Garmin Fenix Technical Review

Note: This is not an endorsement of the Garmin  fēnix™, but rather a critical technical review based upon my own experience with the  fēnix™.  

Review Background

It was with some expectation that I looked towards the launch of the fēnix™. Having entered the world of adventure racing, and in specific, multi-stage self-support races, I was in the market for a new GPS watch. But the order was a tall one, my new GPS watch would need to (1) record as much environmental and physiological data as possible, (2) be light weight, as every gram counts when you have to cart it around, and (3) have a battery life that allows for extended use.

My transition to the fēnix™ came with some sadness. My trusted Forerunner 305 had given me much more than my monies worth. It was also much more than a mere GPS watch, it was my trusted training and race companion. The Forerunner 305 is a reliable, albeit aging GPS watch, which gave me so many options during both training and racing. It was simple to use, had great screen real-estate, which allowed for extensive display customization and could interface with both its desktop and later the internet based connect options. Its only real drawbacks are (1) its relatively short battery life and (2) less than stylish looks. When I say ‘relatively short battery life’ I refer to it within the context of extended race times. With many endurance races lasting well beyond 40-hours the Forerunner 305 fell short, however, the majority of runners out there won’t even spend that length of time training and running in a month, so the Forerunner 305 remains a very strong and powerful training and race aid. Its aesthetics is less suited to a new, trendier look that many runners pursue, personally I never had an aesthetic problem with the Forerunner 305. This latter part relates to individual taste and preferences.

After repeated delays in the launch of the fēnix™, which I must admit was most frustrating and to some extent worrisome, it eventually reached the South African shores. It was with great excitement that I collected my much awaited fēnix™ from the Cape Union Mart in Sandton City. The very first fēnix™ in South Africa was mine to review. The fear that nagged in the back of my mind was that the repeated delays must have meant that the company was trying to fix last minute software and hardware problems and that by the time it would hit the shelves that most, but not all of these would be resolved. I anticipated a number of return trips to Garmin South Africa to have these resolved. As many Garmin users would know, this is a daunting prospect as I still have an outstanding issue that remains unresolved on my GPSMAP® 62 that dates as far back as May 2012.

This fear, however, was unfounded. The fēnix™ is the next best thing since ice-cream. I have now used the fēnix™ for close on four months, have clocked around 1,500 running kilometers  including its real test, the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon (KAEM), a grueling 250km self-sufficiency endurance race. My decision to use the KAEM as the fēnix™ review environment was deliberate, as my aim is to specialize in multi-stage endurance desert racing, it was essential for me to test the marketing claims of an improved battery life as well as to see how the watch holds up in a high temperature environment. The heat, sand and rocks would surely put the fēnix™ through its paces. But it didn't stop there, as my wife and I also participate in geocaching the fēnix™ was more recently tested in the Eastern Cape (South Africa) where it had to withstand the sea, rain, rocks and the usual sand.   

I am happy to report that the fēnix™ came through with flying colors  It met my expectations, was able to address the short comings of the Forerunner 305 and held its own in one of the most extreme environments on the planet. I can just say well done to the design team at Garmin. It is obvious that the feature, hardware and software design and construction of the fēnix™ was not a lab exercise but rather a real collaboration between adventure user and the design team. For once, the technology seems to understand my needs.

                                    

What follows is a more detailed and critical review of the fēnix™.            

1. Software

1.1   Device Software Version

I tested the fēnix™ with its version 2.9 software that was pre-loaded on the watch at the time. I decided not to upgrade the software prior to testing the watch for three reasons. Firstly I needed to assess whether the watch enters the market in a fully functional state, secondly, I wanted to test the watch with the same software that Garmin had tested extensively before the launch. This way the hardware is not assessed in terms of ‘untested’ software upgrades, and finally a friend and fellow KAEM runner, Clint Seager, was also running with the fēnix™ and had decided to upgrade its software.  

1.2   Software Upgrading

Software upgrading is relatively simple, connecting to www.garmin.com/products/webupdater and the process is mostly automated. The watch needs to be connected to the USB port, the software will automatically detect the model and the upgrade will be completed. Once the update is completed and the watch disconnected from the USB port the update will be validated. This will take a few minutes and during that time the watch will be inactive.

1.3   Software Version Changes in the Version 3.00 Upgrade

The following software changes are included in the version 3 upgrade:

·         Added ability to select Venezuela and UTC time zones,

·         Added continuous altimeter auto calibration mode,

·         Improved altimeter auto calibration. Settings are now: Off, At Start or Continuous. Use 'At Start' for an initial calibration from GPS when tracking has started. This will result in more consistent relative elevation change. Use 'Continuous' to continually calibrate the barometer towards the current GPS elevation. This will result in a more stable elevation during pressure changes due to weather,

·         Improved ETE/ETA calculations so they are more responsive to speed changes,

·         Fixed cadence units overlap in bottom data field,

·         Fixed issue with proximity alerts when GPS was off,

·         Fixed potential issue with alert notification settings,

·         Fixed issue where Track and FIT History details did not match for the same activity,

·         Fixed issue with Time -> Til Sunset alert

2.       Owner’s Manual

In my view this is the fēnix’s weakness. The fēnix™ comes bundled with utterly meaningless ‘manuals’ (the fēnix™ ‘Quick Start Manual’ in six different booklets and a 56 page ‘Important Safety and Product Information’ booklet). To produce these must be having a meaningful impact on our rainforests and the environment in general. For the environmentally sensitive users this might be less than acceptable. It is true that to add such meaningless booklets has become standard practice for most products we consume, however, the fēnix™ is aimed at a very specific user, amongst these the adventurer who places a premium on the environment.   

The real manual has to be downloaded in PDF format. This manual (product code 190-01507-00_0A) is comprehensive but is effectively outdated with each software upgrade. The manual has no software version control designation so it is somewhat problematic and could become more frustrating as each software upgrade is implemented.

The user manual itself lacks a table of term definitions. Adding such a table would provide new users with a point of reference and will greatly improve the user experience.

It may be argued that I am unfairly harsh in my review of this element; however, I have yet to find a person who have read, or indeed, needed to read the manuals that the watch came bundled with on the one hand, and on the other, the downloaded PDF version is a step back. The technology jump that the fēnix™ makes is huge and a PDF manual sort of feels pre-millennium. Garmin may consider creating an interactive electronic manual on the internet that aligns to the software version of the watch delivering the relevant information to its diverse global users. It would be really great if Garmin designs such an interactive solution around the end-user activity allowing the user to select an activity and be guided by the system through a step-by-step process that demonstrates how to utilise the watch to its fullness.

3.       Watch

3.1   Setup

Setting-up the watch straight out of the box is simple and a user is up and running within minutes. The battery comes pre-charged and setup is a matter of following the on-screen prompts. The watch is extremely user friendly and its usage is for most parts instinctive. Much of the functionality is customisable (with additional customisability in version 3), the learning curve is relatively flat and migrating from other GPS sports watches to the fēnix™ is simple.

