runningfm

[runningfm]

LONG STAGE OF THE RACE IS OVER!!

So after a couple of windy days during the race, Iceland finally saved the best weather for last.... By best weather I mean, high winds, horizontal rain and cold temperatures all the while we navigated lava fields, cliffs, volcanic sand, beach, mossy marsh swamp stuff and plenty of horse tracks. By the first checkpoint, 7km in, most of the competitors were completely soaked through to the bone, including the two of us. I had to be put in the 4WD at checkpoint 1 for 15 min to stop the shivering, due to me being unable to run and only limp meaning I couldn't generate enough body heat. As the last one into checkpoint 1 I also had to make the relatively difficult choice to continue for another 60 km. Whereas once Zenia had warmed up, she was able to start running and get her body warm enough to get through, while only 'mildly' freezing. Coming into checkpoint 2, I was still in last position, as my knee is really painful as soon as the terrain is rough i.e. lava fields where I have to lift my leg, however once I got onto the flat surface I was able to motor along and managed to pass around 70 competitors before reaching home at around 10PM - around 14 hours on the course. Zenia while not able to move at her normal speed managed to finish within 10 hours, which wasn't too bad but by no means her best. The course was a really nice running course, unfortunately the weather didn't really encourage you to take in the beautiful surroundings especially while running along the beach. Luckily, the course director had managed to arrange a tailwind for the majority of the course which would have been hell if reversed! After getting across the finish line we were escorted to a sports hall, which includes warm showers, no leaky tents, no winds, and a nice temperature - although the smell of 5 days worth of sweaty wet gear is quite the smell and takes some getting used to for anyone not part of the race. Today we have a rest day before finishing the last 10km tomorrow, and receiving our medals and getting to swim in the Blue Lagoon. Everyone is pretty beaten up so, the last 10 km are going to be pretty tough but the motivation of getting through and crossing the finish line will ensure that if we have to walk it will at least be at a good pace. Thanks again for all the messages of support and encouragement, it makes a huge difference to our mental state when you receive these messages. We can't wait to get home and be able to tell you all about the race in person.

[runningfm]

ANOTHER TOUGH DAY IN ICELAND

Well today was a hard day on both of us. Gus had to walk the whole thing due to a bad knee and now also sore tendons in the feet from all the walking. He was out there in the cold, wind and rain for so long. I am amazed that he got through and that he is still up for another long day of walking tomorrow. I am not doing too well either. Have problems with both knees, but have been able to run with them taped up. However running on sore knees has made me compensate and I now also have a very sore, swollen and bruised achilles. At this moment I am not sure if I can run tomorrow or if I will have to walk it Gussie (which wouldn't be that bad either) but if I am able to run or at least walk it fast, I will! It has been really hard on us both mentally to accept that we are no longer in the race for the good positions. If I can still run I will try to do my best to not drop too far down the list, but with sore knees and a swollen achilles, I don't have my hopes up. Gus have accepted it and seems in pretty good spirits after today despite his long day on the course. Weather wise it was ok today for me, a bit cold and windy, but I could run without my gloves which is a big deal in Iceland! Gus on the other hand had some very heavy rain showers to run through and had been very cold out there. The forecast for the night and tomorrow's long stage (64 km) is unfortunately not much better. Right now I just can't wait to have tomorrow over with and then just sleep on the rest day on Friday. On the positive side, it was a gorgeous course today! We got more up in the mountains today and came by beautiful green lakes and lots of remote hot springs. The volunteers were boiling eggs in the hot springs, which was a nice treat after running about 36 km. Tomorrow is the long day of 64 km and we are very happy that this is the last day (except for the last 10km on Saturday). It has been very tough with not much sleep in the nights due to the freezing cold and unfortunately this night does not seem to be better as it is pouring down outside at the moment. How we look forward to a warm bed on Saturday!!! And once again, thank you for all the messages, we LOVE them! **********IMPORTANT NOTICE********** Please do NOT reply to this email. Please visit the event website at www.4deserts.com < http://www.4deserts.com/> to send a message to any competitor, volunteer or staff. *********************************************

[runningfm]

SO TODAY ICELAND BITE BACK!

