My post from The Memory Jogger campaign (an adventure for a cause) is almost complete!!!! Seriously, by the end of the week it will be published.
Some images below to whet your appetite. The link below shows some amazing pics of MDS 2015 taken by Photographer Kirsten Kortebein – even yours truly got snapped on the first page (as shown below but please click through the link to see the full portfolio and check out Kirsten’s work).
My note to the world seeking support for The Memory Jogger campaign 🙂
Hello again,
As you may already know I have sponsored myself to undertake a big adventure as a fund raiser for Alzheimer’s Australia Vic. In less than two weeks I will be heading off to Morocco to stand at the starting line of what is known as “the toughest footrace in the world”.
Here’s a quick overview of the campaign and the media release is attached is provided also:
What Am I Doing?
Running the equivalent of five and a half marathons in six days, a total distance of some 251 km – 156 miles in a grueling multi-stage adventure in one of the world’s most inhospitable climates – the Sahara desert! The Marathon Des Sables. I am keeping a diary and have kicked off a regular blog which will be supported by regular updates and I have been working with Alzheimer’s Australia Vic on media and communications.
When Am I Doing It?
April 3rd -13th 2015. The race commences on the 5th of April and you can follow my progress at http://www.marathondessables.com where results, videos and photos will be posted!
Why Am I Doing It? (I get asked this ALL the time!)
To (hopefully) raise around $10,000 for Alzheimer’s Australia for researching the causes, care, prevention and potential treatments for dementia with a view to creating a world without dementia.
As at today I’ve raised over $5,000 – so already past half way!!! I’ve already had some very generous support from friends and family plus sponsorship from Specsavers, Bart Campbell – Chairman of Melbourne Storm, Marketing Magazine, Kinc Agency, Apollo Studios and (of course) Pearl Business Solutions. The encouragement has been fantastic.
Send a Message to the Desert
I can receive emails in the Sahara Desert and if you would like to drop me a note or share news from home (such as how the Pies are going) just go to the website http://www.marathondessables.com from 4th of April to 12th of April and go to the section “Write to competitors” and follow the instructions. Emails will be printed and delivered to the bivouac daily.
My details that should be included on the email to help them track me down are: Name: PLANT Graham – Bib Number : 0687
Am I up to the run? I hope so! In the past couple of years or so I have ran in many events – including:
Great Wall of China Marathon, Tarawera Ultra marathon 100km (reduced to 74km due to cyclone Lusi – it’s a long story!), Surf Coast Century Ultra Marathon – 100km and the 50km, Great Ocean Walk Ultra Marathon Trail Run – 100km, Gold Coast Marathon (3 times), Brisbane Marathon, Melbourne Marathon, Sandy Bay Marathon, Adelaide Marathon, Two Bays Trail Run Ultra Marathon – 56km (Twice), Marysville Ultra Marathon – 50km (and half marathon), Great Barrier Reef Ultra Marathon – 74km, Run Melbourne Half Marathon (Twice), City to Sea – Melbourne, Singapore Marathon, plus a heap of trail runs of lesser distance – and many hundreds of miles in training….
I realise there are many great causes that require support and only ask if you are unable to make a donation that you could help me spread the word and increase awareness about the plight of so many fighting dementia by on forwarding this email and sharing information from the website – http://www.thememoryjogger.com.au/ or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/thememoryjogger
A short video showing introducing The Memory Jogger campaign and footage of each run following signing up for MDS 2015. Also includes one of my all time favourite running songs by Joey Ramone 🙂
The 5am morning conference call, which I thought would go for 30 minutes, actually went for quite a bit longer than I thought it would. Nevertheless, I still had enough time to squeeze in a 5km run before heading into work. With a 9am international flight the next day there was not going to be any running tomorrow.
I thought about looking for a new circuit, but I enjoyed the run from the day before so much I just made my way down to The Greens again and trotted around the track. Not quite as nice a day, but still a good little outing.
Running in the morning is one of life’s joys that makes me feel alive and sets the tone for the whole day. Skip a run – and be ready for a day of regret and lethargy.
If you’re not a runner, this might sound a little weird and even somewhat masochistic. An alarm clock screaming out at 5am (or earlier) saying it’s time to get up. Heading out into darkness in your running kit when most people are snuggled down in bed. Btw, the earliest I have risen for a run is 2:30am – the Great Barrier Reef Ultra marathon – that was a long day!
