A week today I'm running a 100km marathon in Mongolia – advice please? I hate running, I'm not a runner. Shit, I wasn't even pissed when I said I'd do it. I have done 'some' training for the last 5 weeks, please tell me I'll be fine……….

You'll be fine!

You'll be fine!

Sorry on second thoughts I can't lie…………….you're gonna have issues!

ummm 100km in mongolia… can I have you bike when you don't come back?

naaahh you'll be fine… so about that bike?

I see a Jade Goody 'marthon moment' on the horizon 😆

ah yes, Jade Foody. so maybe i shouldn't have followed her workout tips then? i have to average 3mph for 18 hours to make the cut-off. but there seems to be 12,000ft of ascent, which I think is out of order.

Its only about 65 miles. Hydrate, start slow then slow down.

By the way You'll be fine.

you'll be fine

run what you can, walk what you can't, eat, drink plenty and enjoy
oh and take some Nurofen plus with you 😈

I did a 100mile stage race last year in the Himalayas
There was a 65 year old who did that…

Is there a time limit? could you do it over several weeks? 😀

I did the Ronda 101k 24hr race last year. The weather was awful.
The best advice I can give is just keep moving your feet in the right direction and switch your brain off.

A part from that, start slow and ease off, don't panic, eat little and often, run your own race and ignore what other people are doing, use lube, be aware what is happening to your body, take lots of supplies and an ipod/shuffle, a good head torch and lots of batteries, maybe a small emergency kit.

Also make your self aware of any dangerous animal which might be around if it's off road.

This site has lots of tips.

http://www.ultrunr.com/

It is good fun and you get to see a lot. You will have a great time (as long as you don't puke 😀 )

Break a leg.

thanks roper, its all off road, over mountains, permafrost, marsh etc – bears and wolves in the woods but not expecting any hassle. there is an 18 hour time limit

more info on the fun to be had is here – i only heard about the event 5 weeks ago and decided to do something major for leukaemia research – very close friend is fighting the late stages….. 🙁

Basically – you're ****.

Can I have your bikes?

10K run is easy, you will be fine…

…what? 100K, man you are sooooo fuuuucked

anyone who can find my bike can have my bike, but I have to come back for the Kielder 100 as it will seem like a dainty jaunt after this malarky

there seems to be 12,000ft of ascent, which I think is out of order.

I bet they sprang that bit on you, too

the 12,000ft ascent bit was something I was refusing to acknowledge, in the hope of it not being 'that' important

It now seems like I sponsored you at 30p a mile.

I make that £5 😉

I forgot to add, run the flats and straights and walk the hills.
This is a good read too.

Let us know how you get on.

Oh and stash loads of food back at base. I could not stop eating for five days.

i thought if i avoid the food at base thing i might at least get a six pack out of the pain.

read some dean karnazes stuff online. he's plain silly.

i have developed a nice style I call the scruffle, which is like a shuffle only scruffy. i think it'll be the key to glory.

you're going to die……….

probably.

Never met you, looks like I never will.
Good luck chap.

If there's 12,000 feet of ascent, there's probably 12,000 feet of descent too. Except that it sounds linear. Never mind and good luck 🙂

This sounds like the ideal time to wrap your knee in a big bandage, carry a stick and mutter "don't mind me, this is nothing compared to what the people I'm running for have to put up with…I'll do my best…"

Mate of mine is Scottish 100k champion, she does it in about 8.5 hours. Easy…

If you've been running for 20 years.

😆

you're mad 😉

12,000 feet? That's not even 4000m, piece of piss.

You're doomed.

You are going to die and your bones will be picked clean by vultures.

Can I have your bike when your gone ?

You haven't seen his bike, have you Trimix.

Frankly, I'd rather do the run.

Actually run 100km?? Sounds like hell on earth to me. I did a 10k once and didn't really enjoy it, even though it was for charity. Couldn't you have signed up for a 200 mile bike ride or something? That's much more normal.

Best of luck. Try not to die.

from World Facts:

Climate

desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)

Terrain

vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central
Elevation extremes

lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m
highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m

Note the bits about temperature and Elevation extremes.
Looks like fun, you're gonna die, horribly, in extreme pain, from blisters.
Enjoy!

i'm even more unexcited now, thanks peeps

i've been told it could be 30c or snowing. on the same day. its in the Altai mountains rather than the gobi desert

course record is 12.5 hours

bigjohn can have my bike if i don't come back to grow flowers up, or smoke

i'm going to finish it if it kills me and that is the law. heavy motivation for the cause

onwards and upwards, or 6ft downwards….

Stick a small skateboard or minibike in your camelbac and bomb the downhills… thats half the run sorted… no one will see ya

Snowing… take a tea-tray.

the trouble with running is that descending is just as hard as ascending, actually descending is a bit harder because you use muscles you don't normally use running around good old blighty unless you pop up snowden every morning.

are you allowed leki poles? if so take two and punt your way to victory.

Break it down into manageable segments, set yourself targets for those segments aimed at getting you through the 18 hour barrier, concentrate solely on the target you're on at the time and let the rest of the race worry about itself. Take it as steady as you can within that, and take great care to hydrate and feed properly especially when you really don't feel like it. Focus on why you're doing it and how much easier what your doing is than what your mates doing right now.

And remember pain is merely weakness leaving your body! 😯

By that token think how much weakness you're going to lose!

Good luck

ahaha, i cant run 1km (seriously, i cant, im too lanky)

so i cant imagine this going well for you because i cant imagine running at all!

Is this you?

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/news/article/mps/uan/6181

good luck, good cause.

yeah terry, that's me. arrived the mongolia this morning, flying over was amazing, big huge wilderness, can't wait to get stuck in – did have to buy a cortizone injection for an injury that won't heal, cos i have to finish this thing….. thanks for all the posts folks, hasta luego

Dead man walking 😯

Good luck though 😉

OK, i'm off for a short jog, i may not be back

please find friends who may donate or at least will help spread the word. Donations are slow….

here's where to send them

thanks

Good luck iDave.
I hope it all goes well, I'm sure it will, just keep on moving your feet.

Let us know how you get on.

Buen Viaje