So today, the effect of two days and 90+ kms has now taken a toll on our bodies! Zenia's knee is painfull meaning that she's given up her hard earned third position, having to do a combination of walking and running resulting in a much slower race time. Me on the other hand, my race is over - my knee is shot so after trying to run the first 5 km and then stay with Zenia my knee was too painfull to run on, meaning that I had to walk nearly all of the stage today and most likely the rest of the race :-( It was a rough day for competitors with another two of our Danish friends - Martin and Martin, having to drop out both due to knee problems, a result no doubt of the hard road surface that we've been running on over the past two days. No doubt several others have dropped out today as well. On the positive side, today was gorgeous the sun was shinning and there was no wind!! Compared to yesterday this is another country altogther, the atmosphere at camp is totally different than that of the previous two nights, it's a miracle what some sunshine will do to the spirits. Today we ran alongside old volcanoes, grasslands, moss, glacier, plenty of rocks and ended at camp alongside icelands largest lake all really pretty. Now we just hope that the weather holds and todays good weather continues for the rest of the week, not least for the night so that we can get a good nights rest, the rocks under our bed aren't all that comfortable so some wind free sleep would be great. Tonight we received your messages from the past couple of days, THANKS so much! It's so nice to come in at the end of the day and read your messages, especially now that my days are going to take twice as long as they did in the previous two days. Anyway tomorrow is another day, and we're running through some lava tubes which should be good fun - but it means bending our legs which right now sounds very painful - wish us luck. Until tomorrow.

[runningfm]

SO WE THOUGHT IT WAS WINDY YESTERDAY!!!!

So after another sleepless night due to a gale force wind trying gallantly to blow our tent down and the temperature heading south again it was fair to say that we awoke feeling rather rough. On the positive side I'll never complain about the wind in Denmark ever again, for the first half of the race we had a tail wind again which was great, however from then on in it was an almighty head wind, and what I mean by almighty is that you could barely walk forward, let alone run! Several competitors were blown off their feet, while others just experienced being stopped in their tracks fighting with nature to move forward. The scenery once again was impressive with glaciers, horses, lots of rock and a whole heap of volcanic sand. Across the flat sections you could have mistaken Iceland for Jordan as the wind had whipped up a sand storm which caused havoc with your line of sight and just generally being able to see. On the physical side of things I managed to have a piece of sand wedged in my eye for the last 20 km, which wasn't all that comfortable, while Zenia fell over several times and hurt her knee which is now pretty tender. Luckily for me the medical team was able to remove the sand from my eye whereas Zenia's knee is a little tougher to help. Its been a rough day for the rest of the competitors though, with around 7 people withdrawing due to the usual blisters and twisted ankles, but there were two people with head injuries requiring stitches due to gashes to the head from falling in the rocky section. I have to apologize for any spelling errors etc.as we have to type on keyboards that are seemingly made for children, which is especially easy when you're half frozen trying to type, sorry mum. Camp tonight is one of the nicer of the locations so far, first we're sleeping on a grass paddock which is immeasurably better than the rocks that we slept on the previous two nights, plus the wind is only relatively 'mild' meaning that it won't blow you off your feet while standing still, which is nice. On the race side of things' today was especially tough, both of us struggled with the wind and a second long stage of running on the road and some trails. I had to walk a little towards the end as the wind and cold just sapped my energy. Tomorrow is another day, and a shorter one (just 40km) at that, so we're looking forward to that. :-) Sadly we haven't been able to read any of your, hopefully numerous, messages of support yet, as the organizers haven't been able to download any messages from the satellite, they're apparently too cheap to use 3G which is available over the whole of Iceland. Well you might be wondering why people, namely us, pay to actually attend these events and after today we're both asking the same question! On the positive side, everyone had a tough day and we're a stage closer to the thermal springs of the Blue Lagoon! Thanks in advance to all your messages, we look forward to reading them later tonight. Until tomorrow.

[runningfm]

AND WE THOUGHT DENMARK WAS WINDY!

So after getting picked up from our hotel, we were bussed for four hours, with a small stop at a geyser, to cold windy hell! The campsite was freezing cold and the wind felt like it would blow your face off if it wasnt for your nose holding it in place. So after settling in for the night nestled nicely in an eight man tent, we attempted to get some sleep before our first stage.  Upon hearing, what seemed like the entire camp walking around discussing their dress for the day at five am we, cursing the others, decided to get up. Rob Heaslop, one of tent mates took the temperature inside his sleeping bag

[runningfm]

How to send your support and follow our race.