For users already using the Garmin Connect platform there is no need to transfer data as the fēnix™ simply replaces the previous watch used. For users migrating from a different brand the GPX files can simply be uploaded onto the Garmin Connect platform which provides training and racing data continuity.

For those runners who place a premium on light weight training and running aids the fēnix™ comes into its own, weighing in at 82g the USB dock adds another 34g’s. The durability of the fēnix™ is found in the use of a combination of materials that range from aluminium to rubber (polyurethane). It has a sturdy construction, is well designed and presents a practical solution for the adventure racer. For the most part it is water and dust resistant, its LCD face is protected and the straps are fixed to the watch by two T10 Torx screws that give it a very modern and industrial type look.

The most impressive aspect of the watch, however, is its battery life. With the watch setup to take a GPS, temperature, altitude and other technical data reading once every minute the batter life is in the region of 50 hours, in continuous mode this comes down to 16 hours. Continuous mode battery depletion takes place at a rate of around 1-percent depletion every 9 minutes and 36 seconds. Using a PowerMonkey Extreme solar panel (without its battery) and connecting this to the fēnix™ via its USB docking station the depletion rate can be slowed down to a depletion rate of 1-percent every 33 minutes. I ran with the solar panel strapped to my back-pack and attached to my watch via the USB cable and dock. Running with the docking cable between my arm and the watch was not really uncomfortable and doing so would increase the continuous reading battery life to 55-hours. On the 1-minute reading setting this could extend the units battery life to around 172 hours. I know of few activities or races that will exceed these requirements.

The unit charges, from the PowerMonkey Extreme solar panel at a rate of 1-percent every 4 minutes, which means that to recharge the unit from a totally depleted stated could be achieved in little less than 7-hours. During the KAEM the battery, in continuous mode, would deplete at a rate of around 28-percent per day. To recharge from the PowerMonkey solar panel takes around 1 hour 52 minutes.

Carrying the PowerMonkey solar panel, weighing in at 202g, with me on my race pack provides a near indefinite power source for the fēnix™.

Using the UltraTrac feature allows the user to change the fēnix™ from continuous data recording mode to taking a data reference every minute (software version 2.90). During the software version 3.00 upgrade this was further refined to allow the user to define the data reference intervals from anywhere between continuous to something that is more appropriate to the user. As the interval times increase between data reference points so the battery life increases. There is, however, a balance that needs to be struck between increasing battery life and ending up with meaningful data that can be used in analysis or in real time while participating in the activity. I found that the average adventure racer is capable of sustaining a pace of around 6,5km/h (this range from 3km/h to nearly 13km/h) which means that at a 1-minute interval the adventure racer would have covered 108 meters between two reference points. Personally I feel that three to four readings per kilometre is more than sufficient, so the UltraTrac interval setting can be set to take a reading every 2 minutes 42 seconds before the data loses some value. Obviously faster activities will require a higher interval rate, and as with most things in sport much of this comes down to personal reference.

During the KAEM my fēnix™ was set on continuous mode, while Clint Seager’s was set to take a reading once every minute.

The first graph is drawn using the continuous data from my fēnix™. I specifically chose the elevation data as it represents a constant across the data population. As both of us would have to cross the same terrain there should not be any real difference between my data graph and Clint’s, for the day.

The next graph is drawn from the 1-minute interval data from Clint’s fēnix™. As can be clearly seen his graph follows a very similar elevation trend than my continuous reading. The difference, however, comes in in the smoothness. His fēnix™ must calculate and attempt to fill the 108 meter gaps. It does this by calculating a number of progressive averages which means that his graph has some real data and some ‘anticipated’ data which presents a far less smooth rendering. The reality, however, is that from a purely elevation profile assessment perspective his data presents the same picture as mine.

My conclusion, therefore, is that using the UltraTrac interval setting in relation to your data requirements and activity specific performance is an efficient way to prolong your battery life without really exchanging data quality in the process.

There are exceptions; however, UltraTrac works best in an end-to-end ‘straight line’ activity. I will give an example; I have an urban out and back run with a number of turns in and around my neighbourhood. With a continuous interval setting my position throughout the route is tracked on a moment by moment basis and the watch accurately records the distance as 10km’s. With an UltraTrac interval setting of 1-minute and my 10km pace of 10km/h it means that the fēnix™ records a reference point only every 167 meters. In a straight line this does not pose a problem, however, when a series of 90 degree turns are made, as is the case when one runs within neighbourhoods some of the real reference points are missing, so the watch compensates by drawing a straight line between the new and the previous reference point. The same things happen in an out and back run where as much as 167 meters can be ‘lossed’ around the turn-point. In real terms this means that with a 1-minute UltraTrac interval my fēnix™ does not record this particular distance as a 10km run, but rather an 8,8km distance. This represents a 12% deviation, and would not be acceptable to many runners who carefully calculate their running distances.

Another area where the UltraTrac fails is in distance based interval running. Because the fēnix™ only updates once a minute a runners intervals lags somewhat which can be a source of great irritation. It does, however, make no difference to those runners who applies time based interval training.

In essence, the UltraTrac option allows the user to exercise control in that the runner can manage the relationship between data deficiencies and batter power, which becomes a really big issue during multi-stage ultra-endurance adventure activities.  

4.       Features

The fēnix™ is packed with amazing features, amongst these are the following:

·         GPS,

·         Altimeter,

·         Barometer,

·         Compass,

·         Wireless Connectivity,

·         Heart Rate Monitor,

·         Speed / Cadence Sensor Connectivity, and

·         Temperature.

The combination of features makes the watch suited to:

·         Camping,

·         Hunting,

·         Hiking,

·         Running,

·         Geocaching,

·         Off-Roading,

·         Cycling, and

·         Boating.

Of these diverse activities I assessed the watch performance in running and geocaching but tested all of the features.

4.1   GPS (Distance)

The GPS is easy to use, the receiver locates the GPS satellite signals amazingly fast and it has a high accuracy level. Comparing daily distances during the KAEM with other GPS watches and the organisers distance chart placed the fēnix™ accuracy at around 99,8%.

Transferring the GPS coordinate data to Google Maps / Earth produces a really great overlay that allows the user to clearly see where the activity took him/her. The training value this has is amazing; especially for those activities that takes the user into unfamiliar terrain. Combining the visual terrain data with environmental data (temperature, barometric pressure, and altimeter) and individual performance data (speed, pace, heart rate) allows the user to amend both the training program and activity strategy, thereby improving personal performance.

I personally used the data to redesign part of my training program and is using the information collected during the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon to reformulate a race strategy for the 2013 Marathon des Sables.

4.2   Altimeter

The altimeter function is extremely useful. Overlaying the altimeter, pace and heart rate data provides a clear picture of how the human body performs under altitude gain and loss conditions. I personally used it to determine just how much more I can increase my pace while running up a hill of a specific gradient. This allows a user to improve performance, develop an understanding of how his / her body responds to pace and stress.

