Darwin and Dumbells

Exercises, why oh why oh why. wouldn't it be just brilliant that we could speed up evolution to the place where we do not have to do exercises any more. I mean you don't see a lion running up and down a mountain to stay fit, or an elephant doing 20 reps lifting a baobab stump with his trunk. They don't need it, they have evolved to the state where what they do keep them fit enough to do what they want to do. Likewise when they go on a diet, they starve.

Now I want to work in front of the PC, watch television frequent in a balti house while on weekend do paragliding and the occasional trip to the dessert. That is not much to ask. Why haven't we evolve yet so I can do what I like without having to spend hours contemplation how on earth am I going to motivate myself to go to the gym and eat less.

Don't tell me we have moved away from nature and now doing the things we were not evolved to do. Rubbish. The same argument goes for the first animal who left terra firma and took to the skies. If you were there you would probably have said " no birdie, do not fly, nature gave you legs instead, use them " You may claim that we have evolved faster than nature could keep up. Nonsense again. If we are in nature and part of nature, thus we are using nature as the building blocks of our evolution and by definition the resulting evolution would be evolution and thus nothing less than nature. Or in other words silicon chips and the dreaded Windows Vista is nature. Vista belonging to the stinging nettle family off course.

So we are in nature, of nature and natural. Why is it not natural to just being fit.

Not formulated an answer to this conundrum yet, I decided to continuing my pursuit of getting my bud in the gym and finally I can announce success. Well more predict than announce that is, as I have not yet been to the gym but is due to start on Tuesday the 19th. I have at last found a gym buddy. Not just any gym buddy, it is Amanda. Now if you know Amanda, you'll have to agree that not showing up is something that one should not consider. Do not mess with Amanda and do not let her down. So I am reasonably confident that at last I will start to make use of the gym contract Rory flogged me couple of weeks ago.

Can shave - Can't wipe

I don't know what I have learned in the gym on Tuesday. I do know what I hope Rory learned. "Kobus may moan a lot but he is fairly honest. When he say he cant give more and lifting another x ton is not possible, then it tend to be the truth and he is most likely at his physical limit. If however he say he do not think he can do it. Then he is most likely lazy and is looking for an easy way out. The absence of the word 'think' in the first example is the clue"

On the bright side, at least I can report another first. Never before in my 40 years was my muscles so sore. Normally a bit of stretching and movement make them better. Stretching, no way, you cant make me do it.

Rory's Regime, is not one I have explored before, In the past I was normally cautioned by revered instructors not to over do it, to be cautious. Rory's Regime and caution goes together like Kobus and diplomacy.

I am however in a strange way enjoying it. Don't know why.

Feeling today: Pain

Rory who?

Rory Coleman...he is my new personal trainer. I wont be telling you more about him at the moment, I had my first session yesterday and today I could not shave. Have difficulty wiping after a pooh so I am praying for constipation. What I have to say about Rory is most likely to cause more pain when I see him again so maybe more about him another day.

I have now a daily exercises routine which should not be more than an hour. I'll have to take the batteries out of the clock to finish all this in an hour. Core exercises today. I think I'll leave it until Joshua is back from school, maybe I get some sympathy there

Rory did insist that I keep daily notes of how I feel.
Today: crap

Tired, head ache, joint ache, muscle ache.....I wish I was back in the dessert.

Dow. It's tomorrow

Had a few frantic days and just realized my first training session it
tommorow. Better get some sleep then.

Sent from my iPhone

Taking stock

I am over it now, the disappointment, the elation, the depression and at last able to look at things with sober eyes. Well as sober as I am capable of that is.

I had some amazing comments and emails from people around the world, many I never met still they encourage me in my preparation and gave me solace in the darker days when I was pulled and when the inevitable post MdS blues almost got the better of me.

Here are some of them:

• So you dropped out. So what.. You have done incredibly well. I would not like to attempt this.. It looks an amazingly difficult race, in such difficult conditions.
  
  
• Congratulations!. Astonishing you did it to Stage 3 what an effort! We are truly proud of you. Great style, great nerve and just amazing
  
  
• I was really hoping Kobus would make it. I haven’t met him but I have been reading his blog and I find it inspirational...
  
