The Lessons Learned.....

Well... it's Spartathlon 1, Andy 0, but as you can see from the photo (taken as I retired from the race just short of the 50mile checkpoint) I am holding my head high, I have learned an immense amount about the race strategy from the organizers point of view, the race itself, the pace required, and the all important do's and don'ts for my return next year, "So where did it all go wrong?" I hear you ask.

We arrived in Athens late on Wednesday evening, and having met up with Mark Cockbain on the flight from Luton, we all decided to garb a taxi to the Hotel. Mark was a great help with very useful insights from his four previous successful races.

Thursday was registration day, and apart from a walk along the beach and a great many laughs with Rory & Caz, I just rested and relaxed. The London hotel was the HQ for the Spartathalon, and outside of the Olympics, I have never seen a fitter, leaner of meaner set of athletes in my life, all nationalities, all shapes and sizes, all brimming with smiles and good humour. The veterans of the race were just a different breed all together, these stood out immediately, and I questioned myself seriously about whether I was qualified to take this race on.

I caught Rory's eye across the room where he was standing with Caz, and we both raised an eyebrow, and nodded, these were the "Big boys" and I was about to try and play on their playing field! Now don't mistake that comment as negative self talk, because when you looked at some of these guys, you just knew that they had earned their physiques the hard way. They were very lean, very strong, and with muscle definition in the lower half of their bodies that had been developed over years of endurance conditioning and training, then there was me!

In January 2006 I couldn't run 5 miles around Wetherby with my local running club without stopping, and although I had subsequently trained hard by my standards and succeeded in competeing the 150 mile multi-stage Marathon des Sables in 2007 and Namibian Desert 75 mile single stage Ultra in April 2008, I was entering a different league. Rory had already said to me that he wouldn't even attempt this race, and further lifted my spirits by reading a text that Mimi Anderson (Mimi recently set a new record over Lands End to John O'Groates) had sent saying "Hat's off and good luck to anyone who even attempts Spartathlon" as it was too tough for her!

So registration completed, medical check concluded, and it was off to spend the rest of the day trying to find a car hire company that had fuel and would hire us a car for Caz & Rory to drive. There was a customs strike and no fuel was being delivered. In a bizare experience, on wednesday evening as we went in search of food, we walked past 50 cars queuing at a filling station, and Rory stopped to ask a driver what was going on, he managed to pick one that spoke perfect English, who explained there was no idea how long the strike would last, we quietly started panicking! Anyway, luckily we found one and chilled out for the rest of the day. We woke at 04:45 and began packing the crew car and joined the rest of the competitors and the bus convoy to the foot of the Acropolis where Rory made sure I loosened up and stretched, before meeting some of the other UK contingent.

The race started at 07:00 sharp, and I adapted my approach to the first 50 miles after having listened to Mark's advice, so I tagged into the last 30 runners and sat in the middle of the pack with the aim of just reaching the checkpoints inside the cut offs. After the descent from the Acropolis, there was a steady couple of miles through the dense rush hour traffic, choking fumes and heat were already making things interesting, and after a 5mile climb we reached the main arterial route where we ran along the hard shoulder as the sun began to heat the day. I was maintaining a steady pace just under 10 min/ miles as we climbed, and I reached the Marathon stage in 4h 24min, feeling strong and comfortable, probably the last time I can say that was the case. This picture was taken just prior to the CP which I ran straight through, looking to maintain the buffer of time I had developed.



I can safely say, that had I known that at the time I would have forced myself to eat and take energy at each checkpoint from here on, but the Sparatathlon strategy is to make the first 50 miles as difficult as possible for the runners. No runners are allowed any assistance from their support crew, if they have one, until after the 50 mile checkpoint at Corinth. Rory and Caz were giving me fantastic verbal support, and I smiled and laughed everytime I saw the at the side of the road. Caz was having great fun interving Rory on the DVD to record my progress so far.



This is a deliberate strategy of the Spartathalon, which means that you can only take on board energy in the form of what is available at the check points. To this point I had tried eating the unripe green bananas, dried apple, dry biscuits, and even worse, dry Jacobs crackers with honey drizzled over them! I can't think of anything more difficult to swallow whilst running in 30c heat, they just clog up your mouth. So I had stuck to NUUN tablets to replace salts and minerals, and just taken water on board.

When I hit it, I knew I had left energy replacement too late! I hit the wall hard at 31 miles! Rory commented to Caz, that I was loosing pace as I passed the race pace setter who had succumbed at the side of the road, pictured here..lol (click to enlarge.

