Hello Everyone,
You may still be getting e-mails today from your friends and family members who are participating in MDS, but they soon will be away from computers and immersed in the magic – and the challenges – of the race.
Today, most will have run 30-40 minutes...and then tomorrow, Friday morning, the group has an 8 hour bus ride to the race site.
Jay (my husband) ran with the 3rd place runner from last year with a group of Dreamchasers. Jay said it is an amazing group and so many very fit people full of excitement! Laurie Andrews said...it is such a magical place!
Let me share with you what the runners are saying already...enjoy!
Happy Feet!
Lisa
FROM TED ARCHER (from yesterday):
Lisa and anyone interested in the pre-race experience . . . We've arrived in Ouarzazate, Morocco, a town of a few thousand people out in the desert. I wrote some friends that it is a mix between Las Vegas (the dry heat, dust, sand, and rocks with new construction everywhere) and the third-world feel of Mexico. We are all quite excited--but nervous. This morning Jay Batchen walked us through a pack tutorial, with many of us frantically getting rid of items in order to get down to a smaller weight. Marianne seems to be the winner, with a 15-pound pack; mine is just a hair under 22 pounds, which seems to be about average. Two more days in Ouarzazate, and then off to the first Bivouac! - Ted Archer
FROM ROBERT KENT
This is an edited dispatch Robert sent to family and friends, posted by National Post © 2008 Canwest Interactive, a division of Canwest Publishing Inc. It's a great read!
Robert’s Update
FROM M DeMARCO
Bunny, as everyone calls Miss M, is always helping us find the humor in at all. Read her Blog.
FROM LEIGH CORBIN
Leigh has some great updates on her Blog. I am so proud of Leigh for doing this race...she just planned her daughter's wedding and she still managed to sew her very own gaitors. Leigh, you will do beautifully out in the desert!
4 comments:
Lisa..
Well, its the night before we board the bus for the desert. I am ready to go and feel well prepared. I got some great news from home today--my youngest daughter gracie will come home from the hospital tomorrow. The last couple of days have allowed me to finalize my gear, go for a couple of runs in the heat, meet my fellow north american and australian runners, adjust to the time change, get lots of rest, and have a lot of laughs with friends. Morocco is a beautiful place and the people are friendly. The people running are amazing--one guy swam the english channel, lots of former paratroopers, guys who run marathons in 2.5 hours, women who have won various ultras around the world...many runners that are returning for their 7th, 8th, or 9th mds!! They say its especially hot this year, up to 130 degrees. I will take it very slow on day 1 (sunday) and see how I feel before pushing harder. The mds veterans and jay + lisa take good care of inexperienced participants like me. I can't wait to start running!!!!! Thank you for the great coaching and the camp, thank God I did both!!!
Jeff Aricle
Hi Lisa!
We leave OZZ in the morning for the first bivouac, and you can feel that everyone is anxious to get out to the course and get started. I certainly am. In any case, the months of preparation are over and it's time to do some running.
Thanks Lisa for the counsel and support. It's no exageration to say I wouldnt be here without your help. I'll do my best to run smart, and hard. Talk you after the race.
Terry Madl
Hi all,
we will do our very best to follow the race. so much amazing coverage this year!!!! Yeah for and to all of you. It is such a joy to be a coach and watch so many dreams come true.
Big hugs
Lisa
What an awesome picture!
Post a Comment