Recovery

Its two weeks since I ran my Marathon and still my legs are sore, very sore. I wake up in the night with a burning sensation under my knees and cramps that seem to go on and on. The sides of my legs feel tight and if I hadn't had these sensations before I would be worried that I had done some permanent damage.

One of the problems with being here is that the environment is always with you, to get anywhere you have to walk on a physically demanding surface and your body never gets a chance to recover. The job I have been doing is also physically quite demanding with long hours and no days rest since the run. However ...tonight I leave! Yes today is the day, the last day of the season and tonight I board a ship to set sail towards South America. Finally I will get the rest I have been waiting for and hopefully the recovery that my body is craving.

This wont be my last post as I still have a month of traveling, but this is my last post from Halley and on that note it was a good time to post the audio I recorded at mile 25.2. The quality is rubbish because I had the microphone away from my mouth but you can just about make out what I was saying. All that leaves me to say is thanks to everyone who gave me shouts encouragement, those of you sponsored me for the charity (Raised just under 1700 pounds for British Heart Foundation ) and those of you who have indulged me in this whole Adventure in Runderland...Thank You :-)!
Phil

  
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Photos from my Antarctic Marathon

These are some of the photos from my Antarctic Marathon which (I ran 13/02/10). I successfully completed it in 4 hours and 53 mins and I can quite honestly say it was the hardest thing I have ever done. At the same time it is the most rewarding and satisfying thing I have ever done and I have gained a lot of inner personal strength from the experience and a strong desire to push onwards and further. I think I need to now get out and find somewhere hot, the South Africans on base have suggested Comrades for 2011, personally I quite fancy Bad-water...see how it goes (maybe both) ...for now I need to rest :-) Before I go I would like to say thanks to everyone who sponsored myself on the Marathon and the guys doing the 10k run, so far we have managed to raise over 1600 pounds which is awesome and made the whole thing that little bit more rewarding.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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An Antarctic Marathon ( The Plan + Last Minute Checklist )

The plan of action :

1. Go for Dinner >
2. Then have a sleep for a few hours
3. Get up 10:00 and get dressed got all items on check list  and update this blogpost.
   
4. Go outside and make my way to the perimeter
5. Start running at 11:00
   
6.  Keep running for about 5 hours in circles until the total distance equals 26.2 miles
7. Stop
   
8. Go back indoors
   
9.  Shower
10.  Have a beer (or 2)
    
11.  Tweet and give a status update
12.  Go to bed
    
13.  Sleep
    
14.  See how long it takes until I wake up :-)

Checklist:

• Nike Free Running Shoes  http://www.nike.com
• Boot Glove "Universal" Neoprene Insulator  http://dryguy.net/PRD_BGU.htm
• Boot Glove Gripons Tracs http://dryguy.net/PRD_gripons.htm
• Boot Glove Thermo Feet Heat Reflectors http://dryguy.net/PRD_TF.htm
• Smart Wool Phd Trail Run Murino Wool Socks https://www.smartwool.com/#/Mens/Socks/_/_/2380/
• Low Alpine Dual Fiber Dryflo Tights http://www.lowealpine.com/eng/prod_app_det.php?catid=6&itemid=606&type=man
• Old pair of Adidas Shell Track Pants http://www.adidas.com
• Icebreaker Mondo Zip BodyFit 200 Murino Wool Long Sleeve Top http://www.icebreaker.com/site/icebreaker_man_bodyfit200_mondo_zip.html
• Ice Breaker Murino Wool Black Chute 320 (Neckie) http://www.icebreaker.com/site/icebreaker_man_scarves_320_chute.html
• Ice Breaker Pocket 200 Murino Wool Beanie http://www.icebreaker.com/site/icebreaker_man_hats_200_pocket_200.html
• RAB Vapor Rise Trail Jacket http://www.rab.uk.com/clothing/vapour-rise/vapour-rise_trail_jacket---91/
• RAB Ice Gauntlet Gloves http://www.rab.uk.com/clothing/gloves/ice_gauntlet---57/
• Cebe Ski Goggles http://www.cebe.com/
  
• Garmin 405 + HRT Strap
  

Entertainments

• iPod Nano with Running playlist uploaded
  
• Blackberry Bold Phone

Emergency Kit

• Radio for Comms

Other stuff in my Kit Bag

• Sunscreen Factor 15
• Deep Heat muscle rub
• Plasters for nipples
  
• ibuprofen
• Lucazade sport 2 Cans
• Two Bottles of orange juice
• 1 Bar Dairy Milk
• 1 Mars Bar
• Bag
• Warm Down Jacket for after the Run
  

Anyhow its time to go next post will be in 26.2 miles :-)

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An Antarctic Marathon (The Plan )

The plan of action :

Go for Dinner >Then have a sleep for a few hours > get up 10:30 and get dressed >Go outside and make my way to the perimeter > Start running at 11:00 > Keep running for about 5 hours in circles until the total distance equals 26.2 miles >Stop > Go back indoors > Shower > Have a beer (or 2) > Tweet and give a status update > Go to bed > Sleep > See how long it takes until I wake up :-)

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video clip

Today I went on my last run before trying to complete the Marathon distance here in Antarctica this week end.

