jordi's training and race blog
04.04.2008 - day six...
I'm so happy I made the marathon stage...
I love the experience here and the reason why I'm doing it. I know that me being here helps AICR to raise awareness of their work and perhaps will make other people to be more altruistic too, so I'm very proud of having the support of AICR and the rest of friends, colleagues and loved ones and all those who are supporting my challenge in one way or other.
After tomorrow's last stage what I really want is to come back to the freshness of Edinburgh!
Tomorrow is the last stage of the MDS08 and thanks to you all for your support, I know that I'll be at the other end of the finish line.
02.04.2008 - day four...
I'm through the hardest stage of the race...
...and I think that, blisters permitting (I've got a new one), I've got a foot in the final stage in Tazzarine.
Yesterday was pretty hard. We started at about 9am with only 3hrs sleep for most of us thanks to a sand storm during the night from midnight till 4am.
The temperature was milder (about 39°C) with some breeze, but there were many mountains to climb. The scenery yesterday was beautiful, with incredible gorges, salt lakes we had to cross and mountains of dunes all over. Today not even the Moroccans can walk straight, but we've got the whole day to rest.
I finished a bit before 11pm so it took me almost 14hrs to finish the stage. Some runners who were too tired or sore to continue decided to sleep on the way and they're still arriving!
I managed to get some batteries so I'm still filming and taking good pics for Edinburgh. Tomorrow is the marathon day and I think that it's going to feel like 20 marathons!
01.04.2008 - day three...
The 3rd day of the race is over with me through and I have to say I'm quite pleased of my performance today...
There were 40.5 Km of mixed terrain with sand dunes and rocky stones and about 40°C but I slept much better last night and the heat didn't bother me as much as yesterday so I finished in 7 hrs 11 mins - quite a decent time.
Tomorrow is the double marathon day and there are many people with difficulties already to even walk. Some veterans are saying already that this year the stages are pretty tough and they just feel like that.
A good night sleep is essential tonight for getting through tomorrow and most people are already in bed. Say to everyone that I'm still on although tomorrow is going to be awful!
31.03.2008 - day two...
I made the second stage of the race...
There were 38 km that felt like 300, with temperatures of 40°C +.
It was mostly rocky terrain with ocassional dunes, but I had a pretty rough time with the blister in my right foot and some pain in the left. Apart from that I'm OK. I finished in 7 hrs 26 mins and I am with energy for the 41 km of tomorrow's stage which is going to be with lots of dunes and same temperature.
P.S. I'm running out of batteries for the camera....
30.03.2008 - day one...
I've finished the gruelling first day of the race...
It was hot but not too bad even for some of the Scots I've spoken to. The 14 km of sand dunes at the beginning paid its toll quickly, with a blister on the back of my right foot. I had to stop to treat it a couple of times and I couldn't run after but I managed to walk fast till the end.
My body is pretty sore now after 6:40 of race but I should be ok for tomorrow. The back pack feels heavy but I've got only the necessary although other runners carry much less weight than me.
Tomorrow's stage is a bit longer about 34 km but the terrain will be less hard than today. Today is been the closest to Mars than ever will in my life.
25.02.2008 - training so far...
Jordi keeps training for the Sahara Ultra-Marathon... and fundraising for AICR
When we spoke to Jordi recently he told us...
"The Marathon des Sables is often described as the toughest foot race in the world. Covering about 142 miles in the Sahara desert and with temperatures often reaching 120°F. Each participant must carry their own backpack containing all the food and equipment they'll need during the 6 days of the race. Despite this, with the right training and motivation almost anyone can do it!
My training so far is going OK and (fingers crossed) I'm free from serious injuries. I'm doing a mix of running and walking outdoors and running and strength exercises at the University gym, where I've got the invaluable advise of trainer Chris Peacock (pictured with Jordi) and the rest of the staff. Currently I'm doing around 55 miles per week with a backpack of about 7Kg. I'm still a bit lighter of both miles and weight that I need to be able to maintain to complete the race, but in the remaining 4 weeks I've got before I start to pack for Morocco, I'll be increasing the training to 75 miles per week with a 10Kg backpack.
I have tested almost all my running gear for the race; clothes, backpack, shoes, sleeping bag and even the emergency whistle! The only thing I'm still testing and seeking advise about is the food I'm planning to take with me. The regulations of the race specify that each competitor must carry food amounting to at least 2000 Kcal per day, otherwise heavy penalties apply. I'm currently organising my food taking into account the daily minimum amount of KCals, as well as its size and weight. Most of it will consist of gel carbs and energy bars for during the race, and dried meals in sachets for the evening meals.
As regards my parallel race, to fundraise for AICR, this continues to be my primary driving force and is still ongoing. I'm very proud to have the support of AICR and I want to say a huge thankyou to all the people and organisations like ESCA which are helping me with this challenge. Please visit my justgiving page where you can support my charity and find out more about the motivation behind my participation in this race".
