Adventures in Runderland

Through the Runcast!
 

The Runcast Antarctica!

I posted a version of this video early last year but pulled it due to the use of some of the images contained within the video. I have since edited and I am re-posting it here for the first time.

This is a video I made during a the 09/10 season when I trained and completed an Antarctic Marathon. I made it to capture the effort of training as well as capture the works and the enviroment that where on going whilst I trained. Hope you like this video its been a long time coming.

Can I also apologies for the poor quality, but its all that has survived of this version and I still think this is of a reasonable standard.   

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Posted April 11, 2011
 

An Antarctic Marathon

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Almost a year ago today I challenged myself to run an Antarctic Marathon. I successfully completed it in 4:53 mins. Unfortunately I back then i ran it solo as i had been unsuccessful in convincing anyone else to take part.

Fast forward a year and today it was a different story and another marathon. Unfortunately I couldn't run myself due to injury i've had since the summer but I did have the pleasure of firing the flare to signal the start of this years Marathon which had a starting line of 20+ runners ( of which all but 1 DNF).

It was a very satisfying feeling to think that in someway i had some sort of part to play in the reward on these guys faces as they crossed the finish line, even if the reality was that it was nothing to do with me and more the collective enthusiasm of a special group of individuals. They all did tremendously especially Matt who finished in a rather amazing 3:hours 33 mins...wow.

Anyway here's a few photos that I felt captured the event :-)

Posted February 13, 2011
 

Back in the Runderland!

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Quick First Audio post on Terra Ferma

Posted April 12, 2010
 

Recovery

Its two weeks since I ran my Marathon and still my legs are sore, very sore. I wake up in the night with a burning sensation under my knees and cramps that seem to go on and on. The sides of my legs feel tight and if I hadn't had these sensations before I would be worried that I had done some permanent damage.

One of the problems with being here is that the environment is always with you, to get anywhere you have to walk on a physically demanding surface and your body never gets a chance to recover. The job I have been doing is also physically quite demanding with long hours and no days rest since the run. However ...tonight I leave! Yes today is the day, the last day of the season and tonight I board a ship to set sail towards South America. Finally I will get the rest I have been waiting for and hopefully the recovery that my body is craving.

This wont be my last post as I still have a month of traveling, but this is my last post from Halley and on that note it was a good time to post the audio I recorded at mile 25.2. The quality is rubbish because I had the microphone away from my mouth but you can just about make out what I was saying. All that leaves me to say is thanks to everyone who gave me shouts encouragement, those of you sponsored me for the charity (Raised just under 1700 pounds for British Heart Foundation ) and those of you who have indulged me in this whole Adventure in Runderland...Thank You :-)!
Phil

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Posted February 27, 2010
 

Photos from my Antarctic Marathon

These are some of the photos from my Antarctic Marathon which (I ran 13/02/10). I successfully completed it in 4 hours and 53 mins and I can quite honestly say it was the hardest thing I have ever done. At the same time it is the most rewarding and satisfying thing I have ever done and I have gained a lot of inner personal strength from the experience and a strong desire to push onwards and further. I think I need to now get out and find somewhere hot, the South Africans on base have suggested Comrades for 2011, personally I quite fancy Bad-water...see how it goes (maybe both) ...for now I need to rest :-) Before I go I would like to say thanks to everyone who sponsored myself on the Marathon and the guys doing the 10k run, so far we have managed to raise over £1664 pounds for the British Heart Foundation which is awesome and made the whole thing that little bit more rewarding.

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Posted February 20, 2010
 

An Antarctic Marathon ( The Plan + Last Minute Checklist )

Running

The plan of action :

  1. Go for Dinner >
  2. Then have a sleep for a few hours
  3. Get up 10:00 and get dressed got all items on check list  and update this blogpost.
  4. Go outside and make my way to the perimeter
  5. Start running at 11:00
  6.  Keep running for about 5 hours in circles until the total distance equals 26.2 miles
  7. Stop
  8. Go back indoors
  9.  Shower
  10.  Have a beer (or 2)
  11.  Tweet and give a status update
  12.  Go to bed
  13.  Sleep
  14.  See how long it takes until I wake up :-)

Checklist:

Entertainments

  • iPod Nano with Running playlist uploaded
  • Blackberry Bold Phone

Emergency Kit

  • Radio for Comms

Other stuff in my Kit Bag

  • Sunscreen Factor 15
  • Deep Heat muscle rub
  • Plasters for nipples
  • ibuprofen
  • Lucazade sport 2 Cans
  • Two Bottles of orange juice
  • 1 Bar Dairy Milk
  • 1 Mars Bar
  • Bag
  • Warm Down Jacket for after the Run

Anyhow its time to go next post will be in 26.2 miles :-)

Posted February 13, 2010
 

Last run before the big one!

