Archive for December, 2007
« Previous EntriesAn ultra runner’s new year resolutions
Monday, December 31st, 20072002: “I will run a marathon this year! My first one!”
2003: “Sweetheart, last year I overdid it - no more than five marathons this year.”
2004: “I will cut down on my racing and do more household chores - ten marathons this year, max. Promise!”
2005: “OK, less running this year, no more than 15 ultras (besides the marathons). Seriously.”
2006: “Darling, I promise, I’ll do the Marathon des Sables only this one time!”
2007: “Sweetheart, but . . . there are no more than a dozen 100milers in all of Europe I could possibly run this year . . . What, you want a holiday in Hawaii? Let me check when they’ve got a decent ultra over there. . .”
2008: “The Marathon des Sables? I need to do it in March as my warm up for . . . Darling?. . . SWEETHEART? . . . HELLO!”
No Comments »Tool Tip #12: Thermarest
Saturday, December 29th, 2007The Marathon des Sables is a lesson in compromising comfort (food, clothing, etc.) and comfort (weight of your backpack). One of the most controversially discussed items among MdS first-timers and veterans is the (non?-)necessity of a mattress; of course, a minimized mattress like a half-sized Thermarest. Will you need one?
- The pros: a little extra comfort and warmth at night, better sleep thus better regeneration
- The cons: Weight and volume, as it will add about half a kilo to the backpack and a volume of 2 litres or more.
In 2006 I carried a half-sized Thermarest along - and had sleepless nights anyway; for 2008 I decided to leave it at home at first. But I changed my mind and will take it out to the Sahara. On the first night (before the gear check), I will sleep without it. If I feel OK, I will not carry it along on the MdS; if I have a freezing cold, dreadful night, I will put the Thermarest in my backpack.I guess nothing beats a real test. And to get a good nights rest, some ear plugs may be a much better investment than a Thermarest.
No Comments »Health Tip #4: Killing that pain
Thursday, December 27th, 2007Any multi-stage event is a test in endurance and coping with pain. Every runner has his own recipe for dealing with pain, so here are my personal experiences with the matter. I know this is highly subjective, so please treat it with a grain of salt.
- Pain killers like Paracetamol or Ibuprofen - they don’t work for me. When I suffer from split shins, large blisters or whatever, they provide drowsiness, but no relief, so I don’t take them.
- Arnika and Rhus Toxicodendron are homeopathic medicines that help the body to recover from sore muscles or pain. I take them before going to sleep after a long run with pain. They seem to help me relax and recover at night; the benefit may be the proverbial placebo effect, but I don’t care - it works.
- Diverting my thoughts - when I am in pain during a race, I try to focus on something else: Start a conversation with a fellow runner, listening to music, just changing something to take my mind off my pain.
However, the best pain killer I know is the count down to the next race or race stage: Even if I limp to the starting line, I’ll dash off like hell when they blow the whistle!
No Comments »Landmark #6 of the TM: Windsor Castle
Tuesday, December 25th, 2007Approaching Windsor Castle from upstream on the Thames Meander is a breathtaking sight, inspiring and giving new strength for the second part of the race, the night stage.
Windsor Castle was originally built by William the Conqueror, who reigned from 1066 until his death in 1087. His original castle stood on the site of the present Round Tower. The castle formed part of his defensive ring of castles surrounding London, the site chosen in part because of its easily defensible position.
The oldest existing parts of the castle include the curfew tower, constructed in 1227. The interior of the tower contains the former castle prison, and also the remnants of a “Sally port”, a secret exit for the occupants in a time of siege. The upper storey contains the castle bells placed there in 1478, and the castle clock of 1689.
It was during the reign of King George IV between 1820–1830 that the castle was to undergo the greatest single transformation in its history. George IV persuaded Parliament to vote him £300,000 for restoration. The architect Jeffry Wyatville was selected, and work commenced in 1824.
The work took twelve years to complete and included a complete remodelling of the Upper Ward, private apartments, Round Tower and the exterior facade of the South Wing which gave the castle its near symmetrical facade seen from the Long Walk.
Today, Windsor Castle is a mayor tourist site, attracting visitors from all over the world and hosting sports events like the Windsor Castle half marathon. For the Thames Meander, Windsor Castle is the absolute highlight, an ideal place for a short rest to adjust one’s clothes for the approaching night and being inspired by the stunning architecture.
