tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48657753182193757372011-12-31T00:55:45.366ZThoughts on my preparations for, and participation in, Marathon des Sables 2007Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.comBlogger321100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-34985753499274509382007-05-27T22:57:00.001Z2007-05-27T23:28:42.505Z

Tent 74 Day 7 Originally uploaded by edgehonson These are some of the great people I shared my week in the desert with. Click on it to link to flikr.com and see more of my MdS pix

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-79926685305976870072007-05-02T11:19:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:38.698Z

One month on, I now realise that it is difficult to come out my experience in the Sahara unscarred. Physically, I have no problems. I had a few small blisters but nothing serious. I will lose one toenail in due course, but that's fairly normal. My knees were weak and slightly damaged and consequently I am only just getting back into running having rested them during April. I have joked that I was

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-78068813158786570542007-04-11T22:28:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:39.219Z

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-9592870268812042202007-04-06T15:18:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:39.488Z

I visited Workaid, the small self-help charity I raised funds for (currently approaching £7,000). Sylvia Parrot (Chairman) and Bill Duperouzel (Administrator) along with many of the volunteers who refurbish all the tools were there to greet me and hear all about my adventure. They were all very keen to see the state of my feet which sadly (!?) were lacking in any blisters or real evidence. Many

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-52583451161701852512007-04-03T21:44:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:39.674Z

Merzouga, South-eastern Morocco. Saturday March 31st. Approx 10:40am. Finish line of the 22nd Marathon des Sables.Bravo Edouard!

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-38939579953185884462007-04-02T21:28:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:39.770Z

I returned back home today (Tues). MdS finished on Saturday morning with runners appearing exhausted but elated out of the dunes into dowtown Merzouga after an 11km final stage. The last section was a 1:30min 'sprint' over the 'Erg Chebbi' sand dunes for me. I finished in 236th position overall for the week, taking 35 hrs 17 mins. I am proud to have completed and extremely pleased with myself to

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-3144538561996578272007-03-31T21:33:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:40.000Z

Day 6, a proper marathon of 26.2 miles or 42.4km. Done and dusted in 5 hours 41 minutes. Would you believe it, I have never run that distance before competitively. Only either more than or less than. I really enjoyed it and the 10km of big dunes in the middle. My position is now 239th, which I am amazed at. I came here to finish and am now in the top third. I have got stronger each day.I'll try

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-54931224963163110392007-03-30T04:55:00.000Z2007-04-04T08:33:06.586Z

Rest day after the long 70km stage.We have just been told that a competitor died last night in his tent. Bernard Jule, from France, came in 45th last night as one of the elite runners. He went to bed saying he was fine. He got up briefly at 3.30am to cheer some others in to the finish, said he was fine and looked fine, then went back to his sleeping bag. He never woke up. As you can imagine the

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-64276937673479564122007-03-29T21:01:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:40.142Z

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-69244397441429636662007-03-28T20:16:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:40.281Z

This isn't Ed. I just downloaded and posted it because I imagine that's what he looks like -- bandaged feet, empty water bottles and all. Most participants are running through the night, so we're not getting an update tonight.Tess

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-26160129234694560802007-03-28T05:22:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:40.589Z

It's a bit late and i need to sleep so I'll be brief.32km today. Finished in just under 5 hours. 254th overall. Long hard stage today. Sark just ahead of me in rankings. Big 70km day tomorrow so that's the real test. Probably won't be able to email.Desert still beautiful, event still incredible, but didn't enjoy today as much as yesterday. Too hot.

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-23735522851189034732007-03-27T18:58:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:40.728Z

It is almost impossible to describe how amazing this is! Sark and I finished together in 5 hours 55 minutes, having completed what evryone is describing as the toughest ever stage. Two mountains, the last of which rose like a colossus out of a hot dry plain which took over two hours to get across. Just when you thought you had only 5km to go the markers pointed upwards! The majesty of the desert

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-72456601099781182682007-03-26T08:02:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:41.149Z

All well. I got back to our tent first with Sark 5 minutes behind. Took it easy and walked (fast) a large percentage of it. 4hrs 50 mins; I'm in 288th place. The terrain is amazing. Ruggedly beautiful. Lots of small sand dunes and hills. Very tough going underfoot and up to 40 degrees C. Aim was to get in the first day unscathed, so have achieved that. No blisters, I can feel my bum knee but it’s

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-20127905907412857962007-03-24T12:11:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:41.293Z

As of 9 this morning, Ed was in base camp, about 100km east of Tazarine, along with 700+ other runners. He was making his last phone call before turning in his travel bag and all other non-essential items. At 2pm today, he will be self-sufficient, carrying everything he needs for the next seven days on his back. The good news is he's able to trim his load even more (no luxuries at all!) and

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-77254882245006706872007-03-21T09:59:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:42.885Z

Please send me messages, apparently they get delivered to our tents in the Sahara! Here are details:Go to www.darbaroud.com, look for US/UK flag for site in English (It is also hyper linked on the right of this page - Ed). Each day, the organisers list all that day’s results with times and positions. Messages can be sent from 25 – 31 March. In order to send a message, they will need to go to

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-8726148875870639702007-03-19T21:19:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:43.131Z

It's getting close to decision time for the sand gaiters. They're meant to stop sand getting in your shoes to try to prevent the inevitable blisters. The green ones were supplied by an MdS Veteran who swears by them. The red ones were supplied free this year by New Balance. At the moment I am only going on looks (?!) and the red ones seem more fashionable. They'll be wearing them down the Kings

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-84685192806665031152007-03-18T21:28:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:43.285Z

I returned home from some Sunday shopping to find a reception committee having baked a send-off cake. Bless them! Tess and Bruno have been very hard-done-by for the past few months so are looking forward to me getting this race out of my system and returning to being a normal dad/husband. By the way, the black squiggle on the cake is a snake...

