Ryan Sandes

Trans Alpine Run 2010 Race Report…

2010-09-12T11:55:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year I decided to do the Trans Alpine run in a mixed team with Linda Doke and use it as a big training week for my build up the “Last Desert” race in Antarctica (November). At the time it sounded like an awesome idea to spend the week running 310km through the Alps and experience something a bit different to the deserts and jungles. We finished the Trans Alps yesterday and I was right…it was an awesome week of running but it was also a bit tougher on the athletes than I expected! Running up mountains that climb over 1200 meters in elevation and then descend just has quickly takes its toll on your legs over eight days. The race feels like a bit of a blur now with lots of awesome memories, some breath taking views and a few really cold experiences on top of the snow-capped summits. However I can remember how excited all the runners were to get started on day one and then by about day four it had became a battle of survival with many runners falling casualties to the vicious Alpine Mountains - those runners that were still fighting the battle of survival were held together by tape and compression gear. Then on day eight the mood and attitude of the “surviving runners” changed to one that could feel the home straight was around the corner - these survivors were determined to cross the finish line. By 2pm yesterday, 310km later and over 13 500meters of elevation gain most of the “surviving runners”had crossed the finish line. There was a mass of emotions at the finish line with some runners shedding a few tears, others gulping on champagne in celebration of their achievements, some just relieved the week was over and others just had a smile of satisfaction on their faces.

PHOTO KELVIN TRAUTMAN

Linda and I finished third overall in the mixed team division after a few long days out in the Alpine Mountain range. It was a new experience running in a team and even more so in a mixed team. We had to combine our strengths and weaknesses over the eight days to see how fast we could cover the 310km. One method of doing this was to use a tow rope - my “training week” in the Alps had suddenly become a bit tougher ☺.. We had our highs and lows during the week but huge respect to Linda for giving it 110% the whole time. She never dropped her head once, never complained (only a few times that we were going to fast..) and was a great partner to have for the week. Linda you did South Africa proud!!!

PHOTO TRANS ALPS

PHOTO KELVIN TRAUTMAN

PHOTO KELVIN TRAUTMAN

Personally the week was a huge learning experience for me as this was my first time running in the Alps. After completing the 4 Desert Series at the end of this year I would like to give the Ultra Trail Mont Blanc a bash next year…. I have relised in order to be competitive at the Mont Blanc I will need to make some adjustments to my training and preparation next year leading up to the Ultra Trail Mont Blanc. I think I will be heading back to run Sani Pass a few times….

Otherwise all is good and it is now all systems go for the “Last Desert” in Antarctica in November. I cannot wait to get on the boat and head to Antarctica!!

Thanks to Velocity Sports Lab and Salomon Sports for making the Trans Alps experience happen for Linda and I!!

Thanks to my other sponsors Red Bull, Oakley, Suunto, Imazine and Hammer Nutrition – your support is invaluable!!

And to the team… Ian, Chris, Willie, Benita, Sally, Tara and Kelly – Thanks so much guys for all your help!!

And to everyone who supported us during the week, thanks a million we could have not done it without your messages of encouragement!!

Keep you posted!!

Ryan

p.s. Keep an eye on Linda's Blog for her race report... www.lindadoke.blogspot.com

PHOTO GRIPMASTER

Day 7 in the Alps - almost there

2010-09-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

“Today was the best day so far, the trails were all single track and technical and the climbs were BIG, but the views at the top were awesome. It was by far one of the most beautiful trails I have ever run along!! Linda had a small knee issue with about 5km to go and we had to stop for a bit and the 5th placed team passed us……when we got started again I noticed that both the 4th and 3rd placed teams were just in front of us. I knew the last place on the podium was ours and put the tow rope on Linda and ran like crazy….we crossed the line in 3rd place. Both the 2nd and 3rd teams in the overall mixed standings are a bit worse for wear…..so we may be in with an outside chance to grab an overall podium tomorrow. We need to have the best day of our race tomorrow – my legs feel good and I am going to give it a full bash!!!”

Day 6 in the Alps

2010-09-09T05:27:00.000-07:00

“We are still in 4th position after 6 stages of the TransAlpine Run. Today was another insane day of running as we have now entered the Dolomites. With the aim of wanting to run Mont Blanc Ultra Trail next year the last six days of Alpine running has given me some great insight and knowledge of what type of conditions and terrain to expect. I am looking forward to tomorrows stage as the race organizers say it is one of the most beautiful stages. Thanks again to everyone for their support – Linda and I really appreciate it.”

Five days in the Alps - quick feedback

2010-09-08T05:19:00.000-07:00

“5 days down and 3 to go….FAAAK!!!! 305km across the Alps is a long way, but the organizers felt this was too short and added an extra 5km on to the course today due to mudslides!!! We are currently in 4th position in the very competitive mixed category…Linda had a great run today after her stomach problems yesterday. The climbs seem to get steeper everyday and my legs are starting to hear the Alps talking to them. Huge respect to Linda who keeps powering on, she has really dug deep the last few days and I am super proud of her. The next 3 days are going to be hard slogs but both Linda and I are still in high spirits and looking forward to getting to the finish in Sexten!”

Less than 24hours to the Trans Alpine Run…

2010-09-03T08:11:00.000-07:00

Linda and I have spent the last two days acclimatising in Ruhpolding, Germany - the start city for the 2010 Trans Alpine Trail Run. Ruhpolding and the surrounding areas are really awesome, everything is super clean, efficient, safe etc but it still can’t beat Africa! We have spent the last two days going for easy runs, eating pizza and ice cream, going up the mountain in a cable car (a rare luxury!!) and trying to find a decent coffee shop – there are no Vida’s here.

We were one of the first teams to register late yesterday afternoon and by midday today the town has come alive with runners everywhere. I have just returned from the registration & expo and the “race bug” has bitten!... I have a few butterflies in my stomach and I want to get started now… Racing in a mixed team for the first time is going to be a very new and exciting experience for both Linda and myself. We have chatted about a few strategies and now all we need to do is start running!!..

Keep you posted!!

Ryan

Team Salomon / Velocity Sports Lab

Pre Trans Alpine Run Training @ the top of Sani Pass…

2010-08-30T13:14:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don’t know what the Trans Alpine Run is… it is an 8 day staged race run in teams of two (male, ladies or mixed), it is over 300km long and on average you climb just over 2000 vertical meters per day. Runners start off in the German Alps, making their way across Austria and finally finishing in the Dolomites in Italy. I will be attempting this running adventure in a mixed team with one of South Africa’s top women trail runners, Linda Doke. Her multi day team stage racing CV is very impressive… 3 races and 3 victories!!!... (Two-time Cape Odyssey winner (ladies) and current African X (ladies) title holder.

PHOTO: KELVIN TRAUTMAN

Oh… and I forgot to mention we will be running at an average altitude of about 2300m above sea level, with the highest point being just under 3000m. Both Linda and myself live at sea level and we needed to make a plan to get some altitude training in…FAAAAK!! Linda came up with a master plan…. which was to train / acclimatise on top of Sani Pass which is just under 3000m above sea level. A number of top Two Oceans and Comrades runners have trained up there in the past and achieved great results. Imagine Bruce Fordyce trained up there??... Or maybe he did… but I think having Africa’s highest pub as his office, dinning room and living room may have been a bit of a distraction.

Linda headed up to Sani Pass a few days before me as I had a prior commitment to run the Puffer Trail Run… I headed up there the day after the Puffer and to my horror the daytime temperature was just below freezing and a slow “trot” felt like a 100m dash. To make things worse there was no running water in our chalets, we only had power from 6pm to 9pm and washing consisted of boiling a kettle and bucket washing. I quickly did the math and realised I was up there for just over 7 days, the same length as the desert races I have run. I never washed in the desert and hence why wash now…. Get naked in minus 3-degree temperatures and pour luke warm water on yourself…I think you will agree with me washing was a no go!!

PHOTO: KELVIN TRAUTMAN

The positive about being up there is the place is a heaven for trail running at altitude… I will be back but with a camping shower of some sorts. The food was awesome and the hot chocolate up there tasted better than a Vida coffee. I was in recovery mode from the Puffer and my daily runs were not much longer than an hour and so I got to spend a lot of time in Africa’s highest pub chatting to the passing travelers. Roger who runs Sani Top Chalets for his brother was too funny… the day after Linda arrived Roger decided to have a smoke break half way up the Sani Pass. It was very kind of him to be considerate enough not to smoke in his brothers Landrover, but when stopping for his smoke break he forgot to pull the hand break up… Sani Pass 1 – Landrover 0 (write off). I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when Roger phoned is brother with the “bad” news!

On a more serious note I think Linda and I have really benefited from training on top of Sani Pass. Ideally we need another week up there but I think we are well prepared for the Alps. I can see Linda is transforming into race mode and we both can’t wait to board the plane for Munich, Germany tomorrow night.

