I started this blog nearly 10 months ago. Some of you have followed me from my first post, others I've picked up along the way. Hopefully you have all enjoyed being part of my journey, which is now reaching its final destination.
I've divided, weighed, labelled and packed - mostly in that order - all my food into packs for each day so that my heat addled brain won't have to work out complicated logic problems such as 'if it's Tuesday and I've run 27 miles, how many Peperamis can I have with my Spaghetti Bolognaise?' It even all fits in my pack - just. I finally bought a cigarette lighter - it's a compulsory kit item and one that is so easy to obtain I decided to wait until just before the shops shut on the day before I travel to buy one. My medical certificate and ECG are hopefully signed and dated to a standard that will satisfy the French race officials, a 200 Euro 'fine' and a 2 hour time penalty would not be a start to my MdS that I would chose.
I could go on for pages with details of all the other things I've been doing as part of my final preparation, and if this was normal blog entry I probably would. However the main reason for writing is to say thank you to all those of you that have travelled on this journey with me and to promise you that you will find out how it ends. I will certainly write some of it in my blog, I even have a vague idea that I might fill the void left by MdS planning by writing a book about it, who knows. The support I've had and the words of encouragement have undoubtedly made a difference and hopefully some of you will continue to support me in the desert. 'How can we do that?' I hear you ask. Well direct from the MdS website...
http://www.marathondessables.com
section "write to competitors"
After 11 april, this email service will no longer be operational.
Only messages with surname (HARPER), first name (COLIN) and race ID number (641) will be transferred.
Do not send attachments (e.g. photos). This will cancel the message. Messages will be given to competitors on the bivouac every day. Note: AOI cannot transfer messages posted on Facebook, Twitter,...
Obviously I added my name and race number - if that was on the website I'd get everyone's messages which would be confusing and very time consuming to read.
What it doesn't say is that the 'write to competitors' section probably won't be there until sometime Sunday so if you can't find it try again later. Any messages you send will be printed out and given to me each evening and much appreciated.
I always try and acknowledge those people that have supported me on races, be they event organisers, marshals or fellow competitors. However I'm going to save the last word before I go for the one person without whom I would never have made it this far.
Sharon, thanks for all you support, for the endless discussions about kit, food and strategy, for running with me, for arranging holidays around training, for washing endless running kit, for not complaining when I covered the kitchen in mud and most of all for just always being there no matter what - thank you, I love you.
Right, it really is time to go - bye!
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