Feeling bloated, irritable, then what you need is...

An 100 mile adventure...

Yup, the taper is here and annoying... the carboloading has reached the point where I quite frankly just want to have a simple chicken salad... I feel fat, and unfit...

Which is cobblers...

Yes, I'm maxed on the weight, but a lot of that is bloat and will come off as I use it.  The fitness thing is that bizarre confidence thing I have - I feel more confident when I'm doing things, which can mean I undertaper and don't go into events completely injury free.

So shake the head, dust off the confidence generator and run through the adventures to come...

Last day in the office tomorrow, light food (to avoid the bloat still being here on Friday), gentle 3-dimensional yoga (climb) and then finish the packing.

The guys organising this madness are transporting my heavy gear between runners villages - so my tent, mat, sleeping bag and normal crap is in my duffle sack.  All I'll be carrying during the day is my clothes (you'll be pleased to know) and my normal running day sack and gear.  Probably no more than 4kg - and 2kg of that will be water.

The plan?

Keep moving...

I've 100 miles to cover in 3 and a bit days...

Day 1 - Chipping Campden to Hailes - Friday - This is the stretch out, the double check of the systems - 17 miles.  I'm mainly treating this as a speed walk.

Day 2 - Hailes to Cranham - Saturday - Marathon One - this is control, this is gently trot, speed walk, speed up down hill, constant up.

Day 3 - Cranham to North Dibley - Marathon Two - this is sustained effort, this is keeping going, maintain the pace, keep the reserves up and the legs in good shape.

Day 4 - North Dibley to Bath - Ultra Day - this is about pushing through my perceived limits, going on and keeping going until I enter the Royal Crescent and finish by the Abbey.

Sounds simple if you say it quick enough... But trust me I don't underestimate the scale of the challenge.

Am I ready?  I had two set piece conditioning events - the Great Glen Way & the OMM Intro to Ultra. The first was stamina - 70 odd miles, in 3 and a bit days.  The second was endurance - keeping going for that long in one day.

Neither is, nor could they, fully replicate the challenge... And that's the point, training gets you ready to hit the trail, training should give you the confidence to keep going, but the trail is the trail.

So, for the next couple of days its packing, checking that I've got everything in the bag and getting ready - reading the guidebooks and studying the maps.

You'll be able to follow me on Twitter and Facebook - I'll post updates as I go. If the madness inspires you to donate to my cause then please click here - Click here for online donations

Wish me luck - I might just need it!

TTFN

Paul


  

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