.

Lesson 3- Wear sun screen or you get burnt. And in a vest you get very funny lines.

I have to confess here that I didn't fare to well on the second half of the walk on two fronts. One, I got a burnt face, Lesson... oh sod it, lessons over today, draw your own conclusions. I got a burnt face because I wasn't wearing a hat and I sweated my sun screen off. Two, I was just shattered, after about 35k I was like a failing hot air balloon jettisoning weight every time I got to a bin. At 45k I really started to blister as well, so during the Gobi I'll be changing my socks at every 25k or so.

I was also amazed at how much I ate on Saturday afternoon. I showed true grit and stamina by eating a burger and chips, a potato pancake with beef in guinness gravy and a mixed Kebab after 8 pints (not of electrolyte I might add), and on Sunday I still woke hungry. Admittedly, I consider myself to have a real talent in this area but it did make me worry about how much food to take to the Gobi. This weeks challenge is to find some boil in a bag that I actually like and get my food sorted. Also, for those of you who haven't managed to train in any real heat bring twice as much electrolyte of choice as you were going to. It makes a huge difference. Even in my air conditioned office it is regularly noted that I am the sweatiest man in Hong Kong, but I got through about 8 litres on Saturday. I felt thirsty for most of the walk after about 20k.

On Sunday I was pretty shattered but I did manage a 10k run (the slowest I have ever 'run' I might add) and a gym session that mainly included stretching. I am back to the gym to stretch tonight and nothing more as the body needs a rest. So, other than a couple of coffees and a massage (no happy finish) that was my weekend. Ometer progress:

Moreattractivetowomenometer- this one depends on whether any women interpret my wide legged walk wrong.

Likelihoodofdyinginthegobidesertometer- might starve to death.

No quotes this week but a bit of Harry and Paul:

'We do a lot of work for charidee, but we don't like to talk about it'- Chris explained this one to me as I was a bit young.

I am so warm and fuzzy this week that I am not sure I can write a decent blog. We went live with our charity page and it currently sits at around sixteen hundred squid afte being live for only two days. As I read the comments left by our friends, colleagues and family it really brings alive how fortunate we are and what great support we have behind us... how can we fail... (cough)... anyway the word Chris and I have been bandying around is humbling. It really makes you aware of your shortcomings when you do something like this and knowing that we have the potential to let down so many people is incredibly motivating... well actually it is really scary and makes me feel a bit sick. We even had one lady who admitted she had never met either of us but found our committment to the event inspiring... how do you respond to that?

It is an interesting word 'humbling', I made an asumption that we mean that it is causing us an awareness of our shortcomings. However it can also refer to when you give a lower condition or station to something, to destroy the pride of, or to humiliate. This is what I will mean when I blog from an ambulance following the long day! Humbling... really really humbling.

Following last weeks shart attack, like jaws only toilet-based and more gruesome, this week saw training get back on track. Three good gym sessions and two fairly long runs and I feel pretty good. I am off to walk the Hong Kong trail this saturday with weight (50k) and Sunday I'll be doing 25/30k and a couple of hours of Kayaking. Yes I know I asked if anyone does this for fun, but that's not why we are going. It looks like there is another event at the end of May and myself and my Action Asia partner want to put the last races disastrous canoe based escapades to bed once and for all by learning how to go in a straight line.

Progress report:

Moreattractivetowomenometer: Apparently and I quote 'you don't have to be more attractive to women, you are lovely, just be yourself', and she is a clinical psychologist so she knows.

Likelihoodofdyinginthegobidesertometer: We booked our flights on China Southern Airline this week. For one week only the ometer is updated to likelihoodofdyingbeforewegethalfwaytothegobidesertometer- 50:50 probability

The link below is to our charity page it contains my usual nonsense and some pretty emotive stuff from Chris on why we are running for Motability:

http://www.justgiving.com/nickandfrostytakeonthegobi

You will have gathered if you have read more than one of these that I have developed a quote fetish and it has to be said that people are coming up with some corkers on the just giving site so I have added a few of my favourites so far below:

'How come you can tune a piano but you can't tune a fish'- the worst joke I have ever heard
'Cake or Death' in reference to a famous Eddie Izzard sketch- we have obviously chosen 'death'
'Don't die'- My favourite and I concur.

