On Feb 24th, 2017, Paul and I will embark on the final leg of our journey, putting a stamp on our own mark by completing the 8th desert race in 10months to be in sole possession of the Guinness Book of World Records for The Most Desert Races Ran in One Year. The last race, Ice Ultra, will take place near Gallivare, Sweden (in the province of Lapland), 100km north of the Arctic Circle.
Continue reading “The Final Confrontation: Race #8 Ice Ultra”
With the Gobi Desert race behind us, Paul and I travelled from Hami, China to Iten, Kenya for some serious altitude training and inspiration in anticipation for the biggest athletic challenge of our lives: Breaking the World Record for “The Most Desert Races Ran In One Year”. For those of you not familiar with Iten, it is a place in Kenya that produces countless number of world class elite athletes, World Champions, and Olympic Champions for distance running. This region in Kenya is where legends are born and bred. No other place on earth have that kind of prestige associated with distance running where anyone can drop in and workout (if you can keep up!) with World Champions and World Record Holders …. for free. If you want to improve your running technique and fitness, then this is where you want to be. The caliber of runners here is so high that even elite runners from foreign countries have a very difficult time completing the Kenyan daily workouts.
Thank you to all those who have donated to our cause!! You have no idea the huge impact you have already made through your simple act of generosity. The next generation will forever be grateful for the action you take today to help preserve the planet. Please keep them coming because we are still far short from reaching our goal: raising $10,000 for Rainforest Trust.
To those who are considering donating, both Eric and I would like to share a personal story of why this fundraising project is so close to our hearts and why you should donate to Rainforest Trust. For many years, I have tried to do my part for the environment. I have donated money to charitable causes including the WWF, recycled religiously, and even stopped driving for the most part. But, I really have no idea how my actions would make a difference in the overall scheme of things. Nothing seems to change and the world would go from one environmental disaster to another. Maybe all this was just a waste of time and effort.
Having conquered the Sahara and Namib Desert in the span of 4 weeks, Paul and I travelled to Brisbane and Sunshine Coast Australia to seek refuge, recuperate from our ordeal, lick our wounds and upgrade our gear to better prepare for our next race in the infamous Gobi Desert.
The Gobi Desert presents itself some interesting challenges. Based on previous year’s race reports from fellow competitors, I expect drastic climate changes (0-40C) ranging from snow, hail, and sandstorms!
The Gobi Desert, which covers large parts of northwestern China, is known as the Windiest Desert in the world. Historically, it is most notable for being the location of many important cities along the famous Silk Road.
As glamorous as this adventure/World Record chase sounds to all of you, dealing with the logistics of international travel and competing in a sport as demanding as self-supported desert racing is an absolute nightmare. Imagine training/planning for your race to participate in your next major city marathon or your next Ironman. Now add the complexities of finding food that you can keep down (customized for my palate) in 40C heat for a week and replace/repair racing gear(s) that was damaged or lost during the last race in a foreign country in which you may or may not (most likely the latter) speak their language.
