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Marko Loubser

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Namib Race (2012) blog posts from Marko Loubser

22 September 2012 05:33 am (GMT+08:00) Beijing, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Urumqi

So haven't been on the blog in a while (and I'm sure I promised I would be on more often, my bad!) and with it being this close to the Sahara Race, I thought I would resurface once again.. The last stretch lies ahead as I'm sure everyone is making their final 'last minute' changes etc to kit, food, kit, food, and probably kit and food. Training for the Sahara has been a lot harder than the training for the Gobi, purely because I had to do the program going through a brutal summer here in Abu Dhabi. With humidity climbing up and over the 80's and sometimes 90's, and temps hitting late 40 deg C and into the 50 deg C range, it has been a true physical and probably more often a mental challenge.. The weather definitely seems to be changing now, the mornings and evenings are cooler and less humid. That something the average person just notices as a changing of the season, has meant so much more to me! Constantly checking the skies, noticing the slightest change in the clouds (or lack thereof) in the sky....and if, when I get up early in the morning for a run, the front door handle has condensation dripping from it...inside the house...due to humidity on the outside (those are times I had to dig really deep!). I know the Sahara is going to throw different challenges at me, different types of ammo that the Gobi might not have had....plenty of loose sand. Lots of it. Oh yes, did I mention I stay in the desert?? ;-) Hope everyone is injury free, hydrated, and with the last bit to go...also randomly getting tiny little butterflies every now and then. Best feeling in the world.. Laters!!

Comments: Total (2) comments

John Caamano

Posted On: 27 Oct 2012 09:02 pm

Bro- you're a warrior. Kick ass and take no prisoners. Say hello to my Latin brothers for me.

David savvas

Posted On: 01 Oct 2012 12:15 pm

Marko, Good drills mate. Hope that you have changed your nutrition plan since the last race (no more cardboard tasting meals). All the best and I hope to see you at the Atacama next March. Better you than me in the sand. Give me a rocky Gobi any day. Dave

31 July 2012 01:09 am (GMT+08:00) Beijing, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Urumqi

So I had a pretty good weekend of running, Fridays run being the hardest due to the weather...heat and humidity were definitely higher than Saturday. I better keep myself strapped in to this rollercoaster because the weather is only still going to climb through August... A rough guideline to running in the conditions here in Abu Dhabi: Temps will range anywhere from 35deg C right up till 50deg C (slightly higher than this has been recorded as well) with humidity levels going from around 30% up to 90% plus. These conditions will no doubt help me in my prep for the Sahara, and by throwing in some dune running here I will definitely have a feel of what's to come. RUNNING/HEART RATE: Where before I would run in a specified heart zone during training I know go by feel and at a pace that I could keep a conversation with someone that is running with me. My heart rate is much higher than when I was training for the Gobi, but as long as I control my pace then I can manage my heart rate. The problem with sweating so heavily, due to the humidity, is that it can't evaporate and therefore the cooling process isn't always working!! I have found my core temperature raising to uncomfortable levels and on one or two runs probably pushing into figures it shouldn't be at!! Which leads to the next point... HYDRATION: I find that I can easily drink around 1 litre/hour here, sometimes even a bit more. I find this amount to be a reasonable baseline. It's important to take regular sips of water, right from the start of the run, EVEN WHEN YOU'RE NOT REALLY THIRSTY YET. You really don't want to be playing catch up with hydration, especially in a hot climate. I also prefer the taste of plain water and don't like anything mixed in...especially anything sweet which i find just aggravates any thirst. ELECTROLYTES: I personally go for electrolyte tabs, simply because I prefer getting a concentrated dosage at any one time. I also sweat profusely and find that trying to get enough electrolytes in just with liquid is not gonna cut it with me! I find that taking the tabs every hour works well, and around 20 - 30 mins before the run...just to ensure I start with a good balance of minerals in my system. NUTRITION: Race nutrition is going to be a huge personal preference for each individual. I find that I don't really have any problems with any type of foodstuffs, although it just may be a good idea to focus on items that will not spoil (too badly!!) in the heat. For instance I will be going on to Hammer Perpetuem Solids instead of the shake, purely because the latter doesn't do too well after being in intense heat for longer periods. It is still drinkable, but not like it was in the beginning! I gave my Salomon SLAB 5's their first run yesterday...a really good shoe!! Felt just a slight bit lighter than the XT Wings 2 which I also use. The Salomons tend to be designed for people with narrower feet so they suite me well...and going through the Gobi and previous training without any problems with them, means they have my utmost respect! Enjoy the training peeps, take every day as another challenge...above all, enjoy the journey!! Laters!!

