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Paul Edmond

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Namib Race (2009) blog posts from Paul Edmond

30 October 2009 07:25 am (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time: Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London

Before I go into what happened yesterday....
1. Massive congrats to Chris and Allison - spent a fair bit of time thinking of you guys and cant wait to see you (& oliver) very very soon
2. Apologies for not replying to each of you more personally - unfortunately I am unable to but you comments and emails have been so supportive - helped me take that next step.
 
Well - day 5. Much is a blur and not quite sunk in yet. Started at 6am with coffee, Ibroprofen and coddeine (a new weapon in the arsenal). Got through the first 30 miles in a lot of pain but in reasonable spirits - had one wobble at about 15 miles in but got through it & perservered.
 
Second 30 miles not so good - more and more pain meant more and more drugs. Temperature went through the roof  and taking longer and longer between water stops (jog / shuffle / yomp?) and food reserves started to dwindle (left with only glucose gels and todays breakfast by the end). Upshot, as it started to turn dark, got very dizzy and sick everywhere. Got to next water stop tent and medic ordered me to rest and have IV drip (first and only one allowed if I was still to finishe the race). Spent an hour cooling downb before moving on but very sick again between the next stages. Told a little white lie to doctors at next stop to avoid IV and disqualification (not at this late stage!) but took another hour break and some more pills (this time anti-sickness) in order to continue.
Amazingly, started to feel better although by this time it was about 3am and had been going for 21 hours - vrey woozy and slightly hallucinating. Next couple of hours - just kept on swimming. Got to finish line about 5am and crashed.
 
Special thanks (if they ever read this) to Phil & Venicia (V) - - without you guys may not have made it through. And thanks to Hernan for making me breakfast this morning - legend!
 
Got the rest of today to crash out / try and recover a bit.....finish line now in reach!!
 
Love to you all....
 
Edxx

Comments: Total (11) comments

Posted On: 02 Nov 2009 07:58 pm

Congratulations to the other Paul in the race. Mate, when I stopped to ask you how you felt, you said as I remember rightly "ah, I'm ok, just a little dizzy but I'll be fine". Made about as much sense as Rafa's substitutions. Hats off to you mate. I got through without all that vomiting / IV stuff, never even felt dizzy and it hurt me like hell so I can only imagine what you went through in those dark hours. An awesome effort! Cheers and good luck with all your chairty work.

Posted On: 02 Nov 2009 03:55 pm

Well done isnot nearly enough to say !!! We are so amazed at your resiliance . we hope to meet up again one day Have a good rest now !! Best wishes jill and Ian

Posted On: 31 Oct 2009 07:54 pm

Dear God man. The more i read, the less certain I am of you having any sanity whatsoever. I am however, so thrilled that you have managed to finish and achieve this dream. I look forward to catching up when you return...all in all, a fantastic effort.

Posted On: 30 Oct 2009 09:05 pm

You're a legend. Crazy but a legend. All the best for the final effort.

Posted On: 30 Oct 2009 08:11 pm

Well done Paul - an amazing achievement - but promise me you'll never do it again I don't think my system will take the strain and I've just been sat here in Poland refreshing internet pages every 5 minutes. Love you loads - enjoy the last km tomorrow - Pa x x x

Posted On: 30 Oct 2009 08:04 pm

Mate, you have done amazingly well. Keep going. Keep going!

Posted On: 30 Oct 2009 07:22 pm

Paul - you are absolutely amazing - I have been reading your blog out aloud to Oliver and Allison today - even though you must have been in so much pain, you made us laugh at the good parts of your story! SOOO very pleased that you made it through the hardest part of your journey.. my Mum said that it was only 10 km to the finish (even though I couldn't even manage 10 km just by itself!) MASSIVE cheer from us to get you through the finish line - we CAN'T wait to see you guys soon... Horah for Paul! iron man! (with hopefully two intact legs) Chris

Posted On: 30 Oct 2009 04:25 pm

Go paul, go paul, go paul :0)

Posted On: 30 Oct 2009 04:11 pm

We have got hooked on following your progress. The whole experience sounds ( and probably is!) awesome. Just how many pain barriers can the human body go through?! What an achievement! Wishing you all the best for the final stage and hope your knee holds out.