PHOTO: KELVIN TRAUTMAN

For more info go to:

www.transalpine-run.com

or

www.lindadoke.blogspot.com

About to land in Cape Town so chat later…

I will keep you posted on our Alps Adventure!

Cheers
Ryan

Team Salomon / Velocity Sports Lab

Puffer Trail Run Race Report

2010-08-25T01:00:00.000-07:00

The day started with my alarm clock sounding a 2:30am. I jumped out of bed and looked out the window to check the weather. Faaaak...it was blowing a gale and the rain was pouring down. These were not ideal conditions for running the Puffer but I was ampt to get to the start line and get the show on the road.

I got to Cape Point just in time to catch the 5am bus to the start. There was a deadly silence on the bus and all I could hear was my heart beating and the gale force North Wester that we would be running straight into. The rest was a nervous blur and at 5:30am the start gun sounded and we were off…

Nick de Beer, Ake (Hout Bay Trail Challenge winner) and I took the early lead. We ran in a tight group trying to get some shelter from the gale force gusts of wind that once or twice nearly blew me off my feet. As we came out of the reserve Nick put about a 50 second gap into Ake and myself and looked very comfortable on the tar section of the race -this came as no surprise as he had run a 6hour 12min Comrades earlier this year….FAAAAKING FAST!!

At the top of Red Hill we turned onto the trails and immediately I felt and home. My legs felt like compressed coil springs waiting to explode and soon I found myself on Nick’s heals. I looked back and Ake was nowhere to be seen. I felt really comfortable and pushed hard on all the hills up to Constantia Neck (55km mark). The gusts of wind were still really strong but luckily there was not much rain. Running into Constantia Neck I realized I was on record pace and if I had a good run over the mountain a sub 7 hour Puffer was on the cards.. The support at Constantia Neck was awesome but I got the unfortunate news we were getting diverted around the mountains due to the harsh weather conditions.

I headed off around the mountain knowing I just had to keep a steady pace and the race was in the bag. I knew the contour path (route we were diverted along) backwards and still felt relatively strong…except for the stair section – that hurt!! Just before turning onto Tafelberg road the wind picked up again and it felt like I was running backwards in slow motion. The 70km’s of running had caught up to me… I started to hurt and was not a happy camper running along Tafelberg Road. The visibility was really bad running up Plateklip and I took a wrong turn….and suddenly realised I was nearly back on Tafelberg Road. My worst nightmare had come true and I thought I had thrown the race away! I ran, scrambled and crawled in a panicked frenzy back up to the contour path. My adrenalin was pumping and I was not tired anymore. I saw Owen Middleton on the path (taking photographs) and he confirmed I was still in the lead -that brought an instant feeling of relief and smile to my face.

I had about 8km to go and realized a sub 7 hour Puffer was still on. I increased the tempo on the last few Km’s and crossed the finish line at Ferryman’s in the Waterfront in just over 6hours and 57mins. I was super stoked and also relieved (felt the pressure big time the week leading up the race) to have won the race known as the “Comrades” of trail running. I will have to give it another bash someday and go over the mountain!
Well done to all Puffer Runners, Eric for winning the Tuffer Puffer and to Karoline for winning the women’s race. Note Karoline and myself are both coached by Ian Waddell… Thanks Ian!!

Thanks to the organisers, Serena and Martin for putting on an awesome event!!

Thanks to my sponsors whom this would not be possible without:

Velocity Sports Lab – Trevor there are no words to describe what you have done for me!!
Salomon – You guys are like family.. (Brothers and sisters from another mother!!)
Red Bull – That E shot with 6km to go was the bomb!!
Oakley – No matter how misty and gloomy conditions got…life was still bright through my Oakley’s!!
Imazine – My green and yellow arm bands once again helped me cross the finish line feeling strong….maybe these arm bands radiate EPO
Hammer Nutrition – Perpetuem…I don’t need to say anything more!!
Suunto – My T6c gave me accurate running pace and timing along the whole route… a must for keeping a constant rhythm!!

A huge thanks to Big Steve (your support over the last two years has been massive – respect dude!!) and Vanessa for seconding me along the route (thanks babe!!) – I could not have finished the Puffer without you guys!! Thanks so much!!

Cas and Pi your company along the route was awesome – things can get a bit lonely running 80km on your own. Thanks dudes!!

Off for a light jog now on Sani Pass…. some recovery and prep for the Trans Alpine run in two weeks.

Have a look at my running partner for the Trans Alps, Linda Doke’s blog: www.lindadoke.blogspot.com

Thanks for all your support!!

Ryan

World champs and JAG hosts first-ever running camp for inner city kids

2010-06-16T03:10:00.000-07:00

PHOTOS JACQUES MARAIS

Together with world renowned extreme athletes Ryan Sandes and Tatum Prins, the JAG Foundation recently hosted its first-ever running camp. Held at the Chrysalis Academy in Tokai, 26 children from the ProNutro JAGRunners programme, a running initiative implemented by the JAG Foundation to empower and equip youth in disadvantaged communities in the Western Cape, had the privilege of attending a trail running camp with world class athletes.

Known as the world’s best ultra marathon runner, Ryan Sandes has become a household name within the global sports fraternity whilst fellow athlete Tatum Prins is known internationally as a top adventure racer – both leading athletes in their respective disciplines, Sandes and Prins have a desire to see talented youngsters achieve through sports.

The camp was made possible thanks to a generous sponsorship from Salomon and Velocity Sports Lab in partnership with the JAG Sports and Education Foundation. Each of the 26 children were given a goody bag with kit and shoes from Salomon and Velocity Sports Lab, watches and bands from Imazine and the all important headlamps for their late night run from Black Diamond.

Starting on the first day of the Soccer World Cup our young runners did not miss out on all the soccer excitement. Ryan and Tatum created a very clever treasure hunt around the soccer theme to kick the camp off, followed by the children watching the opening Bafana match against Mexico.

PHOTO JACQUES MARAIS

On Saturday Ryan took the kids on a 22km run/ hike up to the mast on the Constantiaberg Mountain in Tokai as a team work exercise. Ryan and Tatum split the kids into groups – each aptly named after the Group-A soccer teams – with each team having to work together and more importantly stay together on their run up the mountain. “It was great to see how the kids worked as a team on this run, we had the stronger guys helping the smaller girls, everyone focused on their strengths and not their weaknesses,” says Ryan.

“Many of the runners have not gone further than 5km previously so it was a great achievement for all of them to run 22km on a trail and over tough mountain climbs. Even though you cold see that at times a lot of them were struggling not once did they want to give up. They showed a tremendous courage and a team spirit, which is what the ProNutro JAGRunners programme is set to achieve.” says Kathleen Shuttleworth, ProNutro JAG runners programme manager.

Tatum’s knowledge of the mountains and her experience in the adventure sports industry added a great twist into all the activities set out for the kids and made them that much more exciting and challenging. “It was a real “feel good” weekend. We had a load of fun and a 1000 laughs! No shortage of good humour in that group or talent for that matter,” says Tatum.

On Sunday morning children were split into two groups headed by Ryan and Tatum for the 10km trail challenge. The faster group lead the pack by marking the route for the slower group which had to find the markers and get to the finish on time. The camp finished with a feedback session from the kids themselves. What stood out the most for the majority of the kids was the team work and learning to work together and help each other.

The camp was a phenomenal success and had highlighted the simple power of sport in creating the change in young people’s lives.

African X - 3 Day Trail Race (2 Day this year - Bad Weather)

2010-05-09T23:45:00.000-07:00

African x = 3 days of trail running (day 1 = 25km day 2 = 42 km and day 3 would have = 22km)

The distances were relatively short for me and ideally I would have liked it to be a bit more technical but the concept of running in a clover leaf format and finishing at the same place every day was very exciting.
Running in a team for the first time was also going to be a new challenge but looking back it defiantly
made the race that much more exciting. Thanks Cas it was an awesome experience!!..

We had a conservative first day finishing in second place behind race favorites, Team ProNutro, coming from a road background these guys are FAST! We were 5minutes behind and knew that if we had a good second day we could make up some time. This was not to be on day two and we finished in 3rd position, looking back we started off a bit slowly and then I cramped is the last few km which did not help with us trying to make up some ground in the last 15km.

Lying in 3rd position going into day three we were hoping to make up the 50 odd seconds on the 2nd placed team as the ProNutro boys had the race sewn up. This was not to be as due to bad weather stage three was cancelled. It was a bit of an anticlimax not being able to cross the finish line for the last time but all and all what a great experience. To Michael Meyer and the Stillwater team you guys put on a great event!

Well done to Michael and Warren of Team ProNutro for winning the mens race (Michael is a Salomon athlete). Team Salomon dominated both the mixed and ladies events with Michelle Lombardi and Mark Colins winning the mixed category and Linda Doke and Tatum Prins winning the ladies race.

Below are some questions I answered for Jacky of Peridot...

QUESTIONS

1. Summary of Stage One (route, performance & strategy):

Our strategy on stage one was to start out conservatively for the first 7km and then use the technical mountain section to our advantage (we both prefer the technical trails) to catch up to the leading teams. We knew the last 10km would be fast and brutal and our plan was to hang in there without hurting our legs too much for day two.

