Things have been quiet....that's all about to change

Matt and Pete were both correct in their previous posts when they talked about the difficulty of training over the holidays. Well done boys. Much like yourselves, I went, I tried, I failed.

My quest is, how do people do it? How do the Dean Karnazes' and Rich Rolls and Richard Usshers of the world succeed against that most interminable foe, the holiday season? Perhaps they eat turkeys made of tofu and ice cream topped with Gu.

Maybe they ring in the New Year with whey protein shakes and Isostar martinis.

Whatever they do, I'm sure it's a helluva lot more than what the Desert Hacks did over the holiday season. At some point, hopefully Pete, who seems to be on a first name basis with Dean, Rich & Richard (much respect Sneaky Pete!) can ask our heroes about their holiday regimen. Until then, I'm just a guy...I'm a guy who likes fine wine, delicious food and good times. May the training gods strike me down for my weakness.

On the day I left for home, before heading to the airport, I did one of my favourite brick workouts -- cycle 15km, run 3 km, cycle 15km, run 3km, no rest. It felt great and I left thinking that maybe I'd finally get the better of my annual holiday laziness.

After travelling the 11,600km from Dubai to Minneapolis and after a couple sedentary days, I began to feel the dreaded training guilt. My body was railing me for neglecting it. My muscles twitched with anticipation of the next run or cycle or even yoga session. Alas, for the entire time I was home, I continued to disappoint.

That's when I realised...the point of the holiday season is not to continue the breakneck pace of training, it's to go home, connect with friends and family and even -- if you happen to be on your own in Thailand -- relish that rush of freedom that comes from solitary exploration.

While I was home, it occurred to me that endurance athletes spend a lot of time training -- I know we certainly did for the ADAC -- and in the process, things get missed. Things like birthdays, pageants, anniversaries, celebrations, holidays and get-togethers get moved to the backburner because for that moment in time, training trumps it all.

Maybe this is me making excuses for my holiday laziness but perhaps the point of the holiday season is to spend whatever time necessary to reinforce those weakened bridges and focus solely on those around you that rooted, cheered, hoped, helped and prayed for you.

For the endurance athlete, maybe the holidays are necessarily a time of reconnection and reaffirmation of that which truly matters in life.

Mom's birthday (mom, me, nephew Ezra, niece Maya)

For every endurance athlete out there, there is a network of loved ones that -- whether we like it or not -- get neglected as we focus solely and selfishly on our own athletic goals. At least for me, I know this is true. Maybe a lazy holiday season is exactly what was needed to give me a little perspective.

me & my bebe Gladys

For those loved ones, I am certain of only one thing. Whether you're a brother, sister, mother, father, niece, nephew, girlfriend, cousin or friend of one of the Desert Hacks, your support is invaluable and it does not go unnoticed. Thank you.

While I've got everyone in a suitably sentimental mood, I think now's the perfect time to officially announce the new endeavour on which we're about to embark. The Desert Hacks (it might be time for a name change) have been invited to partake in Abu Dhabi's first internationally sanctioned Ironman-distance triathlon! (www.abudhabitriathlon.com)

But, as none of us are Ironmen yet, we'll be competing in the team relay version on the short course. Matt will be doing a 1.5km open water swim; I'll be doing the 100km bicycle leg; Pete will be doing the 10km run. It takes place on March 13, 2010...just 60 short days away. Wish us luck!

Watch this space for more of the trials and tribulations of our training...

Thai training scheme

Apologies to regular readers, adventure racers and endurance racing fans...

It has, admittedly, all gone a little quiet on the Desert Hacks blog of late. And understandably so, I think. After all the hype and build up to the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, there has been a bit of a lull as we all quietly return to normal training programmes and try to get work out the way so we can enjoy the Christmas holidays.

As we've said before, we have a new event in mind and we'll be revealing details of that in the New Year, as well as keeping you updated on how we go about training for that.

But the Desert Hacks blog has taken on a life of its own and become about much more than merely training and racing. And, for that reason, for the next couple of weeks at least, I'm hoping to use the blog as a way of keeping everyone updated on my Christmas and New Year spent in Thailand. It'll be my first time in Thailand, but also my first holiday as an endurance race-aholic! How will that affect my vacation?

Well, the plan is a few days in Bangkok, New Year on the islands and a week exploring. I'm hoping to find some decent hiking or at least a day's trekking and, while I'm sure excess will have a part to play, I'm going to see whether it's possible to enjoy a holiday without letting everything go to pot.

