I do! The Marathon des Sables is held in the Sahara desert in Morocco and over six days you end up running six marathons! As well as coping with the heat, your water is rationed and you have to carry all of your own supplies on your back. They just provide the limited water and shelter! It’s a massive physical and mental challenge one which will push me and test my limits of endurance.
I started working with a personal trainer in August last year to build and increase my muscle mass and to burn fat, this ‘muscle building phase’ was done gradually over a five months training period. The goal was to be as strong and lean as possible before the endurance phase kicked off.
By December 2015, I was the strongest I’d every been, getting up to 100Kg deadlifts for 3 reps as well as the leanest, my body fat was down to 14%.
At the start of January I moved onto endurance training. I’m now following a structured 12 week running program which covers off; speed work, hill work, time on feet, long slow runs, as well as long walks. Its very balanced, but intense.
The important thing for me is to get to the start line in April; strong, fit, healthy and not depleted in anyway.