4.3   Barometer

The barometer has a somewhat limited application. Using barometric pressure to determine altitude is only reliable if the weather is stable. The best usage for the fēnix™ barometer is to identify possible weather changes when the user is out into the wild for prolonged periods. This applies mostly to hikers, adventure racers, hunters and fishers. For instance, a drop in barometric pressure indicates that a low pressure system is developing which is often a sign of rain or generally bad weather.   

Although not directly associated with event performance, the use of the barometer has a safety application.

4.4   Compass

The compass is a great navigational aid. I used it primarily to guide me towards a geocache location, but it has a far greater application.

4.5   Heart Rate Monitor

The heart rate monitor is an essential training and racing aid for any serious athlete. The fēnix™ allows the user the usual heart rate zone alarm settings etc. The fēnix™ heart rate monitor was not compatible with my Forerunner 305 heart rate sensor, so a new heart rate sensor had to be acquired. 

In general I use the heart rate function of the fēnix™ to manage my weight, improve my fitness, endurance and speed as well as calculate my nutritional needs for multi-stage endurance races. For me this function forms part of the core around which I base my entire training and racing activities.

4.6   Speed and Cadence

I did not evaluate the cadence function which requires an additional sensor. The speed and pace functions of the fēnix™ is similar to that of most other products. It provides speed, pace and average pace readings in various formats.

4.7   Temperature

The temperature function of the fēnix™ is an excellent feature. If combined with heart rate, altitude, speed and GPS data it allows for a range of important performance issues to be addressed. I used the temperature feature during the KAEM to adjust my pace to ensure that my average heart rate remained within an acceptable level. The benefit of this is that I was able to avert dehydration, excessive energy consumption and a host of other performance issues even when ambient temperatures reached as high as 50 degree Celsius.

It is worthwhile noting that the built in temperature sensor of the fēnix™ is adequate and accurate for temperatures that exceed the normal temperature of the human body. Therefore, no external or additional sensor is required to measure temperatures that exceed 37 degree Celsius. For colder temperatures the normal body temperature contaminates the reading and the external sensor is essential.

4.8   Customisation

This is the fēnix’s strong point, the user is able to customise the components to be displayed, set-up multiple pre-defined user specific screens, and order these in a sequence that is required by the user. This allows the user to utilize the limited screen real-estate of the fēnix™ to the full.

5.       Other Aspects of the fēnix™

5.1   Aesthetics

I found the fēnix™ to be an aesthetically pleasing instrument that can easily be worn as a day-to-day digital time piece.

5.2   Price

The price is not cheap but compared to other similar products it represents great value for money.

My final conclusion is that the fēnix™ is an excellent GPS instrument that is well suited for adventure racing and multi-stage events. It is great value for money, has a host of well-designed features but that to get real value from all of these takes some time. It is worthwhile running the software upgrades, working through the user manual and finding out as much as possible about the benefits that can be derived from the various sensor data offered by the fēnix™. 

This means that to gain the most value from the fēnix™ requires a strong scientific approach and that without such interest and knowledge the data is to a large extent somewhat redundant.

Preparing for the Marathon Des Sables

A month after completing the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme 250km multistage race (KAEM), I am only 4 ½ months away from competing in the Marathon des Sables (MdS) in the Sahara desert. This will be the second of twenty five deserts I intend to run and I as the time grows shorter I am getting more excited. The question I ask myself is what is my race goal and objective for the MdS. I had this clearly defined and set out for the KAEM. I wanted to test my nutrition and complete the race somewhere between 50 and 70 hours. I achieved both, confirming what foods work and what foods need to be changed. I also finished the race comfortably in 59 hours and 39 minutes. So setting a realistic race goal that balances a personal challenge while enjoying the wonderful natural beauty of the desert is of paramount importance.

I ask myself, what do I need to test, what remains an uncertainty that I need to confirm? Without a doubt I would say managing core temperature. After my experience in the KAEM I realised that the information on managing a runner’s core temperature under such extreme conditions are extremely limited. Little scientific research has been done, and that which had been done was mostly done within a controlled environment.

My primary objective for the MdS is, therefore, to monitor my core temperature and heart rate and in doing so find a way to increase my performance while being in control of both my heart rate and core temperature. Heart rate and core temperature relates back to energy consumption so finding a way to control both within a hostile environment while participating in an extreme activity is central to ultra-endurance racing.

My goal is to improve my running time in the MdS with between 7 ½ and 12 ½ percent. I am therefore aiming in reducing my running time by between 4 ½ and 7 ½ hours. I ran the KAEM maintaining an average race pace of 4,2km/h. To reach my MdS goal I will have to increase my average race pace to 4,8km/h. I am of course assuming that there is some terrain similarity between the MdS and the KAEM. In theory my performance limit is around 6,6km/h[1], so a 4,8km/h performance would mean that I am performing at around 73% of my actual performance capability. During the KAEM I performed at around 64% of capability.

Reviewing my KAEM performance, however, clearly indicates the effect of extreme heat (that above 45 degrees Celsius) on my body. The upper end of my initial pre-race target was set at 4,5km/h. On day 1 I managed to maintain a 5,45km/h average, on day 2 with temperatures rising to well above 46 degree Celsius I was only able to maintain a 3,74km/h average. On day 3 I was still paying the physiological and psychological price for day 2. The physical effect of the heat on the one hand and the psychological fear as a result of it on the other hand resulted in an average of 3,16km/h running speed. Then came the long run and I recovered somewhat, I regained some confidence and with lower temperatures (in the high 30’s to low 40’s) was able to maintain an average running speed of 3,5km/h. The rest day combined with the confidence that came after the long run allowed me to run day 6 and 7 at an average of 5,7km/h and 5,5km/h.    

So what do I need to do to make this a reality?

      1.       Race Pack Weight

During the KAEM I marked all my content with seals to enable me to see what was used and what was, in reality items that can be omitted from my bag. I will be reducing my pack weight by just over 1,5kg’s (wet) which will translate into a 1kg (wet) weight reduction. The 500g difference is attributed to compulsory flair issued by the MdS organisers.

A 1 kg weight reduction will typically have a 25min running time reduction per 40km’s. I, therefore, anticipate a running time reduction of 150 minutes (02:30) over the entire distance. Hoping to shave off 7 ½ hours the 2 ½ hours afforded by the race reduction represents 33,3%. With such a small change resulting is a huge benefit I will most definitely see where else I can make meaningful weight savings.

      2.       Running Strategy

The psychological effect that comes from a physiological reaction to an extreme environment can be crippling and I needed to find a way to manage my reaction and response to severe conditions. Day’s 2 and 3 had the most impact on my overall performance. If I was able to manage my average heart rate more pro-actively on day 2 I would not have lost a 2-hour stop on CP3, due to medical concerns. The effect of this 2-hour stop was huge and brought my average running speed down from 4,6 to 4,1km/h. The, effect, however did not stop there. The impact this had on day 3 and 4 compounded the performance effect.

I will, therefore, manage my heart rate more effectively by (1) reading my terrain better, (2) adjusting my walk / run / rest relationship more pro-actively and in-line with environmental conditions and finally by adjusting mentally far quicker. Unfortunately all of this comes down to experience, which I now have more of than before the KAEM. I am encouraged by this as it means that I will perform better as I gain more experience. I hope to gain an additional 4 ½ hours through the adaptation of my running strategy.