I added a Go Electrolyte powder to my water at the next checkpoint, and I'm not sure if it was the green bananas, or the sweet taste of the carbohydrate loaded powder that started it but I knew by 33 miles that I was going to be sick, and sure enough any valuable fluids that I had taken on were deposited forcefully at the 34 mile mark.
I only had electrolyte in the bottle so I rinsed my mouth out and spat it out. I sipped the stuff until the next checkpoint, where I emptied it out, refilled my bottle with water, drank some warm coke that was on offer at the checkpoint and pushed on, only to be violently sick again at 38 miles and reduced to a walk for a bit.
I witnessed another runner from Switzerland, with similar symptoms and patted him on the shoulder as he stood up after retching at the road side, we smiled and said "Corinth", in recognition of our resolve to reach the 50 mile cut off in time, but the heat, terrain and pace was taking its toll, and I for one was starting to leave the checkpoints with no buffer of time, and the deadline looming to reach the next one in time.

It was here that I noticed the "Bus" for the first time, and 10 disqualified or retired runners sitting dejectedly along side it as it waited to collect more ex-Spartathletes as they failed to make the cutoff times. There were tears, there were faces full of disbelief that months of training and dreams of reaching Sparta had ended there at the side of the road, and for some there was a consoling hug from a crew member as they finally relaxed their pride and conceded a tearful defeat.

I accepted this wake up call, and tried to increase my pace, my stomach was cramping, and I tried to ignore it and pushed on, but you know how that goes in life don't you!.

Rory and Caz were delivery plenty of encouragement and urging me on. Unknown to me Rory had commented to Caz that he felt my pace was dropping too far for me to pick it up he was about to be proven right.
After the wake up call I lifted the pace but as I rounded a bend in the road I saw the climb ahead, and I knew I had spoken too soon. This was where the failure monsters raised their heads.

I saw a runner in front of me reach a junction and what was obviously one of her crew members passed he a bottle from the window of their vehicle as they passed, within seconds there was a race official in a car that had been following the runners, pulling their car to the side of the road, and gesticulating animatedly as only the Greeks can, and pointing to the runner and with a level hand, making a cutting action indicating "out" or "disqualified" I ran on leaving them with raised voices, the rules are the rules!

The heat of the day was in full on mode by now, and after climbing for ever there was a brief respite as I coasted downhill on very tired quadriceps, Rory shouted encouragement and took this picture, (click to get the full view)


and Caz waited nearby soaking up the atmosphere of the race as she waited to cheer me on. They never missed an opportunity to lift me, and the others that they recognized, they were a fantastic support crew and I couldn't imagine what it would have been like without them.

I was pushing hard to make up time I had lost on the climbs, and trying to bring my heart rate back down to conserve energy, but no matter how deep I breathed to re-oxygenate my blood, and lower my pulse on the downhill sections, as soon as I hit the straights and began the climbs again, my heart rate was back into the high 150's.

The checkpoints were every 4km or so now, and as I scrapped into checkpoint 20 I was informed that I was past the cutoff time, I argued that I could still make Corinth ( 2 checkpoints away) before it closed and basically didn't wait for a response, I just grabbed a cup of water and kept running. I caught a smile from Rory and Caz, at the bare faced cheek I had displayed, but I took very little comfort from the fact that I was still in but now facing no margin for error, and at Corinth they would ruthless!

The near miss galvanized me once more,and I resolved to reach Corinth in time. But as I said before, when we make a decision, sometimes life with throw in a challenge, almost as if to test you are serious, and as I cut through an underpass, and up what appeared to be a slip road, I found myself facing a bitch of a climb upwards for about a 1.5 miles, and I knew in my heart my race was over. I gave it one last valiant effort, only to watch my pulse rise to 172, unsustainable over the distance and I knew that even if I forced myself I would need so much time to recover at Corinth, that I would again be behind the timed cut-offs.

Out of time, and 1km before the CP21 I phoned Rory and Caz from my mobile to let them know I was withdrawing. I needed a couple of minutes to get my thoughts together before I reached them.

You know... I learned some valuable lessons in endurance running and in life during this challenge to run the Spartathalon in footsteps of Pheidipides.

I've learned that it is important to have a dream that stirs your soul.

I have learned that you need to be able to balance the important aspects of your life, your vocation, your family, your relationships and time with your friends, your training and your rest, and not to be too focused on any one part, whilst you chase your dream.

Most importantly you must respect the opinions of those who mean the most to you in life, and when they ask you to balance your time... do it!.

You need to share your dream with those closest to you, who will not judge you, but will support you... even if they can't understand your reasons for chasing your dream, and don't be afraid to ask for their help, if you show them respect and care for their opinions they will help you to succeed because they in turn will respect you.

As the final steps of my race were taking me into the checkpoint where I met Caz and Rory, I put the biggest smile on my face and thanked them for being there for me. They were concerned that I would be like a bear with a sore arse! disapointed, annoyed, even angry that I had fallen so short of my goal... that was the old Andy!



I told them that I was done... I was withdrawing... my challenge had ended, but it wasn't over, what I learned will ensure I return better prepared next year. I was holding my head up high, and proud of our team effort that got me this far.

I want to leave you all with one final thought...