I think I was slightly off kilter last week when I blogged, I'd not had the best of weeks and it had got to me to the extent of writing an even more poor blog than usual, so apologies. Following my great success in the action asia event, well to me not drowning was to be considered a great success, last week started strongly. I had Monday off to recuperate and got back into it on Tuesday with a double gym session morning and evening followed by the twins (like a dream I had once... or twice) from Stanley to parkview on weds and again the other way on Thursday. I cannot remember if I have mentioned the twins before and I do not have the motivation to reread my drivel so if I have apologies. 

The twins consist of three hills, obviously, that's why they are called the twins, because there are three of them. Well actually one of the hills is Violet Hill and the twins follow on from Violet so although there are three hills there are only two twins... oh whatever! Anyway, they are notorious in Hong Kong as a bit of an initiation into the hiking world as whichever way you do it you have to conquer a thousand steps. Sounds ok, it isn't, it's tough, as however fit you get you just do it quicker and you're always puffing away by the top, quads burning. It would appear that it was too much for my feeble body as by the end of the second day of doing the twins the muscle that runs along the side of the shin, as it's known to doctors around the world, started to give me severe pain which put an end to my plans of long walks friday to sunday over Hong Kongs long weekend. Although I feel better and there is no pain I plan to get it checked at the docs this week, however, I haven't been able to as I have been laid out since Saturday with a severe dose of a food poisoningy buggy type thing. I am trying to see this as a positive, teaching me to deal with dehydration and allowing me to lose weight without training but really I am finding it bloody frustrating.

So there we have it, I haven't done any cardio since last Thursday and feel thoroughly frustrated. Luckily I have my friends for support. It turns out that yes they do read my blog. Yes they are now very 'supportive'. In fact they support everything I do. Excessively. Whether I am training, meeting them for lunch or off work ill, continual support is offered. It is my own fault for mentioning it and I would really just like to be left alone to get on with it now but I guess I made my own bed (a first) and now I must lie in it. You know who this refers to.... JT!!

Also, being inactive this weekend has given me an insight into life after the Gobi with no focused training... and I don't like it. In fact I don't know what to do in Hong Kong without the training. I was actually pretty pleased to get ill as I wasn't sure what I was going to do with myself for the whole weekend injured! What does everyone in Hong Kong get up to at the weekend, I have forgotten and am going to need some pointers?

So reading above you will recognise that the ometers have taken a bit of a battering this week:

Moreattractivetowomenometer: See Sharting in the Oxford Dictionary. Clue. As a verb 'to shart' it involves little control over ones bodily functions.

Likelihoodofdyinginthegobidesertometer: Shin injury and a tummy bug. On the positive side I lost weight, on the negative I am feeling pathetic and can't leave my flat let alone cross the Gobi.

For inspiration this week I am not offering any quotes but instead I would like to introduce our charidees of choice. We'll be taking part for Motability and Worldwide Cancer research, both chosen by Chris for personal reasons which he can discuss as he wishes. Both incredible charities doing really worthwhile work. 

Motability supports disabled people in accessing transport of different types (cars, wheel chairs, scooters) and improving quality of life through increasing personal freedom and independance. I think that it is easy to forget how lucky we are to be able to explore our dreams and walk and run in environments such as any of the 4 deserts. We should all remember this when we think that we are encountering tough times during this amazing event, that we are all fortunate enough to be participating in. For many mobility is a daily struggle. 

I don't think I need to introduce Cancer Research as it's all in the name. There are more than 289,000 new cases of cancer in the UK alone each year, a truly scary statistic and more than 1 in 3 of us will develop some kind of cancer in our life times. However, because of improving health care and the work of charities such as Cancer research more than half of those diagnosed now survive more than five years and more than seven out of every ten children diagnosed will now be successfully treated. Whilst looking for these stats on the Cancer research site I was invited to 'select a cancer' which just felt so bleak. The numbers affected are so high that any contribution we can make, however small, to progress in this area could potentially impact many many people.

I am still here. I didn't drown. And my whistle is still very shiny.