If I am able to implement this successfully I would have reduced my overall time by 7 hours, which comes very close to my overall target.

      3.       Training

It goes without saying that I identified numerous areas in my training that was lacking. First and foremost is my lack of walk-training. I am at present still experimenting with various walking options and will post a review on this, hopefully, in early January 2013. The second area of training relates to strengthening my legs to be able to lift high. This is a necessary movement required to move in deep lose sand. My approach is to focus on using the staircase / step machine in the gym.

The hope is that by training how to walk fast and efficiently, that I will be able to improve my walking speed in those areas where the terrain does not allow me to run. The staircase / step training will hopefully make me more prepared and efficient when moving through deep lose sand. I am somewhat uncertain as to the effect this will have on my running time, but should have a much clearer picture closer to the time.

      4.       Addo Elephant 44km’s

I have also enrolled for the Addo Elephant 44km trail run in the beginning of March 2013, about a month prior to the MdS. I am running with my wonderful wife, Tanya, who is getting ready to do the KAEM 2013 with me. This will be her first ultra-distance, and for that reason I opted to do the 44km with her opposed to the 76km.

In summary, our respective training goals between 1 December 2012 and 31 March 2013 look as follows:

	Genis	Tanya
December 2012	80km/week + 3 gym sessions	60km/week + 3 gym sessions
January 2013	90km/week + 3 gym sessions	70km/week + 3 gym sessions
February 2013	100km/week + 3 gym sessions	80km/week + 3 gym sessions
March 2013	110km/week + 3 gym sessions	80km/week + 3 gym sessions

After my return from the MdS, I will fall back onto 80km/week and 3 gym sessions. Both my running schedule and Tanya’s will then align, gradually working it back up to a 100 to 110km/week average.

Logistics

Besides training there are some logistical issues that need to receive some attention during the coming months. Amongst these are (1) making my travel arrangements from South Africa to the UK, (2) dealing with my Visa application, (3) sorting gaiters, (4) concluding the required medical and (5) getting all the travel injections that is required for Morocco. Overall it seems as if this is going to be a busy 2013.

Thank you for visiting my blog,

Genis

"the desert poet"

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[1] A 6,6km/h race pace is calculated based upon 180% of my marathon pace. This takes into consideration my experience level, my marathon pace and my present fitness level, race pack weight, terrain and environmental conditions.

KAEM Post-Race Report

“After gazing at the sky for some time, I came to the conclusion that such beauty had been reserved for remote and dangerous places, and that nature has good reasons for demanding special sacrifices for those who dare to contemplate it”

Richard E, Byrd, Alone (1938)

As promised here is my post-race report on the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon. Wow, what a learning curve! The adventure was amazing, every aspect of the race was filled with personal challenges, individual success and a great team spirit. My experience is contrary to how outsiders would interpret extreme adventure racing. At first glance an outsider would conclude that this is a highly individualistic activity and that it falls beyond team work. Nothing can be further from the truth. Although highly dependent upon an individual’s, physical endurance and mental strength it is the collaborative team dynamic that serves as the primary motivator that allows an individual to continue way beyond his or her obvious capability. Extreme adventure racers are motivated by a dual dynamic, on the one hand personal achievement and on the other hand personal satisfaction that stems from helping a fellow racer.

     

I think that the most obvious aspect learned is that extreme adventure racers lack the concept of “around”. There is no going around an obstacle, there is only going over, under or through it. For most of us who live in a world where avoidance (going around) seems to be the status quo this takes some getting used to, however, the transition is fairly easy and I abandoned the going around nonsense within the first hour of the race.

The second aspect I had to abandon was my incessant drive to know. Extreme adventure racing is about living in the moment, the now is the only thing that has any relevance. Once I grasped this my mind seemed to relax and the obstacles that came my way became much easier to manage. Unfortunately making the shift to the now took a little longer.

“The only true wisdom lives far from mankind, out in the great loneliness, and can be reached only through suffering”

Igjugarjuk, Caribou Eskimo Shaman

From, a more philosophical perspective, I grasped the true meaning of Extreme adventure racing, unfortunately only on day 6. I came to realize that I am unable to subdue the desert; I am incapable of bending nature to my will. Trying to bend such an extreme environment to my will became fraught with “failure”, it taxed me physically, mentally and emotionally and nearly cost me the race. On the morning of the 6^th day, I submitted to the desert, I decided to live in harmony with her. She saw this and rewarded me at so many levels. I came to realise that you cannot run in the desert, you can only run with her. By listening to her, she will show you what to do when. In the early days I would fight the terrain, running where she showed me to walk, walk when she gave me some shade to rest and so forth. On day 6, I saw the terrain differently; I came to listen to it more intently, when it was too difficult to run, I walked, when the terrain became easier I would run. When the desert gave a stream or a farm dam, I would indulge myself and would soak up the beauty that she gave. This harmony was rewarded when I was able to run 34% faster than my overall race average over the 44km’s on day 6.

So, if you would ask me what I have learned from the time I spent running across the Kalahari Desert it would be (1) to live simply, (2) be in the now and (3) listen to the silent guidance that we so easily ignore. I felt a harmony and peace, a certain fulfilment that you can only find in the most difficult of circumstances. I became softer but not weaker, I came to understand that “around” is not an option but I did so in strength and not power.

The friends made in the desert, the bonds built and the relationships solidified transcended both gender and nationality. Somehow, language was no longer a barrier and we all got along irrespective of who or what we are outside of the desert. It was great to simply be a human being, uncontaminated by social status, material wealth or the facades that we hold so dear in life. There were no masks, no pretence and no undermining motives. We were all raw, exposed and everyone could see who you really were. It was beautiful; I saw goodness, kindness, love, respect and perseverance. It restored my hope in humanity, for if in such extreme and taxing circumstances so much beauty and kindness can emerge there must surely still be a spark of hope for our species. The question is how we take the desert to our respective nations.

During my seven days in the KAEM tribe I was honoured with the title “desert poet” and have decided to have this printed on all my running gear from now on. Thank you to all my fellow adventurers (both runners and crew) who made every moment of the KAEM 2012 so special.

“You don’t have to be a fantastic hero to do certain things – to compete. You can be just an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated to reach challenging goals”

Sir Edmund Hillary

What follows is as much detail as I could possibly put together without spoiling the experience for others, I hope this helps.   

1.       Race Overview

Total Distance	Advertised 245km’s	Real Distance 250km’s
Day 1	30km	30km
Day 2	38km	40km
Day 3	30km	30km
Day 4	79km	82km
Day 5	Rest	Rest
Day 6	44km	44km
Day 7	24km	24km

Day 2 started with a climb, at 1,38km’s we were at an altitude of 434m and by the time we reached 2,18km’s we had gained 137m’s (up to 571m over an 800m distance). A similar climb was repeated on day 3 when we climbed from an altitude of 417m’s to 488m’s (a 71m gain) in little over 340m’s. At times we had to use ropes to reach the top.