In our journeys through life as we chase our dreams, whatever those dreams are, we will all face difficulties.
We will make choices that lead us down the wrong paths; we will make mistakes that will take us years to rectify, in our careers, in our relationships, and in our health.
We will learn lessons, and improve, and we will fail to learn the lessons that life tries to teach us and we will pay the penalties, and then be forced later in life to re-learn those lessons again. But you can do it... you can learn those lessons... and you can reap the rewards and achieve the dreams you are chasing for yourself.

The force that drives you forward through adversity in all it's forms will be the power of your dream, the vision you hold for what ever it is that you want to achieve with your life.

I have my dream to succeed in arriving on foot in Sparta still intact... to run in the footsteps of Pheidipides, it will just have to be after I learn and practice the lessons this attempt has taught me.

Rory my friend and endurance mentor has his dreams, Caz my wife and best friend has her dreams, and we will all help each other to achieve them where ever we can, but remember this when you are deep in the struggle to achieve your dreams... it's what I told Rory & Caz as I approached them in the final steps I took...


There is no tragedy in having failed to achieve your dream .
There is only tragedy in having no dream to reach for in the first place...

Failure is never important, unless it's the last time you are ever going to try!

It is only life teaching you a lesson that needs to be learned.

I trust I will see you all soon, and you'll certainly find me here again next year!

Excited, confident, and nervous, with a healthy respect for the distance.

Okay... last minute checks have been done, everything is packed and ready to go. I've had a catchup wit Rory on the phone, and we are both ready for what lies ahead.

I always find it hard to explain the feelings I get just before attempting an extreme ultra marathon. You know you have trained hard, you have put in the mileage, and prepared as well as you can, but there is always the niggling doubt...could I have done more?... am I really ready?
All the training and mental preparation achieves is one thing, it gets you to the start line feeling strong, and mentally prepared to go the distance.

Whatever mother nature and the race has in store for you on the day, is what you have to contend with, and that is the leveler, when the going gets tough... can you keep going.. have you got it in you to push on long after the body is telling you... "no more, I've had enough".

For me, the Spartathlon will begin when I reach the base of the mountain at 100miles into the race, that is where I will be digging deep to sustain the pace. The climb and descent will take its toll, followed by more of the same to Tegea, before the run down trough the valley to Sparta.

The price of victory will be a maximum sustained effort, a determination not to give in, and a vision of reaching the town of Sparta by following in the footsteps of the first man ever to achieve this 2498 years ago, the hero of the race, Pheidippides.

I will try to update this from Athens prior to the start on Friday, but if not, the next post will be.... well you tell me! Will I have succeeded or fallen short of the goal?

more later...see you soon.

Last stages of preparation...

I thought the map on the right would help put the distance into perspective.

In my mind, I have broken it down into 3x 50 mile sections, and I'll tackle it just that way. Today has been spent fine tuning how I expect to approach each section, and sorting out last minute details.

We bought a dvd camcorder for Caz to film the race, we bought the food that I will take on board at the checkpoints, we watched the 2007 race together from the video posted on the left, and agreed what I will need and when I will need it.

It all gets so real in the final stages of preparation! The exitement builds, and I get that familiar tickle of adrenaline everytime I look at my kitlist or think about the specifics.

I also started Carbo-loading today. From now until Friday I won't be drinking any Tea or Coffee or anything that will act as a diuretic. I will drink 1.5 liters of Lepin Carbo-Lode, a fructose based powder that is added to water and I will drink small glasses regularily during the day. I will also drink plenty of normal water.

This will stock up the carbohydrate levels stored in the muscles and the intention is that this will fuel the first 75miles, and whilst taking on regular food and carb loded rehydration drinks at the checkpoints I should be able to delay the depletion of energy to beyond the 3600 foot mountain climb at the 100 mile point.





The final 40 miles to Sparta should be manageable on shear guts and determination. Every one of the competitors will suffer exhaustion during this final stage, there is a total of 8000ft of climb, and most of it is faced in the last 53 miles, so thighs will be screaming in agony after the descents and repeated climbs before the last 18 mile down hill section to sparta.









But hey... If it was easy... it wouldn't be respected world wide as... the ultimate test of endurance running would it! What a challenge!!

more later, see you soon.

Focus

"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing." Abraham Lincoln

I'm probably showing my age here, but I remember my parents having a television that was faulty, the picture kept moving from top to bottom, almost as if it was scrolling on a loop. There was a button that you had to twist called the Horizontal Hold button which then brought the picture perfectly into focus.

I constantly need to focus on what my "self talk" is in regard to how I approach Spartathlon. I will only accept positive thoughts that are geared towards my reaching the finish line, by touching the foot of King Leonidas statue, pictured on the right,(153 miles from the start line) inside the 36 hour time cut-off.

"You are never defeated as long as you don't think the task is imposible"

So as I enter the final stage of preparation I need to state my goals with confidence, and share them with you here.

I have 3 goals for the race and a fall back position, depending on the weather I encounter, and any degree of any physical injury, that is not too critical to prevent me continuing:

Goal 1. 30hrs 36minutes 35seconds.
Goal 2. 32hrs 28minutes 26seconds.
Goal 3. 34hrs 04minutes 00seconds.