It hammered it down this weekend in truly biblical proportions. According to a colleague we had what is know in Hong Kong as a yellow rain storm which means you can't see what's in front of your face (an accusation that has been levelled at me by a number of friends this morning, but that's another story!). Yellow rain to you or I translates as really really hard and cold and hurty, with some thunder and lightning for good measure. Apparently yellow rain is also:

"A powdery, poisonous, yellow substance reported as dropping from the air in southeast Asia and found to be the excrement of wild honeybees contaminated by a fungal toxin".

However, I don't think that is what my colleague was referring to, although I'll have to check. I much prefer thinking that I was walking in your normal heavy rain and on reflection I don't think there are enough bees to produce Saturdays downpour. As Kim mentions in her blog there were a number of us stupid enough to be out, I was doing 27k on the Maclehose trail, and it was I that sent the message about building an ark. I'll be accepting nominations for places from today onwards, criteria for being accepted should be obvious if you read this blog on a regular basis.

I thought I couldn't get any wetter than on Saturday, however, the Action Asia event yesterday proved what I already knew, that my assumptions are often wrong. I was very honest at the end of last week about my shortage of both experience and expertise with Kayaks. I can proudly tell you that me and my partner for the envent capsized about one minute into the warm up. This meant that we spent the next six hours soaked to the bone! I think it is quite rare for the rescue boat to be involved before the race starts but we made sure that the facilities on hand were put to good use. With red faces and big grins we set off to complete the course, a fairly hefty 18k of ocean kayaking in three stages and 12 of hill running and walking over two peaks. We had a truly awful first stage as no one mentioned that if you have someone who is 16 stone in the front and 11 in the back then you can neither go forward or in a straight line and it took us 4k to work out the issue by which time we had lost the pack and were second last into the first beach. I truly believe it took us twice the effort to complete this stage and really hindered our result. We managed to make up ground on the others through the rest of the event and caught a good 10 teams or so but in no way did we do ourselves justice. However, it was a great event, well organised and really friendly and I'll definitely be doing more. I am just pleased we finished as the last 9k in the kayak was pretty arduous. 

Today in the office I am walking like C3P0 as my biceps are shot, probably a result of rubbish technique, and I have blisters on my palms, which as a young'ish single guy who works with a bunch of Aussies is not an injury you want to bring to the office! Not sure I will ever live it down. And do people really kayak for fun?

The white compression t-shirt, I decided to wear on Saturday in the end, and my word was it tight especially around the waist unfortunately, I looked like I was smuggling pillows. Carole who I was running with somehow managed to resist my charms and only managed a muted giggle when she saw me squeezed into a garment quite obviously designed for the first 20 finishers of the Action Asia event. People whose bodies definitely still look a little different to mine. They are quite obviously not eating enough... even though they finished so far ahead of us that they had packed up and gone home by the time we got in... damn... damn them and their fitness!

Moreattractivetowomenometer- I think Carole was in denial, it's a terrible thing denial, full of crocodiles apparently and very long. I will balance the fact I am obviously more attractive than I used to be with the fact that I have had better times women. They normally at least say I am a nice guy. More work required. Really, a lot more.

Likelihoodofdyinginthegobidesertometer- I am still hopeful of the long slow dehydrating hallucinating death that I deserve, but I am definitely feeling fitter, stronger and generally more attractive... sorry that's the other ometer, that t-shirt has a lot to answer for. I may die, but at least I'll turn up at the pearly gates looking hotter than I used to be.

I have had better times than of late. According to Anne Frank:

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.

I am not a religious man but I concur. To be outside walking and running the trails, being in nature is when I am happiest. I think everyone should do it, but I would add with friends. There isn't a feeling like it.

I have no idea why but I am ending this week in a genuinely happy state. All week I have been the grumpiest person I know and I haven't been able to put my finger on the reason, is it girl related, work related, training related... all of the above perhaps, I don't know. Literally, people have been avoiding me because I was so grumpy. I was as grumpy as a grumpy man taking part in a most grumpy competition in the city of grumpsville. Today I am sweetness and light. Ok, ok... today I am, well, normal. Anyway, it's Friday and I have the feeling. Yesterday I rediscovered my missing work mojo, today I am feeling good about life in general and looking forward to the weekend of exercise ahead.