So if you'd like to send your messages of support to us over the duration of the race you need to go to http://www.4deserts.com/beyond/iceland/email then select either Zenia or I to write to. Otherwise we'll be posting to our blog each day here: http://runningfm.tumblr.com Or you can sign up for the latest official news from the race organizers here: http://www.4deserts.com/beyond/iceland/breaking_news Or do all 3 :-)

[runningfm]

First impressions - Reykjavik, Iceland

So we've arrived in Reykjavik and the weather doesn't seem to be half as cold as we thought. Arriving at the airport it was pretty obvious who the runners were based on the clothing and footwear they're wearing and we managed to run into some familiar faces. Now at the hotel runners are everywhere and all of us are checking out the rest of competitors, how fit they look and how much gear that they're carrying. Now it's all about how much your pack weighs and what special gear you've brought with you. Our packs are pretty good on weight with my pack coming in at 6.5 kg and Zenia's pack around 6.8 kg. It won't be long and the nerves will start kicking in, especially with regards to the weather! There are plenty rumors flying around about the weather, the temperature at the first camp is around 0 degrees with high potential for rain. Hmmm fun. So now for some food.

[runningfm]

Hotel room in Bhutan.

It’s been just over a year since we had our first experience with a stage race, when we completed a 250 km run through the desert in Jordan. Since then we have been debating what’s next? We quickly signed up for another Racing The Planet event like the one in Jordan but this time in a place that suits my Nordic blood a lot better, Iceland. However this race is not until August and we were craving more adventures before then. This brings us to where we are now, in a hotel room in Bhutan. Unfortunately, my luggage didn't turn up, luckily 90% of my race gear was with me as carry on, so no big inconvenience.

We only finished packing at 4AM in the morning, and had to catch a 9.40 flight, so only managed a short night’s sleep. It is always a surprise how long time it actually takes to get yourself organized for these races. All those decisions on what to wear, what to eat, which shoes, how big a backpack etc. just takes time, even though this is actually more of a luxurious race, as we don’t have to carry all our gear and food is prepared for us.

So what is it, exactly, that we are doing this time? 200 km over 6 days through the Himalayan mountains of Bhutan. To be honest we didn’t even know where Bhutan was when we signed up, however it sounded like a really good challenge. A challenge different from previously as we will be running through some fairly high mountains. We are excited to see this part of the world but also a bit nervous of how it will go with no mountain training except a single long weekend in Switzerland and a lot of climbing up and down Rigshopitalet’s 17 floors (the main hospital in Copenhagen). On top of that, Gus has had trouble putting in enough training due to crazy work hours and I have been struggling with my calf since January. I have no doubt that Gus will do well, he can always do what he puts his mind to! I am more worried about myself… I know that I will have to walk most of it to avoid a long term injury, but I also know that in my competitive mind, that I will have a hard time accepting walking when I could be running. I hope that I will have the power to enjoy the gorgeous country rather than worrying about not being able to give it my best at running. I secretly wish for lots of uphill so that I won’t be at a disadvantage to all the runners that will probably also walk when the course goes uphill.

Either way I am very excited to see this beautiful country. We are staying in tents, farm houses and monasteries around the mountains, and will be running through valleys, mountain tops, forests, rivers, waterfalls etc. One night there is even a planned soccer match between the runners and the local monks. So I will try and put my mind to enjoying the moment and taking in all the fresh mountain air and will do the best I can without hurting my leg further.

Race start is Sunday and we will not have any Internet access during the race, however you can follow along and see pictures during the race on global limits Facebook page and www.global-limits.com. We will try to see if we can give a short update once we reach the hotel in Thimphu in Bhutan.

Z

[runningfm]

Packing nearly complete.

[runningfm]

Racing the Planet: Iceland 2013 Course Information

Only 116 days to go until our Iceland adventure gets underway, the organisers of the race - Racing The Planet have just sent all of the competitors an overview of the course, which you can read below. By the look of it there's going to be some long days running along the wet and dry sand, can't say I'm looking forward to that, but the scenery should be stunning, and that I can't wait to explore. The race is going to be held at beginning of August, so feel free to come cheer. :) 

Start Line

The race starts approximately 4 hours drive from Reykjavik in the highlands between Iceland’s largest glacier Vatnajökull and Langjökull which means long glacier in Icelandic.