These are my equivalent of my Gold, Silver and Bronze performances and I will be proud to wear the finishers medal, if though, I find myself deep in the struggle and behind my objective, my fall back position is to do whatever it takes to get to the finish line in 35:59:59.

As Mohammed Ali once said... "In life, as in the boxing ring, it is what you do after you are exhausted that makes the difference."

I constantly focus my thoughts on a text that I will send to everyone I know when I reach this special place... send me a motivational text from your mobile to 07590 113704 if you want to be included! or view my profile on the left, and send me an email.

more later, "Start working on your Dreams and Goals... a Goal is just a Dream with a date deadline!" see you soon.

Pushing the speed... to help me carry the distance.

Who wants to sing a song... let's see... what would sum up the last few weeks since my last update... I know!

"Raindrops keep fallin' on my head
But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turnin' red
Cryin's not for me
'Cause I'm never gonna stop the rain by complainin'

But I do get fed up of being soaked everytime I pull on my running shoes and head out the door... and it doesn't help me simulate the current temperature in Athens of 34c.

So I have been pushing the speed sessions hard on the treadmill at Cannons! 1 & 2hour sessions per day at 8mph pace have been working wonders. So much so that on Thursday evening as the sun shone brightly on Yorkshire for a change, I put in a fast hilly 14.4 miles in 1:44:44, the fastest I have ever managed this regular run. I pushed the pace hard on the uphill sections, and maintained the pace on the descents, and I was surprised to see my heart rate drop from 168bpm to 128bpm whilst still pushing the pace on the downhill sections.

I loose buckets of sweat on the treadmill and I have increased my intake of rehydration fluid to 750ml per hour, during these sessions aswell since I need to maintain this discipline for Spartathlon.

I really enjoyed getting back on the road and I have learned that I can train effectively on the treadmill, even though my long distance sessions are suffering due to the weather.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not averse to running in the rain, but it has become increasingly more difficult to get your kit dried in time, whilst running twice a day during August.

My trip to the Physio on Friday, has meant resting my left calf over the weekend, and picking up the mileage again from tomorrow, the pain is just residual strain and I'm getting more capable of knowing just how far to push it before any damage is done. I will not loose any condition at this late stage of training, and the taper week will do the trick.. I hope!
more later, see you soon....

4 weeks to go...

Another 80 mile week, but only just.... I had to pull out of my 40 mile run as the pain bit home on Sunday. I knew as soon as I woke up on Sunday that the strain was starting to tell, my left calf was still tight, and stiffness was extending up behind my knee and into the belly of my hamstring! I was well hydrated so it was either residual lactic acid or the early signs of strain and damage.

I also felt tired, (but I wasn't giving into a lazy attitude) so I stretched gently and gave it another hour before setting off. The first 8 miles went well then as I reached the top of the hill behind Kirby Overblow I had a panoramic view over the Wharfe valley towards Leeds, and the incoming rain squall that soaked me to the skin. I laughed with a couple of cyclists about the great summer weather, and pushed on towards Sicklinghall and Wetherby, where I stopped for some fuel (Jaffa Cakes x 2packets and water) and cracked on towards Tadcaster and Boston Spa. As I crossed the bridge at Tadcaster the pain started to intensify, and no amount of stretching was loosening it off. So a disappointing phone call home sent the cavalry heading in my direction to pick me up after just 20 miles at Thopre Arch.

I downed another liter of water after a shower and slept of the disappointment for an 2hours in the hope that I would wake with no pain... dream on!

James the physio, at Pure Treatment Rooms, spent an hour at 8am working on the muscles in my calf and thigh, and in his opinion it is a build up of strain and muscle fatigue, causing inflammation in the muscle sheaths in my calf. So I'm resting up today and back into gentle mileage tomorrow and a slightly shorter mileage week this week.

So the failure monsters raised their ugly little heads, and I now have to plan a strategy for any recurrence during the 80-100 mile stage of Spartahlon prior to the 4000ft climb and the final 50miles to Sparta.

I'll accept carrying an injury out of Spartathlon for the honour of reaching the finish inside 36 hours, but I don't want to even think about starting the 153 mile race with a dark cloud of injury and weakness hanging over me.

The immense mental effort required has a price tag... it will only take everything I have to give. There is something special about getting beyond that place where the body gives in and the mind takes over... that's when the struggle begins and the possibility of success is faint... but there in the distance...are two small flickering flames of faith and victory dancing on the finish line.

The challenge is to get to them before they fade away. That's my goal.

6 weeks to go...

My 13 mile run tonight brings the weekly training miles invested into the bank to a total of 80 miles, and many of them very wet ones. I am feeling strong, and the calf strain is easing, and hasn't hampered my efforts which is good news.