I am doing stages 1 and 2 of the Mac tomorrow with a great friend of mine. She has always been far fitter than me and really pushes me on so great to train with and hopefully we'll have as successful a session as we did on the HK trail a couple of weeks ago. On Sunday I am doing my first Action Asia event. A combination of a couple of peaks and about 18k of canoeing, with another friend of mine who introduced me to the whole hiking thing when I arived in Hong Kong. We have found out there are four teams in our age category and the top three get trophies so we are almost winners just for taking part. Almost, the story of my life! They reckon the event takes about five and a half to six hours to complete, but I am not sure if some level of orienteering expertise of canoe experience is expected. I have neither and we are expecting thunder storms over the weekend. This is actually the reason for todays blog, I normally wait until the start of the week, however, I may drown on Sunday so I thought I would post an update today. I don't think my one week long outward bound trip to wales (when I was nine) really counts as preparation and that time I nearly drowned in the river Wye! I do however have a really shiny new compass and a whistle, so hopefully that will pull me through, or alternatively get me rescued.

On the topic of kit, I also bought a compression t-shirt to try this week and although I look camp as a row of tents I think it is my new favourite thing. It really holds the gut in and makes me look ripped. More attractive to women... hooyah!

I do however have some terrible terrible news. Myself and my friend Chris were entering this event as a team, however, we haven't been able to persuade anyone to join us and were informed today that 'Team rutting stag for men' cannot be. Although we'll always be team rutting stag in our hearts, it appears we have to enter as individuals. Sam from Racing the Planet, after most cruelly not allowing us to enter as a team, was interested in the story behind the name. Well it came about following a number of weekends where Chris was on a rich vein of form. Everytime he hit the dance floor and rolled out the 'leg cock' (no he is not that fortunate, it really is a dance move)... booosh... he seemed  to have a bevvy of ladies around him. We deduced that this must be a result of a special pheromone release initiated by the special movement and 'rutting stag for men' was born. One day we intend to bottle it, however, currently there is no bottle strong enough to hold it. Team rutting stag for men RIP.

Moreatractivetowomenometer: I cannot go into this today but no, not a brilliant week on this front. I want to settle down with a girlfriend I just can't find her. In my new t-shirt at the weekend - hooyah!!

Likelyhoodofdyinginthegobidesertometer: 100% not going to die there. I am entering an orienteering canoeing event with nothing but a very shiny and well polished whistle. I am going to drown but only if I can find the water.

Fall seven times, stand up eight- Japanes proverb. Couldn't find anything water related, it doesn't bode well.

Following last weeks chest infection I still managed to get out and about over the weekend and rack up some decent distance and time on feet. I feel the training is progressing nicely now, my worries aren't so much with physical fitness as with the impact of wear and tear on the body in more general terms. There was a most worrying moment on Saturday when my partner in both training and crime fell to the trail as his knee gave out. I'll let him update on his blog if he feels like it, but I'm not sure of the severity of the injury as yet. Hopefully it will right itself before the Gobi. I was pretty useless in the being supportive stakes, however I reread a famous speech last week and sent it through to Chris today, if this speech does not inspire an Englishman then nothing will! 

(Funnily, as I write this I recognise what a useless bloke I am!! We should have talked about how he is feeling about it, its potential impact on training and the event itself and I sent  him a speech!?!... haha, that one has really tickled me)

A fellow blogger wrote last week about his wife's support, or lack there of, for his participation in racing the planet events and it got me thinking about the reactions that I have had from different parties. When I thought about it, the reactions have been pretty much universally negative or at least not positive, from 'You're crazy' to 'I'm worried about you' to 'will you still be at my alcohol fuelled event' to 'will you die'! Maybe I am just not very self aware, but I expected people to be amazed and see me as slighlty heroic, hence my moreattractivetowomenometer, but it seems people just see me as slightly more stupid than before. I have never faced the accusation of being over sensible so this has been a cause for concern. This is why when a great friend of mine commented the other day that she understood why I was doing the event and that she thought it was great it meant so much to me. I am a pretty independent sort and would do such things anyway, because I want to (as the great Billy sang before marrying Chris Evans), but to have the support of those who you care about, and who care about you, definitley helps to inspire you along the way. So thank you.

