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Ben Fogel doing Des Sables Ultra
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the people taking part seemed to come from all walks of life ie. the yorkshire farmers. as usual it brought a tear to my eye seeing people lose it as they crossed the finish line.
except that's my choice, do it and finish in the last 1% or don't do it.
And I'm not going to be given another life so I'm doing it.
Lets make all maras and ultras out of reach of fools like me. God knows enough maras have cut off times that put me off entering, not much left beyond those designed for drama queens.
I don't mind the company of those running rich. Bless them for making some opportunities still open for me.
Have you any idea how amongst those of us who run slow for whatever reason- genes, disability, injury, illness - burn with jealousy at those who run easily enough so that training puts them within reach of a respectable mid-pack? Sky is my witness, I've tried, am trying, but although I'm making progress, it just ain't going to happen in this lifetime.
(keyboard keys reeling from the shock of my pounding them with unaccustomed vehemence)
Go enjoy GUC, London to Brighton, as you like it.
If its the fellowship of only the running elite that you want, you will know where to find it. Enjoy.
Bless those few running elite that I actually have met, for the terrific courtesy they have always shown me. They have never sought to exclude me. Their encouragement is treasured and remembered, every day.
I'd just like to see how many of you could have done it.
Stickless seems to be about the only one of us who has any degree of humility.
ive siad before-respect to the guy for doing it
he made the cut off didnt he
as i will be at GUC Jason
But im going to do that one
I thought Ben did really well to overcome what must have been agony from his feet!
VERY surprised at some of the stupid comments in this thread, what has Ben's provenance got to do with him attempting the MDS?
How did we get a (unfair)comparison between him and Sir R. Fiennes? It's left me a little confused to be honest.
Did the poster think Fiennes was dragged up on a council estate and is therefore hard as nails? - strange!
I think within the constraints of a TV show aimed at non runners, and meant to be entertaining, it did very well. As for being edited to show him in a better light, well I didn't see too much of that - I am sure that some of the posters here would have been much more biased if it was them on screen, there seems to be some HUGE egos here.
If you prepare well and find out what works for you they can be avoided, personally I have to tape my feet completely before doing anything long and silly.
Sand does get everywhere... It puts my teeth on edge thinking of sand inside blisters... yeauch!
the elite later start is something they did at lyke Wake too
good idea
Part of the trouble with desert running is that your feet simply get cooked.
The other part is sand hijacking your trainers and then kicking your feet out. I don't know how effective those gators really are.
thats what i meant
i bet GUC dont knacker your feet in the same way
My prepartion included: buying trainers a size and a half larger than normal, making up my own gaiters out of parachute silk and generally looking after my feet at the end of each stage (washing, airing etc.) The gaiters are a must have. The sand in the sahara is not like your typical beach sand, it's more like a very find dust and gets absolutely everywhere. In 2002 we had bad wind (parp!) for about 5 of the 6 stages and this was more of an obstacle to our performance than the heat.
For anyone interested in doing the MDS, this may give you an insight (I can't do links):
http://www.geocities.com/nickmayers2002/
BL**DY VIDEO.
Set the VCR, went on my LSR as usual (I like listening to the football commentary when I plod) and the f*&$ing video failed to work.
Anyone know if/when it is being repeated?
like I said earlier he was there the same years as my old dear and got a reputation as a bit of a drama queen - he did it - big deal he was bolt last - try doing something your not crap at, it would make the program much more interesting ;-)
If you havent put time on your feet in training and dont have experaince covering those distances or running in sand then its obvious that your feet are going to get shredded.
There is a simple answer - do it more prepared, Give the event the respect it deserves.
I take my hat of to people who go out there after spending the proper training and arent dumb enough to enter it without the proper marathon/ ultra experiance.
All piss taking of Fogle aside mind it was an a very watchable program and theres no doubt he must have suffered on those feet :-)
He did very well and this was one of the few (or first) programmes that concentrated on the back of the pack. (the leaders only start 3 hours later on the longest stage). To see what vehicles they get transported in and then the campsites and Doc trotters was an eye opener.
I ain't posh or rich and I am training every day since June (specifically for MdS) and I am doing it - so it is open to anyone who wants to do it.
And for me it will definetley be My "Toughest footrace on Earth"
They all float down here! Mwah ha ha ha hah!
He's posh - so what??
He was under prepared? So in my book his finishing is even greater an achievment...
His feet were a mess - must have been agony - he kept on going - hats off to the guy...
"ooooooh Jason, watch it. Personally I wouldn't want to do anything if I was going to finish near the back of the pack either-
except that's my choice, do it and finish in the last 1% or don't do it.
And I'm not going to be given another life so I'm doing it."
Apologies for coming across as arrogant. I can see where your coming from.
Congrats for signing up to have a go at.
I have other MDS Vids - one of an American Journalist that did it back in the Mid 90's. Watch them back to back and you can see a huge difference - Fogle is there to pose and look good in front of a camera - turning up with his sun tan already firmly in place proudly proclaiming he only did "6 weeks training" of the back of a bet - the American journalist is there under no false pretentions competeing (as a back marker) but interviewing others and looking at the battle not just he had but others he met and ran with along the way encountered to. It has a human element to it.
The Ben fogle programme was about him, everything alse is secondry.
Sorry, but to me the bloke comes across as an irritating self promoter...and if your going to try and make a living out of making yourself look like a hero - better to pick things your not last at.