All went according to plan and we were the second team coming out of the technical forest section about one minute behind the leaders. We ran hard to try and not let them pull away too far but we crossed the finish line just over five minutes behind them. It was a big gap but we knew Warren and Michael would be very quick on the less technical sections. We were relatively happy with the result, personally I was a bit disappointed with my legs on the hills as they felt a bit "pap" and I had a stupid fall towards the end of the stage.

The route was awesome scenery wise and there was a nice range of trails. We started off with with a mixture of gravel trails and beach before entering the botanical gardens and up along a single track into the mountains. Then it was all down hill through a small forest which at times felt like I was running in the Amazon again - just a bit cooler! This was followed by more gravel trails and then along the river before finishing off along a boardwalk next to the beach. It was a tough 25km but the surroundings were spectacular and made it all worthwhile

ALL PHOTOS TAKEN BY OAKPICS

2. Summary of Stage Two (route, performance & team strategy):

Day two was the long stage of just over 42km, the trail was not very technical but there were one or two nasty hills towards the end of the route which we planned to use to our advantage. We started off at a comfortable pace and kept the leaders in sight planning to push the long climb at the 20km mark. We passed three or four teams on the long hill and upped our pace for the last 15km but once again their was no stopping Warren and Michael - they had a great race.

Most of the route was along gravel jeep tracks with a few kilometers of single track along the river, but the surrounding landscapes were spectacular and made the route really enjoyable.

ALL PHOTOS TAKEN BY OAKPICS

3. Feedback on your partnership with Cas (team strengths, weaknesses etc):

Going into the race we knew the pace was going to be really fast as the distances were relatively short and trails not that technical. We planned on starting off conservatively every day, pushing on the hills and technical sections to make up time and hoped that if we were feeling good on day two (long stage) we could finish strongly and gain some time.

4. Did the event meet your expectations:

Yes, the event was a really memorable experience! The running was hard and fast with spectacular scenery, the event organisation was top class and the support was awesome. It was a bit disappointing to have the third and last stage cancelled due to the weather but safety comes first.

5. You’re use to racing longer distances as an individual athlete, what was it like racing the shorter distances as part of a team:

Racing the shorter distances was hard work as there is no time to warm up - you have to be on top of your game from the start. Running in a team adds a whole new dimension to the race as you are only as strong as your weakest team member. However I really enjoyed the experience and running with Cas.

ALL PHOTOS TAKEN BY OAKPICS

6. What did you enjoy most about the event:

Running in one of the most beautiful places in the world and the post race vibe every evening in the race village.

7. What is your most memorable moment:

Cramping in both calves and both hamstrings going up the last hill...poor Cas had to push me up the hill!

8. Advise for runners wanting to compete for the first time in 2011:

Enter NOW!!.... This is an event for all runners - the distances are short enough for beginner runners, the trails are not too technical if you come from a road running back ground and if you are competitive the competition is stiff at the front of the pack.

9. Would you like to compete again in 2011:

The event was loads of fun and I am hoping to compete again next year if it fits in with my race schedule.

My next focus is the Hout Bay Trail Challenge in July and Trans Alpine Run in September where I will be teaming up with Linda Doke.

Hout Bay Trail Challenge Website:

http://www.sports4u.co.za/HBTC/Content/GenericContent.aspx?eid=27&group=Home&name=N/A

Trans Alpine Run Website:

www.transalpine-run.com/alps_cross_start.htm

Cheers

Ryan

Two Oceans Trail Run…

2010-04-02T05:27:00.000-07:00

When I first heard of the Two Oceans trail run I thought it was going to be a bit of a road run along the jeep tracks above the University of Cape Town. So it did not sound very appealing…but then I spoke to Trevor Ball (race organiser) and he was concerned the route was in fact too technical. I knew at that moment that Trevor was cooking up a very interesting course and entered.. and it would also be a nice African x training run for me.

At 6:15am this morning I arrived at the famous Jameson steps (University of Cape Town) to get my race passport scanned before the race start at 7:15am. Universities must attract hot chix??!!…the talent the other night in Stellenbosch was unbelievable but there was no shortage at U.C.T this morning!! …And they were trail runner chix!! … Things are starting to look good on the trail running scene!! It crossed my mind to start in the slow group with some of the chix…. But that ego of mine got the better of me again!

At 7:14am Trevor gave us a quick race briefing…. I heard something about ropes, “heartbreak hill” and “bastard hill” – I like hills so things were looking good! Off we went and within a few minutes we were running on the slopes of Table Mountain. I think a lot of us “Cape Town runners take for granted the quality of trails we have… this morning’s scenery and views were awesome. I am not much of a writer so the best way I can describe it is…..FAAAAK…. and I was not having one of the most comfortable runs so my vision was a bit “hazy”. My legs were feeling like “jelly” and more of a rest after the Atacama Desert Race was probably a better option – but I did not want to miss out on the inaugural Two Oceans Trail Run… and I am glad I did not!

Up the mountain we went…up some more…faaak Trevor was not joking about there being a few hills….up some more….up….up… my legs had now gone from the “jelly” sensation to feeling like someone had put concrete in my shoes and set my quads on fire. Enjoy the views I told myself and we reached the summit… from there it was a flat traverse along the contour path before going down past the Blockhouse and into the forest. My legs were starting to feel a bit better with the flat sections and then “bastard hill” appeared…it was not that long but it hurt!! The tears in my eyes from “bastard hill” hampered my vision and I missed the turn off and kept going up the mountain… I was now on a mountain bike trail following white dots and thought Trevor had gone for the “Easter Egg Hunt” theme. Things got worse and the path disappeared…luckily I could hear Mike Finch’s (Runners World Editor and race announcer) voice over the loud speaker and I followed the voice through the thick vegetation before popping out just above U.C.T.

I ran over the finish line and explained my little mishap to the time keepers….Mike Finch asked me with a concerned look on his face how I managed to run 250km through a desert without getting lost and then I go and get lost in my own backyard. I put it down to “bastard hill”!!

Well done to fellow Salomon Athletes Cas van Aardenne and Michelle Lombardi for winning the Overall Male and Female. I am stoked to be running African X with Cas, who is running very strong – I think the Mast Challenge will be put on hold to give my legs some rest and I need to get some speed in my "sticks".

Thanks to Trevor for organizing an awesome event – a great showpiece for trail running!! Nice work Trev and team!!

I will be back next year and hopefully make it past “bastard hill”!

Happy Easter!!

Ryan

Back in the Republic of Hout Bay….

2010-03-30T05:06:00.000-07:00

After just over a month of travelling it has been awesome to spend the last week back home in Hout Bay taking it easy and resting the legs. By day I have been hanging out in coffee shops catching up with mates and by night I have hit a few “jols” and have enjoyed the odd tequila. Stellenbosch was rocking last night at Intervarsity Rugby…. I miss being a student…the Maties have got no shortage of pretty ladies!!

What is next on the cards….The African x at the beginning of May. It is a 3 day stage race run in teams of two. I have never run a multi day race in a team before so I am looking forward to the challenge and some company along the way. I am teaming up with Cas van Aardenne who is running very strong at the moment so I have got some work to do the next few weeks! I will also be running the Two Oceans trail run this weekend as part of my training and then it’s the Mast Challenge in three weeks time..

Mast Challenge??? Go to www.trailrunning.co.za.... 11.5km up to the Tokai Mast – Run vs Ride or if you are stupid enough…you can do both. I decided to do both but I am regretting that decision after riding up to the Mast last Friday. I was in all sorts of pain…more so than all the pain I suffered in the Gobi, Sahara and Atacama Desert races combined. Biking is hard work and huge respect to all the Epic finishers!!...I think I will stick to running multi day races!!

Before and after Mast ride photos.....note I am wearing the polka dot jersey...I started off the ride thinking I was the King of the Mountain and was going to tame the Mast….I was crying by about half way up… 1 – 0 to the Mast!!

Good luck to all the Oceans runners!!

Ryan

Salomon Advance Week…

2010-03-20T02:21:00.000-07:00

I have been staying at the base of Mont Vetoux in France for the past week as part of the Salomon Advance team testing out new gear and shoes… The Salomon S LAB scientists are onto some big things!!

The week has been a bit more relaxed than my previous week spent in the Atacama Desert and more importantly I have managed to catch up on my lack food and sleep in the desert. But it has not been a complete holiday….on average we would do a 15km run in the morning (on the slopes of Mont Vetoux…) and then another 15km in the afternoon. This sounds easy but when you are running with the likes of Jonathan Wyatt, Killian Jornet etc it is never an easy run.

On the top of Mont Vetoux I got a chance to run in some snow….training for Antarctica!
It is a lot harder running in the snow than I expected and it is very hard to read the snow to see where it is hard packed and soft.

See pics below by Ryan Scott (Runners World Gear Guy)…..

