Pack man

[posted by Neil]

In the last post, Simon asked the question "Am I ready?". This is an easy one for me to answer. No, I'm not. I'm probably closer than JPD, though, who in characteristic style is currently driving to Doncaster to pick up an item of kit!

However, I have had some positive news. A cancellation meant that the "nice lady doctor" (her words, not mine) was able to arrange for my foot to be scanned at short notice yesterday. The results were mixed: plenty of "wear and tear" (no surprise there) on the big toe joint (sesamoid bones & tendons) and irritation to the second metatarsal (probably because of compensation for the original injury), but no actual stress fracture although the consultant thought it was "heading towards that". But he also said that nothing actually seemed about to break, and while 150 miles' running in 7 days might change that, I've decided to go ahead. If I break, at least I've had lots of previous practice on crutches.

So, back to not being ready. I get quite a lot of stick for the "pack, unpack, repack" loop which seems to be on continuous play whenever I'm away from home. The mockers have a point, but it's not actually the repacking I'm bad at: it's the decision-making. I'm really, really hopeless at this, which where the Marathon des Sables is concerned is a Bad Thing.

I find it hard enough for the two-day mountain marathons run in this country, for which the compulsory kit list is fairly prescriptive and anything else would probably count as a luxury item. For the MdS, where you have almost carte blanche to take or leave whatever you like, it's a nightmare. Do I need a warm top for the evenings? What about leggings? Or a sleeping mat? Should I bother with a stove or just go for cold food? Which rucksack? Which shoes?

The last two of these questions are two of the most important questions and also among the most difficult. For footwear, the key decision is whether to go with road shoes, as Chris has (see below), or off-road / trail shoes. Road shoes give better cushioning and comfort but tend to be heavier, whereas the lighter trail-type shoes are more suited to rocky or uneven terrain but less kind on the joints. After much agonising I've decided to run in La Sportiva 'Crosslites', which are slightly more cushioned than your average trail shoe, fairly neutral (compared with, say, Inov8 shoes which don't suit my foot shape at all) and are tried and tested on the fells. Most relevantly, I've run far further in a day in these than I ever have in road shoes, with no blisters or serious joint issues - although I haven't previously been on the verge of a stress fracture.

The choice of rucksack was even more difficult - as in, it hasn't been made yet. The rucksack I've run with for years is the OMM 25 litre pack, but one of its few drawbacks is the lack of an suitable external water-holding system - the net pockets are too flimsy. There's an internal compartment for a Camelbak or similar, but when the rucksack is very full (as it certainly will be for the first couple of days) it's very awkward to put the bladder back in after refilling.

For this reason I've been experimenting with a Raidlight rucksack - only 20 litres, but designed specifically for the MdS so it must be big enough - which has the key advantage of having two water-bottle holders on the front straps. This means that in the MdS, where you are given a 1.5 litre water bottle at each checkpoint, it's a much quicker process to decant and move off. It's also reasonably comfortable, but the waist strap is too elastic - I like it really tight - and the pockets are quite hard to access on the run. I'm also a little concerned about its durability, compared to the indestructable OMM 25 model, but nonetheless it's probably the current favourite.

As far as other choices go, I've decided that a full-length inflatable sleeping mat at 240g is worth it for me - it will be cold at night and I can't afford not to sleep properly - as are a stove and fuel for hot food, but that, contrary to a lot of advice I've been given, I can manage with just one pair of socks. Other than my running shirt and shorts I'll take one extra top and possibly a pair of leggings, plus a buff and a sunhat, and hope that my goose down sleeping bag will keep me warm overnight.

Of course, that still leaves one of the main questions: what to eat? For main meals, commercial freeze-dried products are the only real option since the organisers insist on you proving how many calories you have per day (a minimum of 2000 is stipulated) and they're all much the same in terms of cost and calories-to-weight ratio (and probably taste too). For snacks during the day, it's a very individual thing. Apparently the Moroccans that win this race live mostly on dates. I'll have a selection of snacks such as flapjacks, yoghurt-coated fruit, nuts, cheese crackers, crisps and Peperami (I don't really like Peperami but it ticks a lot of boxes where this race is concerned). With porridge or similar for breakfast and a few extra calories from things like coffee and milkshake powder sachets and electrolyte tablets, I should have around 3000 calories per day at a total weight for six days of 4.5kg. Is this enough, too much or just right? I honestly have no idea, but I'm certain that I'll eat everything I take.

Finally, this might be my last post before the race, so I'd just like to say a humungous, ginormous "thank you" to everyone who has donated to our fund-raising page and who does so while we're away. We're already halfway to five figures which I find quite unbelievable - with all your amazing support behind us it will take more than a poxy stress fracture to make me give up.

With 24 hours to go to check-in at Gatwick, and despite the myriad dilemmas still to be resolved, I almost feel like I'm getting there. Now, where did I put my passport?

Neil