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Brian Whitty
Doug
07769 213 066

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I have a cunning plan

I have come up with my strategy that will help me to complete the MdS and get that long awaited snog from Patrick.

I have to address three issues

• Attitude
• Strength, Fitness and Weight
• Consecutive days on my feet

1. Attitude

Not sure what to call it but attitude will suffice. I have discussed this in depth with many people and reached the conclusion that this is by far the biggest issue. Not only is it a big issue but I find it virtually impossible to get other “athletes” to accept the depth of the problem. However many couch potatoes do understand. My attitude of not wanting to train, not been able to continue with training, and often not even want to start training is really pissing me off now. I think it is related to my attitude to food and must be something in my head that wanted to sabotage my efforts. It is definitely not just a matter of pulling myself together and motivating myself. Neither is it self-discipline or resilience. I have ample examples in my life of boundless resilience, guts, determination and stick ability. Alas except when I want to improve me health.

I am 100% determined to get to the bottom of this and want to start by getting professional help. To start I want to see a shrink. So if anyone knows one in the West Midlands who can handle me and is reasonable bright, please let me know.

This is the first part of my plan and need to start first. The progress on my attitude will dictate how much time I need to become ready for the MdS


2. Strength, Fitness and Weight

Don’t need any explanation, I have excellent support from great trainers from around the world who want to get their hands on me but there is no point even starting before I have a plan in place to deal with my shit attitude. If I do the same thing in the same way as before, I will have the same result again; Stopping after a week or two and not be bothered to carry on


3. Consecutive days on my feet.

This is the only thing I have done thus far, but I need many more of the same


So this is it, Watch out Patrick Bauer, here I come.

What did Howard say?

"The pain will go away but the disappointment never"

I'm back home, and are starting my planning on how to return to this hell an conquer it once and for all...

Stage 2 - abandon after 3rd checkpoint

I've been trying to keep watch over Kobus's results today but the website has been even slower than yesterday, and the tracking device didn't seem to be working at all. I tried looking out via the webcam but that kept freezing or not loading... anyway just found Kobus is listed as "abandon". So sad for him. Today's was 35.5km and they started at 08:30. I know he got to the 1st checkpoint at 11:08; 2nd checkpoint 14:11 and 3rd checkpoint at 17:00, with one person still behind him. The official website description:

Today’s stage includes a lot of mountains, with a stretch of big dunes just before getting to the bivouac, and it promises to be harsh. And hot. Last night, many had to open up completely their sleeping bags so as not to soak them with sweat. It makes for a comfortable sleep but doesn’t bode so well in terms of day temperature, even if the sky is overcast at the start of the stage, at 8.30.
The two small climbs in Jebel Amessoui, between kilometres 4 and 5 tame the enthusiasm of some who happened to be over optimistic in their choice of pace. Going down on a goats track allows the most ambitious runners to demonstrate their skill out-outdoing the traps of such a rocky terrain.
Check Point 1, at kilometre 11.4, is set in the midst of a flat zone covered with locust trees, giving runners a chance to discover a new facet of this Saharan area.
This CP opens to a classic route amongst local jebels, with yet another climb, Hered Asfer, leading to a crest track.
Most of the competitors, whatever their level, already know by the time they reach CP 2 (km 20,3), over half-way through the stage, that the hardest is yet to come – at least judging from what is written in their road-book.
Fording the Rheris wadi brings a little freshness, but at kilometre 22.6, the view over the vast plain heading South West announces the next difficulty. The looming crests of jebel El Otfal are over 7 km away. And it’s easy to guess it will be a horribly hard climb, with an average 25% slope factor, walking on rocks and sand.
Just after CP 3, at the foot of the mountain, hell starts.
Even the dunes seem easy at the end of this harsh moutainy stage.

I'm sure he will be devastated, but if anything like last year he will stay with the camp to cheer everyone else on.

Day 1 completed in 8 hours

Very good steady progress (the 10 minute intervals shown along the route by the tracker device are pretty evenly spread). 29 km in exactly 8 hours. The last person in was 57 minutes behind Kobus, so he's not keeping the camels company this time.
Looks like a few people didn't manage to set off, or at least didn't manage to make the first checkpoint, and one person sadly stopped before the 2nd checkpoint - must be devastating to stop before the end of the first day.
If Kobus manages to keep up his water intake and has reasonable meals then he should do well tomorrow. As for everyone else, let's hope they took up the offer of free ear plugs and all get a decent night's sleep.

Just got the road book

Day 1- 29 km
Day 2 - 35.5 km
Day 3 - 40 km
Day 4 - 82 km
Day 5 - 42.2 km
Day 6 - 21.1 km

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James Cracknel is shaking

All in the bus. Some idiot haven't paid for the room yet so we al sit
in the buzzes waiting. Met James Cracknell and his film crew. To admit
he does seems nice. Totally unlike the knophead we saw on the
southpole with Ben Fogle. He does look nervous though, guess he must
have a lot of pressure on him to perform. Well I wish him well and
told him not to worry. When I finish I will turn back and fetch him.

As you probably guess my bravade is hiding my nerves too. I am
shitting myself

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