The last two days I have been taking it very easy as my legs still feel like lead when I walk up the stairs…suppose that is normal after running 250km across the desert the week before??

I will be running a 26km race up Mont Vetoux tomorrow and then straight after I will be getting on a plane via Germany to South Africa… so I better stop whining about my tired legs, harden the FAAAK up, run fast and make sure I get on the plane!.. Sounds easy…but I am looking out the window at the mighty Mont Vetoux known to be one of the toughest climbs in the Tour de France… and I know for sure its going to be a brutal 26km but looking forward to it!!

Checking out the Tour route.....

Chat Later

Sandman slowly transforming into a snowman…

The Atacama Desert Wrap Up!!

2010-03-13T13:29:00.000-08:00

I have just got back to the hotel in San Pedro….so good to shower and brush my teeth again – the fur on my teeth was getting outta control!...

I needed to run a sub 42min 10km on the last stage to finish the Atacama Desert race in under 24hours… We started at 1pm today and I knew I had to go as hard as I could from the start… There were a couple of really steep climbs to start off with and I was behind target pace but then the course headed onto a gravel road and I could up the tempo. I kept looking at my watch to check the time….faaak was I going to make it!!??

Then there it was…I saw the finish line…I sprinted in in under 42min and managed to finish the race in under 24 hours and win the 2010 Atacama Desert Race. Three deserts down and now only the “Last Desert” to go in November.... Whooo Hooo!!

The last week was an awesome experience; the Atacama Desert is one of the most beautiful places I have run in but the conditions were brutal! The hard training seemed to pay off and I am super stoked with the way things have gone… Off to the awards banquet now and then I fly to France tomorrow for Salomon Advance Week.

A huge thanks to my sponsors / “dream givers”; Velocity Sports Lab (Thanks Trev!!!!), Salomon Sports, Oakley, Suunto, Imazine and Hammer Nutrition. My achievements over the past week would not have been possible without you guys, thanks for all the support!!

Thanks to everyone for your messages of support…they helped me keep going forward when my legs wanted to stop!!

Cheers
Ryan

The Atacama Desert Race - Stage 5 (The Long Stage - 76km)

2010-03-12T21:08:00.000-08:00

We had a staggered start today for the long stage of 76km, so the faster guys started at 10:30am just as it was getting really hot. The wait to start took forever and I had a few butterflies in my stomach....every long stage does that to me as it can be really brutal if you are having a bad day.

We started on some more salt flats and I took a hard fall early on leaving me cursing myself not to be so clumsy. This was followed by a combination of more sand dunes, salty coral formations, rock, canyons and some extreme heat.... But I was having a good time passing the slower competitors...some company was good. At the half way point I got a stupid idea that sub 7 hours was doable...I think the previous record was about 8 hours something. So I put my ears down and went for it...there were times I really regretted my decision but another voice in my head said don't be a wuss and just run.

After a bit of suffering I crossed the finish line in 6 hours 57min and I think I may be able to sneak under 24 hours for my total race time depending on how long tomorrow is...I heard it is 10kms.

But more importantly the pizza at the finish is going to be good. Freeze dried meals, smash, stock cubes, Perpetuem, gels, ProNutro, Recoverite have done the job this week but I need some real food now!!

Chat tomorrow

Ryan

Atacama Stage 4

2010-03-11T20:59:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning with a few butterflies in my stomach as stage 4 heads straight through the infamous salt flats..
It was freezing cold again this morning....I don’t do the cold well so I will have to make a plan for Antarctica!

We started off stage 4 on more faaaking sand dunes....I thought I had seen all the sand dunes Chile has over the previous three days. Just before the first checkpoint we headed down a really steep dune into a river with loads of vegetation, for a second I thought I was back in the jungle again. There were seem deep areas in the river which I managed to avoid but a few competitors were not so lucky and I have been hearing complaints of wet i-pod's and cameras.

After checkpoint two I headed through a small village and was greeted by a few dogs snapping at my ankles... Luckily I survived and headed along a 13km soft sandy track to checkpoint 2 and the start of the salt flats. I was expecting the worst going through the salt flats but it was actually not that bad... It was a mixture of more salty coral like terrain and softer salts flats that now and again my feet would pierce through. I survived the salt flats thanks to my Salomon S LABS... and after checkpoint 3 it was a quick 6km to the finish on a jeep track.... As I am typing two dogs are crossing the finish line with a competitor... apparently they followed him across the salt flats...

I finished feeling strong today and I am looking forward to getting the long stage out the way and finishing in San Pedro!

Thanks to everyone for your messages of support!!!

I will keep you posted.

Ryan

Atacama Desert Race - Day 3

2010-03-10T20:59:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning and it was too cold to get out my sleeping bag....so it took me a while to get going.
I was strapping up my pack next to my tent and heard 10, 9, 8.... I made a dash for the start line and we were off.

We started off running through what looked like "ploughed fields of coral".... very slow moving, crunchy underfoot and now and again my foot would get swallowed by the "coral" leaving cuts on my shins. After 5km I moved onto an open stretch of road and it was nice to stretch the legs out again before reaching checkpoint one. The next stretch to checkpoint two was a mixture of single track and sand dunes, I was feeling good and at checkpoint two I thought I was going to be in for a short and easy day.

I was very WRONG...the entire next section (10.5km) was over these "ploughed coral fields"...this is a mixture of hard packed mud and salt - ideal for twisting ankles.
The going was slow moving but loads of fun and I got to the last checkpoint feeling great and my legs were feeling strong.
It was 11.5km to the finish but it felt like 111kms...it took me 1hour and 35min to get through a mixture of sand dunes and rock shelves....very slow!!
It kept getting hotter, the sand kept getting softer and I was having serious sense of humour failure....what was taking so long!? I eventually crossed the finish line feeling exhausted but glad it was over...

To my surprise I was over an hour ahead of the second placed competitor...Apart from the last 5km of the race I felt really comfortable and my legs seem to be feeling a bit stronger. With the long stage lurking around the corner this is a good thing!

I was asked the question what I thought was the hardest 4 Desert apart from Antarctica...My answer after today is Atacama! It has got the hardest bits of Gobi, Sahara and more! But this is by far the most beautiful desert and the scenery is insane when I get a chance to take it in.

Thanks to everyone for your Birthday wishes and messages of support!

Ryan

Atacama Desert Race - Day 2...and nearly stage 3 too!

2010-03-09T20:58:00.001-08:00

Last night I slept a lot better and it felt less cold...but I was probably just exhausted from the first days racing.

We started off the first section of stage two running in the slot Atacama Desert Race - Day 2...and nearly stage 3 too!canyons; the scenery was awesome with a few river crossings. Yes a river in the driest dessert in the world...but I was not complaining as the ice cold water was the perfect recovery remedy my legs needed. There was quite a bit of life along the river with wild donkeys, birds etc. Straight after the first checkpoint we headed up a pass, through an old mining tunnel and then up some more before running along a ridge with panoramic views of the desert. I was told the Atacama Desert course was flat.....going by the last two days this is definitely not the case!! Just before checkpoint two we dropped of the ridge down a massive sand dune....it made Table Mountain look small!

The final two sections were flat, sandy, HOT and faaaking lonely....I was in the lead but I did not know by how much. I could see no one behind me so I decided to put it in cruise control and take an easy run into the finish.... or so I planned! But that only lasted for a few minutes...no pain and suffering was over rated and I decided to push on and get to the finish before it got too hot. The day nearly ended in disaster when I started following the flags for the start of stage three....luckily I realized something was not right and I did not end up wasting too much time. I finished 50mins ahead of the second placed runners so my lead is growing but the race is still in the early stages and anything can happen...

But for now all is good!!

Ryan

Day 1 of Atacama Desert Race

2010-03-08T22:32:00.001-08:00

Last night must go down as one of the coldest nights of my life.... the consequences of trying to have a light pack and not using a sleeping mat!

It was a good feeling to get started this morning after the previous week’s events and the lead guys set off at quite a quick pace. I was feeling good on the first climb and made a break and ended up running the rest of the stage on my own. My final time was 3 hours and 3min about twenty odd minutes ahead of the second placed runner. From my previous race experiences it helps to have a time cushion after the first day so I am quite chuffed with the way things went. Not to say it was easy out there...

I still can not get the fact that we are running along in a desert in 40 degree temperatures and looking up at snow caped mountains.... there were a few times today when I could have done with some of that snow! The first two sections of the stage flew past really quickly apart from a quick pit stop.... Rob, I could have done with a pooh bag! The third section had a never ending hill which kept on going up... There is not a lot that lives in the Atacama apart from a few Llamas and things got very hot and lonely out there. I finally made it to the check point and from there it was a quick 3.6km to the finish. It’s a big day relief to get the first day under my belt with no issues.

The terrain here reminds me of running in the Gobi Desert except there is not much life and the air has slightly less oxygen! When we are not running in dry river beds, then it is across fields of rock and sand. But all in all it has been a good day at the office in an awesome place..