Don’t get me wrong – I’m still tired at that hour of the morning. My body and mind both work against my best intentions with a host of excuses as to why skipping a run would be ok. Little aches and pains appear from nowhere and my eyelids feel like they are being dragged down by lead weights.
BUT – once I get up and start moving – the muscles start to warm up, my arthritic joints move more freely and before I know it I’m in the kitchen making an energy smoothie and thinking about where I will run. By the time I’m out the door I’ve got my running route planned and even wondering if I have enough time to increase the distance of my planned run and chastising myself for not getting up earlier!
It doesn’t mean my legs don’t hurt when I start running and that I’m not gasping for air as I tackle the first few kilometres and/or hills. It doesn’t mean that I don’t shiver uncontrollably when the cold air hits me or that being drenched by rain doesn’t make feel uncomfortable, or the combination of the two doesn’t make my nose run and my fingers and toes numb. It doesn’t mean that I don’t sweat buckets when it is hot and/or humid and I most certainly get fatigued.
The first couple of kilometres in my run are always tough – but I know I will feel better as I go, my body will warm up, my joints will loosen, endorphins will be released into my body and my senses will be charged. That’s why I do it.
Of course, there’s a certain event coming up in April called the Marathon Des Sables too, which is keeping me very focused. I know if I don’t do the training – there is no way I’ll complete the event. So you know what that means? Many more early rises between now and departing for Morocco 😉
A very long flight with delays during the flight and the short stop over in Kuala Lumpur – perfect way to top off a flight delayed by a good hour at takeoff. If it was something I could control I would be annoyed – as it’s not, all I could do was try and catch some sleep between the occasional movie.
Landing in Dubai the weather was a perfect 26 degrees. I arrived mid afternoon and caught a cab to the hotel. After a slow check-in, I was able to finally drop my bags in my room and call home before grabbing a shower. There’s not a lot that beats a hot shower after traveling for what seemed an eternity.
A room with a view – from my hotel room.
A quick trip to the nearest supermarket for some essentials, bananas, water, juice and electrolyte drinks then back to the hotel.
I had organised to catch up with a colleague of a friend of mine who works in a similar industry. Having only been in Dubai for five or so weeks, Kevin was the perfect person to get some advice for a new businessperson in town.
We went to an English style pub for some fish and chips and a couple of pints. Despite the good company, the long flight and lack of sleep were starting to take their toll and I was ready to call it a night before too far into the evening.
By 9pm Dubai time I was in bed and pushing zzzz’s.
A slept solid and woke around 5:30am Dubai time. A quick call home, then I scoffed down a banana followed by a big drink of juice – on with the Hoka’s and out for a run to go exploring Dubai. Prior to heading over to Dubai I had conducted a few searches on-line to see if I could find any running circuits or routes that would be suitable for training. Most were pretty short, but as I was tapering for a marathon that wasn’t too big a problem – finding them, well that might be a challenge.
One problem I quickly found was that the majority of roads in Dubai are not easy to cross by foot, except via designated overpasses or underpasses. Heading off along a major road I deviated a block away and before long I found myself in an area called The Greens that was a residential area with a fantastic footpath/track around a canal. One of the few footpaths that wasn’t sand.
The view was fantastic and I quickly found myself with other runners trotting around a tree-lined path as the sun came up projecting reflections of the buildings on the glistening water (see the pic above). A couple of circuits added to my run to the track were enough to cover 5kms or so and work up a sweat as I blew away the jetlag cobwebs. What a lucky find.
The best way to get the body back on track after a long journey, is to get out for a run!
Running back to the hotel I reflected back on the last day or so. Only yesterday I was having dinner with Diane in Carlton, and this morning I’m running in the streets of Dubai. No matter how many times I travel (and I’m a pretty seasoned traveller) it always amazes me how, in less than a day, a person can be transported to the other side of the world into new cultures, languages and a way of life and be going about things as normal. It was only two generations or so ago that this would have been unimaginable. I remind myself again (and not for the first time) to take time out to appreciate the “now” and be thankful for the opportunities that have come my way #luckyboy .