Tomorrow I plan to rest. Since running 21 miles my legs have been in quite a bad way, I have had slight IT Band trouble and all over stiffness. My hip have not functioned properly and I have had trouble raising my legs. My knees have been so sore that I have been sleeping with them bent and waking up in the night with pain just bellow my them (tendonitus I think). In the last 10 days I have been on only 4 runs and all but one have been no more than 3 miles long. However with all that said and done I felt good on my run tonight and I think the rest/taper has been well worth it. I will enjoy my time off tomorrow all set for the big one :-)

Phil www.justgiving.com/halleyfunrun

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Running 32 miles in 32 hours this weekend !

Just to let you know I will be attempting to run a Marathon here in Antarctica this Friday and then trying to follow it by taking part in the Halley 10K Fun Run on Sunday 14th (Which is my 32nd Birthday). All things being well that should be a total of 32 miles in 32 hours. For the "Fun Run" part Agnieszka Frychowska from the Britsh Antarctic Survey has set up a Just Giving page to raise some money for the British Heart Foundation (Link attached) http://www.justgiving.com/halleyfunrun

Now normally if I was doing a running event I wouldn't ask for sponsorship but as this isn't a normal run, as its for a good cause, as its Valentines day and as I've almost killed myself training for this (obsessed that this is my last chance to run a Marathon in Antarctica) it would be really cool if we could raise a bit of money for all this effort.

If anyone could find it in their heart to sponsor me/us, it would be much appreciated and I've attached the Link ( at the end) to the Just giving Website for you to do so :-)

Thanks Phil

http://www.justgiving.com/halleyfunrun

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Lessons learnt whilst Ice Climbing

After absailing down the 100ft cliff the first thing you want to do is rush back up to the top as quickly as possible. You should however stop and take in the scenery. Once you do start climbing you need to be aware that if you try and go too fast you will very quickly become tired and risk not being able to finish the climb. The trick is you need to be conscious of every move because if you find yourself tipping out of balance, all your weight will be on one or two limbs causing them to fatigue very quickly. This is not good especially when only half way into the climb.

With regards using the equipment you need to give your axes a good hard wack into the ice to make sure they go in, but not so hard that you break big chunks out of the cliff. Likewise when it comes to your crampons you just need to press your toes against the ice and ease your heels back and let gravity and your weight do the work. If you don't and you kick in you risk breaking up the ice you need to support your weight with and its not nice when this breaks away underfoot. At times when the climb gets difficult you need to adapt, break the rules. You may need to over reach and do things a bit different but on the whole the best thing to do is take it slow, keep in balance... don't panic and keep going... bit like life in general :-)

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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Lessons learnt whilst Ice Climbing

After absailing down the 100ft cliff the first thing you want to do is rush back up to the top as quickly as possible. You should however stop and take in the scenery. Once you do start climbing you need to be aware that if you try and go too fast you will very quickly become tired and risk not being able to finish the climb. The trick is you need to be concious of every move because if you find yourself tipping out of ballance, all your weight will be on one or two limbs causing them to fatigue very quickly.This is not good especially when only half way into the climb.

With regards using the equipment you need to give your axes a good hard wack into the ice to make sure they go in, but not so hard that you break big chunks out of the cliff. Likewise when it comes to your crampons you just need to press your toes against the ice and ease your heels back and let gravity and your weight do the work. If you dont and you kick in you risk breaking up the ice you need to support your weight with and its not nice when this breaks away underfoot. At times when the climb gets difficult you need to adapt, break the rules. You may need to over reach and do things a bit different but on the whole the best thing to do is take it slow, keep in balance... dont panic and keep going... bit like life in general :-)

Posted via email from shadowcast posterous

Lessons learnt whilst Ice Climbing

After absailing down the 100ft cliff the first thing you want to do is rush back up to the top as quickly as possible. You should however stop and take in the scenery. Once you do start climbing you need to be aware that if you try and go too fast you will very quickly become tired and risk not being able to finish the climb. The trick is you need to be concious of every move because if you find yourself tipping out of ballance, all your weight will be on one or two limbs causing them to fatigue very quickly.This is not good especially when only half way into the climb.

