THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, GRACIAS, GRACIAS, GRACIAS!!!!

THIS ENTRY IS TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU WHO HAS SUPPORTED ME OVER THE LAST 24 MONTHS SINCE I DECIDED TO RUN THE MARATHON DE SABLES 2009.... THE SUPPORT I HAVE RECIEVED FROM BOTH FAMILY AND FRIENDS HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF AMAZING SO THANK YOU...

MUM, DAD – I DON’T NEED TO WRITE THIS AS HOPFULLY I SAY IT FREQUENTLY WHEN WE SPEAK BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND HELP IN FUND RAISING – AMAZING JOB!!!!!

HERE IS A FULL LIST OF EVERYBODY WHO HAS SPONSORED ME ONLINE OR THROUGH MY JUSTGIVING SITE - http://www.justgiving.com/charliestockford1

THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYBODY, THE LAST ULTRA OF 50km WAS RUN LAST WEEKEND AND NOW IT’S SIMPLY SAUNAS AND FOOD FOR 10 DAYS BEFORE THE OFF….

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU,
HAPPY TRAINING EVERYBODY..
CS

Adams Brian, Appleby Andy, Barret Andrew, Baxter Lesley & Ian, Bell Alan, Bodimead John, Burden John & Ginette, Clegg Gill, Davies Sue & Alan, Dawson Louise, Dawson Sally & Tim, Gilmour Bob, Gilmour June, Griffith Mike, Griffiths David, Harding Tony, Hardless Jennie, Heather Stuart, Henry Rosemary & Giles, Holdaway Rob & Angela, Howarth Del & Jackie, Jenkinson Kathleen, Jo & Ian, Joyce, Lyn & Jack, Lynch Mike, Mac John, MacIntyre Fiona, May Diana & Andrew, Moody John, Nelson Penny & Tony, Nicholson Carol & John, Partridge Edna, Pearce Mike, Pearson Pat & Jerry, Quayle Prue & John, Robinson Kay & Ian, Sandra, Sriven John, Sinclair Mike & Ingrid, Squires Ian & June, Stableforth Penny & David, Sticklen Tony & Shirley, Stockford David & Gill, Stockford Dick & Kay, Troughton Jane & Viv, Wootton Geoff, Rosmary Duncombe, Fran Fragoso (FF), Fitness First, Andy & Annabel, Max Williams, Sebastian Wegener, Legendario, John Watts, Malcolm & Gill, Frances Leonard, Jon & Sarah, Tim and Chrissy, Charlie Blewett, Equipo de España (running), Andy Appleby, Ed Partridge, David & Gill Stockford, Dom, Anonymous, Bob and Dee Gilmour, Mike Pearce, John, Jeanette, Jemima, Penny, Tony and Ellie Nelson, Colin Waggett, John and Carol Nicholson, Steve Kouma, Mike McMahon, Your favourite Godmother, Andrew Barrett, John and Prue Quayle, Sophie & Amy, Tony Harding, Tommy Matthews, penny and david stableforth, Mike Griffith, John Scriven, Stuart Heather, Gary Chard, Kay Stockford, Jo and Jez, Katy and James Rowden, Amy & Matt, Laura T, David Whiting, Viv and Jane Troughton, Rob and, Angela Holdaway, Nick and Heather Coverdale, Rob & Clare, Sam and Sara Abbott, Benji Beill, Kathleen Jenkinson, Dick Stockford, Diana and Andrew May, Kay Stockford, John B, mike lynch, ian and kay robinson, Jerry & Pat Pearson, Alan Bell, Sophie Dalglish

EPIC 4 DAY TRAINING TRIP TO GRAN CANARIA

Day 1 of 4 – Hey all, the start of an epic training 4 days with my MdS partner Bruce Wright – Legendario!!!
We prepared full kit and tucked into the 1st of one of our expedition breakfasts, an 800k/calories hit of concrete otherwise known as – Porridge with strawberries…. WOW!! I needed a lie down after finishing I can tell you. Amazing!! Add boiling water to the pack and 5 minutes later you got 800 calories of energy…. As soon as the porridge had gone down it was offski’s, 30km to achieve and full kit to prepare. We have both dismissed the idea of the front pack but gaiters and water systems fully need testing. Hit the dunes with the gaiters and have to say, not much luck… Need more work on the Gaiters. The dunes were however great fun but damn difficult and distance covered a bit of an eye opener considering the effort put in… I was impressed with the water holders but again, modifications needed. We ran out over the dunes passed many a naked man and woman receiving some rather odd looks, as we were dressed I think but loving the proudness of which a naked man or woman flaunt their always rounded figures, didn’t see many hotties, strange!!!! The plan was 25 km sand training which we achieved. Later on after another 800 calories and a snooze of course we made a 30 min walk to town to enjoy a T-Bone when the owner then ran us home, nice! Day 1 a 100% success for learning and here are the notes of items still to buy, trust me this ultra running in the desert does not come cheap.. Trust me!!
Whistle
BSC Skins underwear - http://www.optimallifefitness.com/
Blister kit
IODINE
Sandstorm Goggles - http://www.darbaroud-boutik.com/index_us.htm
Vaseline
Knife:
http://www.opinel.com/www-accueil-5-UK.html
http://en.petzl.com/petzl/Accueil
http://www.sogknives.com/store/index.html
Windproof Jacket - Raidlight
Towel
http://www.expeditionfoods.com/shop/index.php
Spaghetti Bolognaise x 4
Sweet and Sour Chicken x 3
Chicken Tikka Masala x 3
Mild Beef Curry with Rice x 2
Porridge x 5
Muesli x 2
Nuts, pork scratching
Flags
New Bulbs for Maglight - http://www.surefire.com/
P20 Sun cream
Diarolight
4 x X-Socks - http://www.x-socks.com/
4 x Thorlo Socks - http://www.thorlo.com/
Massage Oils / Vaseline
Kettle / boiling tin
Raidlight gaiters
Spare battery for Canon Camera

