I've ramped the long runs up in distance over the last month and a half to make sure I'm spending 6-8 hours on my feet and I can feel myself getting stronger. With UTMB only 11 days off I am starting to get pretty excited (see 'Scared' in the Oxford Dictionary, alternatively 'terrified') about the whole idea. One hundred and sixty sixty kilometers. One hundred and sixty six kilometers. One hundred and sixty six kilometers. Yep, doesn't matter how many times I say it, whether I whisper or shout. It still sounds like a bloody long way. As I've said repeatedly before, the furthest I've travelled in one go was 100k. So I'll need to travel two thirds of that again. It's terrifying actually. Bloody terrifiying. I have a confession to make about my long runs. I have not been finishing these runs in good shape. Admittedly Hong Kong is bloody hot with high humidity and this does make a difference to what you can manage, but 6 hours on my feet feels easily enough. I loose so much fluid that it takes me until Wednesday to recover. A few weeks back I drank 6 litres following the run and still didn't pee that day. It really cannot be healthy. So I'm thinking more and more that I have massively overstretched myself. Not good with only 11 days of rigorous taper to go.
So I am scared. But not as scared as I was when I passed a guy in speedo's hiking the dragons back (that isn't slang of any kind). Now you do see some sights in Hong Kong out on the trails. But the guy in Montrails, white socks and speedos, nothing else, was a step above the norm and had me reeling in shock and awe. But true humiliation came when he overtook me. In my defence I completely blew up, 44k into a 58k long run/ hike (My longest effort in preparation for UTMB). I tend to get beaten by most people when racing trails, but I think being overtaken by a guy only wearing speedos was a new low. I'm not sure it will ever be beaten. It was such an assault on the senses I think it contributed towards a minor breakdown. Even more surprising was that speedo guy was accompanied by his wife. More surprising still was that he had a wife! Clearly she is not regulating his behaviour, and didn't seem embarrassed in the slightest by his wares. Despite dressing in a normal manner herself.
It's not just been speedo based challenges of late either. I've been spending my long runs out in the new territories along the Macclehose trail. Famous for the Hong Kong Trailwalker race each November, the macclehose has some great hills to train on. Traditionally Stage 6 has a big tribe? school? group? party? troupe (?) of monkeys.Actually a group of monkeys is referred to as a mission or a tribe. And there are a lot of the little buggers in Hong Kong. Long and short tail macaques apparently. All I know is that the big males do not appreciate my trail style and seem to take great offence at my presence. They were more upset than 'the Feet' when he first saw my running style. Perhaps I got them wrong and actually they were just concerned that my left hand was still rigid and my right foot was slapping down, They were most likely just taking the piss monkey style. Actually it was quite scary and I had planet of the apes style visions running through my mind of being pulled apart limb from limb. But after a little backing down on my part they let me pass. Well... I say backing down, but actually Black Diamond Z Poles have more than one use. I would imagine the lead monkey is still having trouble sitting without a rubber ring. Although if the park authority were to question me it would be full denial.
So, this final week before the girlfriend and I depart for Europe has seen the usual frenzy of gear buying that I always find so comforting before a major race. A couple of weeks before the start I always develop a genuine belief that somehow buying the latest gadgets makes up for me being a crap runner of limited athletic ability. Somehow the latest compression gear will make up for being 10kg's over weight. The lightest waterproofs will stop me from feeling the ill effects of the big mac I just ate. The fact I now have 2 pairs of Salomon S Lab 4's will somehow mean I won't develop blisters over the course of 100 miles. It's all nonsense. I know that. But somehow I feel better. it's the racing equivalence of comfort food. That somehow if I can't be 15kgs lighter, being 500 US dollars lighter makes up for it.
So it's the story of my racing life repeating itself. Moderate to shite training. All the gear. Very little in the way of idea. The good thing is you'll be able to follow the race through live updates on facebook and twitter. I think they only go in to time and race position. So it should be pretty easy to follow. 'Slow and last' should just about do it. But hopefully I'll get to the finish because I am running for Charideeeee.
On a more serious and emotive note, I am doing this race for charity. You can find the link below. My dad died of cancer in 2010, almost a year to the day when I start UTMB (4 days later i.e. sometime around when search and rescue finds me in the alps blowing on my little whistle). And I would like to make an impact on the cancer ward where he was treated before his death. The charidee e-mail goes out to friends , family and coworkers tomorrow but if anyone would like to contribute or indeed hear a bit more:
http://www.justgiving.com/tom-anderson-dad-/
I'll never get over the loss, but hopefully in my own way, I will make a small difference and through doing something that I love (at least for the first 60k) will remember him in a way that feels fitting. I'll also be doing that with a bottle of wine after the event, but more of that later. For now the training is finished.
Race report to follow.
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