Course Terrain

Runners will encounter much of the iconic Icelandic scenery along the 250 kilometers / 150 miles of the course including waterfalls, glaciers, lava fields, lava cliffs, black sand beaches, hot springs and geothermal areas with bubbling mud. The terrain will include rocky lava fields, jeep tracks, single track trails, dust roads, grass fields, soft sand, wet sand, rolling hills, hard lava cliffs as well as river crossings (some may be above knee height). Runners can expect to see a wide range of colourful landscapes along the way. Photos and videos from the course can be seen on the Iceland 2013 website. 

Distances

The distances for each section are planned to be as below.   This means two slightly longer Stages earlier and the Long March is less than 70 kilometers. 

Stage 1

46 km / 28.5 miles

Stage 2

46 km / 28.5 miles

Stage 3

41 km / 25.5 miles

Stage 4

40 km / 24.8 miles

Stage 5

67 km / 41.6 miles

Stage 6

10 km / 6.2 miles

Elevation

The highest point in Iceland is 2,200 meters / 7,217 feet, but the highest point on the course is just over 1,000 meters / 3,280 feet which is on Stage 1. The course has many rolling hills going down to sea level on the black sand beaches. Runners can review an elevation chart in the course section of the Iceland 2013 website.

Course Markings The course will be marked with pink flags and pink ribbons in every 25 to 100 meters / 80 to 300 feet. For anytime runners are on the course after the sun has set you will be following reflective tape on the flags and glowsticks.  It is essential that runners bring two equally strong headlamps (one as the primary light source and the other one as a back-up) for the sections that you will go through in dark.  Runners do not require navigation skills on the course, but we do require that you bring a compass as part of your emergency equipment and recommend that you know how to use it. 

Weather

The temperatures are range from approximately 4°C / 40°F at night to 15-20°C / 59-68°F during the day in August but it is possible that it is warmer during the day and gets colder at night. Rain and strong winds are typically part of Icelandic summer. Cooler weather can be refreshing when you are out on the course but remember to bring enough warm and waterproof clothing for the chilly nights at camp.

Hours of Daylight

Due to the northerly location of Iceland, it has long hours of daylight in August. The sun rises at approximately 04:45 and sets at around 22:45 giving more than 15 hours of daylight. The race is planned to start between 07:00 and 08:00 each morning with competitors finishing Stages 1 to 4 in daylight. During Stage 5 competitors may continue through the night to finish the stage. Cut-off times for each stage will be issued during the event before each stage, but will be based on a 4 kilometers / 2.5 miles per hour pace (without breaks). 

Anyone want to come?

[runningfm]

A great article by the New York Times on Kilian Jornet, some background on who he is and the impressive range of sporting activity that he participates in. 

Kilian is one of those individuals that a lot of ultra-runners look to for inspiration given his age he has an impressive cache of wins and feats that many others are still chasing. 

Just thought this was a nice introduction to the legend of Kilian Jornet.

[runningfm]

Why we run.

[runningfm]

Interesting article about Brian Mackenzie's approach, CrossFit Endurance (CFE), to Marathon training and the authors *test-run* of the methodology of CFE.

Personally, I really enjoy CrossFit and have witnessed firsthand the benefits of not only the strength training but of having a strong core. This is especially true when running single / multi-stage ultra-marathons where having a strong body is paramount to competing some of these gruelling races.

Anyone have any experience with CFE? Leave your thoughts in the comments below. 

[runningfm]

Another great reason not to stand still.

[runningfm]

Rebuilding the feet, part 1

Brian & Kelly give some great insights and tips on how to get your feet back to normal. This is Part 1 of a series on how to rebuild your feet.

Part 2: http://youtu.be/GUHEVWtBlac

Part 3: http://youtu.be/4h8uxhXhozY

[runningfm]

Make your own energy bar

We've tried a lot of energy bars during our time running, ranging from the well known like Clif Bars and PowerBars to some more locally made bars like Raw Bite. Each of them have their special ingredients and small differences i.e. Organic etc. 

However, YouBar's and Element Bars bar's like it allow you to optimise your calorie, energy and protein requirements for the different parts of your training or race without requiring you to run around and find several different bar types etc. from different manufacturers (if need be). 

I haven't tried either, both are located in the US which makes shipping a little bit of an issue, so if anyone knows any European companies doing a similar thing please leave a comment below. 

[runningfm]

“Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must move faster than the lion or it will not survive. Every morning a lion wakes up and it knows it must move faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve. It doesn’t matter if you are the lion or the gazelle, when the sun comes up, you better be moving.” — Maurice Greene