A few runs and swims should be easy enough (I hope) and seem like pretty decent ways of checking out the stunning surroundings, but I've also worked out a good couple of strength sets based on things I can do in a hotel room or on the beach. Tri dips, press-ups, jumps, squats, mountain climbers, chin-ups, core stuff...

I'm not actually a member at any gym at the moment as the vast majority of my workouts are swim/bike/run. However, I do try to do at least one strength session a week and two core sessions and it's amazing just how much you can achieve with some open space, a swiss ball and some elastic tubes. My workouts with those are every bit as rigorous as anything I ever did at the gym. A friend one told me that, no matter what machine or piece of apparatus you use, the best chest exercise out there is still the humble press-up. Good advice.

Let's just see if I can stick to it when lazing on the beach, sightseeing and some top-class partying are on the menu. Will keep you posted.

Matt

Time for reflection...

I have to admit it: the last couple of days of the Adventure Challenge were tinged with disappointment for me.

The very first morning - competitors prepare their boats on the Abu Dhabi corniche

Maybe I was too close to the whole thing but we'd set ourselves the aim of completing all the events and, well, that didn't happen. We put a valiant stint in, no doubt. Maybe a little of the personal disappointment came from the fact that I knew I had a little more to give (except in the kayaking - I gave my all including, it would seem, a life without chronic back pain, in that). But on the last day and ever since, I've become a little cheerier and more positive.

Pre-dawn alterations are made

Almost all the other competitors were either professional athletes or came from a background that included a long history of triathlon, Ironman or endurance racing events. We didn't. Most had been training specifically for this event for six months. We had eight weeks.

Jeff and Pete put up their tent on the first evening in the desert.

In hindsight, our goals were probably a little unrealistic and what we did achieve was fairly monumental. We were woefully under-prepared - physically, mentally and in terms of experience of such events. Hats were forgotten, food was lost, water was wasted...we made mistakes that, I'm fairly certain, other teams did not make - but that's what your debut is for.

Stunning scenery on the first mountain biking leg.


We still put a real effort in and I think everyone was surprised by how much we did manage.

A word here for our fellow competitors: wonderful, beautiful, genial, helpful, encouraging, motivating heroes each and every one of them. Inspirational in the way that only truly exceptional people can be.

One competitor finishes the stage and checks in with her electronic timing plug.

I won't tell you all the ways in which we hurt or were uncomfortable during those six days - Jeff has already done a marvelous job of that in his last post - and the 30-minute shower I treated myself to afterwards was one of life's greatest ever feelings.

The American team uses some unique yoga poses to stretch out after the cycling.

But that shower also gave me time to reflect and what I realised - much like Pete - was how much I had enjoyed the past few days...the 3am starts, the uncomfortable nights' sleep, the Army-grade food...the competition, the stunning scenery, the great outdoors, taking on nature and not having to worry about a mobile phone, car keys, email or my wallet for almost a week. Just about everything.

The teams line up outside the beautiful Qasr Al Sarab resort.

In that way, I guess you could say that the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge was genuinely life-changing for me and, from the impression I get when we sat down for that beer after the final day's competition, I think Pete and Jeff would agree.

So, life-changing how exactly?

Basically, I have realised just how much I like being fit and around fit, healthy people. So, I've finally done something I've been promising myself to do for ages and signed up for a beginner's climbing course. I've also recommenced the once or twice weekly pre-work games of tennis with my housemate.

It's been a long, hard day.

But the experience has also made me a lot more serious about my training. Yes, I want to have a life, socialise and not just be one of those boring people who can only talk about gaiters, aerobars, negative splits and rehydration supplements...but I also love competition and I intend to train towards taking on a few more duathlon/triathlon/running events. My ultimate goal would be to make it up to Olympic distance and then try a few 70.2s - basically, the half Ironman distance.

The early morning ascent of Jebel Hafeet.

I've set myself a new, fairly flexible programme with an emphasis on pushing hard and training smart across swimming, cycling, running and strength circuits. I can't wait to get going on it with a 3500m swim this evening.

The (worthy) winners cross the finishing line in Al Ain.

An extremely painful back problem has also taught me that looking after and listening to your body involves more than just being fit. Yoga and massages (between the road bike I'm about to order, wetsuits, running/cycling shoes, helmets, gloves, tri-suit and yoga, stretching and massage sessions etc etc I seem to have chosen just about the most expensive hobby in existence!) are going to play a significant role going forward - especially as it appears that the muscular back problem is one I'll have to manage rather than one that can be solved.

So, all in all, one hell of an experience and one that could have even shaped the rest of my adult life.

The big question though, the one that everyone really wants to ask - would I do the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge again?