Off to the tent now to put my feet up..

Ryan

Day 1 of Atacama Desert Race

2010-03-08T22:32:00.000-08:00

Final Preperations

2010-03-06T09:56:00.000-08:00

Most competitors have now arrived in the small town of San Pedro and are making final race preparations. I went for a short run this morning to check everything is still working and it hit home - I am finally in the Atacama Desert. It is awesome here and the hotel we are staying has an African feel to it…making me feel right at home.

Dean (The African Attachment) and I explored the town this morning and below are a few shots...

All shots by Dean Leslie

Competitors have a race briefing and kit check tomorrow morning and then it is off to the Desert in the afternoon to start the race on Monday. I can’t wait to get started now…

Thanks to everyone for their messages of support!!

Keep you posted…

Ryan

Road Tripping through Bolivia and Chile…

2010-03-04T15:32:00.000-08:00

I am sure every one knows about the devastating earthquake that hit Chile last Saturday.. my thoughts go out to all those effected by it!! Racing the Planet has decided to continue with the Atacama Desert race which will now be in aid of the earthquake victims. For more details on how you can help please go to : http://www.racingtheplanet.com/store/support-earthquake-victims-in-chile-through-habitat-for-humanity.html

Late on Monday evening I was packing and getting ready to catch a flight the next day from La Paz to Calama in Chile, when I got the dreaded phone call that my flight had been cancelled and there may be no more flights for the entire week.

Faaaaaak….. the whole hotel started shaking now….. I dropped the computer and ran outside.... I can not speak Spanish but what I understand we are next to the biggest Copper mine in the world and they have just done a major blast there. The house cleaner ladies think it is another earthquake…

Getting back to Monday…. I decided to still go to the airport on Tues and take a chance in hope of getting on a flight. I was not so lucky and all flights were cancelled so my only option was to catch a bus to Calama, but to make things worse there was a national three day bust strike starting on Wednesday. Luckily I managed to get the last bus out of La Paz on Tues….. 8 hours to the Chilean border where the altitude was just over 4500m above sea level…and another 17 hours until I finally reached Calama! Looking back it was an awesome experience and I got to see the ENTIRE Bolivian country side and a large section of the Chilean coast line before moving inland to Calama. The bus was very spacious, customs did not confiscate my droewors or Perpetuem and there were no goats or chickens on the bus. The only problem being that the trip took 25 hours!!

With the epic bus adventure in the past now… I am in Calama and head to San Pedro tomorrow where all competitors will be bussed out to the desert on Sunday to start the race on Monday. The race is starting a day late due to competitors taking extra long to get to Chile because of all the cancelled flights etc. However we will still finish as scheduled on Saturday…the last stage (stage 6) will start on Saturday afternoon condensing the race a bit.

Below are the estimated stage lengths: The total distance of the Atacama Crossing is 250 kilometers / 155 miles. You can see a Google Map of the course on the website. The approximate distances of each stage are below. Note that these are subject to change and that the final course notes will be given to you at competitor check-in in San Pedro.

Stage 1: Navigation by Rock = 35 kilometers / 22 miles
Stage 2: The Slot Canyons = 42 kilometers / 26 miles
Stage 3: The Atacameños Trail = 40 kilometers / 25 miles
Stage 4: The Infamous Saltflats = 43 kilometers / 27 miles
Stage 5: The Long March = 74 kilometers / 46 miles
Stage 6: The Final Footsteps to San Pedro = 16 kilometers / 10 miles

I am super excited to be going to San Pedro tomorrow and finally starting the race on Monday!! My preparations have gone well without any major setbacks so I am hoping for a strong race.

I will be doing a daily blog to keep everyone posted on how the race is going.

Chat later
Ryan

p.s. It was an earthquake 6.3 magnitude..

http://www.velocitysportslab.co.za/triathlon.php

2010-02-26T07:25:00.000-08:00

Atacama Desert (my third 4 Desert Race) – Then Antarctica in Nov!

2010-02-23T09:17:00.000-08:00

Picture: www.nickmuzik.com

I arrived in Bolivia a few days ago to acclimatize to the altitude as well as see a bit more of South America. I am staying in La Paz the capital city of Bolivia which is about 3500m above sea level – the air is thin up here! I have been out and about on a few runs and to my surprise the altitude has not been too bad…. Apart from a few hills where it felt like my lungs were about to explode. My main challenge has been running in the busy city dodging people, cars and clouds of exhaust fumes so my Jean de Villiers side stepping skills are looking good. Maybe I could make it as a centre for the Sharks?...but then again anyone could!

Running in a busy city has made me realise why I am a trail runner and I am already missing the trails after a few days. There are a few trails here but they are far to travel to and are quite a bit lower than 3500m so I will stick to the high altitude city runs for now. Otherwise I have been taking it quite easy – I have picked up a bit of a head cold so I have not run the last two days but I am sure my body is enjoying the rest. I am felling a lot better today so will be out there tomorrow getting my dose of polluted air.

Otherwise all is good; I will be heading to Chile next week and then start the Atacama Desert Crossing on Sunday (7th March). Training has gone well the last few months and I am starting to get ampt now! This tapering business sucks as I feel like I am just vegetating and wasting time but after a few good months of training my legs could do with a bit of a semi rest.

I am very excited about the year ahead as I am hoping to complete the 4 Desert, finishing off with Antarctica in November. I will also be tackling the Trans Alpine 8 day stage race (over 18 000m of climbing!!) in a mixed team with fellow Salomon runner Linda Doke. As well a few local races such as the African X etc. So a huge thanks to my sponsors: Velocity Sports Lab (have a look at my website – new exciting venture backed by mining group Axis House), Salomon, Oakley, Sunnto, Imazine and Hammer Nutrition for supporting me live my dreams!

Picture www.nickmuzik.com

I will keep you posted on my next few days in Bolivia.

Ryan

Jungle Wrap Up

2009-10-19T06:15:00.000-07:00

I am back staying at the same hotel in Alter Do Chao as before the the race and it feels like just yesterday I arrived in Brazil. What an incredible experience the last few weeks has been!! But I am ampt to get back to Cape Town now.

The race awards dinner was at an insane venue over looking the Amazon river and everyone had a good party. I heard a few really funny stories but my best was that the one competitor pulled out after a 100km because he was a stripper. He said he had a show to do on Saturday night for 200 girls and started getting crotch rash so he decided to pull out!! You get all types of folks at these races.

Thinking back on the race today it feels like a dream or should I say a dream come true. It was a few months of hard training and I really suffered in some of the sessions but in the end it was all worth it.

A huge thank you to my two "Dream Givers", Salomon and ProNutro! I did not get one blister in my Salomon S LAB's and my morning dose of ProNutro kept me feeling strong the whole day. Thanks to Hammer Nutrition and Oakley for the product! Perpetuem I need say no more and unfortunately I lost my eyewear on day two in a swap when I took a fall. But there is one super cool anaconda with Oakley Radars on cruising around the Amazon. Thanks to Chris (Physio), Sally (Biokinetisist)and Ian (Coach) - you guys did an awesome job of getting me to the jungle in one piece and feeling really strong during the race. Thanks to Kelly for getting all my blogs, race results etc out to everyone no matter what time of day it was. And then a huge thanks to everyone for you messages of support and encouragment before and during the race - I could not have done it without you guys! Thanks to Shirley and the Jungle Marathon for and great race and experience!!!

Over and out from Brazil and I will see you back in S.A.
Ryan

Finished the Jungle Marathon

2009-10-17T06:39:00.001-07:00

I have just crossed the finish line of the Jungle Marathon. I survived the Jungle!!
It is an awesome feeling to win again and I am super stoked. The 2nd competitor (Salvador of Spain) was just under two and a half hours behind me and Mike from the States behind him.

I ran the whole stage today with Mike and we took it quite easy, not that I could have gone any faster. My legs felt TIRED!!... and had no gas in them.
Salvador passed us about half way and stormed on to finish about two minutes ahead of us.

Running into Alter Do Chao was and insane and the town square was packed with people, journalists etc. I was handed an SA Flag a few hundred meters from the finish line and got instant goose bumps. I had trained really hard for this race and bust my balls in a few training session but I could finally see the rewards as the finish line was approaching. Crossing the finish line I felt my dream come true of winning the Jungle Marathon! So proud to be South African!!!

I am off to drink some beer now - its been a month since I last had a beer:)

Thanks to all for the message of support - I could have not done it without you!

Thanks to my dream givers Salomon and ProNutro! And thanks to Hammer Nutrition and Oakley for their awesome product.

The final results should be up later today but we are on Brazilian time so it may take longer:) http://www.junglemarathon.com/2008_en.php?id=C0_101_26

Cheers
Ryan

Day 5 - Comrades is the Jungle 89 km

2009-10-16T00:50:00.001-07:00

Let’s hope I run a faster time than 10:32 hours in the Comrades next year.