Day 4, our long run, saw us cross three mountain ranges resulting in a total altitude elevation gain of 922 meters.  

A total of 46 runners entered the KAEM but only 38 (83%) completed the run. The majority of the 8 runners that withdrew from the race were as a result of the heat resulting in dehydration issues. Two runners, Phil Waudby and Henda Salmeron had more serious injuries with Phil developing hernia issues and Henda developing a tear in her patella.

It was with sadness that I had to say goodbye to both of them (both friends prior to meeting at the KAEM) on the same day. It made the reality of the extremeness of the event crystal clear. It was, however, great to see both of them from time to time manning the various checkpoints along the way. Their encouragement and positive attitude provided the strength and drive for many of us that remained within the race.

Maximum Temperature during the Event:           51 deg Celsius

Minimum Temperature during the Event:            -1 deg Celsius

Day 1 was a 30km run that introduced us to the desert, river bed after river bed made it clear that this was going to be a sandy run. The test came, however, when we ended up in a sandy river bed, in a gorge, that lasted for 3,3 km’s. The heat was intense but bearable.

Day 2 was 38km’s and started with a climb. Our race book had a warning printed in bold: “Please be vary careful here of loosening any rocks that may tumble down upon people below you. If this does happen please shout a warning to the others below you. This section is very steep and great care must be taken”. The climb was intense but the satisfaction of reaching CP1 at the top was empowering. Unfortunately the day would turn out to be one of the most intense in this race. The temperatures soared to well over 45 degrees Celsius early on in the day and peaked at around 50 degrees Celsius. At some point my Garmin Fenix recorded a 51 degree Celsius. All of this took its toll, the climb, took Phil and Henda out of the race, while the remainder of the day took many more out of the race. Rehydration became a constant focus whom some were able to manage while others paid the price. I reached CP4 with chest pains and a racing heart rate. After 20 minutes my resting heart rate was still well over a 100 beats per minute (normal resting heart rate for me is 48 bpm). This concerned me and the medical personnel which saw me being held back for around 2-hours before I was allowed to continue. I had to rethink my race strategy to ensure that my heart rate remained more stable and control able in this severe heat environment, more about this later.     

Day 3 was once again a 30km run and as with day 2 had a real climb early on in the race. At times the climb was so steep it required the use of ropes to reach the top, but both the climb and reaching the top was spectacular. The view from the top was indescribable. As the day progressed it seemed to cool a little with a desert wind being welcomed by everyone.

Day 4/5 was on every one’s mind up to this point. The distance of 79km’s (my Garmin Fenix recorded this distance as 80km’s and not 79km’s) were no small feat at the best of times but in this environment and on this terrain it was clear that it was going to be a real challenge. The wind that started on day 3 continued throughout the night which meant that we set off in a cooler environment that on the previous days. The run was scenic to say the least, we crossed two mountain ranges with spectacular views, ran in river beds, gorges and some of the most beautiful scenery nature has to offer, and all of that before we reached CP4 at 33km’s. I reached CP4 at 14:09 after having started out at 07:00, it therefore took me 7 hours to cover 33km’s; the terrain was difficult at times but rewarding every step of the way. In context, I would normally run a 33km distance in around 3h20. The terrain combined with the fact that we covered around 100km’s during the previous three days doubled my running time per kilometre. I stopped at CP4, took care of my feet, ate something and took a brief soak to cool down in the ”pool”. It is amazing how easily a farm dam becomes a pool when you are out there.

    

The day ended with a river bed stretch that reached from CP8 to the end, a total distance of 13km’s. At three in the morning I briefly lost my sense of humour around CP9, but a little warmth, a lollypop and a pep talk got my mind back in the race and my body had to follow. Thanks to some really great people at CP9 the last 6km’s were done in good spirits. In every ultra-endurance race there comes a time when you will have to dig deep to find the strength and will to continue, for me it was around CP9. By this time I had covered around 173km’s over the past 4 days, in some of the most extreme environment on the planet, battling the terrain, the heat, the wind and most of all my own mind. It was somewhere between CP8 and CP9 that the personal daemons had to be fought and conquered. The voices of doubt, the fear of going into the unknown and the desire to be comfortable all had to be won. The pain, the tiredness and the mental and physical strain had to be controlled. It is only when you reach this point that you are able to see how strong you really are, but this never happens alone. Each and every one of us finds the support we need at such time in something, sometimes it is our fellow runners, other times it is the support staff, maybe a prayer, nature itself or something else, but we all find something to hold on to that takes us over the tipping point. This lasts only a moment, once over the crest all your physical and mental strength is renewed and what lies ahead becomes somewhat easier.

Day 5 was a rest day, but that did not mean that it was stress free. In all of our minds day 6 loomed, another ultra-marathon distance, this time a 44km stretch that would take us to our last day if we could get through it. The knowledge that in previous races, those that completed their long stage had a close to 100% chance of completing the entire race was what kept us upbeat. The day was spent resting, sleeping, chatting, laughing and swimming in the Orange River. What a day!

I had the privilege of meeting Meng Poh Ng who travelled from Singapore to support some of his employees who ran the KAEM, raising money for a hospital back home. We set off on day 6 together.

Day 6, the daunting 44km run went well. I ran from the start to CP1 with Meng, a most interesting individual. He had run the KAEM the year before and gave me a good run for my money, his fresh legs challenged me and I had to stay focused. The scenery was stunning as the km’s ticked by and by the time I reached 40km’s I could taste the end. When I crossed the finish line on day 6, it was the first time during this race that the end of the race felt obtainable, it was in reach.

Day 7 was only 24km’s long. I started off with the same strength and determination as on day 6, by the time I reached CP1 it dawned on me that this was the last few hours I had left in this wonderful place. I changed my focus from running to finish, to slowing down so that I could soak up every moment. There was happiness on the one hand, the reality of finishing the race, the ability to hear Tanya and Arielle’s voices and the privilege of going home to the comforts that we are all so used to. But there was also some sadness, friends will have to part for now, the beauty and rawness of this wonderful place will have to stay behind, but most of all I will have to leave something very important behind, a little of me. I love the challenge, the ability to be totally exposed before the awesomeness of nature, the tiredness, the pain and the simplicity.

I crossed the finish line amongst new found friends all of whom had experienced the same hardship but stayed to taste the victory. My hart went out for those who had to be withdrawn from the race but stayed to cheering us on. This is what great sportsmen and women are made off. It is with them that I will run again, we will at some time in the future run this race together and we will complete it together. I could hardly wait to get a signal on my cell phone to phone Tanya and Arielle.

There is only one word that can come close to defining this race: Magnificent!

As I am writing this from the comfort of my home, I realize how privileged I am to have participated in such a great adventure. Thank you to my family for your support and indulging me on this journey. It is a reality that our loved ones make as much sacrifices as we the runners do, they tolerate our endless hours of preparation, support us when we enter events that we are unable to adequately describe, including giving a real reason why we are doing it. The reality is – We don’t know why! They worry about us, continues to believe in us and cry with us when things go right as well as when they go wrong. Our families are our greatest crew, thank you Tanya and Arielle!

