Today there are 166 days left until Iceland 2013. It has been almost a year that I have been dreaming about this adventure and it's almost unfathomable that it is less than 6 months away now but I have been training and preparing both mentally and physically.
Equipment adds an interesting dimension to this event. So far, I have purchased a pack and a sleeping mat that I am happy with. For the pack, I chose the Inov-8 Elite, it is light and fits snug on my back with plenty of pockets for easy access to smaller things. It is also "hydration compatible" which was an important factor for me since I am not a big fan of carrying a water bottle in my hands while I run. For the sleeping mat I settled on the Klymit Interia X frame because it is small and light. I will buy more equipment as we get closer to the date but next on the list is the sleeping bag, I want to take time to research all the equipment carefully and make sure it works for me before I purchase it.
As far as training goes, I decided to work with a coach who has experience with multi-days ... I still consider myself a newbie to running so I am grateful for all the help I can get in preparation for the event. I have only been running for 5 years and although I have many marathons under my belt as well as multiple 50k’s and one 50 miler - I am slow... (think turtle not rabbit.) so I'm aiming to build endurance over speed.
I've run one multi-day but it was "only" 50k over two days so I can't begin to imagine what it will feel like to run for 7 days but by the time I get to the start line in Iceland I should have completed another 50k, a 50 miler and a 100k. I'm trusting that this will be plenty of training.
My ultimate goal is to arrive at the start line, prepared and injury free.