Comments: Total (2) comments

Cornie Loubser

Posted On: 16 Aug 2012 01:22 pm

Sjoe, sjoe, sjoe, dis nou al 'n tydjie nadat jy hier geskryf het en ek weet dit was al weer baie warmer. Haal regtig my hoed vir jou en Monique af!!!! xxx

Julie Vice

Posted On: 31 Jul 2012 03:06 pm

My feet have several thousand meetings scheduled with the dirt on a trail not far from here. Who am I to keep them waiting? Time to run. ~Jeb Dickerson, Take care Marko, good vibes

26 July 2012 07:37 am (GMT+04:00) Abu Dhabi, Muscat

Got two four hour runs with pack this weekend, got a feeling the weather is going to on the extreme side of the thermometer again...feels like the heat is spiking again!! If anything I hope a slight breeze will blow (holding thumbs) to at least help with cooling down, otherwise I could just as well be running in a furnace. My trusty frozen water bottle is also waking up early tomorrow morning! Should be getting my new S LAB 5's tommorow and then hopefully use them on the following days run...will give feedback and first impressions. Have a great weekend everyobody!

Comments: Total (0) comments

20 July 2012 09:21 am (GMT+08:00) Beijing, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Urumqi

The weekend has been (touch wood!) a bit cooler and this mornings run was great...much less humidity and a temp of around 29deg C. Tomorrows will hopefully be the same, but if the weather is imitating last years then this could be the calm before a sudden spike in heat and humidity! Think some inspiration, my wife, will be joining me tomorrow....its great being able to run with her now and then. Good times! The velcro on my shoes (same ones from the Gobi) has a section that is now missing and has become a doorway for all of Abu Dhabis sand to enter. Going to have to fix that.....and put some more on a new pair of Salomon XT Wings 2 i got today. My SLAB 5's are on their way to my mailbox...cant wait, and finally Salomon is making them in my size! Keep an eye on your recovery strategies during your training, get the right fuel in, and stretch..stretch..stretch! And for crying out loud people, hydrate...theres a sun out there!

Comments: Total (2) comments

Julie Vice

Posted On: 25 Jul 2012 02:24 pm

How was the run with Monique, one very brave lady there :) Sending you positive energy and both good vibes

Julie Vice

Posted On: 24 Jul 2012 09:30 am

May the Warm Winds of Heaven Blow softly upon your house. May the Great Spirit Bless all who enter there. May your Mocassins Make happy tracks in many snows, and may the Rainbow Always touch your shoulder.