“It’s not the goal, but the way there that matters, and the harder the way, the more worthwhile the journey”

Wlifred Thesiger, Arabian Sands (1959)

2.       Race Analytics

After the event I attempted to find a relationship between individual performance and a number of elements such as (1) age, (2) marathon time, and (3) years of running experience.  For the sake of analysis I grouped the field into the top 10%, the next 20%, the next 40%, the next 20% and finally the slowest 10%.

I mostly disregarded the top 10% group’s performance on the basis that they represents the genetically focused group that will perform because they have a genetic advantage and is not representative of the larger population. The remaining 90%’s analysis provided some interesting results.

There seems to be a well-established relationship between performance and the number of years a runner has been running. The fastest group, the next 20% (after the exclusion of the fastest 10%), has an average number of active running years that comes to 17. The next group (the average 40%) has an average of 11 years with the second slowest group averaging 9 years. The slowest group has an average of 7 years running experience.

Age seems to be somewhat spread over the field, although there appears to be a tendency for the fastest 10% and next fastest 20% group to have an average age of around 37 years. The Next 40% has an average age of 44 while the second slowest group averages 46 years. The slowest group has an average age of 42 years but I think this has less significance. And that running experience has a higher relevance.

 

Marathon time follows a similar pattern with the top 10% averaging a 2:49 marathon, the next 20% averaging a 3:12 marathon, the 40% group averages a 3:28 marathon while the second slowest group has an average marathon time of 3:47. The slowest group has an average marathon time of 3:38 which again, for me, points to running experience playing a far more consistent role in performance.

What was noteworthy from a running prediction perspective, however, is the relationship between marathon time and actual race performance. The fastest 10% took on average 69% longer than their marathon time to cover the same distance. The next 20% took 103% longer, the 40% group took 115% longer, and the second slowest 20% took 143% longer while the slowest group took 211% longer than their marathon time. I interpret this to point towards physical conditioning that comes through years of training, running experience and overall body conditioning. It seems clear to me that the longer you run consistently the better your overall performance would be.

I, therefore, conclude that an individual’s own race objectives should be pegged within the broader parameters. Years of running experience, your age and ultimately your preparation all plays an equally strong role in dictating what your performance will be during such an extreme event. There are, however, exceptions to the rule. In the top 10% we have such an anomaly. Firstly Alwyn Maas (2^nd position) is much older than the average 37 years, but compensates for this through conditioning and his 13 years running experience. On the opposite side is Tiaan Erwee (3^rd position), having only 4 years running experience he compensates through conditioning and his relatively young age (12 years younger than the average). I am also of the opinion that genetics has a much stronger role in this group’s performance than further down the field.

In conclusion, no single element on its own drives performance. Nor does a single element dictate an ultimate limit on performance. It is, therefore, ultimately how each runner balances his age, physical and mental preparation, and running experience that will dictate his overall performance. It does, however, seem highly unlikely from the available data that a runner would be able to enhance his performance through physical conditioning only.

3.       Personal Objectives

Entering the race I had four primary objectives, the first was to test my nutrition hypothesis. On all accounts this seems to have been highly successful with some minor changes that will be discussed later. My second objective was to assess my pack content and weight, I feel here I had the greatest of success as I will be making huge changes, at first this seems to indicate a weight reduction of around 1,7 to 2,2kg’s for the Marathon des Sables. I will discuss this in detail below. My third objective was to test my training program’s effectiveness. It seems as if my program is mostly adequate, however, I have identified two areas for improvement. My last objective was to complete the race in a time somewhere between 50 and 70 hours. At 59:39:00 I am happy with my performance. Without much change and with a little experience I could have easily shaved off an additional 5 to 7 hours of my time.

Overall I reached all my race objectives and more. 

“It does not matter how slow you go, as long as you don’t stop”

Confucius

4.       Race Conditions

“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that things are difficult”

Seneca (Roman Philosopher, 1^st Century AD)

4.1   Heat

There is not much that can prepare you for the extreme heat that a desert race will throw your way. But it’s not just the heat that plays a role but the temperature swing that can be a huge shock to your system.

The effect of both is best demonstrated by two experiences I had during the race. The first was on day 2 when a 50 degree Celsius peak saw my body attempting to cool itself by increasing my heart rate. Unfortunately a rapid heart rate increases your overall metabolic rate which translates to higher calorie consumption as well as reaching a higher level of fatigue earlier than normal. Obviously none of these are any good during an extreme adventure race.

I had to find a way to manage my heart rate more efficiently throughout the race to prevent this from taking place. My solution for this was to (1) stay hydrated, (2) keep on fuelling my body and (3) run wisely. To do the latter meant intense concentration. You need to read your terrain constantly, be cognisant of your own physical effort and then adapt your running to maintain a constant effort opposed to a constant speed. This way I was able to maintain a relatively constant 140 BPM on average with a resting heart rate within 15 minutes of running of around 54 BPM. Although this meant a slower run for me, it effectively managed my risk, allowed me to stay in the race and gave me an opportunity to do what I set out to do. The result was that I maintained a cooler and more constant core temperature, maintained an average heart rate that was within 3% of the rate I used to calculate my nutritional requirements and less fatigue.

The second event happened at around 02:00am on day 5. During the long stage, at around 65km’s most of my energy was already depleted, and a sudden drop in ambient temperature to -1 degree Celsius caused me to rapidly cool down. Although the temperature had climbed again to the low 20’s by 03:00am my body was spiralling downwards and hypothermia started to set in. Uncontrollable shivering was once again consuming energy reserves that I did not have, also not a great position to find yourself in when you are crossing a desert. What gave rise to this was a bad decision earlier on in the race. I scheduled CP6 as my dinner CP, when I arrived at CP6 there were no warm water so I decided to push forward to CP7 another 8,5km’s away. Unfortunately by this time I was running on empty and reaching CP7 took some serious hard work. At CP7, I ate my dinner and rested for about 90 minutes. Unfortunately my earlier decision took my body to near depletion and the food I had for dinner could cover the immediate effects but there were insufficient time for my muscles to absorb and store the nutrients. By the time I reached CP8 refuelling consisted primarily of solving short term requirements so fast burning carbohydrates became the solution. The drawback of fast burning sugars is that it causes your energy levels to peak quickly followed by a crash, each time you repeat the cycle the effect gets worse. For me the crash combined with the environment came in the form of hypothermia.

The best would have been for me to have had my dinner at CP6 as I have planned, even if I had to have eaten it cold. Fuel is more important than taste in the hierarchy of desert survival. The best I could do to solve a single bad decision was to (1) take a rest, of about 30 minutes, (2) take out the survival (space) blanket to increase my core temperature and (3) refuel slowly, first with a feel good fast burning sugar in low quantity (a sucking sweet), then followed by a slow burning energy drink (32Gi), to sustain my energy reserves until I could refuel decently. This strategy worked but I will not suggest allowing yourself to deteriorate to such a point. Energy depletion should be avoided at all cost.            