Rory Coleman (pictured left) my friend and Ultra running mentor has agreed to crew for me during Spartathlon, and I really can't tell you how much it will mean to have his level of experience (9 Times World Record Breaking Ultra-Marathon runner, 572 marathons and 150 Ultra marathons) to call upon when the race gets beyond my experience base.
Rory has had a great impact on my life so far, and I know he will tell me what I need to know, not what I want to hear, that makes all the difference when you are deep in the struggle, and forcing your body far beyond its previous limits.

It means so much more, because it means Caz my wife will be able to live the experience of the race also, which she couldn't have if it wasn't for Rory offering to drive the 153 mile route in support from Athens to Sparta. It will be fantastic to have her welcome me over the finish line, and it will be the first time she will ever have seen me finish an extreme ultra.

I am in a happy place right now, and the price I am paying is delivering results. It can be very lonely pushing yourself to the limits on your own, long miles lost in your thoughts, fighting the failure monsters, and hoping that you have done enough to be able to perform on the day.

Having the responsibility of not wanting to disappoint the crew, (Caz & Rory) but also having them looking after my needs at the 10 designated team checkpoints (the only points in the race where crew members can interact their runner) is a great Yin and Yang balance.
In 44 days we will know if I had what it takes to run in the footsteps of Pheidippides...
more later.

Stepping up the miles now

Talking it into existance has been the order of the day for the first week of August.
The 50 mile week was challenging as I am carrying a bit of strain in my left calf, but determined to push on through, and hopefully the chiro will not pick anything up at my check up tomorrow.

Saturday was distance day and I put the first mile into the training bank at 05:45, and managed to put in 36 miles in 5 hours and 54 minutes, and what a gorgeous morning it was, I made it to within 3 miles of home before the heavens opened and I got drenched.

I spent some time resting today, and gentle swimming helped ease the calf strain.
A 60 mile week stretches before me, mainly 5 mile morning runs and 10-15 mile evening runs, and some speed work to help me focus on my pace.

My nerves are starting to play up abit, and my positive self talk is working overtime as I try not to think about hitting any of the 75 timed checkpoints late, as that would spell the end of my race, and my intention is to do the first 2 marathons or 50 miles in under 8hours 30, giving me a 1 hour buffer to carry with me over the next 100 miles.

Dream...struggle...victory...
that's the way it goes for me, I've got the dream of completing Spartahlon 08, I'm engaged in the struggle of balancing work life, family life, and dedicating hours of time to pounding out the miles and refining nutrition and hydration strategies. Will I see the victory of completing this 153 mile race by negotiating the 75 timed checkpoints on time to finish the distance in umder 36 hours.... you better stay tuned to find out.

Thanks for all the emails, and kind words of support, it means so much!
more later, see you all again soon...

Gaining miles and shedding weight

On reflection, as July comes to a close it has been an amazing month all round.
On the career front I have formed my own company (my website in the build phase) and I have embarked on probably the most exciting phase of my life so far.

Every now and then I come across individuals who truly are inspirational, these people live by a strong set of values daily and life seems to bend and yield in their favour, and even in difficult times they thrive and prosper because they live a life of integrity, balance and harmony, and have a clear vision of where their future lies.

I made a decision recently to take charge of the direction of my life and to re-asses my values, and I believe as a direct result of my actions, circumstances have put me in the position to be able to lead a life that challenges me and fires me with enthusiasm.
That decision has also brought many benefits, the most significant of which is that I have found a mentor and friend who tuely is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met. When he offered me the opportunity to join him in business, it was probably the best decision I have ever made.

On the family front life has regained some of my mis-placed balance, as I am now focused on making the people who are important in my life happier and we've had some great time enjoying the oportunities to relax and fire up the barbie, chill out and share our exciting dreams and goals for the future and quality time with friends and family.

The inspiration has impacted on my training also, my weight has dropped from 12 stone 2, to 11 stone 8, and the running miles are getting faster and easier. I've picked up a bit of strain as I have pushed hard to excel in all the areas where I felt weak, and I have succeeded in beating the boredom to run 10 miles on the treadmill at the gym at 8min 45 sec mile pace, because I got tired of running in the rain. This re-inforces my value of looking for a positive in every situation, I was determined to put in 10 miles and the weather wasn't going to dampen my spirits or my feet!

I can hardly wait to see what August holds in store for me.
I hope life is good for you also, the great news is... it will get better and better when you take control and regain your balance by focusing on and living by your values.
If you knew you couldn't fail, in your business life, your family life and in chasing your goals and dreams... what would you attempt to achieve?
Make It Happen... that's my challenge to you.
more soon...

Lyke Wake Race weekend

What a great weekend... I met up with a 5 other runners from Team Running Bug, the online running site www.therunningbug.co.uk and we all had a few beers and a great meal in the Three Tunns in Osmotherly, half a mile from where the race was to begin.

The staggered start times meant that the runners who had given slower estimated finish time left first, and the faster team members left later, with the aim of running through the field and finishing somewhere around the same time.

