JOGLE

This blog has moved over to http://www.jogleultra.blogspot.com/ until May 5th and there will be posts on there as the action happens on the UK's ULTIMATE ULTRA-marathon.

Make sure you have a ringside seat to see who can make it to Lands End this year...

I am back on here after the JOGLE Ultra on May 7th.

Back Home - England World Cup Squad

Well 'Back Home' for a day anyway as we now head north to Inverness in preparation for the JOGLE Ultra which starts on Friday this week.

Last weeks, 27th SULTAN Marathon des Sables, is in the bag and this year we endured the toughest course, the most diverse of elements and enjoyed a fantastic 4th placed woman for Jenny (38th overall) and a 2nd placing for her in the team prizes with her Eurosport team-mates.

My 226th (38th - V50 Man) was also most pleasing and an 11 places uplift on last years results... good news is that in another 20 years and I will be top 10!!!...

Worst bit is cleaning up all the kit for next year... our poor washing machine. Anyway it won't be working too hard over the next 16 days as it's time for our annual trip to John O'Groats and time for our JOGLE Ultra race, The Ultimate Ultra-Marathon...

Hopefully you will follow us on our JOGLE Blog at http://www.jogleultra.blogspot.com/ .

More from the journey oop north... and bring on THE JOGLE...

50 Shades of Grey - E L James

I saw a TV advert today with Michael Parkinson advertising Sun Life Insurance for ‘The Over 50s’, with a ‘Free Parker Pen, Just for enquiring’…  It did make me laugh as rather than thinking of my funeral arrangements (as that would all it would pay), I am feeling that life is worth living really and Parky can keep his pen for a long time yet, as I am off for adventure in one of ‘The World’s Toughest Footrace’ at The Marathon des Sables…

It’s not a Saga Holiday Destination really is it…

Thing is that the Marathon des Sables is Slaterchops and my ideal holiday destination really and also where we met… so for us The Western Sahara has a special place in our hearts. If you’ve been there you’ll know what I mean.

And if you haven’t… you’d better call Parky and start living asap, especially if you are over 50.

Single Man - Elton john

Well, I am all packed (well nearly if I am being honest) and ready for 'The World's Toughest Footrace' - The 27th Sultan Marathon des Sables.

Now there's only one thing worse than one person packing for the race - it's TWO people and yes it's good that we are there to check out each others prep but it's a nightmare making sure we don't duplicate gear and that all of our relative kit goes into the relative suitcases... However my laid back approach combined with Jenny's Milligram accuracy has helped us both no-end I believe.

Hopefully, we've got all that we need for the race and we've actually got last minute gear going with us to Gatwick for some of the other runners! Let's hope we have space in our luggage for it all eh?

Anyway, all we can do now is take it easy to our first race day on Sunday. Please follow our progress on http://www.darbaroud.com/ and we are numbers #521 Jenny and #391 me.

Hopefully you like my painted toenails and they will last the trip - Megathanks to Carys Hall at 'The Feet and Face Place' in Canton, Cardiff today - she's a genius I reckon and I might just have them like this all the time...

So just a matter of 156 miles and a bit of sand to go for us and there will be more on ULTRAtalk when we get back on Monday April 16th... ARAF!!!

Light Up - Katy B

Are you enjoying the light nights? We are and it's just in time for us to go to Morocco... For me the dark days of Winter drive me potty and the limited daylight hours surely can't be healthy for mind or body so the lengthening daylight hours are just the ticket right now.

On the way to Brecon yesterday we saw lots of green sprouting leaves and the candles of the Horse-Chestnut trees already starting to show, so on our return from the Desert hopefully Spring will have finally sprung and we will come back to a very colourful Wales.

It won't be for long of course as we will be straight off to JOGLE but there's a 156 mile Desert Dragon to conquer first and this time next week... well Stage 1 will hopefully be in the bag...

Enjoy it while it lasts friends...

Run - Pink Floyd

Have you been panic buying petrol? Makes you wonder what on earth we'd do if there really wasn't any petrol at all in the UK... I think we'd all be stuffed!

Well the 97% of the population that are inactive would be...The 3% of active population, especially us ULTRA-runners would be the massive winners as well as Cyclists and Horse Riders, I believe. As at least we are used to covering huge distances under our own steam.

Back in the 1800s, Pedestrianism was all the rage and people such as Captain Robert Barclay were real superstars, making millions from walking challenges and gambling on whether they could/couldn't complete a challenge.

Perhaps, it would do the nation a big favour if we did run out of fuel and we could get the population moving once again.

I'd be up for it... would you?

The Coffee Song - Bob Hilliard and Dick Miles

Is anyone else out there addicted to Coffee?... I am...

I must say that a drop of Caffeine in the morning really gets the old body into gear and the day started for me and in the lead up to the Marathon des Sables, I am trying to cut down.

Hmmm... it would be easy except FOR THIS SPLITTING HEADACHE... which won't go as I am going to have to have a cup in a minute as nothing is shifting this one!

No wonder Costa and Starbucks have sprung up all over the place as there is now an endless stream of people needing Americanos, Lattes and Skinny White Flats to get them, and me I hasn't to add, thru our every increasingly busy pressuriseded day. Made more pressurised perhaps by our caffeine intake!

I am interested if you have gone 'Cold Turkey' on Caffeine and how long it will take before my need for Caffeine will subside...

More tomorrow... now where's that kettle?