4.2   Sun

The sun is relentless and with the decreased pace (due to the terrain) we all spent many hours subjected to the harsh desert sun. The best way to deal with the sun is to avoid burning altogether. For me this meant using Nivea’s SPF50+ for Kids, I would cover my body once in the morning before the race start and would not need to recover any area, irrespective of how much I sweat or dowsed myself at CP’s. I came home a little more tanned than before I left. This was one of my primary concerns before I left as I have a tendency to burn really badly when out in the sun.  

4.3   Sand

What can one say about the sand? Well firstly there is good sand, this is the sand that slows you down but you are still able to maintain a steady run/jog pace. Then there are the @#$% bad sand. This is the sand that slows you down to a walk and even makes a walk difficult to sustain. It requires great effort to move through and taxes you both physically and mentally.

There are a few things worthy to note about sand. The first is avoid it all together, unfortunately if you decide to run in a desert this is not possible, so then the next best thing to do is make peace with it. It will (2) get into everything, your shoes, your socks, between your toes, fingers, literally everywhere. Therefore, avoid, cream on your feet or between your legs. It will hold the sand and create a very efficient grinding past that will eat away all good skin and flesh. So in short keep yourself dry. Some runners allowed the water to run down into their shoes when dowsing themselves, the result was skin loss around the back and under the heel. As one can imagine this is an extremely painful condition, making running virtually impossible and extremely painful.

Running in sand requires a high knee lift motion and a predominantly toe strike. Unfortunately this combination works well for fast runners for who this seems to be a more natural running style. The slower runners, and those already tired seems to have a mid-foot strike that reduces one to walking. As a matter of fact, I found that a brisk walk on sand out performed my own efforts to run with added benefits of a lower energy consumption and lower core temperature. I also outperformed other slower and tired runners who tried to maintain a running pace. I came to the conclusion that walking is an essential skill for any extreme adventure racer, and one that is seriously neglected in most of our training.

4.4   Rocks

In the Kalahari these varied from small unstable rubble to boulders that need to be carefully climbed. At times, small rocks can make running near impossible with the risk of losing your footing and sustaining a serious injury so real that walking is the only viable option. The darker rocks, obviously retains the heat meaning that when running over these you have a dual heat source warming your feet. The result is an expansion or swelling of the feet and for this reason an oversize shoe is best. There is a thought that your feet will only expand width wise so a half size should be able to accommodate the expansion.

I can only base my conclusion on my own experience and that is that my feet expanded in all directions during the heat of the day. Firstly blood rushing to the extremities, and your heart’s inability to recall all the blood from these extremities results in gravity trapping blood in your feet. This accumulation is the first source of swelling or expansion. The second is the heat from both above and below which adds additional expansion in width, length and height. I wore two sizes bigger than my normal running shoes and at times I felt that my shoes were too tight. Wearing elastic lases meant that adjustment is fairly simple. The final source of swelling for which you need to make provision is for injury, both muscle based and blisters. Although I had none of these other runners (especially those with heel blisters) were quite happy that they took an oversize shoe.

I ran with a shoe, two sizes bigger than my normal size and will continue to do so in the future.   

4.5   Snakes, Scorpions and Spiders

In the area that we ran the dominant snake species are pufadder’s and black spitting cobras. A few runners encountered a spitting cobra just outside a CP, but I was unlucky in that throughout the seven days I could not find a single snake to photograph. The scorpions are relatively small and I had only the briefest of encounter with a scorpion when I sat down to clean the sand out of my shoes during my nigh run. A scorpion (about 100mm in size) walked over my hand. Fortunately I could flick it off.

Spiders on the other hand caused all manner of commotion amongst those in the group that were arachnophobic. These little critters “invaded” the tent one evening which caused many of the runners to have a very uneasy night.

Be that as it may, no serious venomous bites or stings were recorded during the event.  

4.6   Wild Life

The wildlife was spectacular, we were fortunate enough to see ostrich, giraffe, spring bok, and a host of other antelope, some dassies and meerkat. During the evening there were porcupine and on two occasions, day 3 and day 4 we found leopard tracks on top of our running tracks. This meant that a leopard had walked amongst us without being seen. Now that is an adventure. On occasion we saw some monkeys and baboons but the baboons were more regularly heard than seen, especially when we descended into gorges.

5.       Medical Issues

5.1   Dehydration

As can be expected dehydration is one of the foremost issues during a desert race. The advice I can give to anyone is to get into the habit of drinking continuously throughout your run. Alwyn Maass gave me a brilliant idea that worked; he takes one sip of energy drink and two sips of water at regular intervals. Effectively you need to time it that you drink your 1,5 litres of water between each CP and half of your energy drink (350ml) between each CP. This ensures that you remain fuelled and hydrated throughout.

I have two hydration tests that I use as markers. The first is the brow test. An oily brow is an indication of dehydration so I do this regularly throughout the race. The second test, that of the urine test is vital. Urinate regularly, and if you can’t see through your urine you are in trouble.         

I was fortunate enough that my preparation trained me to drink continuously so dehydration did not really affect me that much. Remember if you are thirsty, you have already started to dehydrate. Rehydration aids that are mixed with water can help to restore you quickly, although I personally found the taste to be so bad that avoidance became a priority. 

5.2   Blood Sugar

Blood sugar level will automatically fluctuate in such an extreme environment, especially, when the body is placed under such extreme stress. The key to stabilizing your blood sugar is to eat well and often. Testing your food prior to the event is essential. 

5.3   Blisters

To some extent, blisters are unavoidable, especially if you consider the running environment. Generally I don’t get blisters but developed three relatively minor blisters. I consider minor blisters as normal for such conditions. There are, however, some runners that developed really serious foot conditions. These ranged from toe nail issues to blisters. I could not find a magic formula for avoiding blisters and other foot conditions. There seems to have been as many runners with blisters that bind their feet then those who don’t. Again my own experience stood me in good stead, these included the following: (1) Miles, nothing prepares your feet like putting in the training miles. I did not use any creams, hardeners, or extreme conditioning techniques, just consistently running day after day in preparation. (2) Stay hydrated, (3) keep your feet dry and clean throughout by stopping and maintaining your feet regularly. For me this became a CP ritual and (4) finally do foot maintenance every day after you completed your day’s run. Treat the minor issues so that they don’t become major issues.  

5.4   Scrapes

As stated earlier, adventure racers goes under, over or through everything so scrapes, bruises and cuts are to be expected. Clean these with some antiseptic fluid and cream and a plaster if it is deep. Besides that role with the punches and take it on the chin. It is a good idea to have a tetanus injection before you participate.   

5.5   Fatigue

This is normal given the environment you are in and the stress you are placing on your body. A diet with sufficient calories and good hydration will deal with most of this. However, without a good night’s rest your body will remain fatigued and this will eventually have a huge psychological effect. I, therefore, recommend a light sleeping mat and a good sleeping bag that is rated to provide the comfort you need given the temperatures you are to expect during night times. As backup a light fleece will provide added warmth. A good meal and a good night’s rest will make all the difference when your body needs to recover for the next day’s pounding.   