I ran a consistent race in line with my training plan, but found the 5 miles of peat bog extremely tiring, trying to push on through calf deep mud and water was certainly well removed from long distance road running, so it was tough but refreshing.
We lost Matt at check point three to a vicious bout of food poisoning induced projectile vomiting. There are rumours that his head span a full 360 degree in true exorsist style, and attenpts to manually re create the move by twisting his head failled to impress! In all seriousness he did extremely well to get that far into the race, and it was touch and go whether he should be hospitalized, it took him the best part of 2 weeks to recover. I almost chose the same Fish Cake dish that Matt had during our meal pre-race, but at the last minute opted for the Monk fish instead, it could so easily have been me!

There is no fixed route over most of the 43 mile race distance from Osmotherly, across the North Yorkshire Moors to Robin Hoods Bay on the east coast. We lost Jo to a navagation error and she was arrested after straying onto MOD Property at Fylingdales. She did say she liked a man in uniform, but I think she would have preferred not to have been disqualified for failing to make the checkpoint in time.

I was very glad to reach the road for the last mile to the finish, and was pleasantly surprised to see Lauren my 7 year old jumping up and down with excitement half a mile out from the finish. She excitedly ran hand in hand with me all the way down hill to the finish, squealing and panting with an ear to ear smile, and so proud to be running with her Dad... priceless!

The rest of this week has been a recovery week and mileage has only just crept into the 30 mile range.
more soon....

how time flies...

I can't believe how time has flown since my last update. It seems like I'm in overdirve and everything is happening thick and fast.
I had a great reunion weekend down in Somerset, where Joakim Jonsson and I were invited to present to the expedition Doctors and the expedition Leaders of Across the Divide Expeditions, at their annual summer conferrence and staff weekend. we were asked to present our insights into the Namibian Desert 120km Extreme Utra, and I think we made a pretty good impression and may have convinced some of the more adventurous to give it a go next year.
It was the culmination of a lower mileage week, and a steady build up to the Lyke Wake Race comming up on Saturday on the 12th.

Running miles with my friend and running Mentor!

There is nothing better than putting in long training runs with like minded people, well actually there is... running a marathon with my good friend and Ultra Running Mentor - Rory Coleman (pictured right).

Rory is a 9 times World Record Breaking Ultra Marathon Runner, and he has probably forgotten more about Ultra Running than I will ever learn.

He invited me down for a catchup on my progress towards Spartahlon, and we did this over a 26.2 mile run around his training route, and all I can say is that as I struggled with the final 6 miles, he swiftly analysed my running week, my hydration, my nutrition, and my rest quality, and within minutes, I had the answers that eased my worries. Thats what comes with the experience of 565 marathons and 151 Ultra Marathons under your belt!

His analysis of my running week which has consisted of;
2x fast hilly half marathons,
1x fast 5 miler,
and 2 steady marathons,
Is that in a total of 83 miles, I haven't eaten enough calories, or hydrated sufficiently, and my pacing is too fast, so with a revised focus I look forward to putting into practise what I have learned. Thanks Rory!

The 90 mile drive home flew past, lost in thoughts of the value of friendship, the vaule of experienced advice, and my future plans.

To top off an excellent day Caz had prepared a great pasta meal and had poured me an ice cold beer as I walked through the door.

I know it wasn't in the re-hydration advice Rory, but sod it, I deserved it!
more later...

Race entry confirmed...

Heat was definitely the order of the week in Cyprus.
Mid to high 30's from Monday through to Thursday, and the mileage climbed and the speed sessions were challenging. I ran a marathon on Friday morning and at 08:00 it was 29c and by the time I finished it had reached 39c, so I got what I went for a 60mile week, and I have learned a healthy respect for what it is going to take just to complete the first 2 marathons in under 9hrs 30mins, let alone sustain a pace over the remaining 4 marathons that gets me inside the cut off times for each checkpoint.

I found out long ago, that it is what you don't know that hurts you in events like this. Planning and preparation is everything, so I'm doing my due diligence and studying every race report I can get my hands on and I'm in sponge mode, soaking up all the info, and immersing myself in the race.

I also gorged myself on the fantastic greek food, a few beers didn't harm the rehydration strategy too much, but I have certainly aquired a liking for an Ouzo night cap!
I've decided that will be my reward for completing the Spartathlon, an expensive bottle of Ouzo that I can savour as I reflect on how it felt to re-trace the footsteps of Pheidippides, I will drink to his honour once I have felt the pain of his achievement.
I recieved confirmation of my race number it is 156, so I have a green light for a go at Spartathlon'08.
more soon...

Life's rich tapestry weaves its pattern...

I just have to share some quotes with you that I read this week whilst in search of inspiration...

" Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather one that sees you sliding in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, but with a resigned smile on you face proclaiming,'Wow! what a ride!'"