Happy Training,
Charlie

Day 2 - Mountain Run!!

Day 2 – The plan for this trip for me was to run on rugged, uneven terrain, test food and kit and in all honesty, test running with another person i.e my partner in crime, Bruce as I / we are both very used to running solo.
So, what did we test?

1. Back-pack
2. Front-pack, water holders and running with full kit.
3. Gaiters
4. Clothing and sun screen
5. Drinking systemsFood – Expedition foods, bars and energy replacement
6. Running together (with Bruce)
7. Running on uneven terrain
8. A night run
9. Covering large distances and ensuring long periods of time on feet over 4 consecutive days.

I can honestly say I am / we are really happy with all outcomes apart from the night run (my fault as we didn’t get to this aspect). I am so pumped about every aspect of the MdS and have a really clear idea as to what I need to do now so WELL WELL HAPPY!!!
Today we set off on a 30km mountain run where we ran up a dried up canal up into the mountains. We were rewarded with spectacular scenery but it was a little cooler than by the sea. We had a few wrong turns which slowed us down but we did enjoy some great runs and only joined briefly by a 4x4 safari course, jeep safari, and camel safari???
Through the wilderness we were guided by phalanges (piles of rocks as markers) but completed 30km on a rough track with hard ascents and descents. Start / Stop was good practice for the dessert ‘The key is to keep moving - Run, walk if you want to, crawl if you have to, but keep moving’ – Wise Words!!!!
I need to buy some ‘Recovermax’ even if for peace of mind I am doing all I can to recover each day. That night we added a 90 min walk into town & home. NICE!! Happy Training,

Charlie

Day 3 - Long Coastal Run

Day 3 - Coast run, best coastal path ever and ABSOLUTLY LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!!!!!
Started out west along the coastal path and soon out of the tourist path across the golf course and onto a coastal route that is clearly only ever found by caravaners and locals… The path was thin and dangerous at times needing some serious concentration not slip off into a nasty fall…. Tricky when there were some hotties below us in some areas… I almost killed sun bathers with a rock fall, but absolutely sensational training. I think minus the ocean could be very similar terrain to the dessert.. I did manage to have a little snooze on rocky beach sin chicks (thanks Bruce) and got me a ridiculous tan line from my heart rate monitor, enough said!!! Think it was a 30 km day with some great photo opportunities high up more phalanges.

That evening we made a foolish error by having a few beers during the rugby - Eng v Ire then a 3 course meal and almost got convinced into buying a really lovely Tag Heuer Watch – Maybe a treat once completed the MdS eh??
Happy Training everybody!!!
Charlie

Day 4 - Dune Day

Day 4 - Final Day and very sad... It's been a really useful trip, learning heaps about ration expedition food, back-packs and front-packs, drinking systems, recovery and hydration among many other things... We started the day off with a typical dessert breakfast of a Full English & Café Latté. Lovely!! Sent an enquiry email off to the organisers of the North Pole Marathon - ha ha ha only 11,900€ so watch this space!!! Had a bit of a sun-bathe and 2 x Margarita Pizza before heading out to the Sand Dunes of Maspalomas. This was harder than expected and taught us the demons of having a couple beers (a massive mistake you understand). The ridiculous tan line/burn was made worse by Anti Venom Pump which I do not need to say any more on other than a comedy of errors one after the other... Sand dune training was tough but made easier by the fact we are both incredibly vein and had a photo shoot.... Heavy on the Sand Dunes, Light on the mileage..... 5 miles - short day in total but did feel a little lethargic...Dinner in Maspalomas again s added another 90 minute walk onto what ever we achieved during the day.All in all a very very successful 4 days with both of us learning heaps from the trip... Can't wait to run the MdS with my right hand man Brucey but I did start already to feel a little disappointed that the last 18 months of hype over this race will be over in 5 weeks :-(
Watch this space everybody, I have a small feeling I could be entering something else very soon....
Happy Training,

Charlie