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Today I went on my last run before trying to complete the Marathon distance here in Antarctica this week end.

Tomorrow I plan to rest. Since running 21 miles my legs have been in quite a bad way, I have had slight IT Band trouble and all over stiffness. My hip have not functioned properly and I have had trouble raising my legs. My knees have been so sore that I have been sleeping with them bent and waking up in the night with pain just bellow my them (tendonitus I think). In the last 10 days I have been on only 4 runs and all but one have been no more than 3 miles long. However with all that said and done I felt good on my run tonight and I think the rest/taper has been well worth it. I will enjoy my time off tomorrow all set for the big one :-)

Phil

www.justgiving.com/halleyfunrun

 

Filed under  //   Antarctica   Marathon   Training   run   video  
Posted February 11, 2010
 

Running 32 miles in 32 hours this weekend !

Running

Just to let you know I will be attempting to run a Marathon here in Antarctica this Friday and then trying to follow it by taking part in the Halley 10K Fun Run on Sunday 14th (Which is my 32nd Birthday). All things being well that should be a total of 32 miles in 32 hours. For the "Fun Run" part Agnieszka Frychowska from the Britsh Antarctic Survey has set up a Just Giving page to raise some money for the British Heart Foundation (Link attached) http://www.justgiving.com/halleyfunrun

Now normally if I was doing a running event I wouldn't ask for sponsorship but as this isn't a normal run, as its for a good cause, as its Valentines day and as I've almost killed myself training for this (obsessed that this is my last chance to run a Marathon in Antarctica) it would be really cool if we could raise a bit of money for all this effort.

If anyone could find it in their heart to sponsor me/us, it would be much appreciated and I've attached the Link ( at the end) to the Just giving Website for you to do so :-)

Thanks Phil

http://www.justgiving.com/halleyfunrun

Posted February 8, 2010
 

Lessons learnt running 21 miles in Antarctica.

Whats in the Photo? : Me at mile 17
Whats in the Audio?: Nothing really to do with running 21 miles but just a bit of a catch up:-)

Lessons learnt:

1. Take as much fluid as possible (More than you think).
2. If you stop you get cold (fast).
3. Put plasters on your nipples as they will be effected by the cold and bleed :-(
4. Take extra sunscreen it will sweat off your face.
5. Wear less clothing than you think as you will get hot from running and sweat which will then cool you down rapidly.However its essential to have a supply of warm clothing to throw on the moment you stop running.
6. Don't stop even if you really want to.. once the cold gets to you its hard to shake it off and its also hard to start running again.
7. On the same note as above , no matter how tempting it is when you finish to fall in a heap on the floor...don't its impossible to get up and you will lose alot of heat...I did do this and it took about two hours to stop shaking  (I now know what "chilled too the bone means" )
8. Schedule lots of rest for afterwards...I slept for 20 hours non stop following that run.

Ok...thats about all I can think of right now

...take care and stay safe

Phil

:-)

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Posted February 3, 2010
 

Im Snowshadow and I have delusions of grandeur

Its been two weeks since I ran 18 miles and tonight I will try and run 21 miles, also last Sunday I managed to run 12 miles and I think I may be also developing a delusions of grandeur. The reason for this is that since embarking on my longer endeavors within the alien splendor that is the Brunt Ice Shelf, I have started to understand that its not the environment that I am trying to overcome its me...the landscape is only as difficult as my ability and therefore as I am the environment ...I'm the rocking and rolling of the snow surface, I'm the variable surfaces fluctuating between soft and hard, I'm the wind in my face and the hanging fog, I'm my own personal Antarctica...I'm Snowshadow!

See you in 21 miles :-)

Snow

Posted January 30, 2010