2021 review / 2022 plans

[McSwede]

Ascender - are you the guy who did the Marathon Des Sables ?? Mike ??

I am terrible at keeping track of Users once everyone was able to change and then we moved to the new board etc...

Yip, guilty.

Feckin' loon but I'll still doff my cap.

[dinny_g]

I know. Incredible thing to do but on the other hand, utter nonsense…

[nuttinnew]

Googles Marathon Des Sables; Never mind the distance or running, I'd fail at the heat.

[Gavster]

Its nearly as bad as road marathons where when I'll ask someone "how did your race go?" and they'll inveitbaly start off with 32 excuses as to why they didn't get the time they were aiming for. Enjoy the run and be proud of what you've achieved.

The running obsession with times is never helpful, because we're only racing ourselves, which makes it some weird internalised conflict.

The only marathon I completed was trained for without any timekeeping or GPS tracking. I planned the training routes by mileage and then went out and ran them to whatever perceived intensity was required - e.g. long and slow, tempo, or fartlek. The only time I used a watch was for my longest LSRs, to make sure I ran slowly enough. On the other hand, I have trained for two marathons with obsessive GPS data and both times sustained nasty tendon injuries which took me down prior to the race. You only get a good time if you make it to the finish line.

@Ascender completing MdS is mightily impressive, which begs the question, what exactly is your unresolved trauma?

[Ascender]

@Ascender completing MdS is mightily impressive, which begs the question, what exactly is your unresolved trauma?

Marathon des Sables was only my second ultra and to a degree, its only as hard as you want it to be. Anybody reasonably fit who wants to get round and doesn't conk out due to the heat will be fine! Its a very cool experience though, sleeping in those big open tents in the Sahara looking up at the stars was incredible.

Hopefully get back to an ultra if I can shake these symptoms, but in the meantime, I managed a 3mile run outside yesterday so that's a start.

[mik]

Marathon des Sables was only my second ultra and to a degree, its only as hard as you want it to be. Anybody reasonably fit who wants to get round and doesn't conk out due to the heat will be fine!

Mike is the kinda guy who would use the word “wounded” here…

[DeskJockey]

That looks like it would have stung a bit. Probably needed at least two plasters.

[Gavster]

Tis but a scratch, just a flesh wound

[Gavster]

@Ascender completing MdS is mightily impressive, which begs the question, what exactly is your unresolved trauma?

Marathon des Sables was only my second ultra and to a degree, its only as hard as you want it to be. Anybody reasonably fit who wants to get round and doesn't conk out due to the heat will be fine! Its a very cool experience though, sleeping in those big open tents in the Sahara looking up at the stars was incredible.

Hopefully get back to an ultra if I can shake these symptoms, but in the meantime, I managed a 3mile run outside yesterday so that's a start.

It's like the people who go outdoor swimming in winter. It sounds painful and seems to make little sense, but people love it and get a huge buzz.

On that note, I went swimming in highgate ponds over the xmas break and it was FUCKING FREEZING (water temp 6º). Even though I've been doing cold showers for over 9 months, it didn't prepare me for the all encompassing pain and whole new level of cold.

[240PP]

My brother does the wild swimming thing, the colder the better for him. He often has to break ice before he gets in. Not sure where he gets the compulsion from

He waited for bad weather, drove to Wales, went up Snowdon, pitched a tent and went to sleep. Woke up the next morning and swam across one of the lakes then packed up and went home. I really don’t understand why.

[dinny_g]

I used to love Kayaking in the depths of winter. A few splashes of water to your face at the start did NOT reduce the shock of that first immersion…

[Gavster]

My brother does the wild swimming thing, the colder the better for him. He often has to break ice before he gets in. Not sure where he gets the compulsion from

He waited for bad weather, drove to Wales, went up Snowdon, pitched a tent and went to sleep. Woke up the next morning and swam across one of the lakes then packed up and went home. I really don’t understand why.

There's a documentary on Netflix called 'The Ponds', about the Highgate wild swimming ponds, and they said that the number of swimmers is inversely related to the temperature of the water, e.g. when it gets cold, they get more swimmers.

@dinny_g In the same documentary, someone commented "No matter how long you've been doing it, you always say 'FUCKING HELL'. You just get better at saying it quietly"

[Ascender]

We started open water swimming and paddle boarding at the tail-end of summer, but it was definitely wetsuits all the time. The local reservoir wasn't too bad, but that first dunking in the sea, with the water going down the back of the suit was always horrible.

[DeskJockey]

Friend of mine in Sweden regularly goes for a dip in the local lake. Pictures of her in the water in the hole she's cut in the (nearly a foot thick) ice.

I've done dives in 8c water in double 7mm wet suits and that was plenty cold for me.

[dinny_g]

I paddled in Ireland in a dry suit gear year round with full fleece suit underneath - in winter, I'd add extra thermal layers if needed and neoprene gloves but where at all possible, I never got out of my boat... - You're absolutely Goddamn right

[Mito Man]

Friend of mine in Sweden regularly goes for a dip in the local lake. Pictures of her in the water in the hole she's cut in the (nearly a foot thick) ice.

I've done dives in 8c water in double 7mm wet suits and that was plenty cold for me.

There’s quite a difference between going for a dip and actually swimming in ice cold water across a lake. One’s an adrenaline rush. The other is insanity

[DeskJockey]

Friend of mine in Sweden regularly goes for a dip in the local lake. Pictures of her in the water in the hole she's cut in the (nearly a foot thick) ice.

I've done dives in 8c water in double 7mm wet suits and that was plenty cold for me.

There’s quite a difference between going for a dip and actually swimming in ice cold water across a lake. One’s an adrenaline rush. The other is insanity

In a dry suit with a thick hood it would be fine. But yes, not quite the same thing.

[nuttinnew]

Random thought @Ascender (prompted by being reminded of a weather convo/discussion I got caught up in a couple of years back); you've done MdS, have you/would you do a cold version?

[DaveE]

I paddled in Ireland in a dry suit gear year round with full fleece suit underneath - in winter, I'd add extra thermal layers if needed and neoprene gloves but where at all possible, I never got out of my boat... - You're absolutely Goddamn right

Nice!

I see what you did there

[Ascender]

Random thought @Ascender (prompted by being reminded of a weather convo/discussion I got caught up in a couple of years back); you've done MdS, have you/would you do a cold version?

@nuttinnew I've thought about it, the 6633 Ultra has always appealed, but the lack of running worries me! Seems like a different type of fitness and a whole other level of mental toughness in order to walk for hours on end dragging a sled. It appeals from a personal challenge point of view and scenery etc, but if I can get back to a decent fitness I'd probably like to do some of the big trail races in the US first.