However, although the support I was expecting hasn't necessarily been there from people I know, the sense of camaraderie and support from people I don't know has been fantastic. There seems to be about 10,000 people, ok 70 odd, from Hong Kong competing in the Namibia event this year and whether it is meeting friends of friends who are competing or random people on the trails, to the experts on this site, particularly fellow Hong Kong'er Rob James, everyone is keen to share experiences, knowledge and advice. We had a great example on Saturday when a guy on the trail called out 'Are you doing Namibia' before we got into a bit of a chat and he gave us some more great tips on training and gear. It feels a little like I have been accepted into a secret society of incredibly nice and helpful people who are all willing me to succeed. It's really quite touching. Anyway, before I get overly emotional I'll wipe this tear from my eye and update the ometeres:

Moreattractivetowomenometer: Hong Kong has gone to 28 degrees and ninety percent humidity. I am the sweatiest englishman you have ever not met. I will not be attractive to women until October at the earliest.

Likelihoodofdyinginthegobidesertometer: Kind of ok unless you listen to my friends who are genuinely concerned. I read an article from a guy in HK who did the Gobi who lost 8kg's during the events. I will reveal my secret formula, don;t worry about training, eat loads, I have built a surplus of 8kgs to lose so I reckon I'll be ok!

A little piece piece from Ancient Greece that seems relevent:

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.

Some fella called Aristotle telling you to go and run on a trail, lots, with a heavy rucksack! I am pretty convinced that is what he meant anyway.

No it's not a spelling error in the title, it refers to the awesome night out I had in Al's diner on Saturday. If you are a HK resident or have passed through, it is likely you'll have paid a little visit to the mighty Al's to try the Vodka Jelly shots, they really are great but often under rated as a source of alcohol. Many an amateur has succumbed to vodka jelly nausea by under-rating the potency of these little beauties!

My sister had arrived in town the previous Tuesday and had been most patient with me as I disturbed her sleep banging and crashing around the flat in the morning on my way to a gym session and even more patience in waiting for dinner as I went for my evening run so I thought it only right that she got a couple of proper HK nights out during her stay. As a 23 year old girl she hadn't come to HK to watch me run out of the door on my way to yet more exercise, and frankly I felt I neglected her during her first three days here, so guilt had kicked in! I guess it is the same old problem that all of us amateurs face when preparing for an event such as the Gobi in that life gets in the way sometimes.

However, saying that I managed an excellent run on Saturday morning. A friend and I (not my usual training partner) managed to run the first half of the hong kong trail in 2 hours 40 minutes which is a personal record for me. Not quick in the grand scheme of things, decent runners can do the whole thing in quicker splits than I do half, however quite quick for a sixteen stone fat lad from Berkshire. We then proceeded to walk over violet hill and round the catch water to Stanley for a nice long lunch. A great day all in all, before hitting the bars in the evening.

Last week was generally a strong one training wise, I managed twice daily exercise on four days, one weighted run and the 30 odd k on Saturday. I also avoided blisters for the first time in six month with my new Asics 2040 trail runners. I have found my shoe for the Gobi. Not as robust as some I have had but the trade off in not getting blisters is just too valuable to me.

Finally I am lacking inspiration this week, a tad tired as it's 8.30pm and I have a chest infection. Off home to whack in my antibiotocs so no quotes. Grateful for all quotes in the comments if anyone actually reads this. Inspire me people, inspire me! 

O-meter progress:

Moreattractivetowomenometer- I am useless with women. Going to die lonely and single, although more buff than I was previously.

Likelihoodofdyinginthegobidesertometer- signs of a single cell life form developing. Some might say that's a step up the evolutionary ladder from where I was after the shots at Al's on Saturday.

Blogtastic.

Forged in the mountains of Maclehose, Raidlight, the one true rucksack was born, infused with the power of Sauron, it's powers grew until it was able to overcome those who wore it to do it's will...

My precious...