5.6   Muscle Spasms & Cramps

The older and more experienced guys quickly taught me the trick of sucking on an anti-acid tablet. Sucking one or two Rennies or chewing an Eno tablet breaks down the acid in the body which prevents muscle spasms and cramps. I tested the Rennies and they worked.   

5.7   Medication

Medication is a real problem within an extreme environment where your fluid intake is restricted. Paracetamol and other analgesics could cause major kidney and liver damage if not used wisely. The best is to avoid medication throughout the event, however, if unavoidable, discuss this with the event doctor before taking anything. Rather safe than sorry.

6.       Water

Water is a really scares commodity that is firstly used for drinking, then food, then cleaning and lastly for laundry. Unfortunately there are seldom if any enough water left for laundry. Use your water sparingly; it is what makes the difference between having a good or a bad race. Create a natural fridge to cool your water somewhat. A one or two degree change makes all the difference when you are out there. Take with a few buffs, wet these and draw them over your bottles. The slightest breeze will cool the water inside the bottle.

7.       Race Equipment and Consumables

7.1   Food

Be realistic when it comes to your food. Choose foods with a high calorie to weight ratio as this will make your food weight as little as possible. Nutrition trumps taste but that said taste has a really great psychological effect so there is a fine balance to be maintained. Test you food beforehand, and I mean everything.

7.2   Clothes

I took two sets of clothes. The reality is that one set with additional underwear and socks would have done just fine with one fleece and a pair of flops for around the camp. Dumping the additional clothes would have saved an additional 500 to 600 grams. A small hand towel opposed to a larger towel would have saved even more.

7.3   Shoes

I ran with Nike Pegasus 28’s and no gaiters. For the Kalahari this is fine but I would really need to find a great gaiter solution for the Sahara. I will also be trying out the Solomon S-Lab 5 running shoe within the next few months. The guys running with these seemed to have far less and issues than the rest of us.

Another aspect I will be experimenting with is toe socks, covered by a thin second sock. The runners who ran with this combination had no toe blisters and as all my blisters were centred between my outside toes this might be a solution.  

7.4   Hygiene

I ran with two hand / face towels, one yellow and one red. Both attached to the outside of mu front pack. The yellow towel was for general use and was used for washing, drying and wiping the sweat away. The red towel was used for washing and wiping my hands after using heeding the calls from nature. 

7.5   First Aid

My first-aid kit was packed to the brim with enough of everything to conduct a small operation in the field. Needless to say I needed very little of what was in my pack. In the future my focus would be blister orientated only. 

7.6   Technology

In the future I would leave my IPOD as this was not even switched on once during the race. During my run I preferred to hear the sounds of nature and in the camp I loved the conversations that took place. As for my camera, there was one lens that I didn’t use at all as well as the second battery and flash was not used once. All of this will stay. I will also no longer take a battery pack with batteries as I would only need to charge my Garmin Fenix which can easily be done from a solar charger (power monkey). On the camera issue, it was the best thing I took with on the trip, I was able to bring back so many great memories, and the weight of a good camera was worth it.

8.       Food

My race pack weighed in at 14,5kg’s wet. Of this my food weighed in at 5,2kg’s, my water 1,5kg’s and the rest was clothes, first-aid kit etc. Therefore, of the 14,5kg’s around 46% constituted my food and water, both essential items in surviving the desert environment.

8.1   Calories

My energy requirements calculated to 25,769 KCal’s. I decided to follow the conventional wisdom and rely on fat reserves to supplement about 20% of my overall energy requirements. My total food supply came in at 21,483 KCal’s of which 2,288 KCal’s were protein powder. I brought back around 2,500 KCal’s, consisting mostly of protein powder and 100g’s of nuts. It would be safe to say that I easily survived on 18,983 KCal’s which is around 74% of my calculated energy requirement. I did no real carbo-loading prior to the race and had no periods of hunger throughout the event.

My energy levels remained fairly constant throughout the race and besides cold water didn’t really crave anything in specific.      

8.2   Sequence

I started to experiment with eating sequences during the race. One of the changes I made that delivered a huge benefit was to drink my Milo and condensed milk after breakfast and not after dinner. It delivered a huge energy boost early morning when I really needed to get through the day. The breakfast with Milo, and Condensed milk easily sustained me for the first two and a half to three hours each day.

Continuous eating throughout the day ensured that my muscle energy reserves did not become depleted, the exception, being day 4 (long run).

8.3   Other

I did learn a great deal from the other, and more experienced runners. I will add soup to my food pack and drink this as part of my dinner. Olive oil is a great source of energy and fat so this will be added in the future. David Ball brought with olives and had olive snacks along the way, this appeal to his taste and greatly lifted his spirit at times, so each person will have to take with that something that does more than just feed the body. Clint Seager told me how Nik-Naks chips got him through a difficult time during the 2011 KAEM, and as I also like Nik-Naks took with two packets. It felt like a party when I eventually opened my first pack of Nik-Naks on the rest day.

I will also take with three more packets of 32GI energy drinks and will take this at more regular intervals as suggested by Alwyn Maass.

I will be analysing a larger pool of data collected by various runners during the KAEM to see how the extreme heat impacts upon heart rate and ultimately upon the body’s energy requirements. This will be published once the analysis has been completed.

9.       Psychological Aspects

Then there are those elements that can make or break a run. I experienced how a good sense of humour can lighten the most difficult of circumstances. Interaction and communication within your running community, both before and during the race is in my opinion vital. The pre-race communication creates an open platform for idea exchange while the in-race communication creates an ability for you to contextualise your own performance, hardship and pain.

There is, however, a real need for an ultra-endurance runner to train him or herself to deal with prolonged periods of solitude. During any leg of the race you will find yourself amongst other runners one moment and then again alone the next. During your long run these periods my extend for hours.

10.   Training Changes

I have learned a great deal from this experience and in particular how well my training prepared me for the race. I feel that my weekly distance that averaged 80km’s per week and peaked at 120km’s were more than adequate given my race objectives. There were runners that averaged 50km’s per week who battled but still completed the race.

I will, therefore, not change my weekly distance by much. I will, however, work towards averaging 100km’s per week opposed to 80km’s, but this has less to do with pushing miles and more to do with what I feel I need to add. The additional km’s will be spent walking. If there is one thing that I was totally unprepared for, it was the amount of walking that we needed to do. At times the terrain would simply not allow you to run. To learn how to walk consistently and at a good pace is essential.

I will introduce more speed training, my present program had a speed week every 5 to 6 weeks, but I will now rather introduce a speed session every second week. I will also introduce three gym sessions per week to work on legs, arms, and my core.

I hope that this post-race report will assist many of you in preparing for your own extreme adventure race in line with your own objectives. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to share these.

“It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves – in finding themselves”

Andre Gide

Thank you for reading my blog and supporting me,

Genis Pieterse

“the desert poet”