I apologize for my recent radio silence. Yesterday was a bit of a struggle: we were in the sand dunes all day and they were rough when combined with the oppressive heat (around 100* in the sun). I was actually feeling very good for most of the day.  I started slow and just progressed as best I could.  This was much wiser than choosing a pace and trying to maintain it like I did the first day. Suddenly at mile 24 I just started to overheat and I foolishly decided to push threw since there was only two more miles.  Wrong Answer! Once again Namibia was a willing and thorough teacher.  By the time I limped in waves of nausea were washing over me and all I could do was lay in the shade while an angelic volunteer furiously spritzed me with a water bottle.  I t was a few hours before I felt better.

Salutations to anyone reading this (and good luck with the insomnia that must be so bad it drove you to read this!)

My trip to Namibia was long (31 total hours with layovers) but uneventful. A 45 minute shuttle ride from the airport brought me to the Chameleon Backpackers hostel. It was a toasty 88* so I went for 1 hour run for some last minute heat training. Apparently Windhoek drivers find running over joggers great fun, because several seemed keen to give me a bumper kiss! Fatigue, jet lag and the fact that they all drive in the wrong side of the road, made me an easy target. But I proved too elusive for them to close the deal. 

The next day 5.5 hour shuttle brought to Swakopmund on the coast, race starting point. I got a good nights rest and spent today wandering the city. Except for some extraordinarily dedicated beggars (they will wait outside while you shop or eat, then resume their sales pitch right where they left off), the city is beautiful and the people friendly. There are security guards around most stores and even parking patrols that help you find a spot then guard cars until their owners return. Crime is not an issue here like other countries. 

I moved to the race hotel, met folks I know from Mongolia and several new people (including my roommate Peter from Australia). I repacked my gear so that my bags inspection tomorrow will run smoothly and now it's lights out. 

in the morning I'll get breakfast, attend the race briefing then, after the aforementioned gear check, load up on a bus to Camp 1. 

im feeling very relaxed and excited. I have no injuries or even "niggles" as minor aches are called, I had great training and a successful flight with no stomach or other issues. So I'm as prepared as I could hope to be. If I can avoid getting squashed by traffic tomorrow, I'll be all smiles for the start line. 

now if that didn't put you to sleep, I fear nothing will! Haha

Greetings-

I'm not sure how many people will be interesting in following me on this adventure, but I know my mom will read it for sure :-), so I will jot some notes down about the event.

Last June my daughter River and I ran the Mongolian version of this race.  It was fun and brutal and terrible and amazing. It was everything I imagined and nothing like I expected. I don't remember considering ever doing anything like it again after it was over, but here I am!

I had a few challenges last year that I am hoping to correct this time through, so that I have a little more of the Type I fun (the kind that is immediately enjoyable), better Type II fun (the kind that isn't fun at the time but is remembered with great fondness0 and no Type III (not fun at the time, not remebered fondly, but at least I survived). To this end, here is my technical strategic adjustments:

1) NUTRITION

Last year I wrestled with extreme nausea, especially during the Long March (50 mile) day.  I wasn't eating and drinking enough.  historically I have survived on protein bars and electrolyte drinks for long endurance events.  After the throat cancer I had in 2022 it has become too hard to swallow bars when I am thirsty and sweet drinks become cloying after a few hours. So this year I found electrolytes that are unflavored.  And I made up bags of overnight oats that I will add water to at Checkpoint 1 (10kms in) and eat at Checkpoint 2 (20 KMs) and supplement them with modestly flavored gels I got from The Feed.com.

2) FOOT CARE

Blisters tore my feet up (this is very common at these events apparently, even if you never struggle with blisters elsewhere). I have rund 100km and even 100 milers without much more than a couple little bad patches on my feet.  In Mongolie the whole pad on both fore feet blistered and eventually fell off, leaving me running on raw subdermis covered in extensive tape. I had built up thick callouses for the race and the blisters simply attacked underneath them. This year I have been keeping my feet soft.  I am also going to try running in waterproof socks that have a witcking inner sock, a Gore-Tex-like inner membrane and a wool outer sock to further wick moisture away.  I have also purchased full gaiters to go over my shoes and attach around the entire outside of the shoe with velcro I had sewn on. I am hoping that keeping my feet as sand-proof as I can will stop the blistering.  I have back up socks in case the waterproof ones prove problematic.

3) POWER

Last year I opted to skip using trekking poles.  I wasn't super familiar with their use and felt that they didn'y help much.  At the Mongolia race there was a volunteer who was a running coach and an expert on trekking poles.  Listening to him I learned a lot of technique tips and he advised that the poles can take up to 40% of the weight off your legs thus increasing your endurance through conservation. So I training with them a lot this year and find them as useful as advertised.

4) PACK TRAINING

I have been an avid rucker (walking with a heavy pack) for years, including completing GO RUCK events where we wore packs for up to 12 during pfitness tests and overnight mountain rucks. For training last year I would include heavy rucks of 2-3 miles ( 40 to 100 pound pack) into my weekly training. During the race the ache in our shoulders from the 25-30 pound packs was shocking. Between my feet burning with every step, my nausea and my aching trapezius muscles, Type I fun was completely overwhelmed by first Type II and eventually Type III.  This year I followed the Specificity of Training Principle and slowly added weight to my pack six weeks before the race until it was 10-15 kilos for the majority of my runs as I peaked the last couple of weeks. I wore my pack with my race kit in it today for a stair climbing session and the pack is pretty much unnoticeable.  After a 20 mile test run last weekend I was tired but not having shoulder issues at all.

Before I sign off,  I want to thank a couple people who are supporting this adventure in one way or another.  My wife Lori is covering some of my fitness classes, caring for our dogs and cat, running the house and enduring the stress when I disappear from the race Live Feed (hopefully that won't happen again this year!).  Others helping with classes include: Olivia "The World's Most Dangerous Librarian" Jacque, Julie "Clubber" Wieringa and Brendan "Only One Speed: FULL" D'Ambrosio (they are all in my Self-Defense fitness class called "Fight Club", and these are not their real nicknames ;-).  And River, who has to stay behind due to her university schedule this time, but is filling in for one of my classes too. And to all my clients/friends who are supporting me with both their words and continuing their training.  And to my mom, who is probably the only one who will read this! haha