Rambling on.... 1

I've just realised, it's been a while since I last entered anything to my blog. To be honest, I have been totally absorbed with the MdS UK forum to which I belong, and where I write a lot, too. I think next year's MdS is going to be quite a festive affair, along with blisters, tears and thirst.

I'm going to try to keep up-to-date here, and may also copy some of my forum writings to my blog, so I have all the important stuff in one place. I really do want to write a book once I have done the 2009 MdS, and a lot of the "data" will be here for me so, that I don't forget it. My thoughts, feelings, fears, worries, excitements (is that a word?), etc. will all appear here, too, as well as my training, and other info.

The picture, here, is one I took from the MdS website, and sort of typifies the way I envisage the race (if you click on it, it should appear large). I've actually started running like this, too, to get used to having a rucksack on my back while I run. I need to try out lots of equipment before I decide on what will (hopefully) be right for me. To this effect, I have all the friends and info on the MdS UK forum to whom/which to turn. All in all, it's a huge undertaking (no pun intended, considering our business!!!), and needs a lot of research and experimentation. I am very excited about it, although I have to keep my excitement somewhat concealed at home, because it's not something which Kurt sees as essential, and thus is not really that important in his eyes. I can cope with that, but it does mean, that my excitement could be poured out here like a waterfall - I hope it doesn't irritate any readers, but then, no one is compelled to read my blogs!!!!

I have a year 'til I fly off to Morocco. The whole thing for Swiss, German, Austrian and Liechtensteiners is organised through an agent in Germany, and I have been informed by her, that I am on the list for 2009. All I have to do now, is get together the approximately €3000 to pay for it all!!!!!!! I'm toying with the idea of seeing if I can get a sponsor (e.g. a bank, supermarket chain, or whatever), which would be a great help. I guess I'll have to write some very carefully-worded letters, and send them off, in the hope, that some money will be forthcoming!!!!! I would also like to try to raise money (as a lot of runenrs do) for some kind of "Dudley Do-Gooder" sort of charity - perhaps cancer research, or care for the elderly. My drinking buddy, Mohammad, suggested I raise money for the Craig and Mohammad Wine Cellar Re-stocking charity. Anyway, lots to sort out and organise, but I enjoy that kind of thing.

Equipment for the race is of paramount importance. I'm going to chat to others, especially the forumites, and find out how they have organised themselves. I seem to think a good idea would be, to go through a list of every aspect of this self-sufficiency undertaking, and examine each component individually - e.g. the shoes, the socks, and so on. And I know, a year is going to fly by. I may also not forget, that I have to run and run and run and run as well, and, even that is not just a matter of running - there are all sorts of things one has to consider, depending upon how well one wants to do in the race. I'm by no means one of the top runners, and think I am more like a lot of the other members of the forum, in that I want simply to finish the MdS, regardless of time taken. In the last race, the top guy completed the seven-day, 243-km race in 19H27'46 (19 hours, 27 minutes and 46 seconds); the last one in, accumulated a time of 76H52'24 - now, that's quite a difference. I can see myself somewhere in the middle - a mid-packer, as the terminology goes. One doesn't run the whole way (except for the elite, of course), and there is quite a lot of walking/hiking, mountain ascending, dune hell, and so on. It's going to be tough, but a lot of fun, and what a challenge.

Well, let the training start. Unfortunately, we are having MISERABLE weather in Switzerland again, with the same set to last for a while. My Iliopsoas tendon injury seems to have sorted itself out, and, after a good run on Sunday (see next blog entry), I have no pain whatsoever from it - just a few tense spots around the right knee, which will be sorted out forthwith!!!!!

Looking forward to some long runs ahead of me. I have a lot to plan with my running for the next year, as said. Coming up first, though, I have the Bündner-Frühlingslauf on Saturday, 26th April from Thusis to Chur - a 25-km race, which will be the longest I have run to date. Having not been able to do much training 'til recently, I am not expecting any wonderful time, but just want to do it for the run itself - as of now, every kilometre counts towards the 2009 MdS. Then, on 10th May, I'm running in the 16-km Grand Priz de Bern in the nation's capital.

I have yet to work out what marathons I will do this year - I presume Berlin in September, and perhaps Luzern (Lucerne) in October. I also want to do a few half-maras in summer, and then some time, my planned solo multi-day run from Zürich to Chur, with full rucksack. As I said, let the training start.