These are crucial times in the current campaign. I really feel that what happens in the next 4 to 6 weeks will have a significant bearing on the run across Australia. First and foremost, getting myself physically prepared to run 41 miles per day is the main priority. Surprisingly enough, I haven't done a great deal of running recently. The main focus has been on burning calories and fat in the gym. I've lost 6% body fat so far this year and have gained a lot of strength in the process. There is still a long way to go but there has been some good work done so far in 2013.
I aim to start running in ernest in April and will slowly but surely condition my body to run the required 41 miles per day. This is the more the kind of training that I'm used to. I slogged out many miles in the build up to the run across the USA. The difference this time must be a sensible and sustainable diet around that kind of mileage. My weight ballooned to 18.5 stone before I ran across the USA. If that happens again then I will stand no chance of being able to run the required 2600 miles in 70 days. Under the guidance of David Fairlamb I have learned to follow the Paleo way of eating recently. It's a pre-agriculture diet. Some call it the Cave Man Diet. It's basically a lot of lean meat and leafy green vegetables. The general rule of thumb seems to be if you can kill it or it grows naturally above ground then you can eat it. It's served me well so far but the real challenge will be eating like that when I step up the miles later this year.
It should take me to mid June to be able to run 40+ miles in training and the 3 months after that will be the usual "no rest and no recovery" type of training that helped me to run John O'Groats to Lands End in 2007 and across the USA in 2011.
As I said at the top of this post, the next 4 to 6 weeks are very crucially important. I must go into the running phase of my training in the best shape possible and with an established routine of eating.
Aside from training there is the small matter of getting the remaining sponsors and overall headline sponsor on board. I've got 5 potential suitors in the pipeline. That's all well and good, the real challenge is getting 2 or more of them "over the line".
Currently, there are enough funds to pay for flights, insurance, fuel, accommodation at the start and finish and food. There are no funds for the all important RV that will house the support team and I for 70 days. For that reason, I'm currently devising a "Plan B" that will see us use tents instead. The Support Team crew haven't signed up on that basis so there is a risk that some of them may have second thoughts. I would't blame them either given the prospect of camping in the middle of nowhere night after night. Time is ticking and it's so important that I get those final sponsors signed up. As I said earlier, these are crucial times!
If you would like to become a sponsor of the run across Australia then please read the prospectus below.
If you would like to become a sponsor of the run across Australia then please read the prospectus below.