Do it, just buy it, you know you want to... look at how bright and coulourful it is... imagine yourself running across the desert looking like a professional... everyone would admire you more... you're not a slow fatty now.... you'd definitely finish if you had that t-shirt... you won't possibly finish unless you have a rucksack that balances weight evenly front and back and gives easy access to two bottles whilst running... its mine, mine... no blisters in those shiny shoes... especially with your new blister preventing pads inserted carefully in your new injinji socks with another ergo sock over the top.... you won't sleep unless you have a very lightweight mattress and a special down sleeping bag from a major brand name... ooo sand in your socks withour those gaiters, think of the blisters.... even though you have never seen a picture of a bedouin tribes person wearing them they must work... I am a professional... sore nips without wick away fabric even though it looks and feels like cheapo polyester... definitely no chaffing with the special lube... you'll swoosh over the dunes with only minor irritation my precious...

I have become the Gollum of hiking... Life is over my precious... 

All the gear no idea.

I think this week it is only right to start this blog with a massive well done to those who have just competed in the Atacama and congratulations to those who completed it. I think I may be a little obsessed with the 4 deserts at the moment and I have been following the updates religiously. Some of the stages sounded truly brutal and I can safely say that I now have 'the fear' for the Gobi. For those who didn't get the whole way round the course I imagine they are feeling pretty distraught but when you put it in context that you are one of 80-90 odd people from around the world who have had the combination of guts, preparation, fitness and madness (and cashola) to enter, you're a mighty inspiration to me.

I feel I should offer a little context around 'the fear'. Normally it is restricted to Sunday nights when I have had a few too many the night before and can't handle the thought of work the next day. It is a deep seated, tummy turning, sleep preventing phenomenon when experienced in that context. However, in the context of having to go through the same as the guys in the Gobi is has turned into a motivating force! All in, from Friday night to Monday morning, I managed to cover around 60k I guess (about 90 for the week), mostly at a jog which I felt is reasonable going for this stage in preparation, especially as I did my first weighted run last week up and over the Hong Kong peak. 

Since I got back up and onto the wagon last week, two runs/walks really stood out.

The first was weighted walk number one as mentioned above. The run itself felt ok, but the hills were really tough with the added weight, it felt a bit like when I was a fat lad and had just started walking after arriving in Honkers... pretty awful. No one seemed to notice but the next day in the office I was walking like John Wayne in a 50's western. I was glad my dad was safely back in the UK as I could imagine the ceaseless 'get off your horse and drink ya milk' pseudo american drawl that would have followed me around all day.

Chaps (like Aguileira in that video) and spurs safely locked away again, I set out for about 27/28k on Saturday morning. Well I did after we had looped through the east tunnel to Kowloon, missed our turning, got lost, back through the west tunnel, across to North Point and back through the east tunnel again and over to Sai Kung in the new terrotories. Very embarassing and hopefully I can manage to follow the glow sticks if I make it to the long day in the Gobi!! If you hear of someone being shot on the Kyrg border that will be me!

For Saturdays walk we followed stages 1 and 2 of the Maclehose trail which was absolutely beautiful. Stage one is on road for about 9.5k which we managed to jog along with our packs before hitting stage 2 which follows some rugged coastline, it looks quite Cornish, before looping back in land. I had only done stage 2 once before during my one and only 100k race (HK trailwalker- I say race, I don't remember racing on the day, more wobbling!) and somehow it had passed me by just how pretty it was. It's definitely going to become a mainstay of my training from now until the Gobi. A word of warning to all, the sun came out for about half an hour and the temperature shot up, I could not believe how much harder this made the hills, hydration and hats people, hydration and hats. Confession: I didn't have a hat and got burnt and the shame is as bad as the pain.

I was going to add another quote here but instead I am thinking about the quote that Valerie added to my blog last week "Distance tests the endurance of a horse, time reveals a man's character". Now, if you are a regular reader (Are you lonely?), you'll have gathered that I am not necessarily a deep character, indeed some might say vacuuous, which makes me wonder, was Valerie calling me a cart horse? And therefor has she seen me run? Most appropriate.

Ometer progress this week (you'll notice I swap the re and er sometimes, it's because I can't spell it)

Moreattractivetowomenometer: I think so. Women don't. Story of my life.