What a day! I woke up this morning with butterflies in my stomach -today I would win or lose the Jungle marathon.
I told myself to just take it easy as I had a good lead over the next competitor, but also wanted to beat the Brazilian locals from the Para region (Amazon region).
They are in their own category as they do not carry all mandatory kit and food, sometimes use different paths and often go to their friends houses in the jungle for a quick fry up:)

We started off with another water crossing of 200m and then straight into the jungle for 46km. The jungle is an awesome place but I am sick of running through it now and wanted to get the Faaak out of there. Two twisted ankles and black and blue toes from kicking roots - that is enough for me... oh and some hornet bites. I got bitten by one in the back of the head today...it felt like I had been blow darted by some man eating pigmy tribe.

I started off conservatively and ran with Salvador (Spain) and Mike (USA). I had some serious sense of humour failure when I kicked the same toe on a root for the 10th time and then when we got attacked by hornets I was even more pissed off!! We ran together for the jungle section and started of the 43km on trail together. Salvador dropped of the pass and I kept going with Mike for the first 6km of the trail section. Then I saw the Brazilian local who has been winning the Para section of the race and was only a few minutes behind me on time rankings. My competitive side took over and I thought it was time to up the tempo and leave my comfort zone!

I made a move and soon passed the Brazilian guy. I was feeling great and started pushing...a decision I would soon regret. Then I noticed I had been running for a while without seeing a checkpoint and had no water left. Faaak then I realised I had run straight past it.... a fatal mistake to make but I survived only just. I grabbed some water at the next checkpoint and ran off for the last twenty km.....my dream of winning the Jungle Marathon slowly becoming a reality. It was a long leg between checkpoints and I ran out of water again but this time I suffered... I was a mess stumbling along the beach trail and I though I was going to pass out. My dream looked to be falling apart and I was really cross with myself for running out of water. Then in the distance I could see a river crossing…..drink the river water and risk getting sick or dehydrate? The choice was obvious... and I downed two bottles of river water. It tasted better than I think the beer will taste on Saturday night. I was feeling good and pushed on to the finish line or lack of... the race organisers had not managed to get up the finish line or timing chip equipment yet…..and there was a bit of a made rush.

They next guy (Brazilian) came in about 40mins later and Salvo (Spanish) was next over an hour and ten min behind me. So I am sitting here on a beach typing the blog getting eaten alive by mosquitoes feeling so stoked. It looks like I have won the JM and beaten the locals baring nothing goes wrong on my 30km sand dash on Saturday.

Results will be a bit delayed as competitors will be coming in through the night and tomorrow.

Cheers
Ryan

Jungle Marathon Day 4

2009-10-15T01:47:00.001-07:00

We started off today with a 200m swim across a river... faaak swimming with a pack is not so easy!!
My heartrate went through the roof from the from the swim and only 20min into the run did it get back to normal - respect to the ironmen.
Today was quite a flat coarse and it was nice to be able to run at a constant pace the whole way. I ran most of the way with Mike Wolf of the North Face and we crossed the line together. It was a relief to get the stage out the way with no set backs and now for the long stage tomorrow - its going to be brutal!

I am hoping to run the long stage with someone, maybe Mike as he has been ripping up the the 50 and 100 milers in the States. It going to be a long slog but I will be taking it slow and steady and taking no chances... We start of the stage with another 250m swim and then 49km of jungle and 43km of trails!

49 competitors have dropped out of the race so far mainly to heat issues... so the rumble in the jungle has been hectic.
My feet do not have any blisters (must be my shoes - Salomon S Labs!) except for a bust toe nail from kicking a few roots.
My ankles have had a break the last two days and my legs feel good so I am ampt for one last big push tomorrow!

Thanks to everyone for the messages - they are a huge boost!

C, I hope you are recovering well! I was super stoked to hear you out of hospital early and celebrated yesterday on stage 3!!

Over and out
Ryan

JM Stage Three

2009-10-14T00:41:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning with sore ankles and thought OH NO, but today was the opposite of that.
I started off today quite easy and then at the second check point I decided to push on a bit... it was a risky move as it is so hot and humid here that if you bomb out in the jungle you do so in style. It is really hard to pick yourself up again and it feels as if all your energy has been sucked out by a vacuum cleaner. The risk paid off and I finished the stage strong (37min ahead of second athlete) but a little tired and shaken from seeing three snakes. I remember climbing up a hill on all fours and seeing a set of eyes looking at me from a large hole in the ground. I would like to think it was a large lizard but I did not hang around to get a closer look.
Thanks to everyone for the messages of support, they help me keep going when everything says stop!
Off to the hammock...
Cheers
Ryan

Day 2 Of the Jungle Marathon

2009-10-12T23:56:00.000-07:00

Jungle Marathon Day 2

The start this morning was delayed by two hours as the medic evcuation boats were not back from Santeram yet...
Four people had to be evacuated yesterday from the heat and the harsh conditions took it tol on most competitors.
Yesterday afternoon was like a scene out of a horour movie and people were dropping like flies..but the JM medics did a great job making sure everyone was looked after.

We started off along the beach and then after a few hundred meters it was up into the jungle for the "swamp" stage.
It was not long before I was chest high in black mud, fending off ticks and human eating ants!
I took it a lot easier today to start off with and felt good and then pushed the last stage a bit to open up a few minute gap on the second athlete. So all in all it was a good day at the office appart from two swollen ankles.

Keeping it short and sweat so I can get back in my hammock.

Ryan

Day 1 of the Jungle Marathon from Ryan

2009-10-12T11:11:00.001-07:00

Jungle Marathon Day 1

WOW what an awesome run but probably the slowest and hardest 15km of my life.

We started off and after 200m we already had a river crossing and straight after that it was into the jungle. I felt good and pushed the first leg and paid for it on the second and third legs... I bonked on the third leg and felt like I had no energy from the intense heat, but I pushed through to finish feeling good. The terrain consisted of hills, more hills and rivers and swamps. At one stage I was up to my chest in a swamp and the next minute I tripped and found myself fully submerged in black mud! I got over my fear of snakes very quickly and there were times when I would have been quite happy to be bitten and put out my misery :)! Otherwise all is good apart from a bit of a twisted ankle.

Now for day 2 and more punishment but also more beauty. Our camps are in some of the most insane places I have ever seen in my life and the whole experience feels like a dream at times. The boat trip up the Amazon to the start of the race was awesome and waking up this morning was surreal except of course that I was about to start the hardest multi stage race of my life.

I hope you are doing well and I thought of you loads today while out there. Keep strong!!

Chow for now
Ryan

Ryan Sandes wins stage 1 of the Amazon Jungle Marathon

2009-10-12T00:27:00.000-07:00

Ryan has done it again – proving he can run in both deserts and junglesJ Ryan won the first stage of the 2009 Amazon Jungle Marathon, beating his nemesis Spanish runner Salvador Calvo Redondo by 5 minutes. Ryan won the 16.3km stage in a time of 2hrs 51min and 55 seconds. I have included some information about the first stage from the race director below for you. If you should need any additional info please visit www.junglemarathon.com. As soon as I have pics I post them on the site:)

Kelly

THE RACE BEGINS - Race Day 1
The day began early with the competitors ready at the starting gate for 7.30am following medical & kit checks. Some raced off at full sprint whilst others began at a more measured pace down the beach towards the first check point.

This first stage of the Jungle Marathon was 15km consisting of swamp crossings and lots of very steep inclines and declines. All of which were sure to test the competitors endurance and stamina, even in the lesser early morning heat.

Gradually athletes began to arrive at base camp and recount their adventures on the day, often with photos accompanying them: a tarantula defeated by a single hornet, boa constrictors with the circumference of a grown man’s thigh and even jaguars with large saucer eyes watching from a distance.

And so the race continued with only one competitor deciding not to go to the end and one unable reach the finish within the time allotted. No serious medical problems were experienced during the race, however after the first arrivals began to rest in their hammocks, the first medical emergency occurred. Three more followed shortly after, with three evacuations to the nearest hospital in Santarem two and a half hours away.

Although one of the emergencies was due to a previously existing medical condition, the others were due to dehydration and too much salt intake. These outcomes should have been prevented with better fluid control and a slower pace in the extreme heat and humidity. A lot of athletes were rightly frightened and concerned by these events.

The second stage tomorrow is longer and consists of further water crossings. All we can hope for is that everyone keeps properly hydrated and stays within their physical limits. Nothing would be better than to see all the remaining competitors continue to the third stage.

Jungle Marathon Finally Here.....

2009-10-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

After ten days or so in Alter Do Chao, the Jungle Marathon is finally here. All competitors board a boat later today and sail up the Tapajos River (I think) into the jungle. Then we have two days of jungle survival training and then the race....

The last week has been quite hectic as I am not very patient and hate waiting around for things to happen. Minutes have felt like hours or even days and mentally it has gotten to me a bit. But waking up this morning I felt really ampt and excited and cannot wait to get on the boat and get the race started now!