Even though the MDS is still many months away, being a little closer to Morocco got me thinking about the run and my training program. Sure the Singapore Marathon would be good for my conditioning, but there is a long way to go before I’ll be physically equipped to tackle the toughest footrace in the world. Today I enjoyed the run, but in the back of my mind, I’m thinking about what is ahead.
Back at the hotel I was able to stretch in the gym before rehydrating and then grabbing a shower. Breakfast was pretty good and I was able to load up to compensate from substandard nutrition in transit – although the coffee in Dubai was seriously ordinary. It was staggering to see that they had the equivalent of Krispy Kreme donuts out for the breakfast buffet – needless to say, I didn’t have any 😉
Not exactly the breakfast of champions I’m sure!
My work colleague Brendon offered to pick me up at 9am and head into the office for a full day of meetings and workshops. Given I had plenty of work to do, I went straight back to the hotel after work.
A few calls back home and sort out some emails before trying to work out what to eat for dinner. By sheer chance I stumbled across a health food chain called Kcal and hopped into a Quinoa Veggie Burger, Steamed Veggies, a side salad and Sweet Banana Sushi. Delicious – wish they had one near home!
Well it’s been a long day and tomorrow will be just as long. I have a 5am conference call that I need to be online for so a good night’s sleep is important. Then maybe another run 😉
What a stupidly busy day – into work early for some meetings and organise a few things before heading home to finish packing and get organised for the flight to Dubai. Obviously, no training.
The biggest dilemma… What kit to pack for the Singapore Marathon and what else I will need for my training runs? I elected for my Melbourne Marathon Finisher’s shirt – but it was a toss up between that and my Two Bays Trail Run 10th Anniversary running tee.
On my feet, I always wear my Hoka One One’s – Stinson Tarmacs (which are now called Stinson Lite). To minimise blisters, Injinji socks – love my Injinji’s. Shorts were Adidas running shorts with a zip pocket (for the hotel card) and UnderArmour compression shorts (best way to look after the legs and reduce chafing).
I normally run with a SpiderBelt that has tags for my race bib and pocket for GoPro camera and any nutrition (minimum is Endurolytes, Dextro Tabs and maybe a gel or two for emergencies!) Also packed in the bag were couple of extra shirts for good luck, another pair of shorts and plenty of socks.
After quite a bit of shuffling around I managed to squeeze all my running gear, work clothes and some casual gear. I was probably going to push the limits for carry-on luggage – but figured I should be ok.
My one tip for choosing running gear for an event – always go for gear that you have worn before and know won’t rub or ride up. If you haven’t worn it before, don’t risk it in a race!
More work from home for an hour or two before it was time to leave. Given it was a late night flight we decided to grab a bite to eat between home and the airport.
Dinner at Masani in Carlton was very nice. Good food and good service – although a little slow due to a company Christmas function keeping the staff under the pump.
Masani in Carlton.
After dinner, Diane drove me to the airport to drop me off so I could wait for boarding. It was a long wait and the lounge was closed so I napped, window shopped, read my book and attempted to get some work done – in all honesty, I failed at each activity. Past midnight after a long day was not good for maintaining focus and airport chairs aren’t good for sleeping – so I just gave up.
As you would expect when arriving at the airport really early to catch a flight – it was delayed. A long night ahead with a 15 odd hour flight ahead. No running for a while it seems.
Tomorrow I fly out to Dubai where I will stay for a few days before flying to Singapore. I say tomorrow, but it’s actually 3:30am tomorrow morning so it’s as much today as it is tomorrow!
Given I haven’t packed and have a mountain of things to do before I leave, training has had to take a back seat.
It doesn’t mean I haven’t thought about running or my training program. I’m always contemplating what training I should be doing and questioning whether I’m doing enough. Travel can be a disruption to training, but whenever I have a trip planned one of the first things I do after I’ve set the dates is hop on-line and look for new and interesting places to run, or find an event that I can sign up for.
The runners are always packed in the suitcase – best way to see a city 😉
As luck would have it, I arrive in Singapore in time to run the Singapore marathon! 🙂
I’ve already signed up and had a quick look at the runners guide and what I need to bring with me to collect my race kit. Of particular interest to me was how many, and the location of the, drink stations – heat and humidity aren’t normal conditions for Melbourne area!