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-9436678465395677792007-03-17T13:14:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:43.368Z

I have many people to thank for their support to get me to the start line of MdS and my osteopath Simone Sorrell is one of them. This gorgeous and caring lady has an amazing ability to get my misaligned body back into shape. She's also a yoga teacher and mother. Thanks Simone - you're a star! You might even get me on a yoga mat one day...

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-25389776803455913552007-03-17T13:04:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:43.459Z

The colours of spring are here and the magnolia trees are blossoming. They fuelled my joyful mood on my walk down to my osteopath this morning.

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-36217695742525495922007-03-16T09:38:00.000Z2007-03-16T14:23:02.457Z

Ref entry on Feb 26, I received a reply from Tesco. They said thanks for feedback on novel use of OJ cartons but no to donation. Shame! I'll try same with Sainsbury's now...

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-30936366776148377962007-03-14T17:18:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:43.525Z

My latest piece of desert kit is helping at least one member of the family sleep better. Our son Bruno was getting increasingly worried about Daddy being bitten by scorpions in the Sahara. With my new AspiVenin venom pump as part of the mandatory kit for all MdS Competitors, he is a lot happier to let Daddy go now.

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-2368949424299209702007-03-13T20:07:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:43.663Z

On top of Salcombe Hill Cliff looking west along to Dunscombe Cliff to my right, and the sinking MS Napoli out at sea to my left. The ship was caught in bad weather in January and started to sink depositing many of its containers and rubbish on the picturesque beach of Branscombe. Scavengers descended causing havoc to this remote area and it was a major news item. The beach was still closed but

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-19351549736382536972007-03-13T19:47:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:44.142Z

The signs along the trail kept on giving us a destination and an incentive. And sure enough we eventually reached Beer, the cute little Devon fishing village. Once there it would have been rude not have stopped and indulged in a pint. All part of the training - carbohydrate loading!

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-85863346311593732212007-03-12T19:57:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:44.354Z

Tucked in behind Sark plodding along Branscombe beach in East Devon, it struck me how strange we must have looked. We went down for an annual running race called 'The Grizzly' a tortuous 20-mile course starting and finishing at Seaton, a pretty coastal town. Due to a shipwreck off the coast and the ensuing rubbish the beach has been closed which forced the cancellation of the the Grizzly this

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-75774248070080603312007-03-05T22:40:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:44.542Z

Sunday March 4 - AmershamI felt pretty silly dressed up in full Sahara desert gear in my parents Buckinghamshire back garden. But it was for the benefit of a photographer from the local paper. Mum and Dad are patrons of Workaid and Kate the wonderful publicity volunteer has arranged some publicity in the local paper. "Local boy runs across Sahara" type story. Hopefully it will direct more traffic

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-9660844473950934652007-03-03T21:09:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:44.747Z

Went to a clinic at the CRY Centre for Sports Cardiology at the Olympic Medical Institute today. The wonderful folks at CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) were providing a specialist cardiology clinic and a number of us MdS runners had been referred there by our GPs. It seems the ECG reports of fit ultra-runners can mimic those of people with potential cardiac problems. We need to have an ECG and

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-25146868776754042007-03-02T22:44:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:45.042Z

One size too big, they said. And so Sark and I duly trooped down to the best running shop in London, Run and Become in Victoria. Me to buy a pair of Saucony Omni Grids and Sark to get Asics. We had been down in January to buy exactly the same shoes and now bought our pair for MdS, just a full size bigger. This is apparently to cope with the inevitable feet swelling due to the Saharan heat. We

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-25208160400707621982007-02-26T23:46:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:45.169Z

Here's the man who got me into all this. Sark Kenny has been running with me for a while and we signed up for this package tour of southern Morocco together two years ago. The two of us are one half of our UK summer racing team The Gherkins.

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-19161128450386837172007-02-26T22:51:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:45.511Z

Salvation Army founder's grave......and the latest iPod model in shop window.

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-91999670212492236662007-02-26T20:48:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:45.806Z

This is how I am training now - filling my Raidlight up with orange juice cartons. It takes it up to about 10kg, what I expect it to be for the race.Must write to Tesco asking for sponsorship...

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-20505642261706348682007-02-20T20:34:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:46.076Z

After my first entry I thought I would introduce my new blog with my second. I really felt a blog was necessary since I have experienced such great interest and support for what I doing in March in the Sahara.PURPOSE: Initially to inform about my involvement in Marathon des Sables MdS 2007.METHOD: Ramblings and photos.RESULT: Hopefully interest, updating sponsors and generating more traffic to my

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4865775318219375737.post-81452119065772697692007-02-20T19:49:00.000Z2008-12-13T05:29:46.226Z

Saturday Feb 17. 8:45amKing's Meadow, ReadingAbout 130 nutters gather, along with me and my trusty photographer Bruno, to run 50miles along the Thames Path. Race Director Rory waves us off at 9am.9hrs 32 mins later I reach the finish on the steps of the Holiday Inn in Shepperton with stiff thighs but generally OK. There were four Checkpoints (CP) and time/position was recorded at each CP. My

Ed Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03909701240000420296noreply@blogger.com0