by
ManOnFire . | Jun 19, 2011
A busy 3 weeks has seen Team Kiwi grow by one and some great training start to pay some benefits.
I would like to welcome Lindsey Brokaw from Ohio to our team and to wish Nick Longworth all the best. Nick was doing what he loves best, out running in the falls area of Ohio and fell down, but unfortunately for him, 'down' was some 20 ft down a cliff and he ended up with a compound break of his leg, being air lifted out to hospital. We all wish you the very best Nick and will certainly be staying in touch throughout the race. Lindsey comes with a passion for long distance running having completed a number of races including a 100 miler.
My own training is going well as I begin to taper. I'm looking after a couple of niggles from the Cape2Cape run in January, but I'm happy with my fitness. I've started hypobaric chamber altitude simulation out at New Zealand's Air force in Auckland and was, on Monday, whizzed up to 14500 ft in 3 min's where we sat for 15min's. This was just a test for the rest of the week and we have been working in and around 8-10,000 ft for an hour, measuring my blood saturation and hemoglobin counts and heart rates, while working on my wind trainer. Whilst the worst has been a little hypoventilation for me, the best has been a new appreciation for what pilots go through in their training, a hugely interesting career!
I head out again tomorrow, Sunday, for another 40k run, having run one this morning comfortably. I'm busy at school preparing school reports for term 2 end and getting ready to depart, leaving all the notes that a relieving teacher will need for the last 2 weeks of our school term.
I see Badwater is bathing in 43-45 C most days at the moment, and I know it will get hotter in the coming 3 weeks. Bring it all on I say, and of course the 'twist' this year, Mt Whitney, 14,400ft, at the end of the race, the whole team are looking forward to this goal!
This year I go with just as much apprehension as last year, having been back to a race in the past at the Brazil 135, and experiencing the heartache and disappointment of not finishing after completing it first time around. I respect this environment too much to go in cocky, that is for sure, so will once again be playing it very cautiously.
Thank you to all my company supporters, Smiths Sports Shoes for their ongoing assistance with my shoes, Horleys for their help with Replace, and Southern Cross Health Society, a principle supporter this year for their ongoing support. Please go to http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/ManonFire/ if you are able to help the National Burn Centre with a donation to their theatre needs.
And don't forget that our ‘map’ will be up soon and you'll be able to follow me live throughout the race. Hopefully, that virtual man on fire is still moving!!
If you haven’t already, please a take a tour through the race course and the mountain via our YouTube virtual tour, thanks Gary from iMapping.