My prep is far from ideal for running a marathon – or at least in a decent time, but still feel I can run it – even underprepared and running in extreme humidity and heat. Arrogant? Not really, more confident in what I can push my body to do. As I said – it won’t be a startling time and it’s a pretty flat track.
I’ve found a few running routes on-line for Dubai as part of my training, but as I’m tapering they won’t be big runs, but good for blowing away the jet lag cobwebs and rolling over the legs.
Singapore should be a very interesting running experience and I’m really starting to look forward to it – stay tuned.
In this blog my aim is to provide some insight into the training program that I am applying in preparation for MDS2015 and some insights into the purpose – raising awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s Australia. That said, if all I do is record my training from every day – you’ll soon get sick of it as there’ a fair amount of repeating prior training days – after all, practice makes perfect.
But don’t worry; I won’t be boring you with every minute detail from every program, but providing sufficient insight about the training – just in case you’re interested 😉
Today – it’s back to the gym for a solid workout. More core work and upper body – why upper body when my focus is running? Well the MDS requires me to be self sufficient for the entire 250km+ journey carrying everything I will need except water – which is rationed out by the race organisers.
The MDS organisers are very specific in regards to the mandatory gear that I have to carry, plus a list of recommended gear. All up, I’m expecting my backpack to be around 10kgs or so at the start of the race – as I consume my food – it will get lighter! Here is the mandatory list and items provided by the organisers:
Mandatory equipment: • backpack MDS or equivalent
• sleeping bag,
• head torch with spare batteries,
• 10 safety pins,
• compass, with 1° or 2° precision,
• lighter,
• a whistle,
• knife with metal blade,
• tropical disinfectant,
• anti-venom pump,
• a signalling mirror,
• one aluminium survival sheet,
• one tube of sun cream,
• 200 euros or equivalent in foreign currency.
Marathon Kit: It is supplied by the organisation and will include the following:
• a road-book issued on 03 April,
• a distress beacon,
• an electronic transponder,
• salt tablets,
• sachets for the toilets
• ID marks
So as you can see there’s a lot to cart around with me in my backpack – so much so that I’ll be looking like a turtle – so long as I’m not as slow as one!!!
If you’ve ever run with a backpack for any period of time, you will know that it places additional demands on the body. For a race of this length and difficulty, I will need to ensure that my shoulders, upper and lower back, arms and core are conditioned to enable me to carry the weight and hold form.
The MDS Ultra-bag is much bigger than a normal running backpack and the weight I will be carrying is more than double what I am used to carrying on some of my bigger runs. I know I’m not yet conditioned so there will be plenty of work to do in the gym and with the backpack to get me ready for MDS2015.
The other reason for working the upper body is that running burns a lot of energy. Not investing time and effort into creating a balanced program that works all the muscle groups can create imbalance in the body.
I’m not exactly built like a whippet, but I’m not a big build either. When I was in heavy training mode for some longer runs last year, I copped a lot of criticism and comments that I was too thin. So I’m trying to keep a better balance and ensure I don’t waste away!
My MDS backpack is on order and I’m expecting it to arrive in January for some solid training runs to condition me for running with it for six days in a row. It’s both daunting and exciting 🙂
Even though I have had the opportunity to run in some amazing locations and gaze over spectacular scenery – there have been plenty more runs that are not exotic, but my local neighborhood. Hey, I’m not complaining, just observing.
A few of the places I have run…
I’m pretty lucky though (other than living in a very hilly area) as I have some interesting runs that I have created that give me a mix of road, footpath, track and trail – and of course – hills!
I’d hate to add up the exact number of kilometres I have racked up around my local area – but I suspect it is hundreds and hundreds and probably well over a thousand. The circuits have become so familiar to me that I can calculate how far I am from home (or any other key geographic point for that matter) by both time and distance.
I can tell you the gradients of each hill; points that you can get water – be it a tap at a service station, a front yard tap or a properly serviced water station; points where traffic can be dangerous; the best place to cross the road to avoid traffic congestion so you don’t need to stop running; areas where the footpath is uneven and needs to be traversed with care; and even which houses have a dog that will start barking as you trundle by.