Posted On: 30 Oct 2009 03:44 pm

Hi Paul - amazing!! - read through your updates - sounds like a walk in the park..NOT - we are cheering you on all the way from Camden

Posted On: 30 Oct 2009 02:43 pm

Well done mate! Quite an accomplishment!

28 October 2009 07:29 am (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time: Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London

Feel like I was a bit miserable writing last nights blog so todays is going to better...
Bad stuff:
Toe nails - mainly turning black and falling off
Blisters - actually look kind of cool. Had three burst today which beat the monotony - build up of pain, then explosion of agony, then relax until the next one. Had the medics tend to 2 more - not a job I would ever sign up for!
Knee is wrecked - now counting Ibrprofen towards my daily calorie intake. Cant go up or down a dune without searing agony kick in - trying to embrace it though as it stops me thinking of blisters!
Thighs - sore to touch
Shoulders - taped up and wrecking
Head - needs reading...
Temperature - a whopping 49 degrees today. They keep telling us the temperature in the shade but as I havent found any shade yet its not much use.
 
Good stuff:
Scenery - is amazing but sadly struggling to take many photos (just dont have the energy!)
Suntan - took about 5 minutes. One of the volunteers actually cooked bread on a rock yesterday!
Stomach - hurrah....def the silver lining - no problems at all
Camp - lots of banter between nations. Once everyone has got in and had a chance to bandage themselves up, morale in camp is actually pretty good and gets you up for the challenge ahead.
Must be more good stuff but it escapes me right now!
 
And finally...spent 2 hours today thinking up my favourite dinner (Lizzie - no hint at all!!).
Starter - fresh salmon with a little fresh salad (how healthy!)
Main - chicken curry with rice; portion of chips; naan bread; fresh white bread & butter (chip butties); fish fingers (for sandwiches). Side salad.
Desert - rhubarb crumble and custard (obviously); tub of Ben & Jerrys fish food. Selection of blue & smoked cheese and crackers.
Drink - a very cold diet coke.
This dinner took a lot of thought but i believe the combination works very well although any suggestions to tweak it are obviously appreciated.
 
Anyway...off to try and sort out body and stitch it back together in time for tomorrow. Love to you all & thank you so much for the emails and comments (was feeling very down before I read them and feeling lots better now). Just got to 'Keep on Swimming' (thanks Charlie!!)
 
Edxx
 
PS - Chris & Allison - good luck and keeping my fingers crossed for you guys! Cant wait to see you soon xxx

Comments: Total (0) comments

27 October 2009 03:26 am (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time: Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London

Didnt imagine how mentally hard this was going to be. Managed a slow (very slow) jog for the first bit of the race but then the knee went again and didnt recover. Spent the majority of the race eating Ibruprofen like smarties and jogging / hobbling - any sand dunes (of which there were loads) had me close to tears on the way up and screaming in pain on the way down (its strangely ok to scream as spent best part of six hours today completely on my own - not much fun at all).
 
In other news -
 
Temperature - average 45 although peak of about 48 today
Food - hungry most of the time but decided its better than having to carry more. No stomach problems but diahorrea is now spreading through camp....fingers crossed!
Blisters - today was first day really started to be a problem. Will be spending the evening tending to them.
 
Overall, all I can say is its another day in the bag. Roll in tomorrow!!!
 
Edx
 
PS - Thanks loads for all the comments - they have just given me a massive boost!

Comments: Total (30) comments

Posted On: 30 Oct 2009 10:33 am

Brilliant - well done - superb - and any other superlatives I can think of. Stage 5 must have been really gruelling but you made it. Now you've only got a 1km walk between the Pyramids to the finishing line and you can come home for a well earned rest. See you soon - all my love - Pa x x x

Posted On: 30 Oct 2009 09:47 am

So impressed to see that you managed the fifth stage. Keep at it! Just a walk to the pyramids (and a well deserved beer) now.

Posted On: 30 Oct 2009 09:46 am

Unbelievable effort mate - really really well done on completing stage 5 - absolutely fantastic achievement.

Posted On: 30 Oct 2009 09:42 am

Just danced round the office with a cup of tea on my head in celebration! Well done mate, brilliant work getting the big one done. Enjoy the last day!

Posted On: 30 Oct 2009 09:15 am

Hi mate, I have nothing but respect for you for getting through the first five stages of the race. Hope the last stage goes well, and that you will soon be looking back on a fantastic experience and achievement. Avi.

