One more sleep (if I get any)

Along with all of my work colleagues I should, by rights, be jet ski-ing in Miami right now.  Instead it’s the eve of my big adventure and I’m Sahara-bound to spend 8 nights in a bivouac tent, including 6 days of running across varying desert terrain with all of my kit in a backpack called Boris!  Hmmm – why am I doing this again?  I have given this a lot of thought today during my final preparations for the race, but it’s still an easy answer.  The Marathon des Sables is something I have wanted to do for a number of years now – it will push me to extreme limits and I want to experience real adventure in my life.  And the other reason is that I knew it would be enough of a challenge to raise some meaningful funds for Hope for Children, a charity that should really mean something to us all.  Those who are dealt the worst hands in life are often the most vulnerable and there is nothing more heartbreaking than children without a childhood, without a future.  I am so fortunate and have so much.  It seems only just to give a little back and try to touch some young lives in a very small way.  So a win-win, I get to fulfill a long-term ambition (hopefully with some element of success) and you guys get to put your hands in your pockets to support under-privileged kids.  I have been completely overwhelmed by the support and interest in my MdS journey from all of you (although I’m sure those closest to me are sick to the back teeth of hearing about it) and I hope I am able to do all of you proud. 

The obligatory kit photo
 

UK runners have been posting these on facebook from about 4 weeks ago.  This photo was taken earlier this evening, about 12 hours before I leave (!)  All good intentions out the window – right to the wire, as usual!  In my defence, I have had a tough few work weeks.  The very long work days coupled with midnight runs to get the miles in have taken a bit of a toll and I’m entering the race about as unprepared as I could have possibly imagined.  I have been joking to all my friends over the past week that I’m going to the desert for a rest!  This will be the trip of a lifetime for me but I realise that it will also be like hell on earth.  But I have my game face on - I am determined to do this!

So the pack will weigh about 8.4kg according to the calculations based on my little weighing scales.  Pretty heavy – I was hoping to have it lighter than this but I feel like it’s all pretty essential.  The sleeping bag probably accounts for the biggest differential compared to a some of the other competitors as it weighs a whopping 670g.  But I am a really cold person and I didn’t want to risk taking something too light and not being able to sleep in a desert which can easily go below zero when the sun goes down.  I believe that my only real luxuries are these……

 

....although I may also rethink my GPS watch which requires me to take a solar charger.

Contact me during the race

A link will appear on the organisers' website (www.darbaroud.com) entitled 'Write to a competitor' once the race starts.  This will allow you to send me emails!  I won’t be able to reply but anything sent to competitors via this facility will be printed out daily and distributed around the bivouac each evening.  I would really appreciate any correspondence to cheer me on so if you have a spare couple of minutes, please take the time to write me something funny, inspirational or just tell me what you had for tea!  It will be amazing to hear snippets from the outside world.  Plus, I wouldn’t want to be the only person in my tent waiting for the postman so please keep them coming L

You will need my name and running number (534) to write to me via the website.  The facility won’t be up and running before Sunday.  Please send plain text only - anything with pictures etc. will apparently be rejected.

Competitors can send one email per day to one recipient only but I have to queue for this privilege so it will depend on the state of my feet and my general health.  I do plan to queue at least once though, to let my brother and dad know I’m still plodding on!

As I write this, my total fundraise is £9,826.15 which is just awesome!  So close….  I don’t want people who have already donated to give again but if there are any folks out there who have yet to visit my fundraising web page, please help me breach the £10k target.  As an added incentive, I will match anything that is donated from now (unless Richard Branson or similar comes in with a slice of his fortune, in which case I will revise my pledge).  Come on guys – a last minute push to smash this target and offer a better life to some of those far less fortunate than us.  They need our help.

Well that’s me over and out until after the event.  Wish me luck……

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LynnCalder