For some pics have a look at: http://junglemarathon.blogspot.com/

I will keep you posted during the race but have a look at the www.junglemarathon.com for daily updates and results.

Ryan

Jungle Update..

2009-10-05T07:29:00.000-07:00

I have been in Brazil (Alter do Chao) for a week now and I am slowly getting used to the heat and humidity. No one speaks English here and my Portuguese is non existent. So I have had some interesting times, especially when it comes to eating out in restaurants. Basically I choose anything on the menu that is not too expensive and I hope for the best.. Luckily I have not had to eat anything too dodgy yet!

I took a bit of strain on my first few runs and I started to wonder if I had lost all my fitness on the two day journey to Brazil. It felt like running at high altitude and I could not get enough oxygen into my lungs. I seem to have adapted a bit better to the conditions now and I went on a run in the jungle two days ago which was awesome except for seeing one HUGE snake and getting bitten by a few hornets. Faaak the hornet bites are sore…I though I had been shot in the groin and ass! But I very quickly thought to myself I would rather be running through the Amazon jungle counting hornet bites on my ass than sitting down at a desk counting how many toilets need to be ordered i.e. being a Quantity Surveyor.

After my jungle run I did realize one thing and that is the Jungle Marathon is going to be probably the toughest race I have ever done. The accents are brutally steep with some really technical descents and you are continuously jumping and climbing over fallen trees. It is very humid under the jungle canopy and at times I felt claustrophobic. But I am really starting to get excited and apart from a bit of a glute / hamstring issue I am ampt to start the race now.

Have a look at: http://www.junglemarathon.com/2008_en.php?id=C0_100_26 and sign up on the Jungle Marathon website to get updates and send competitors messages.

Cheers
Ryan

Jungle Marathon Update…

2009-09-17T22:57:00.000-07:00

Training has been going well for the Jungle Marathon and I am starting to get excited now or probably I should say nervous. The only real set back to my training has been the environmental chamber not working but I will be going to the jungle a few days early to acclimatise and maybe sample a few potential Brazilian wives..

I watched the 2007 JM video the other and have realised this race will be very different to what I have been used to. It is hard to know what to expect and I will be going into the race expecting the unexpected…

Below are a few inserts from the JM Runners Form to give you a taste of what I have been told to expect…

Roy Chen - Campbell

For those who I don't know my name is Roy. I'm an expat Brit/Jamaican (Manchester) now living in Canada for over 18 years. I'v done quit a few of endurace race and this is by far the most exciting. I was in the race last year but had a really freaky accident near the end of day two. Not looking to mess up your heads so I'll tell you later what happened!!!!!!! I sat out for 2 days to recover and then ran the last day (32km) with on shoes because they were misplaced. I'm looking forward to meeting you all and having a fantastic race. For those who have never been to this race or Brazil you are going to have the most amazing time. This is a great race ran by a great team. The people that you are going to meet in the communities are beautiful and very kind. When you get there, slow down and take it ALL in. See you soon.Roy

Em

Ok Roy you can't say that and not tell us what happened!

Steve Potter

Not the crocodile incident is it Roy?????

Em

hold on! What crocodile incident?

Tom

Were you the guy that woke up with a snake half ingesting your arm ?

Roy Chen – Campbell

Hi all. Sorry it took me so long to get back to the forum. This is what happened to me last year.Last year’s race didn’t turn out the way I expected it to. However, the experience I had working and sleeping in the jungle for 2 days, was priceless. As I was ending the last leg of day 2 and crossing a small swamp on a very narrow log, I lost my balance and grabbed a branch from a Palm tree. Within seconds, the tree came to life with huge hornets pouring out of the middle. They were the size of a child’s little finger. As I made a run for it and jumped off the log, I landed straight into the swamp and sunk waist deep. Now the attack began. I took the first 2 stings to my neck (and still bear the scars). Within seconds, my breathing became restricted. In a panic, I tossed off my backpack to try and get out of the swamp. This now exposed my back to -what felt like- thousands of needles being jammed into my skin. By now, I had taken countless stings to my head, face and arms but the main target was my back.

I finally escaped the grip of the swamp, and ran up the trail for my life, chased by the furious swarm. They finally gave up after about 500 meters. I would like to think that I out ran them but I don’t think so! I think I was out of their territory. I spent about 30 minutes sitting on the trail in agony, and not able to treat the stings, because my first aid kit was in my back pack that was still in the swamp. After a while, I went back for my pack which by now had partty submerged into the swamp. As I grabbed it and turned to run and avoid another attack, the pack didn’t move. This caused me to wrench my neck and trapping a nerve. It felt as if someone had rammed a hot poker into my spine. Could it get any worse? Yes! My left hand and foot went numb. I dragged my pack up the trail and collapsed with shock. I was later found and assisted by the trail sweepers. I spent the night center rolling around in and out of excruciating pain, in an old village school that was being used as a medical center. I had the choice of packing up and going home, or staying with the race to help. The next day was spent in camp recovering. Then I went off into the Jungle with the Brazilian Bombardiers to help prepare the trails and man a check point. The next 2 days in the Jungle was another adventure all by itself. I had some of the greatest times of my life. I became very close with these beautiful Brazilians people. We counted over 30 stings mostly to my back. The last day’s stage was a very hot 32km beach run to the finish line. I decided I was going to run it, but my runners were misplaced! So what?! I ran it bare foot to the finish line anyway... nonstop! See you all soon

James Seacott

Bloody hell Roy!!
And you're coming back....you're even more mad than the rest of us - at least I can be naive!

Mark Jaget

thought i would put my two cents in, maybe it will help somebody. the humidity once under the jungle canopy can be oppressive. i sugggest for those of you arriving early, go for3-4 mile runs from the very first day. you need to acclimate as quickly as possible. run with your pack. don't go crazy with salt tablets. for those of you with rings, use them as a gauge. ring is tight, overhydrated/too much sodium. ring is loose, dehydrated, extra sodium. within first couple days your body will reduce amount of sodium you sweat, and retain more, the need for extra will diminish, especially since the food you are consuming, mostly pre-packaged/dehydrated is already high in sodium. also many of you will add something to your water with sodium in it. don't worry about wasps, roy c-campbell is canadian and his blood is very sweet from all the beer. if you get stung, so be it, don't hang around, just run. thing of it as foreplay with a hungarian? dominatrix (inside joke). keep your pack weight as light as possible. tops should be 18-19lbs (8.5kgs for those of you in the underdeveloped world) less would be better( 7.5kgs). you would be surprised how little you need. sealskinz suck, they are like condoms for baby elephants. don't waste time. if there is even a modicum of rain, besides the streams and small river crossings, the swamps will swallow you up. your feet will be wet no matter what. 2 pair socks are fine. if you are bothered by scratches/scrapes and cuts, stay home. long sleeves and pants won't protect you. so save weight and go with shorts and short sleeves. i wouldn't waste space/weight on extra bag to carry your pack for water crossings. bring one bin/garbage bag. if all your stuff is packed in mostly air tight zip lock bags, your pack will mostly float across the bigger streams. then you can use your garbage bag as a hammock liner, or cut hole in top and sides and wear while you sleep. don't waste time taking antimalarial meds. the odds of catching disease is real slim, yet meds can make you sick. the only thing shirley ever caught in all her years in the jungle was a cold, although there is a story going around about a good looking young native boy. if you bring snacks for extra calories, vary them. you will find after a couple of days the sweet snacks are harder to swallow, and you will crave saltier or more carb based snacks. if ryan sandes runs as fast in the jungle as he recently did in namibia, would somebody please put some rocks in his pack. just kidding ryan, good luck. i wouldn't go 100% the first day, unless your acclimated or trained in an environmentally controlled chamber (ryan). the hills on the first day combined with humidity of a mostly under canopy run will knock the crap out of you. go at 80%, so your body better acclimates and you will find you can push harder on the second day. when you have river and stream crossings, leave your sneakers/trainers ( a little english lingo there) on, don't waste time trying to keep them from getting wet by taking them off. 5 minutes later they will be wet anyway. don't wine to shirley about how hard it is, or you got lost, blah blah, man up or go home. this is one of the hardest races on the planet. nobody wants to hear your chickenshit belly aching. if you want an easy run, sign up for the london marathon. this is an adventure race in the amazon jungle. the feeling you get when you finish is almost as good as your first threesome. hell, it's better. but it won't be easy, nothing worthwhile ever is. so enjoymark jaget, jungle marathon survivor.

I had the privilege of running with Mark in Namibia earlier this year. He is great guy but a madman who lives in the Nevada Desert in the States. The Bad Water Ultra marathon takes place in his back yard so I need not say anymore… For those of you who have not heard of the Bad Water Google it….the second highest temperatures in the world have been reordered there!

Anyone with jungle experience (or no experience ) please comment with any tips and advice? Any comments welcome!!

Off to physio..
Chat soon
Ryan

What next??.... Jungle Marathon (www.junglemarathon.com)

2009-08-26T05:31:00.000-07:00

So why the Jungle Marathon?

