My first run with Boris….

…..as he is now affectionately known. Thanks for all the suggested names for my new MdS backpack. The winner was Boris the Backpack (thanks Struan). I decided that since he was going to be my most constant companion for the next 6 months of training and in the desert, he deserved to be christened. I fully expect, in my most non-lucid moments, to be indulging in conversation with him in the Sahara, à la Wilson from Castaway. And yes, I have considered drawing a face on him but I think any defacement at this stage would be disrespectful. I plan to have my friends write some inspirational messages on him before I go though, which he can ‘read out to me’as I run (have I already started to lose it?)

 

So, my first long run with Boris yesterday. I hope we can remain friends. I feel sure that we will have our ups and downs after experiencing the straps biting into my shoulders and the not-yet-anywhere-near-race-weight bruising my lower back.  But it is early days for us both and in fact this weekend marks exactly six months to go until I travel to the desert. Interestingly, the MdS will also mark almost exactly one year since Coach Ken’s 2013 training camp in Majorca. Will it be as intense, I wonder?

As well as some training anecdotes, I plan to detail my kit list purchases on the blog for your reading ‘pleasure’. There seems to be no end of equipment required for this journey and the challenge is getting to know what is essential vs. nice to have (remembering that you have to carry it on your back) vs. pure luxury. I have already decided that my main ‘luxury’ item will need to be a manual toothbrush of industrial capability to navigate the somewhat inopportune timing of having had fixed braces fitted to my teeth!

My second purchase, after Boris, was these rather snazzy Injinji socks which are perhaps specially designed for me, in order to keep my slightly deformed toes out of the way of each other.

Surprisingly difficult to put on!

And the next investment will be in footwear. The advice is to buy shoes which are 1.5-2 sizes too big to account for swelling in the heat but I think I will need to do a normal-sized test run before I the tackle clown feet.   Salomon XA Pro 3Ds, Innov8s and Hoka One Ones are all in the mix – an important decision to be made asap!

Well that’s all for this blog, folks. I am still slightly in awe of the concept of writing a blog so any feedback / suggestions / requests to shut up are most(ly) welcome.

But it wouldn’t be complete without reminding everyone of why I’m doing this. Although the race seems a long way away, I have committed to fundraising milestones for my charity, Hope for Children, to allow for them to pay some of the organisational fees associated with the race and also to get money into the hands of their various projects to improve the lives of hugely under-privileged children. I have been completely humbled by people’s generosity so far but for those who have not yet visited my fundraising page, please do:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LynnCalder