Well this week has certainly been a roller coaster of a ride alright, and life never ceases to amaze me, by what it can throw up in surprise!
First of all the kitchen extractor fan gave up the ghost, followed by the ceiling collapsing as a result of the upstairs cistern leaking and soaking the plasterboard, Lauren our 7 year old came home with Nits again,(parents who don't Nit comb their children's hair on a regular basis, should be publicly disgraced at school!)I strained my gluteous muscle where it joins my hip, whilst working out on the rowing machine, and I took the major decision to change career paths to one that inspires me and opens endless posibilities instead of the corporate life I have led for 22 years, more on that later.

We have one of our great BBQ's organized tomorrow with friends all descending on the house with the kitchen in chaos, the weather looks like it's gonna rain, and we fly out to Cyprus on Sunday for me to get some Heat training in, Caz can de-stress and relax on the beach, and we can share some quality time together with a bit of breathing space as we review and contemplate our plans for the future.

"If you don't have hope for the future, you have no power in the present"

Needless to say I only managed to squeeze in a painful 6 miles, but that's life I guess, it's all about priorities.
Next week will see me back on form, I love running in the early morning as the sun comes up over the sea, it raises my spirits refreshes my soul, and energizes my resolve.
Finally here is a quote from me, it's one of my values!...

"Every adversity, every failure, every heartache, carries with it the seed of equal or greater benefit, find the seed, plant it, nurture it and reap the reward, for having the courage to change and grow."

more soon...

Faster...Stronger... Longer

This week was a fast week, only 32 miles invested into the training bank, but with my fastest 5 mile for a long long time 5.17 miles in 36.58mins average 7.08 min/mile and heart rate at 93% of max.
Speed sessions are getting better, and recovery quicker, my calf has recovered and feels strong, but my weight still refuses to move below 170lbs. (too much pasta, and beer, my vices!)
According to Mr. Stillmans chart for Ultra runners, I need to loose 15lbs.
So this week will be a Longer distance week, with more long steady distance work to burn fat, and more protein and less carbs.
The game plan is a 45-50 mile week at 8-9min/miles pace, with 10 miles done today at 09:34 pace.
The long term plan is 120 miles per week during August, tappering down through September ready for Spartathlon on 26th.

Also on a side note, I have something exciting in the planning stage at the moment, with my good friend Rory Coleman (pictured right, at London Marathon) in October. Rory fires my enthusiasm for pushing hard and challenging my limits, he's like a breath of fresh air, and It helps me to focus beyond Spartahlon.
more later...

Okay, here we go... training commences 119 days til Spartathlon

The last week of May drew to a close with very little training banked, and only a steady, interval speed session on Saturday added to the tally of training runs.
I'm still carrying some calf strain out of the race prior to the Edinburgh Marathon, so a visit to my chiro eased the strain and liberal ice packing helped get me into a semi fit state to put in an interval session yesterday with Peter, Andrew, and Patrick.
Between Peter and I, we only had one good pair of legs between us, his right calf, and my left calf, were both very sore after the first 3 reps, and me adding to the debacle by coughing to the point of retching, as I tried to clear my throat after a bout of laryngitis.
We were both marginally off the pace of our previous session, and both happy to have completed the 5 miler without further complications.

Today Peter, Ursula and I had great fun on a 10 mile run in the pouring rain. Peter selected an off road trail run form Boston Spa, and apart from being stung to bits by the over grown nettles, and soaked to the skin, we put in a decent 90 minute 10 miles, and pushed the pain barrier back a bit as our respective calves complained.

Caz, wasn't so pleased to see me on my return, soaked and absolutely filthy, just as the washing machine had finished its final load of the weekend,(make that almost final load, I said to myself as I headed for a hot shower!)we like a bit of banter!

A quick shopping trip to he supermarket preceded a trip to the Hydro where Lauren and I went for a swim, and home to Sunday dinner, (which was delicious, but didn't help me shed any of the stubborn 6lbs that I need to lose!)

So June has been started with 10 miles invested into the training bank, and a busy month ahead!
more later...

Edinburgh Marathon

A gentle 5 mile walk today with my wife Caz was my recovery from the Edinburgh Marathon yesterday.
I posted a 03:59:12 according to my garmin at 26.2 miles, although the finishline recorded a 04:03 time at a distance of 26.45.
Anyway, the point is that I deliberately ran the race with no training in the bank other than a few interval speed sessions a 3x 6mile runs since Namibia in April.
It probably wasn't a wise decision to race a 10k on Thursday, and the calf strain I carried out of it manifested itself at 16 miles, and it was back to good old "Mind over Matter" as I gutted it out to the finish.

I have to be honest and share with you that during the last 8 miles,I doubted my ability to complete Spartahlon, if this was a bench mark for the pain of sustaining pace against the odds.

I like to use these tests of persistence, when the run is just down to you running against yourself, it focusses you neatly on the goal and you come out of it with a determination that you can build on during your training programme.

Training commences next week, and I have had help from my friend Rory Coleman, who has put me in touch with some guys who have completed Spartathlon.
So, more to follow soon as I prepare to go swifter...stronger... and longer than I ever have done before.

The enormity of the task at hand is sinking in.

When you buy something you didn't really need, and didn't really want, and when you think about it afterwards and you wish you hadn't, it's called buyers remorse.