When I drive up to the shops or around the local area I find myself noting areas I have run (sometimes out loud) and estimating how long it would take me to run home from those points! Or keeping an eye out for hidden trails tracks that I’ve yet to explore. Don’t shake your head as if it’s weird – if you’re a runner you do it too I’m sure – yes you do – admit it!
From my house, I have devised 5km, 6km, 9km, 10km, 14km, 17km, 20km and 40km circuits that I run regularly – and some longer ones for my big outings. The familiarity can be good as I know exactly how far I have to go and how far I have gone and if I develop an injury know how and where I can shorten the circuit.
On the flip side, sometimes familiarity can breed contempt and I fail to take in my surrounds letting my mind wander or start daydreaming – not respecting or appreciating where I am and what I am doing.
Every day I run is a special day. I’m very lucky that I can run when many cannot – and one day (hopefully a very, very long time from today!) I know I also will not be able to run – or at least not like I can today.
So today’s run was my local run – 14.5kms at a reasonable clip averaging 5 minutes 22 seconds per km. I’ve got a marathon to run in a few days so no need to get too carried away – but it was a nice run along road, trails, tracks and paths – through beautiful bush-land, beside a babbling creek, with magpies warbling and in wonderful sunshine.
Next time you pull on your runners for a local training run – open your eyes and take in the sights, breath in the air and enjoy your run wherever it maybe – embrace your run.
A day off training is somewhat of a guilty pleasure. Not getting up in the dark to head out for training and punishing the body can be nice – but at the same time, you wonder if you are undoing all your hard work by taking a break. The simple answer is, “Of course not.”
That is of course, as long as you aren’t binging on junk food, knocking back half a dozen beers and generally abusing your body.
Rest days are important and they should be appreciated. A day of rest is just as important as a training day as it allows the muscles time to repair and recover.
It is not uncommon for professional training plans (even for Olympic athletes and other elite sports people) in order to allow the body time to recuperate. Workouts place greater strain on our muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones and joints. Our body’s immune system is activated when there are muscle tears or joint strains, but if the body doesn’t have a break between training events, the system doesn’t have enough time to catch up and start repairing the body.
Deciding not to have a rest day raises the risk of injury. If you are like me and a large part of your life is high-impact sport such as running – you need to know that running can place stress on your joints and lower extremities to a level that has the ability to crack bones and tighten muscles. Without the occasional a day off here and there, calf muscles can tighten, tendons of the feet can lead to bone spurs, shin splints can develop, muscle tears and strain can occur and there is so much more.
Now of course, rest days will vary in frequency and type depending on the individual, the intensity of workouts and style of exercise. Bodybuilders may only want to take a day off from lifting, but still do cardio or work different muscle groups. Runners may opt for Pilates or Yoga with a focus on different parts of the body.
The more experienced you are and the greater level of fitness, the greater tolerance you will have for continuing to do some light activity during a rest day. However, if you are a just getting started in developing your fitness your rest day should probably be a real rest day in which you do little or no activity at all.
My simple philosophy is listen to your body – know your body and let it guide you. If you are genuinely sore from a workout and still fatigued then rest is probably just what you need. If, on the other hand, your body just wants to bludge, get out there!
Important to note, your nutritional requirements on a rest day should be different to a training day or an event day. Just remember, you won’t be burning anywhere near as many calories off on a rest day, and, the fuel you would need for an intense workout or long run is markedly different to a day of chilling and relaxing.
Stick to your nutrition plan, but make it a light day – eat well, eat right, eat on time and drink lots of water and again – listen to your body.
On the days you are giving your body a rest, spend the time exercising your brain = healthy body and healthy mind are both keys to reducing the risk of dementia. Any activity that involves thinking and learning can improve your brain health and help protect against dementia.
Recent evidence suggests that greater benefit comes from more complex and challenging mental activities. The more brain activities you do, the more frequently you do them and the more complex the activity, the lower your risk of dementia is likely to be, as with keeping a healthy body and monitoring your nutrition.
Your body is a temple and should be given the love and attention it needs to enable you to achieve your fitness goals and set you up for a long and happy life. Don’t let it become the “temple of doom” – give it rest when it needs it and don’t abuse the rest days – but use them to make your training days and competing days the best they can be.