Posted On: 30 Oct 2009 08:57 am

Paul - am keeping all your Contacts at Coram updated as per the e-mails below. Astounding achievement on stage 5. Quite an incredible achievement. Take it easy if you really do insist on completing the final stage and just concentrate on coming home safely. "Yes, that really is 23 hours six minutes and thirty six seconds for Paul to complete Stage 5 and that was a long way off the back runners ! Unbelievable. A further 5 sensible sorts have dropped out but 21 were still out on the run at the last report. Anyone who hasn't sponsored Paul for this amazing feat of endurance should do so now and those who have already should double it ! Congrats to Paul & all the best for his final stage ! " "Sound like today will be Paul's toughest day (54.31 miles) on his 5th of 6 stages. Not good news for Paul if his latest blog is anything to go by (below). 'Race' stats are also below as the organisers persist in describing it as a race rather than the endurance challenge it really is. Paul lies in a highly creditable 35th place out of the 94 that are still running, with 31 sensible sorts having already dropped out. Do think lots of positive thoughts for all those involved and will them along their merry way ! "

Posted On: 29 Oct 2009 09:08 pm

Ed, you're doing so fantastically well, keep it up old bean. Only a few more hours to go and what you've already done is amazing. Love Dips xxx

Posted On: 29 Oct 2009 01:17 pm

Well done!! Amazing stuff and not far to go now! Good lukc in the final stages

Posted On: 29 Oct 2009 11:50 am

Just looked at the website - totally in awe of what you've achieved so far. Can almost feel the pain from here!! (with my cup of tea and comfy chair!!). Good luck in the final stages.... and take care. Jane

Posted On: 29 Oct 2009 09:19 am

Well done Ed - just the one big day to go then it's back to the pies and guiness. Keep it up mate - you're nearly there. Steve

Posted On: 29 Oct 2009 09:10 am

Amazing stuff Ed! Following your daily progress, you're doing great! Just one big day left so good luck, Karry

Posted On: 28 Oct 2009 11:54 pm

Congratulations for getting this far! Although I still think you're crazy it does actually sound like fun. Best of luck for the remaining two stages!

Posted On: 28 Oct 2009 09:09 pm

Hooray for Stage Four - you are a star !!!!!! Still 33rd !!! Good old knee ....... one more day !!! Lots and lots of kisses xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Posted On: 28 Oct 2009 08:53 pm

Hey Paul - well done !!!!!!! We're all watching your blog and reading up on how well you are doing.. So exciting.. So you're running in the heat and Allison is currently on the hospital bed next to me! You're both inspirational!! Can't wait to hear all about it when you get back! Allison says 'hi' too! Oliver would too if he would come out!

Posted On: 28 Oct 2009 08:47 pm

Just seen you\'ve finished stage 4 - bit well done - awesome achievement! Good luck on the big one tomorrow :o)

Posted On: 28 Oct 2009 05:42 pm

Half way there mate....top stuff! Three days from now and you can have a KFC. As for the "stomach problems" then just remember how you survived in training, nothing can be worse than your performance on Cleeve Hill.....

Posted On: 28 Oct 2009 04:25 pm

Keep it up bro! Hope today went well and you didn't disturb too many camels with the screams. Good luck with the big one tomorrow, just think it's then just a gentle stroll into the pyramids - piece of cake....

Posted On: 28 Oct 2009 01:04 pm

COME ON PAUL .... You can do it ..... halfway now !!!! XXX

Posted On: 28 Oct 2009 01:00 pm

Mate - unbelievable effort . Couple more days and you can return to the creature comforts of home immensely proud of your achievement. We are following every step and thinking of you throughout. Hope the knee holds out, its now about finishing, not position. Take care of yourself, Niall and Emma.

