Seven days down, National Running Day, Fish River Challenge 100km

This afternoon I completed my seventh consecutive day of running - 28 to go ;) I'm drawing (or download from my i-GotU unit) all my runs in on Google Earth - just for fun. I should have a really colourful picture by 20 June.

If you look carefully, you'll only see six runs here - the missing one was from orienteering in Pretoria (70km to the north-east of here) on Saturday. To include it would have made these colours into little blobs. Longest run this week was 10km (orange); shortest was the orienteering at 3.8km. I figured my warm-up run topped the distance to just over 4km. I've taken it nice and easy this week with really lovely runs - not pushing it. I've still been a bit post-flu but definitely feeling better with every run. Nose no longer running like my legs.

Talking running... last night I finished Marshall Ulrich's book, Running on Empty - about his 52 day run across the US (West to East). He ran between 60-70 miles! per day through all kinds of agonies.

I've certainly known of Marshall for many, many years from both his adventure racing and ultra running exploits; what a treat to read his book. I was on a waiting list for it for weeks and when I got the notification that the book was available I immediately ordered it. I can recommend this as a book to read - if you're into running tales.

On Marshall's blog I've just seen a note about 1 June being National Running Day in the US - there's a website 'n all (www.runningday.org).

I challenge you to turn this one day into one week. Maybe try what I've just done these seven days - run for one week - from 1 June, every day. It's actually not that hard and when you've got a mission like this; it really does make it easier.

I love running every day but I rarely do it. My running ends up as three to five times a week plus yoga twice a week, dance class once a week, bike once a week... Time just runs out. But, like now, with this focus, running is prioritised and even if I can only squeeze in a 20 minute run (4km), I do.

This running focused period is doing me the world of good. I'm running in the new Fish River Challenge Race at the end of August (booking my flight to Windhoek this week). It's a 100km non-stop, self-supported run through the Fish River Canyon in Namibia. Some adventure racers did it in 2003 and from their adventure this race was born.

This non-stop, self-supported race is so my thing - just read this description:

The race will commence at the rustic Canon Roadhouse Lodge situated near the world famous Fish River Canyon. From there, competitors will follow animal tracks and paths heading cross-country to the edge of the Canyon. They will then follow the edge of the Canyon, taking in the magnificent view until they reach the point where they will descend into the Canyon. Once down in the Canyon, they will follow the river, with an occasional detour across wide meandering bends in the river, and will eventually finish at the wonderfully soothing hot springs resort of Ai-Ais.

Nice eh?

So, let me know if you're gonna give LISA'S ONE WEEK RUN CHALLENGE a try - starting 1 June. I'll be doing it too (as part of my 35 day thing).