Am I ready?

[Posted by Simon]

Ok so I am now back in UK (flew back on Saturday), so thought I would give
you an insight into my Easter Sunday and conversations with people before I
left.

One of the main questions people have been asking me the last few days is
'Are you ready?' Unwavering my answers has been 'No'. I don't feel ready
but then I am not sure I would feel ready if this was a 2014 (or 2015!) I
think as a group there is a lot we have not done before. Even if we were
comfortable with the 80km distance (and that is a big even for me!) none of
us have done anything in the desert (heat / sand) or multi-day with our
equipment/food on our backs. There are so many things to consider (one of
us will write a blog on equipment and another on food at some point in the
coming week). Still as unready as I feel, (I think) I am prepared.

So yesterday we travelled down to Devon (from Gatwick) - where we will
celebrate my grandmother's birthday with the family. After getting here and
watching the race (no comment) I went for my last long(ish) run. 25km down
the river (and back again). First run outside since about October so my
ankles were a bit sore from uneven ground (but then what can you do when
you are in Moscow with snow everywhere). Then out for dinner (think the
waiter was surprised at the number of water jug refills needed).

There is also some gossip about the course. This is usually announced the
day before the race begins but gossip has it that one of the senior MdS
people talked about it / confirmed it. So what the gossip says:

• 1st leg – 37.2k Undulating terrain, interspersed with small ergs

   representing 5km of small dunes (dunettes).

• 2nd leg – 30.7km 3 djebels with 10 to 25% gradients – exceptional

   panoramic views.

• 3rd leg – 38km 2 djebel sections, 2 dried-up lakes and lots of sand.

• 4th leg – 75.7km a total of 13km of dunes and around 30km of sandy

   terrain.

• Day off / finishing 4th leg!

• 5th leg – 42.2km the final leg is a marathon with ergs, regs, a dried-up lake and wadi beds...
• Total distance 223.8km

For the first time it is a day shorter and with a charity (7km?) on the day after the final official day. Still it makes the other days harder as we start with a longer stage than last year (29km last year). Still if the long day is ONLY 75.7km it is good - as it averages 80km I think.