The ULTIMATE ULTRA marathon - April 21st - May 7th 2011

This ULTRAtalk Blog is now on-line for the next 16 days on http://www.9barjogleultra.blogspot.com/ during the 9bar JOGLE Ultra 2011.

Please follow the action as it happens online there and on Facebook and Twitter.

For more information go to http://www.ultrarace.co.uk/

Seven by Seven - Hawkwind

Well we are all packed for the trip up to Inverness tomorrow to greet 'The Magnificent Seven' on Thursday.

Ben, Edward, Graham, Michael, Micky, Steve and Torkel deserve a huge round of applause even to get to the start line of The 9bar JOGLE Ultra - The Ultimate ULTRA-marathon. The 17,806 metres of climb over the next 16 days (that's more than climbing twice Mount Everest from sea level) will no doubt sort the Men from the Boys and the 17,747 metres of descent will sort out what's left!

Hopefully, they have looked long and hard at last year's competitors and have seen how 2010 Champion Neil Bryant conquered the 860+ miles. With any luck they will also have seen how he, David Miles and Mark Cockbain went thru the pain barrier time and time again to get to that final run into Lands End and finish the longest mega-marathon footrace in Great Britain.

It was amazing to watch... and let's hope 2011 is just as exciting.

Anyway, our on-board Chef, Anne White arrives at ULTRArace HQ tomorrow at 10am and then we are off... and it's Bonnie Scotland here we come...

ULTRAtalk by ULTRArace: The Final Countdown - Europe

ULTRAtalk by ULTRArace: The Final Countdown - Europe: "'9bar JOGLE Ultra' - 3 days to the Start I am sure that there are some sleepless nights ahead now for 'The Magnificent Seven' as they begin..."

The Final Countdown - Europe

'9bar JOGLE Ultra' - 3 days to the Start

I am sure that there are some sleepless nights ahead now for 'The Magnificent Seven' as they begin the final countdown before the biggest ULTRArace of their lives... 860+ miles on the road over 16 days is something to be very respectful of for both runners and voyeurs as they run their hearts ourt and we look on as the drama unfolds.

In the ULTRArace office it's all JOGLE right now and we are already packing supplies for the long journey up to Inverness on Wednesday.

JOGLE fever has also hit our email as 2012 is already booking up fast with 6/13 places filled with at least the same amount considering their entry status... no doubt they are looking in right here to see what happens to the class of 2011 first.

Intro's to 'The Magnificent Seven', tomorrow... and more then.

Hold your head up - Argent

Well today has brought some energy back to the 'Tired Old Man of Morocco' and I managed a good five miler out on the trail today in good tempo. Certainly the good weather of the last few days have made things a lot better out there for running and training outside. The fields around Breaston are as dry as Ouarzazate and my favourite Horse Chestnuts are in full leaf and starting to flower!


It all made me feel I could have gone and bashed out a sub 4 at London this weekend but I will save my energy and mileage for a few marathons with the JOGLE Ultra runners in the next week or so. I must say that I am starting to look forward to seeing the length of the UK again and it will also provide Jenny with valuable M2M training too.


Let's hope the weather continues, especially over the weekend as we are 'Beach bound in ARAF'...


Hychwaneg fory...

Sam Brown - Stop

A week on from the '26th Sultan Marathon des Sables' and I finally hit the proverbial wall today...

Yes it's official, I'm knackered!

It always happens and this year I am SO glad that I will be watching 'The Virgin London Marathon' from the comfort of an armchair rather than battering my tired old quads around 26.2 miles of hard London Streets. Also the thought of being in a 40,000 strong crowd nowadays isn't all that comfortable at all for me.

In fact, I am the only person on record to have suffered from claustrophobia in an open sided tent in the middle of 9,000 square kilometres of the Sahara Desert... though my Mummy style sleeping bag don't help either...

So... I am going to take it easy this weekend in Cardiff and do a bit of beach if it's nice... why not eh, as it's JOGLE Ultra next week...

More tomorrow...

Move on - Fashion

It's certainly time to get moving as we are just a week away from the '9bar JOGLE Ultra' and it's 16 days on the roads of Scotland, England and God's Glorious Wales of course. So today was a time to get planning and getting things straight...

It didn't however get off to the best of starts as the first three hours of the day were spent getting all the plaits out of Jenny's mad MdeS hair...it took HOURS!

I am not sure that the remaining 'Kate Bush Look' is her best but following a few gallons treatment of Frizz-Ease it's now back to normal.

That's how we like things nowadays... nice and calm.

More tomorrow...

An Cafe - 365 days

Well another Marathon des Sables and another year goes by... I must say that this year's race was most satisfying and a real testament to a hard year of training. Jenny of course ran another blinder and it was great to have her there with me to share the highs and lows of 156 miles of hard desert terrain.

It hit 54 degrees on the long day and it for me was the sandiest of all the races I have ever done. No wonder it's called 'The Toughest Footrace on Earth'.

I did it slightly different this year and ran alone for all but a couple of the 40 hours of my race and I enjoyed the solitude of running to my music. Hats off to the 236 who finished in front of me and I will be trying even harder next year to get into that magical top 200 one again.

If you are going next year... see you there.