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A runners christmas
Sunday, December 23rd, 2007On the 10th day of Christmas my true love sent to me…
10 golden medals
9 blackened toe nails
8 races per quarter
7 pairs of trainers
6 masters moaning
5 Olympic rings …
4 water sachets
3 winner’s medals
2 referees
and a Thames-Meander new PB
Tool Tip #11: …… …..
Friday, December 21st, 2007It is possibly the one item you need on ultra marathons like the Thames Meander or the Marathon des Sables no-one tells you about: Toilet paper. It will not be provided at these races, so you must be self-sufficient and carry enough; make up your mind on these two questions:
- How much will I need? Well, that depends - if you get diarrhoea or catch a cold with a runny nose, you might need four times as much as normal, so carry plenty around
- What kind of paper? Wet tissues may be comfortable and efficient, but they add their fair share to your backpacks weight. A normal roll of toilet paper will be just fine, but has plenty of volume and may decompose in a damp backpack on the Thames Meander or with the wear and tear after a few days in the Sahara
Personally, I made good experience with kitchen roll paper, about six sheets per day. I keep them in a ziplock bag in my backpack, protected from rain and sweat, and for extra comfort I might soak half a sheet with a little water. Kitchen roll paper is also very versatile, you can use it to clean your cutlery, stove, kettle, or dry your blisters after punctuating and desinfecting.
No Comments »Health Tip #3: Is your food full of it?
Wednesday, December 19th, 2007You’ve seen all the ads from the FSA, you’ve read all those articles about cutting down, you know that it’s the ultimate evil causing heart disease: Salt. And you are supposed to eat less of it. Much less. However, as with most things, ultra running and the Marathon des Sables in special puts things in a different perspective: Cut down on salt at the MdS and you are bound to fail. Thus make sure to take plenty of salt tablets to the race and swallow one tablet at each check point. You will sweat out up to 9 litres of water a day, depleting your bodies minerals. If you don’t replenish them on a constant basis, you quickly become a regular guest with the doc trotters.
No Comments »Tool Tip #10: That buff
Monday, December 17th, 2007What do commuters in smoke-infested Asian mega-cities and runners at the Marathon des Sables have in common? Both need to protect their breathing. But you don’t have to bring a gas mask to the MdS to protect against sand storms: A normal buff or light scarf will do.I love the buff for its versatility:
- It can’t be blown away like a scarf
- It can protect your throat from the chill of the night or your nostrils against the sand or smoke of your stove
- It can protect your neck, ears or head from sun burn
- You can wear it around arms or legs as a second bandage when injured
- You can use it as a sweat band when worn on your wrist
- Use it as a pot cloth when firing that stove
The versatility of the buff has no limits - bring two of them to the MdS and you will be prepared for all kinds of situations.
No Comments »Landmark #5 of the TM: Maidenhead
Saturday, December 15th, 2007Maidenhead’s name refers to the riverside area where the ‘New wharf’ (’Maiden Hythe’) has been built at Saxon times. It was suggested that the closely located hill of Taplow had been called the ‘Mai Dun’ during the Iron Age.
In 1280, a bridge was built across the river to replace the ferry and the Great Western Road was diverted to use it. This led to the growth of Maidenhead: a stopping point for coaches between London and Bath and the High Street became populated with inns. The current Maidenhead Bridge, a local landmark, dates from 1777 and was built at a cost of £19,000.
Maidenhead’s beautiful riverside location has attracted a number of celebrities to move there, including television presenter Rolf Harris, journalist Michael Parkinson and Red Dwarf actor Chris Barrie. The five Spice Girls have shared a house in Maidenhead for a year and Maidenhead’s Redroofs Stage School has produced Hollywood star Kate Winslet. 
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Tool Tip #9: Dinner is ready!
Thursday, December 13th, 2007At the Marathon des Sables, breakfast and dinner are the important meals you don’t want to miss. A warm meal at sunset before the chill of the night is crucial, so you’ll need a stove, solid fuel (Esbit), a kettle and some bags of travelunch meals. When your kettle is boiling, pour the hot water into the travelunch bag, not the other way around, and let the bag simmer for a few minutes. The kettle gets gooey at the bottom from the fire, so always carry it in a bag. You don’t need a lot of Esbit, as you’ll find plenty of sticks and firewood in the Sahara; however, this stuff is somewhat smelly when burned and will stain your kettle even more. With eight runners sharing a tent, you don’t need eight kettles and stoves, two or three are plenty. Have one runner carry the stove, the next one the kettle, another one the Esbit to balance the load. If you agree on this on day one before the equipment and health check you can leave the unnecessary gear in your suitcase that’ll go to the hotel.
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