The Race - Yello

Well, we are off today and the 26th Marathon des Sables is finally on us. It doesn't seem very long since we came back from The Sahara and I must say that we are both really looking forward to the race this year.

We know more people taking part than ever this year... and have made loads of new friends.

Please look at www.darbaroud.com and send us a message while we are there... we are runners Rory 705 and Jenny 832. We'd love to hear from you.

The blog will be back on the 11th of April and our best wishes go to Andy Mcmenemy in the meantime... on http://www.challenge66.org/

More later... much later...

Puddle of Mud - Take it all away

What's the worst thing you can get on 'Holiday'... RAGING TOOTHACHE... that's what. And it's a good job I got it a day early...

As following an interrupted night's sleep it was an early start to the nice Dentists, yes DentistS as it took two of them to yank it out at my local Breaston Dental Surgery.

I didn't really have much of an option but it was pointed out to me later on by my fellow MdeS tentmate, Lou Brockman, that the weight saving alone was worth the pain.

Not too sure if I agree however and it means that it's liquids until tomorrow and my plans of attacking the family bag of peanuts in Jenny's suitcase have been thwarted. Talk about bad planning eh? Let's hope that the rest of the trip goes smoother as I am looking for an easy life out in the desert.

More tomorrow from Gatwick...

Daytripper - The Beatles

There's only one thing worse than ONE person packing for The Marathon des Sables... and that's TWO! Yes we are all hands weighing and packing for 'The World's Toughest Footrace...

Jenny is all spreadsheet of course and weighing anything that moves... you name it, she tell you how many grams. I just tend to know what to take and put it in the case... but then it's all good that we are different eh? I must say there seemed to be more kit this year but it weighs the same as usual in the end.

There are a few more items to get together tomorrow and tonight at a trip to the 'T' Shop and then we are off for a good old rest in the desert. Cos I am knackered!

Nice...

What A Feeling - Irene Cara

Well I am just about back to reality after a day of feeling a bit tired and disoriented... I went to the gym with Rory (to work not work out!) and promptly fell asleep on the couch for the duration of his training session!

Yesterday was an overwhelming day - I had no idea what to expect and not much of an idea about race tactics - speed, food, water, etc. I spent the first 4-5 hours darting in and out of the toilet (5 times I believe) with bad stomach cramps. In the last quarter of the race though I bizarrely seemed to get a big energy spurt from somewhere and really enjoyed speeding up and running around the last 10 laps or so with relative ease (well that's what it felt like anyway I probably looked somewhat different - particularly looking at the picture on the homepage of http://www.roadrunpics.com/ !!).

I finished in 8:43 in 5th place - my aim was sub-9 at worst, happy with sub 8:45 and in an ideal world sub 8:30. Given all my stomach cramps though I was really pleased with the end result.

Rory, Arwel, Derek and Rachel were absolutely fantastic helping us out on each of the 42 laps with food, drink, painkillers and most importantly encouragement, so a MASSIVE thanks to you all.

All in all, other than the mobile and other mishaps the day before, it was a surprisingly enjoyable experience, helped along of course by the Celtic Plate win:-) Massive congrats to Emily on a stunning performance - I hope one day I can come close to her amazing time of 8 hours - awesome.

Right, having napped today and been spoilt rotten by Rory I am now going to chill out and watch one of our favourite films - When Harry Met Sally. To say I am a little relieved that I am not writing an excuse for a terrible underperformance would be a mild understatement!

Jump - Van Halen

Well the stolen mobile phone took another twist and turn last night when I was making my 12th call to Orange on a very dodgy line in Perth... Outside the thick walls of the hotel I found the only place to get a reception was half way across Queen's Bridge.

I must have been gazing hard out into the dark night water as the next thing I knew was the local Police were there and asking if I wanted to end it all as they had reports of a 'jumper' looking depressed... I did say that getting thru to Orange was hard work and depressing but that it wasn't really worth committing suicide over.

Oh how we all laughed...

We weren't laughing at 5am this morning when we had to get to the airport but at least we are back home and enjoying a well earned rest... well till Wednesday anyway.

Silver and Gold - U2

It's been a day to remember up in Scotland on the Celtic Plate 100km. Jenny ran a blinder http://www.flickr.com/photos/ultraracephotos/5564570473/ and all of yesterday's air-headness has vanished which can only be good news eh?

Running around the circuit in Perth was I admit, particularly mind numbing for my 18 laps to get my 26.2 mile marathon in 3:44 as preparation for the MdeS later this week.

Watching Britain's premier ULTRA-athletes performing was most inspiring I can tell you and my marathon was a nice easy plod in just under 8:30's all the way, thank God I didn't do 42 of them.

Lapping and being lapped was however a nice way of making things a bit more interesting...

So number 675 in the bag and only 25 to go to the magic 700... makes my knees buckle thinking about it but at least the MdeS will give me another two...

More tomorrow from ENGLAND!!!

The Waiting Room - Genesis

We are on a 100km Death Row... well Jenny is and I am on a 50km (although I am only doing a Marathon) at the Celtic Plate tomorrow... I say that Jenny is more on Death Row than I am as if she doesn't stop being a blond air-head, I am going to have to kill her!

We have already lost an iPhone, spoken to the Police and had a 2 hour fruitless search for Electrolytes in Perth that the organisers are supplying!... as well as having repacked, unpacked and faffed to distraction.

Anyway, she is now under sedation watching James Bond as I type so she will hopefully see tomorrow. Hopefully it will all be worth it and she will perform to her potential and get the recognition she so richly deserves.

The other athletes here are very impressive indeed and it's good for me to witness just how good our home grown ULTRA-runners are.

I feel quite out of place...

More tomorrow as Daniel Craig is chasing a villain who is chasing world domination... now there's an unusual plot line... I hope ours is less demanding and that we have a great time running laps of the local park...