With regards using the equipment you need to give your axes a good hard wack into the ice to make sure they go in, but not so hard that you break big chunks out of the cliff. Likewise when it comes to your crampons you just need to press your toes against the ice and ease your heels back and let gravity and your weight do the work. If you dont and you kick in you risk breaking up the ice you need to support your weight with and its not nice when this breaks away underfoot. At times when the climb gets difficult you need to adapt, break the rules. You may need to over reach and do things a bit different but on the whole the best thing to do is take it slow, keep in balance... dont panic and keep going... bit like life in general :-)

Posted via email from shadowcast posterous

Lessons learnt whilst Ice Climbing

After absailing down the 100ft cliff the first thing you want to do is rush back up to the top as quickly as possible. You should however stop and take in the scenery. Once you do start climbing you need to be aware that if you try and go too fast you will very quickly become tired and risk not being able to finish the climb. The trick is you need to be concious of every move because if you find yourself tipping out of ballance, all your weight will be on one or two limbs causing them to fatigue very quickly.This is not good especially when only half way into the climb.

With regards using the equipment you need to give your axes a good hard wack into the ice to make sure they go in, but not so hard that you break big chunks out of the cliff. Likewise when it comes to your crampons you just need to press your toes against the ice and ease your heels back and let gravity and your weight do the work. If you dont and you kick in you risk breaking up the ice you need to support your weight with and its not nice when this breaks away underfoot. At times when the climb gets difficult you need to adapt, break the rules. You may need to over reach and do things a bit different but on the whole the best thing to do is take it slow, keep in balance... dont panic and keep going... bit like life in general :-)

Posted via email from shadowcast posterous

Frost

Frost is the solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. It is formed when solid surfaces are cooled to below the dew point of the adjacent air. Frost crystals' size differ depending on time and water vapor available.

If a solid surface is chilled below the dew point of the surrounding air and the surface itself is colder than freezing, frost will form on the surface. Frost consists of spicule of ice which grow out from the solid surface. The size of the crystals depends on time, temperature, and the amount of water vapor available. In general, for frost to form the deposition surface must be colder than the surrounding air. For instance frost may be observed around cracks in cold wooden sidewalks when moist air escapes from the ground below. Other objects on which frost tends to form are those with low specific heat or high thermal emissivity, such as blackened metals; hence the accumulation of frost on the heads of rusty nails. The apparently erratic occurrence of frost in adjacent localities is due partly to differences of elevation, the lower areas becoming colder on calm nights. It is also affected by differences in absorptivity and specific heat of the ground which in the absence of wind greatly influences the temperature attained by the superincumbent air.

The photo shows frost crystals forming on the wooden deck of one of the science platforms as the Antarctic Dew point was met :-)

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Tag-Line

A tag-line is a variant of a branding slogan used to create a memorable phrase that will sum up the tone and premise of a brand or product (like a film), or to reinforce the audience's/users memory of a product.

Examples of famous movie/television tag-lines are:

Be afraid. Be very afraid. – The Fly
In space no one can hear you scream. – Alien
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water... – Jaws A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... – Star Wars Love means never having to say you're sorry – Love Story Where no man has gone before – Star Trek The truth is out there. – The X-Files
Why Runfaster when you can be a Runcaster - www.runcast.tv

In Antarctica Tag-lines ( also known as hand-lines) are something entirely different they are lengths of rope that are used to guide you from one building to the next when blizzard conditions strike. They are sort of like physical tangible memories that reinforce the audience's/users memory of a product in this case the route to safety :-)

Photo is a macro shot of a Tag-line with the start/formation of hore frost forming.

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Lessons learnt running 21 miles in Antarctica (Short version)

Photo : Me at mile 17
Audio: Nothing really to do with running 21 miles but just a bit of a catch up instead :-) I sent out a rather arrogant post last friday just to motivate myself to get out and run my 21 mile run... It worked and I managed to do it in 4-hours and 2 mins.

As I am pushed for time at the moment I thought I would do a quick post with a few of the lessons I learnt on that run .

Lessons learnt: 1. Take as much fluid as possible (More than you think).
2. If you stop you get cold (fast).
3. Put plasters on your nipples as they will be effected by the cold and bleed :-(
4. Take extra sunscreen it will sweat off your face.
5. Wear less clothing than you think you will get hot from running and sweat which will cool you down rapidly.
6. Don't stop even if you really want to.. once the cold gets you you its very hard to start again.
7. No matter how tempting it is to fall in a heap on the floor...don't its impossible to get up and you looses so much heat its crazy...took about two hours to stop shaking and i now know what "chilled too the bone means"
8. On the same note its essential to have a supply of warm clothing to throw on the moment you stop running.
9. Schedule lots of rest for afterwards...I slept for 20 hours non stop following that run.

Ok...thats about all I can think of right now... I have a bit of news that I will post tomorrow which I do mention in the audio post (briefly) but I have run out of time to write anything at the moment :-(

Anyhow...take care and stay safe

Phil

:-)

  
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