The Desert Hacks/Xtreme Journos celebrate the end of the Adventure Challenge.

I'd need to start training - kayak especially - with at least six months to go and, given what the rest of the Desert Hacks have said so far, I'd need to find three new team members but I think that maybe, perhaps, possibly, in the right circumstances, I  might consider...oh, who am I kidding??? I'm going to be booking six days off at the beginning of December every year until I get a media team through the whole of that race if it's the last thing I do. Which, admittedly, it could well be.



So, if you're a mental (sorry: fit and healthy) media professional that is crazy (erm: willing) to put in some heavy training and endure (whoops: enjoy) the toughest six days of your life next December, do leave a comment here or email mattalfie@gmail.com. Ideally, based in the UAE but, to be honest, I'll accept all-comers.

Cometh the hour, cometh the men (and lady)

I feel like I'm in the eye of a storm at the moment.

Training has eased down all week, my bag is basically packed and 99% of prep has been carried out. I've a tough couple of days in work to get out of the way but, at 6pm tomorrow night, we'll leave the office and head straight to Abu Dhabi for the start of the 2009 Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge.

I'm fairly calm. I'm pretty focused. I'm a little nervous and a bit scared, I don't mind admitting. In these situations, I think a bit of fear is important to stop you making dangerous mistakes. So long as it doesn't paralyse you.

More than anything, I'm really anxious to get going on that first triathlon prologue early Friday morning. The waiting...that's the hard part. With every day, the challenge seems to get bigger and less achievable. Once we've taken our first steps in the race, well, we're gradually getting closer and closer to the finish.

The one thing I have to keep reminding myself is to enjoy it; otherwise, well, what's the point?

A very, very, very, very hard week...

This, for a number of reasons, has been my toughest week yet. I'll explain why.

I'm finding it increasingly amazing that adventure athletes – or even those that regularly take on extreme endurance events – find time to earn a crust. Work has been a problem in terms of training throughout – who can do when, hours of daylight etc – but this week was a nightmare due to one of the region's biggest exhibitions being held in Dubai and us, as journalists, having to cover it. 15-hour-days of constant deadlines and being on our feet took it out of us and, personally, meant there was very little training at all. But it goes further than that – all day at an exhibition affects diet and long days impact on sleep...not ideal with 10 days to go till the Adventure Challenge.

Anyway, we made up for it at the weekend with an epic 25km hike in Liwa (the Empty Quarter) on Friday. Note – that's 25kms as the crow flies from checkpoint to checkpoint – we probably walked a lot further.

(the team gets ready by my car which is, well, in the middle of nowhere)

Advice: Google Earth is awesome for printing off topographical maps, measuring distances and setting yourself checkpoints. Very useful tool. NEVER go into the desert without these!

(feeling WAY too confident, I opt to do a jig of desert happiness - I know I look ridiculous but this is what a desert adventurer wears and, frankly, a couple of hundred kms from civilisation, comfort and survival take priority over fashion) 

(Lucy T makes her way through the vast expanses of the Empty Quarter)

The hike, frankly, was a killer. We all struggled, especially between noon and 2pm when temperatures shot up to the mid-30s and there was literally nowhere to hide. Crossing ranges of dunes is, without any doubt at all, the most exhausting, demoralising, evil, horrific type of activity anyone can do. The only real pro was that we finished alive.

Spotted in the desert: snake trails, a load of these hilarious little lizards that run around hyperactively on their back legs alone, and bones that looked suspiciously like human femurs.

(one of the only enjoyable things about dunes is getting to run down them - as ably demonstrated by Taylor)

The drive home took a few hours – Liwa's a long way from Dubai! - and, as we took my car, this meant I'd been driving or walking for 17 hours by the time we pulled into my drive at 9pmish.

Another problem with training for this type of event: you become a social pariah. It was my housemate's birthday and a lovely bunch of around 15 friends had come over for a BBQ. It was really, really nice – I had a couple of beers, a tasty giant prawn and some salad and decided to head upstairs for a much-needed shower before rejoining the party...I woke up at 10am the next day. Yep, I'd passed out with exhaustion. Social pariah!

However, the benefits came the next day. I felt groggy from a long day, but otherwise not too bad at all. Feet felt fine, no real aches...my attitude towards the desert hike portion of the challenge was even a lot more positive.

The team met up again at 3pm for kayaking and we went much further than we usually manage and all felt much stronger, I think. Finally, it felt like we were getting somewhere...result!

So...less than a week till the start of the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge 2009 and my feelings are extremely mixed. I'm actually less positive and more worried than I was a few weeks ago but, on the other hand, I think that was borne out of pure naivety; I now think I have a good idea of what's involved and what it will take to finish it.