  
• There are a lot of people out there who have been inspired by him
  
  
• someone send me this quote of Theodore Roosevelt
  “It is not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strong man stumbled or how the doer of deeds might have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred with sweat and dust and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, if he wins, knows the triumph of high achievement; and who, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat”
  
  
• At the 1980 Olympics, I shared a flat with Brendan Foster, Dave Moorcroft and Steve Cram. In the 2009 MDS, I shared at tent with Kobus Cilliers and I have already spoken to so many people about you. The others are just name drops, yours is the inspirational story. I am lined up to do several motivational talks and your story will most certainly feature. I can't wait to see how it ends in the years to come. It’s been a privilege to be part of the beginning.

I don’t want post these messages here to show off; I don’t quite understand why people say these things. I am nothing special just a fat bloke what want to get out there and show other fatties we don’t need toe give up, we can be part of live. Nevertheless, whether I understand it or not, these messages have been an immense source of strength and thanks to all of you, It was a most humbling experience. Both during the MdS and the support there after.

I have a few questions though...

• Why settle for brave when you can be courageous?
• Why inspire a few when you can arise a multitude?
• Why except remarkable performance when spectacular is within reach?

That is why this has to continue. Tomorrow I will book my place for the 25th Marathon des Sables staring in 11 months and 6 days from now. This time my aim is not to be on the start line. This time it is medal or bust.

I am back

Well I am back now and suffer greatly from MdS Blues. Some say it is similar to Post Dramatic Stress Disorder, Others say it is depression and the world seems to be void of purpose Others maintain it is just feeling sorry for oneself. Well it has to be serious because one of my friends from the dessert has started to listen to Westlife.

It took me a week to post this blog because I don’t know what to say. Well I want to say thanks to all your guys who supported me and especially Zoe who also kept the blog up to date while I was away. Thanks to all those who thought I will do it and to those who thought I wont even start, Naah nah nah naaaaah nah.

There is so much I want to say, but not enough words. I was first gutted when the Docs pulled me out of the race and sobbed endlessly on his shoulder knowing it is over, but the next morning reality dawns and I hope this doesn’t sound arrogant it is not intended, but the next morning I was mighty proud of myself and what I have accomplished. I am sitting here with MdS blues and still don’t know how to fit this experience in my everyday life, but what I know is:

1. It has changed my life, permanently; It is not the same Kobus that returned from the sand pit.
2. I can do it, and I have to go back to do it and this time I am going to complete it.

Thanks again everyone, the sponsors, supporters, doubters and mentors. Keep checking this blog I have a year to go and this year the training will be go or bust.

PS: I am looking for ideas of how I can use this experience to help others. This year I raised money for Christian Aid but I do not want to call on friends and Family again. My thoughts are that if I can pull this off, then somewhere there must be some benefit for other Fat couch potatoes with low self esteem who belief they are not capable of something great. Maybe seminars, talks, I don’t know. Does anyone have some ideas how I can help others. Please let me know

PS2: I put the photos on the album the link is somewhere on this page, There are not many but have a look if you want.

Phone call from the desert!

Kobus phoned from his mobile, he found an area with reception while en route in a landrover, presumably to the last base camp. Saturday's "fun run" has been cancelled, as the organisers could not find a safe area of ground for another bivouac. So the ground conditions must still be soft after last weekend's storms.
Kobus sounds invigorated and enthusiastic about everything - not even daunted at having to hand in his remaining full english breakfasts, as he's now relishing french canteen food. He said the docs caught up with him between checkpoint 1 and checkpoint 2, about 8 hours into Stage 3 (must be about 5pm on Wednesday, then) and found him dehydrated, shuffling, in intense pain and delirious. He says he just could not get his mind to make his legs go faster. He refused to stop, but when they returned to check him again and pointed out that he had only managed 100 yards in the last 10 minutes... He was given the option of returning to the hotel or the base camp, but opted to keep his tent-mates company (sorry about the snoring again, guys!). He was absolutely gutted at having to stop.
He says it is the toughest thing he ever did and he did not know before that it is possible to have so much pain: "you can not describe it, you have to experience it". He's full of admiration for the other competitors and he's loved being part of it all.
I asked him if he wants to go again next year? "We'll talk about it," he said. So that means yes.