16 July 2012 08:55 am (GMT+04:00) Abu Dhabi, Muscat

Another week is in full swing with my prep for the Sahara...what can i still say about the heat and humidity?? Oh yes, it's still climbing!! The weather should peak in August, give or take a little I guess, so there are still plenty of little mind games to play during this summer! Tackling the heat: I have now started taking frozen bottles of water with on my runs, and although they can melt and be lukewarm within 20mins on a hot day, I can still have some time where I can throw some ice cold water over my head and down my neck. It's pretty much just trying to keep my core temperature down when and where possible. My wife (super girl!!) has played support crew for me and met me halfway on a run with ice water, ice cold Red Bull, and ice cold...anything really! Makes the world of difference. Tackling the humidity: Very difficult. I sweat really heavily and with humidity already hitting 80% on days with no wind, trying to get the sweat to evaporate is just about impossible. It's the humidity that kills me, and unfortunately the one I can't really do much about. The best all round solution is getting ice water where possible to at least keep the core temp down where possible. Otherwise watch that heart rate go up, up.....and away! Fluid and electrolyte intake is so important, even more so in the conditions I face here in the Middle East. Fall behind even a bit on a run and you just can't play catch up...you'll just be losing more fluid than you can get in. And then it's you and the downward spiral... On the kit front I have ordered the new Salomon SLAB 5's, and they should be here in about a week, give or take a day or two. Will definitely give a write up on how I find them when I've thrashed them a bit in the desert. I've had only good experiences with Salomon shoes so far and I am definitely keen to stay with them. Tomorrow it's me, a running partner, and intervals in the dunes. In the afternoon. Yip, it's gonna be a beating!! I hope everyones training is going well! Laters!

Comments: Total (3) comments

RacingThePlanet

Posted On: 21 Jul 2012 09:23 am

Hey Marko, Great to hear how your training is going and we are excited that Monique will be joining us also in Egypt. Sounds like you are fighting the humidity as much as we are here in Hong Kong! Will see you soon, 100 days and counting now!

Julie Vice

Posted On: 20 Jul 2012 08:56 am

“The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.” ~Vince Lombardi~ Sending good vibes Marko :)

Posted On: 16 Jul 2012 06:31 pm

So enjoy reading about your journey, we are freezing at home so can't imagine the heat! It must be an incredible mental challenge to stay focused. Hugs to Monique. - Ann

07 July 2012 07:06 am (GMT+04:00) Abu Dhabi, Muscat

The last two days I have had extremely hot and humid weather here in the desert. I probably lost around 3kg on each 2hr run...pretty hectic! I just can't cool down, feels like I'm burning up! There is absolutely zero wind and the sweat just can't evaporate, so I look like I've gone swimming in all my gear. Wasn't fun at all...and it still needs to get worse. "90% of this is mental. The other 10% is mental" Sam Fanshawe commented on my previous blog regarding gaiters. I bought a pair of the Rough Country gaiters on the Racing The Planet store for the Gobi, and while the terrain wasn't necessarily sandy, it was lovely to end each day absolutely grit free in my shoes. I am using the exact pair I had on the Gobi at the moment in my sand running, and apart from the right shoe missing some velcro (wear and tear from the Gobi!), they are working really well! When it comes to sand you don't really have much of a choice...unless you get your kicks from sand filled shoes??! So far very happy with The Rough Country gaiters. Now to design that suit that pumps ice water around my body.....

Comments: Total (4) comments

David Savvas

Posted On: 28 Aug 2012 05:05 am

Marco, Training looks like it's going well mate. I'm sure that you will carve this one up, especially after the Gobi. Had to change my phone when I got back (I'm sure you know the situation over here). Still keen to catch up before you do the Sahara. Drop me a text on 0566411147 when you are free. Got some good photos from the Gobi to get to you as well. Cheers Dave

Posted On: 11 Jul 2012 12:08 pm

Good vibes to you Marko from us both

Posted On: 08 Jul 2012 03:34 am

Really helpful Marko, I will pass this on to others doing the Sahara Race. For what it is worth, I agree with you on these types of gaiters but good to have others opinions as well. Be careful in that heat.