It's going to be by far and away the hardest thing I've ever done – the toughest six days of my life – a mental and physical test of my body and my character.

Bring it on! Can't wait for my first weekwnd off and next night out..!

Reports from the march...

We learned a lot from last night's 25km (15.5 mile) hike. It was the first time we had all been involved in a big training exercise and, as such, we got to see where everyone was in terms of readiness for what will undoubtedly prove to be the most difficult part of the Adventure Challenge.

Sneaky Pete compared walking -- not the hike itself, but walking in general -- to certain unpleasant experiences from his prison days. Lucy surprised us with her Stimpy-like ability to remain spry and bubbly. Matt started and finished strong with military-march-like precision and cadence.

And, in an unfortunate turn of events, Scott re-aggravated a recurring foot injury and has been told by doctors this morning that, under no circumstances, can he compete in the orienteering phase. Gutted. As unlucky as it is, Scott's combination of strength and slight build will be invaluable for us in the kayaking and climbing phases.

Myself? Well, about 8 miles in, one word kept repeating itself -- at first only a whisper -- in my psyche. By mile 15, the whispers had become screams. That word: Vaseline.

Because all of us in the blogosphere are still getting know one another, I'll choose my words carefully. But, at the end of the day, we're all adults.

Imagine 80 degrees. Hot. Dry. Sandy. Now, insert 15 miles of friction -- not the quick burst friction created by running but the slow, methodical, chafing friction that makes each step an excruciating reminder of how far you've walked and a dreadful realisation of what's still to come.

Some athletes get it bad under their arms. Unless they've used band-aids for cover, some guys get it particularly bad on their nipples. The sensitive skin on the inner thigh where legs sometimes rub together is another danger zone. And, of course, regardless of gender, one's posterior is particularly problematic.

Dealing with this type of friction is second nature to most endurance athletes and, truth be told, I've got three sticks of Body Glide at home (courtesy of my very wise girlfriend). On last night's walk, I simply forgot. And, especially as I sit at my desk, I'm paying the price for my carelessness.

To my team and anyone else looking for a top tip: Don't hesitate to lubricate

Kayaking and shopping - my two personal hells

Due to Dubai Sound City and kayak training every day, this past weekend was one of burning the candle at both ends for me…and I can tell you that today I have all the energy of a flat battery, the motivation of a block of cheese and feel as athletic as an 80-year-old chain-smoking alcoholic.

Fittingly but most unfortunately, I also kayak like aforementioned octogenarian.

If I’m honest, I am, perhaps naively, not overly concerned about the rest of the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge. Although I know the desert orienteering and cycling etc will all be really tough, I’m a pig-headed idiot and WILL get through them.

But the kayaking…I put my heart and soul into it and, in return, I got blisters all over my hands, a sore back, stiff shoulders and went five yards backwards. I REALLY need to train at this. Thanks, by the way, to Suzy at Nautica 1992.

Anyway, on to cheerier matters. The one thing I’m really loving about this ridiculous and flawed plan to take on the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge is being active and working out with my team mates – a finer four folk I couldn’t ask to do this with. While I was a bit down about the kayaking, they helped lift my spirits.

We followed Friday’s session with lunch at Café Culture (I think) at what was The Harbour Hotel – a damn tasty pie with lovely strawberry smoothie which a) is like a fruit party in the mouth and b) is sure to get you ridiculed by your team mates.

  Saturday, we hit a burger and ribs joint in Dubai Mall – the world’s biggest shopping centre, apparently, complete with giant underwater zoo and an Olympic-sized ice rink (yes Pete, that’s ice!) and I loathe the place. If Satan shops, that’s where he goes. That’s not a giant aquarium; it’s actually the River Styx flowing right through the centre of it.

The reason for this trip was trainer shopping for our event runners – courtesy of the kind people of Abu Dhabi! Three of us opted for Saucony trainers – a word here for the wonderful staff at Saucony who knew more about our feet than we did – while Jeff and Lucy opted for Asics.

Pete obviously tried to buy two left-foot trainers but they wouldn’t let him.

The Saucony staff noted the type of feet (width, how much arch etc) and recommended accordingly. Now, I’m so flatfooted that the Saucony man looked at my feet and basically laughed, took a pic with his camera phone and sent it to his other foot pals...my feet are probably now on YouTube.

My new trainers are, therefore, kinda odd looking with “extra protection and padding” to help me with my deformed feet! I’m going to do a short run tonight in them, so I’ll let you know if they make much difference from my old, bog standard New Balances…

Matt 'Warchild'