When you enter an extreme ultra marathon event, that is so far beyond what you have ever achieved to date, and you think about it in the cold light of day without the euphoria of the emotion attached to the dream of... "What if I could actually succeed in doing that, Wow! how would that feel, what a real challenge!"... and you wonder if you can succeed, and you wonder how the hell you are going to do it, and just how are you going to train for it, and how are you going to sustain the effort required... its called a wake up call!

Because now you have entered, you have been "hung by your tongue", and you better put your money where your mouth is and get your arse into gear and start planning and training!

I woke up with that feeling everyday this week, (Oh my god, what a task, where do I start?) both before and after my gentle training runs, to ease me back into the discipline of building up the mileage after Namibia.
246km or 153 miles, in a single A to B stage, point to point race is an awesome undertaking by any standard, and even with the benefit of having completed tough multi-stage endurance races in the past, and a very tough Namibian Desert 75 mile single stage Ultra, I am nervous already about what this will take to achieve. This ranks right up there as the toughest event I have ever attempted... so far.

And then, I think about Pheidippides, on a mission, running this distance 2498 years ago in leather sandals, with no support, no head torch for the night section, no idea of what his reception would be, but running for his pride, his honour and his duty not to fail his brothers in arms... and I am truly inspired.

What a display of determination, focus, courage, spirit, and loyalty. A lesson from history that persistence and perseverance are the keys to achievement.

Let me tell you a story..... are you sitting comfortably?

Pheidippides the hero of the story, was an Athenian 'Imerodromou' or 'hemerodromos' meaning 'all day runner,' a military courier, trained to deliver messages on foot over very long distances.

The Spartathlon Ultra Marathon (which I hope to complete in September) commemorates the epic endurance run that Pheidippides undertook as his duty in 490BC to enlist the support of the Spartans to defend Athens which was under impending attack from the Persians.

The Athenian general Miltiades’ messenger Pheidippides started out of Athens on his duty to Sparta on the ancient Iera Odos, or “sacred road,” up to Elefsis. From there he followed Skyronia Odos, a military road on the slopes of the Gerania mountains, and traveled through Isthmia, Examilia and Ancient Corinth. He went on to Ancient Nemea, thus avoiding the Epicratea of Argos, as it wasn’t in alliance with Athens, and he continued along the mountains between Argolida and Arcadia. After having covered 161kms, (100 miles) he climbed the Parthenio mountain at 1200 meters (3600feet), where he encountered the God Pan. Descending the mountain, he continued in the direction of historical Tegea, one of the locations mentioned by Herodotus in his account about Pheidippides. He proceeded south toward Sparta. Upon his arrival in Sparta, he completed 1140 “stadia,” which equaled 246 kilometers (153 miles).

The Spartans were renowned as fierce warriors, they were also very religious and replied they would come after their religious festival of worship was ended, and Pheidippides his duty incomplete, re-traced his steps to Athens where he delivered the Spartans' reply, and then joined Militades who struck out into battle against the invading Persians and into the famous "Battle of Marathon".

Most famously Pheidippides, having survived ferocious fighting, was sent on another dispatch from Marathon, over a distance equivalent to 26 miles with a message for Athens, he is said to have delivered his duty "Rejoice... the battle has been won" these were his final words, he collapsed and died, his duty fulfilled and his honour intact. His death became legend and Robert Browning's 1879 poem "Phedippides" inspired the introduction of the modern day Marathon ran for the first time in the 1896 Olympics.

The Spartathlon is the event that brings his earlier epic deed to attention today by drawing a legend out of the depths of history. The idea for its creation belongs to John Foden, a British RAF Wing Commander. As a lover of Greece and student of ancient Greek history, Foden stopped his reading of Herodotus’ narration regarding Pheidippides, puzzled and wondering if a modern man could cover the distance from Athens to Sparta, i.e. 246 kms, within 36 hours.
He thought that the only way to find out was to try to run the historical course since he himself was a long-distance runner. So it was, that he and four other colleagues from the RAF arrived at the Acropolis in Athens during the Autumn of 1982 and planned the run as closely as possible to Herodotus’ description.

On 8th October they started their adventure to see whether their speculations could be verified. On 9th October, the next day, John Foden arrived in Sparta in front of the statue of Leonidas having run for 36 hours. His colleague, John Scholten, had arrived half an hour earlier and finally, John MaCarthy got to the finish line in less than 40 hours. The British team proved Herodotus was right! A man is really able to cover 246 kms in two days. A truly fitting tribute to Pheidippides, that another military man should be the first to validate his legend.

I hope I have the courage and stamina it will take to experience that feeling of reaching the statue of King Leonidas in Sparta, as I endeavour to run in the footsteps of the First true Ultra Marathon Runner... Pheidippides.
(In the picture from left: John Scholtens, John Foden and John McCarthy, in front of King Leonidas statue in Sparta, the day after their amazing feat on 10 October 1982)
See you soon, more later...