Posted On: 28 Oct 2009 11:26 am

Paul, Well done love, you are doing brilliantly.. just think only a few more days to go then you will have it under your belt.. Imagine how many people can say they have ran the sahara race!! look after yourself xxx

Posted On: 28 Oct 2009 10:58 am

keep it up big boy

Posted On: 28 Oct 2009 09:31 am

Well done Ed - nearly there mate - keep it up! Still slightly perturbed by the fact that we have to see your naked buttocks every time we check up on your progress....might I suggest a back, sack and crack wax as a celebration? Think I could get a few folk to chip in ;-) Keep it going matey - you're doing brilliantly S

Posted On: 28 Oct 2009 09:12 am

Nearly there bruv - you can do it :0) Keep munching those painkillers and enjoy the screaming! Take care x

Posted On: 28 Oct 2009 09:04 am

Hi Ed, well done - sounds like you are doing brilliantly! Paul crippled his back doing the limbo with Dave on Saturday night so can barely make it to the end of the street whilst you are plouging through those sand dunes! Good luck with the rest of the race, we are both thinking of y ou. x x x

Posted On: 28 Oct 2009 08:56 am

Top effort mate! Hang on in there you're a star!

Posted On: 28 Oct 2009 08:10 am

You're amazing - just keep taking one step at a time - like the elephant. You're doing really well and by the time you read this will only have 1 stage to do (except for the final 1km on Saturday) so stick in there. Protect your knee - walk don't try to run - and strap it tight. Just finish, the time and position don't matter. Looks like you'll be an uncle too by the time the race is over. Everybody is thinking of you x x x x x

Posted On: 28 Oct 2009 08:06 am

Mate, You are doing amazingly well. Keep pushing on, and try as much as you can to enjoy it. We are following your progress each day, and are looking out for your name on the stage updates. Keep smiling.

Posted On: 28 Oct 2009 01:05 am

Just keep moving, just keep moving.... Slow and steady will finish the race, so keep it up and know that we are thinking of you. You are doing FAB and we are very, very impressed.

Posted On: 27 Oct 2009 11:32 pm

Hey Paul, we're following your progress and rooting for you all the way. Mum and Dad are staying with us this week (half-term) and send their love. Mary says stop complaining so much. I think she's kidding but you can take it up with her when you get back. Be strong, look after yourself and good luck. Best wishes, Dominic, Yeen, Bob and Mary

Posted On: 27 Oct 2009 10:38 pm

Hi Paul, Keep your pecker up young man! You are doing so well. Uncle Martin and I are very proud of you! I had to give your dad and Lizzie a ticking off today as they were very slack in posting the results on FB. I felt it wasn't right for me to do so. They were both very apologetic... too right! :-) Liz and John are also keeping an eye on your progress as are Allison and Christopher...well, one eye on you and the other on Allison's bump! Apparently going to make an entrance (or exit) tomorrow... Thinking of you xxx

25 October 2009 08:22 am (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time: Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London

First day of running over. Had a horrid nights sleep the night before - had to get a bus as part of the trip to the desert which broke down. Didnt get to camp until well after midnight! Then tried to get some sleep but was a fair old struggle given the uncomfortable ground and lots of nerves.
 
Anyway - up early this morning for a brew and a banana and then off into the desert. First day was a short, easy day (think about 23 miles over a mix of soft and hard sand and average temperature of 44 degrees). 'Started very slowly - didnt want to mess up in the first few miles - and chatted to a fair few folk to help pass the time early on.
 
Managed to keep up my pace for most of the race although def dying on my arse by the end (running slower than I usually walk!) but amazingly managed to finish in the mid 20's - unfortunately I feel this is the best I am going to do and things are very much only going to get worse!!  
 
Plan for this evening - eat some dehydrated food, luke warm cup of tea & sleep (and try not to stress over tomorrows 'sand dune' run!)
 
Wish me luck and love to you all
 
Edxxx
 
 

Comments: Total (9) comments

Posted On: 27 Oct 2009 01:22 pm

Yeahh!! Good luck - 2 down, 4 to go!!!

Posted On: 27 Oct 2009 10:49 am

Great work mate - keep it up - all the team are cheering for you! Enjoy the sunshine while you can cos it's rain and darkness from next week ;-)

Posted On: 27 Oct 2009 10:43 am

Positive thinking Paul, you're doing great, and despite your doubts you did even better in Stage 2! We found a photo of you - really chuffed! Us xx

Posted On: 26 Oct 2009 10:38 pm

Good start mate, glad to hear that day one is over and the beer is still intact.,,,,make sure you don't open him until you see a pyramid! Let me know if your feet get nasty as I've got a spare pair of crutches you can have to get over those dunes. Enjoy it and take care dude. Tom

Posted On: 26 Oct 2009 04:10 pm

Go bro! That's a cracking start, keep it up and I might have to get to the finish earlier than I thought!