Likelihoodofdyinginthegobiometre: Will never be as low as post HK 7's, it is simply not possible. Death still a possibility either through heat or indeed getting lost. Maybe I'll bring my mum to help pack my things, she'd remember a hat and sun cream that's for sure.

Does anyone know any good foot tape as blisters seem to be an issue.

Cheers!

So since my last blog we have seen a spell of hot and sticky hong kong humidity and now seem to have settled into a kind of dull grayness with a spattering of rain. Great conditions to run in... if I had been running. However, I haven't been, instead I have been dressed as Wolverine from the X men consuming huge amounts of beer in the South Stand of the Hong Kong Sevens.

In the last blog I raved about how great Hong Kong is for access to trails, well this is the other side of life. I don't believe there is a more sociable city on earth than Hong Kong and for the ex-pat scene this tends to revolve around the bars of Lan Kwai Fong and Wan Chai, most of which I visited over the weekend. Now don't get me wrong, I am not proud of myself, really I'm not, (even though I felt that I cut dashing figure in my wolverine muscle suit) in fact I am in the midst of a deep sense of shame, as I know I should be training hard and I know that eighty odd hardy souls are making their way across the Atacama desert in Chile. And in three months I will be out there... gulp... and instead I spent the weekend, literally the whole weekend, drunk. Undescribably, heart palpatationally, left arm went numb last night, 'I feel awful at work today' drunk.

Right, that's confession one out of the way, here's confession 2. I had a GREAT time. Not just a good time but a GREAT time. It comes down to what life is all about for me, experiences. I think it's the same thing that drove me to enter the Gobi race that also drove me to the brink of 7's destruction. When I look back at life at some point in the, hopefully, distant future and think did I truly experience life, I am going to say yes, yes I did! I had a great time and I came back for more. Am I looking forward to the Gobi? yes I am. Will I be at the 7's next year in fancy dress surrounded by friends and beer? you betcha.

Anyway, back to training and a more sedate lifestyle this week, off for a run this evening as the weekend seriously affected the two o'metres as you see below:

Moreattractivetowomenometre: Yes, yes I am, although I have a sneaky feeling that this can be attributed to the Wolverine outfit more than my hiking/trail running efforts. Honestly, they loved it, everyone should go out in fancy dress at least once a month!

Likelihoodofdyinginthegobidesertometre: I am a dead man.

However, I am taking heart from a Confucius quote this week and getting back onto the wagon and onto the trails:

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do"

How apt.

Thank you to Mary of Racing the planet who has found my original blog. Apologies, it repeats some of the stuff on my last post but I'll whack it up for friends out there who might be interested.

 

It's weekends like this that really make you appreciate living in Hong Kong. Following a couple of weeks where the clouds seemed to be touching the ground and thick mist and himidity swirled around the peaks of honkers, the sun decided to show itself. Three of us met on the Peak at 8am ready to tackle some of the hong kong trail and the sun was shining, there was a lovely cool breeze, the trees were green and the air was fresh, for much of the year one of the above will not be present in hong kong. In the summer months the heat and humidity can be overwhelming, the rain comes down in sheets and the polution creates a thick haze over the city but on Saturday it was just perfect for a run. There can't be that many places on earth where you can take a fifteen minute cab ride from your city apartment and find trails that so easily accessible and yet challenging for the weekend walker/ warrior such as myself.

 

This weekend saw us step up our weekly longer walky/runny thing to about 30k which ticked along quite nicely. We had a bit of a hiccup with some dodgy knee action, but other than that it ticked along at a reasonable pace until we finished and I felt a real twinge in the calf. I've been a fan of tiger balm for minor aches and pains for many years but I had never felt the need to read the instructions. However, with my fast developing kit obsession, driven by the fear of failing to complete the race I thought I would browse the instructions only to find that as well as dealing with aches, pains, headaches and all sorts of disorders it would appear that Tiger Balm also claims to help with... flatulence!! Now I am no medical expert but this appears to me to be some sort of miracle product. Anyone who has experimented with the usual cocktails of gu gels, electrolyte powders, power bars etc will recognise certain, how shall we say, side effects. For me no longer!! Before every run ....tiger balm!! after every bean based salad... more tiger balm! The sky is the limit for my training now. I'm still slightly too fat to be contempleting the Gobi but with the aid of the hong kong trail/ tiger balm combo I can't fail.