I first heard of the Jungle Marathon during my first desert experience in the Gobi, I overheard a competitor telling his tent mate how a few years back he had nearly died during the Jungle Marathon. This sounded interesting and I started to do some research on the race…

I asked a few of the multi day stage racing veterans (some very crusty looking people who look like they have just crawled out of a cave) if they had run the JM . The common answer I seemed to get was that is was a great race but they would never go back there again… But none of these crusties gave me much of a reason for not wanting to go back there and they all suggested I should go and see for myself.

I thought to myself what could be so bad about running through the Amazon (Brazil)? There would be hot chicks, we would sleep on the beach in hammocks at night and we would see some amazing wild life while running. This sounded like fun and I filled in the online entry form and paid the deposit.

Within about 10 minutes of entering I got my first Jungle Marathon newsletter and the first thought that went through me head was….. FAAAAKKK what have I done now??

Below is an extract of the newsletter describing some of the wildlife.

Jungle wildlife

A subject that always prompts lots of questions from our participants! It will be covered fully in the pre-race jungle training day in Brazil, but here is a little taster to keep you going!

Snakes

There are a vast number of venomous creatures in the Amazon Basin, all of which can be avoided by taking reasonable and practical measures. Watch where you step or place your hands, shake out shoes in the morning, and do not lie down in grass, leaves, etc. which could conceal such threats to your wellbeing.

Never pick up a seemingly dead snake as some species feign death in an attempt to save themselves from predators, but will instantly come to life, with serious consequences, if picked up.

All of the above creatures will do their best to avoid humans and any negative encounters will invariably be the result of surprising them..

All snakes are dangerous and will bite if threatened, including the slow moving and in most cases, harmless Anacondas and Boa Constrictors. The only difference between a large venomous snake and a small one of the same species is that a lesser amount of venom is likely to be injected, the toxicity of which is unaffected by size. Because of local aberrations and coloration changes influenced by the age of a snake, it is often difficult to identify such animals solely by their colour. Should a person be bitten by a snake, if it is possible to kill it without risking further attack, the head should be cut off and brought together with the patient to enable the medical team to identify the snake and the type of venom applicable. But this is in an ideal world, so do NOT put yourself at further risk trying to do so.

Snakes are most easily killed with a sharp blow to the area behind the head with a stick or a stone, however no time should be wasted trying to kill the snake and do not expose anyone else to attack by the reptile, unless the circumstances are optimal for such action. At least, carefully observe the shape of the head and body as well as the colour of the animal.

The most commonly encountered neuro-toxic poisonous snakes, are the cobras which are identified primarily by the expanded hood on the neck of the animal, when this species is aroused, and the Bushmaster, which is a multi coloured snake and like the Cobra, generally fairly long extending to around 3 m.

Scorpions

One of the leading participants in the Jungle Marathon 2006 had his hopes of success dashed on the first day when he inadvertently placed his hand into some leaves and was promptly stung by a scorpion. Scorpion venom is almost never fatal, however the pain can be considerable, which may include vomiting and a fever. Medical treatment is relatively straightforward and consists of the administration of an antihistamine and cortisone, with a drip if required. Within twenty four hours all that generally remains is a memory of a bad experience.

Treatment of centipede bite it basically the same as for scorpions.

The size of some ants in the region is truly impressive. All bite and some such as the Fire Ant will cause a mild burning sensation, which will only last for a short while. Collectively, they are best avoided.

Spiders

The spider population of the Amazon Basin is colossal. All such creatures should be avoided as the vast majority have poisons of varying levels of toxicity. With few exceptions, the onset of symptoms is immediate and a member of the medical team should be contacted ASAP. If you are phobic about spiders don't worry. Even though there are many of them, they are well camouflaged and you will not see them often. Just be sure to shake your shoes before you put them on every morning.

Stingrays

Stingrays are a potential hazard at water crossings and when bathing. One of the 2006 support staff was injured by a Stingray on the second to last night of the race as he was climbing into a boat. Fortunately a doctor was on hand, who administered amongst others cortisone, an antihistamine and pain tablets. The patient made a full and rapid recovery after some hours of acute discomfort in the affected area. To avoid them , shuffle your feet when you are walking in the water.

Jaguars, panthers and pumas

Panthers are simply melanistic Jaguars. They are Jaguars with a black background colour coat with a variant black rosette pattern overlay. Pumas are a distinctly different animal and tend to be a single brown or dunn colour.

In contrast, the normal Jaguar has black rosettes on a yellow background. Should you see one of these animals, you are in the first instance very lucky. Only one Jaguar was sighted during the 2006 Jungle Marathon. In 2007 the leading Brazilian encountered one on stage two as he reached the swamp area, and also one of our female competitors encountered one towards the end of the second stage. Last year two competitors encountered jaguars.

Their main food source is fish, capibaras which are pig size rodents, wild pigs, snakes and monkeys. Given that the size of participants is considerably larger than the preferred food source for these cats, it is unlikely that anything more than curiosity will be exhibited by them during an encounter.

If a Jaguar or Puma is encountered at close range, stand still and allow the animal to proceed on it’s way. Running or fast movements are completely worthless as such a reaction will only serve to excite the animal, which in any case, can move and climb appreciably faster than any competitor. If the animal is not close by and you are with a group, slowly move together and stand still and quiet until the animal moves on.

Wild Pigs

You are unlikely to see any pigs, however if they are encountered at close quarters, stop, keep quiet and climb a tree if necessary to keep out of their way. They are not maneaters, but they can attack.

Ticks

These blood-sucking parasites are endemic to the Amazon region. Their coloration ranges from black through to a wide variety of hues and markings. Collectively they carry a number of unpleasant viruses.

General symptoms take a week to ten days to develop, and typically manifest themselves as severe headaches, swollen glands, loss of appetite and in some cases photosensitivity.

To minimise the threat of collecting some of these unwelcome guests, all clothing, your hammock, running shoes, pack and sleeping gear should be treated with a suitable insect repellent prior to the race. Preparations containing Deet are particularly effective in this respect and will retain it’s integrity for up to twenty washes.

Ticks generally migrate to the warm, moist areas of the body and a daily self-inspection is recommended. If the tick is embedded, it can be removed by applying a drop of alcohol, surgical spirits or petrol. A dab of thick cream, ointment or grease will smother the intruder.

If the tick is to be physically removed from the body, it is essential that the creature is picked up by the back end and rotated 180 degrees over it’s head and then pulled out. If you simply endeavour to pull the animal out directly, that is, in the direction in which it is lying, the embedded head will break off and be left in the skin, which will result in the formation of an ulcer.

There are many ticks on the first two stages of the race so make sure you examine yourself thoroughly at the end of each stage.

I am terrified of snakes (I start hyperventilating when I see one) and very quickly fired a mail off to the race organizer to ask if anyone had been bitten by snakes. Shirley informed me that no one had been bitten by a snake last year but…. The last sentence of her mail went something like this…But if any of you are rodent phobic( which I am ) the jungle rats out there are the size of a labrador dog......!!

Now I was worried and I started searching the internet for all the info I could find from race reports to video clips etc. And the JM veterans where now willing to tell me their horror stories and why they would not go back to the jungle. Below are a few conclusions I have made from my research on the Jungle Marathon.

The JM is only 200km, compared to the 250km of a standard desert race but km for km it is rated as the hardest stage race in the world. It gets hot in the desert but it is not humid – the Jungle has humidity levels of 98%. That means your sweat does not evaporate off your skin and your body can not cool itself, hence the huge drop out rate from heat exhaustion. There have been a few near fatalities in past years from this and I have seen video clips of competitors wandering aimlessly around the jungle not knowing where they are.

There is not a lot of water in the desert but in the jungle competitors will constantly be crossing swamps and rivers which means being permanently wet. I have seen what people’s feet look like a few days into a multi stage desert race and it is not a pretty site. So with wet feet I can only imagine the blisters competitors must get and everything in the jungle gets infected!

The course profile looks like a row of pyramids, 100m up the one side and the 100m down the other side for the entire race. Competitors are constantly falling over roots, twisting their ankles in holes and slipping and sliding down muddied banks. There are also a number of river crossing to contend with and a few swamps which competitors swim across with a back pack on!!

And last but not least there is the jungle wild life, but after the above extract from the newsletter I need so no more! The plants in the jungle are also no to friendly towards your skin and can leave a massive rash / burn.

So do I still want to do the Jungle Marathon?

Yes - I have paid so it would be a waste of money not to go!....

No, I am joking. I am super excited about going to the Amazon and trying something different. It looks like it will be my toughest adventure yet but I am sure I will have a few interesting stories to tell if I make it back in one piece! The field of competitors looks strong and I am interested to see how I handle conditions in the jungle. I just hope I run in the right direction if or when I see a snake.

Have a look at the JM website (www.junglemarathon.com) for more details on the race and I will post some info on how my training has been going next week..

Cheers
Jungle Jim

Test

2009-08-24T12:09:00.000-07:00

Testing.....