Posted On: 26 Oct 2009 12:22 pm

So glad to hear it's going well. We'll be following your every move. Take care and good luck. Ian, Ellie, Samuel and Tusker.

Posted On: 26 Oct 2009 09:32 am

Well done on the first stage! Good luck for stage 2. Sounds like you are doing a great job at pacing yourself. Keep it up :0) Nic x

Posted On: 26 Oct 2009 09:27 am

Good luck with the dunes - you're doing brilliantly!

Posted On: 26 Oct 2009 07:33 am

Good luck babe. Try not to worry about what lies ahead...one step at a time. Love you x

23 October 2009 08:32 am (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time: Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London

Finally cracked the blog - getting seriously annoyed with all things electronic and even though folk here are very friendly, not an IT guru amongst them!

Following on from the last story....

Spent the day one wandering the markets of downtown Cairo - not your average 'athletes' chosen way of relaxing but i love it - lots of drinking tea and people watching. Spent the rest of the time eating - buffet breakfast and dinner help - not quite sure what they made of me and even I was getting embarassed by the end. The hotel have been great though since the first night balls-up - upgraded to a suite bigger than my house; free dinner; free internet; even a complementary bowl of fruit so feeling much better. 

Unfortunately, as soon as I arrived at the hotel it felt like I was leaving - changed to the official meeting hotel this aft. Admit to a significant amount of nerves on the journey over (and not all to do with the Egyptian way of driving - everyone must train for their license on a Playstation). 

On arrival lots of serious atheltic looking types milling around which was a little intimidating (some folk even putting in a last bit of hard training running up and down the hill outside the hotel - nuts). However (as is often the case) soon found a group of like minded lads and headed out for a well earned sandwich, coffee, cake, chocolate bar and packet of crisps (well lunch was at least an hour earlier). One is an army physiotherapist and another is a nurse - both are now my two best friends. 

Another buffet dinner this evening (this is turning into more an eating event than a running event) before a final buffet breakfast and then heading off to the desert tomorrow morning (which perversely will be a crazy amount of running and hardly any food at all!)

On that note, off for a couple of hours taking it easy (no eating or running) - probbaly just unpack and repack my bag again to see if their is any fresh air I can squeeze out to lighten it a bit more!

Love you all.....Edx

Comments: Total (2) comments

Posted On: 25 Oct 2009 05:43 pm

Keeping my fingers crossed today went well! And to distract you from the blisters - Liverpool 2, Man U 0. Woop!

Posted On: 24 Oct 2009 10:04 pm

Getting really excited for you now - wish I was there doing it with you tbh!! Good luck for stage 1 :o)

23 October 2009 08:14 am (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time: Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London

Keeps crashing so here's to testing....

Dear all,
 
This is now the third time of writing this message (local computers!!) Abbreviated story so far -
 
- Clare - blame you for all this - who forces their brother off to do something so stupid to raise money for an illness only avid watchers of 'House' have heard of!!
- Tom - I have beer, gutted your aren't here, I need a cuddle, it's hot!
- So far - arrived at hotel and no room for me (even though I had a reservation). Arrived at 2am and spent rest of night sleeping in hotel restaurant (awoken by Japanese tourists!) - not ideal for resting and acclimatising!) Repacked my bag to minimise weight - removed all packaging from food, counted out toilet paper rations (hope for no stomach problems!), had hair shaved....some may say these aren't normal behaviour patterns....bag however still seems very heavy....
- Plan for today - sleep, eat, councelling, sleep, eat, possibility of hard drugs,sleep....etc..
- Lizzie & CJ - gonna try and make you proud!
 
Love to you all,
 
Paul (Ed)

Comments: Total (3) comments

Posted On: 26 Oct 2009 03:50 pm

I'm just reading random runner's blogs and your last one was too funny. I know this may be crazy but you'll look back and have stories to tell. And look you already made friends. I have to say this is inspiring. Good luck!

Posted On: 25 Oct 2009 05:36 pm

I'm not taking the blame for this - tis entirely down to you! :)

Posted On: 23 Oct 2009 03:34 pm

Hi Bruv, It sounds like you're going slightly mental, but that's ok :op Shame about the room but hope you're settling in now! Keep up the blog, can't wait to here how it's all going. You're gonna kick ass!