 

I mentioned before that I hoped that this event might make me more attractive to women. Progress to date is that I have noticed a minor increase in interest, however no conversions based on Gobi related chat. I am also not sure how to separate the key drivers of success, am I more interesting because of the Gobi or am I more interesting because I can string a coherent sentence together as I am not drinking so much in preparation for the gobi. It's a minefield out there. Summary: Still single, but I'll keep you posted.

 

Thanks to those who responded to the last blog, going to hit Lantau peaks this weekend as well as a flatter one, probably 30k and 25k. 

 

Remember pain is inevitable, suffering is optional (taken shamelessly from Haruki Murakami, wonderful author of What I talk about when I talk about running). 

 

It's all good fun.

Right! So I just spent twenty minutes writing a blog for this site and lost the lot when I tried to publish it. My previous entry was philosophical and chilled, and in a round about way talked about:

- How wonderful it was to run in Hong Kong on saturday, the weather was beautiful
- How I strained my calf towards the end of our first 30k walky runny thing
- How I used toger balm to deal with it
- How I discovered tiger balm claims to deal effectively with flatulence... ok so I am still chuckling at this one... wind free I might add.
- How, although training for an event such as this is tough it's all good fun
- And finally how I have recently read 'What I talk about when I talk about running' by Haruki Murakami who describes what running offers to him better than any of us will be able to do. There is a phrase in the book that he was told by another runner 'Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional' that I feel sums up the whole experience for me. It's all good fun really!!

I still think all of the above, I am just too grumpy to re-write it. However, I thought I would provide a qualitative summary on my two 'ometres' on which I am measuring my progress towards this event:

Moreattactivetowomen-ometer: There has been little progress in this area in terms of conversion rates, however, I do seem to have had a few conversations which as we all know is the first step to conversion. Whether this is down to not drinking so much that I am slurring or whether I am more interesting is still open for debate. Summary: Still single.

And my second measure:

Likelihoodofdyinginthegobidesert-ometer: Is showing signs of improvement. A long run on saturday and started doing twice daily exercise so feeling stronger and fitter by the week. However, I am still slightly fat so I will not reduce my rating this week. Summary: Highly likely.

The second measure is the one that is truly driving me, as Winston Churchill said, 'Although prepared for martyrdom, I am prepared for it to be postponed'. This applies to my will to finish the race.

Well it's my first ever blog, just speaking to a friend from the UK who is chuckling on two counts, firstly that I have entered this slightly ridiculous challenge and second that I have overcome mild technophobia to write a blog. 

I am afraid I am a bit of a novice at these sort of events so I'll probably not post anything of interest to the serious runners out there but I thought it would be nice for everyone to have a laugh as me and my friend Chris stumble our way through the next three months of training.

I would also like to start with a quick apology as I don't have a great reason for entering the Gobi March, reading through some of the inspiring stories on the board made me feel a little guilty... I thought it looked interesting and fun which was about as deep as I got. Also, as mentioned on my profile, and I might be wrong, but I am convinced I will be far more interesting and attractive to women as a 250k walking adventure type than I was as a 15 bottle of beer and a 5am finish in Wan Chai drunken type... although so this isn't proving to be the case as I have found out I'm pretty boring without my friends stella and artois. A harsh lesson to learn at 29 years of age. 

Anyway, so training... we are upping our training to 2 long back to back hikes on a weekend, been doing 25k on a saturday for a few months and now doing the same on a sunday, this week upping saturdays one to between 30-35k. For anyone who knows hong kong, we do our training on the HK Trail and the Mac (stage 3,4 and 7,8 mostly) which are pretty hilly so great training. I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who has good HK hiking ideas. We also do a couple of midweek short walks/runs to the peak and the twins over to stanley and a couple of gym sessions so going ok. 

Does anyone else cross train or do people stick with the walking and running, again all thoughts greatly appreciated.

I'll apologise now for how rambling and irrelevant this blog will get as time goes on...