Posted On: 08 Jul 2012 03:15 am

http://www.veskimo.com/

05 July 2012 08:15 am (GMT+04:00) Abu Dhabi, Muscat

So now with the heat and humidity slowly approaching their peaks here in Abu Dhabi, I find that there is really just a slight increase in the training challenge lying ahead! My training program for the Sahara now has intervals which take me to the sandunes of Abu Dhabi...obviously I want to simulate portions of what I will be getting in Egypt. Up a dune, and then to recover on the way down, in mid 40 deg C heat definitely takes its toll on you pretty quickly! It does feel great getting in the dunes as it gives a little taste of what lies ahead in the Sahara, but definitely hits the legs in a different way as well...and it's always good work the leg muscles from different angles. One thing I have here which I'm sure won't be as bad in the Sahara is the humidity levels...last night was just over 80% percent again. This forces me to keep fine tuning my hydration and electrolyte intake as I'm really sweating excessively...and with no wind this sweat just doesn't evaporate. Nothing like having little streams of sweat pouring out your shoes as you run ;) Today and tomorrow are pack runs again...good stuff. Oh yes, I will also be working on overall body strengthening and still focussing on the core muscles...VERY IMPORTANT!! Laters!!

Comments: Total (1) comments

Posted On: 06 Jul 2012 03:24 am

Wow Marko that sounds like tough training conditions which will make the climate in the Sahara Race seem cold and dry (in comparison). Would be great to hear your view on gaiters as you have more opportunity to train in the sand than most.

30 June 2012 07:23 am (GMT+08:00) Beijing, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Urumqi

So I've received my new program today, aimed at preparing me for my next 4 Deserts challenge...the Sahara Race. My coach, Ian Waddell (http://www.personalbest.co.za/), resides in South Africa and I'm in Abu Dhabi. Despite the distance I just found that Ian's approach and obvious experience and knowledge is exactly what I needed for the Gobi....and I'm sure as hell using my 'weapon of choice' for future challenges! The strides (no pun intended!) I've taken with regards to my running have been phenomenal and I've really enjoyed the journey along the way. I've always enjoyed pushing myself really hard and with my coach I can now do it correctly...no more army mentality! I find myself in a new headspace since returning from the Gobi. More positive...check. Fitter and stronger....check. A total addiction for self supported races....double check. And, dare I say it....a sudden passion for ultra running that I never dreamt would become a reality! It's with this form of running (personally) that I find that 'special place'...where things become clearer, more defined. Where running hard and far, amongst nature, somehow stirs up emotions that you just can't get anywhere else. All alone, pushing my personal boundaries. And people get paid to do this???? It's like I now need to throw these obstacles in in my way...like I have to. Because by not doing it I'm selling myself short and not getting the best out of this very short little thing we call 'life'. I hope this blog finds everyone in a similar place as I am, if not.....do yourself a favor: Go have a seat outside and think hard about finding your 'obstacle'. No matter what it is, but make it challenging! I promise you you won't regret it. Because humans need these kinds of things to keep us going....

Comments: Total (2) comments

Posted On: 02 Jul 2012 10:45 am

A very inspiring first blog for the next race. Was great to meet you in China and look forward to seeing you again soon, this time in Egypt.

Posted On: 02 Jul 2012 09:15 am

Good luck and best wishes for your preparation for the Sahara challenge Marko. Awesome that Monique is joining you.

19 June 2012 03:22 am (GMT+04:00) Abu Dhabi, Muscat

Having just got back from the Gobi March 2012, I was pretty much haunted by the thought of having to wait until March next year to compete in the Atacama Crossing. I arrived home and brought up the idea of taking part in the Sahara race, hopefully getting my wife involved in a volunteering capacity. She was all smiles..which meant I was all smiles! The thought of being self supported over 250km's has sunk its teeth deep into me and I simply love it! It's such a great test of mental and physical...I don't really want to say toughness...but state maybe?? Time to take the training to a new level...keep pushing, keep sweating, keep hurting, keep running, KEEP LIVING. Anyone want to join?

Comments: Total (2) comments

Posted On: 20 Jun 2012 05:30 pm

Will do Sam, busy with my tapering down now after the Gobi...just winding down with some really easy, light runs. So amped for the Sahara!!

Posted On: 19 Jun 2012 03:28 pm

We are very happy that we'll see you in Egypt and hopefully meet your wife too. Give yourself at least a few days to rest up before you get started again.