Ahhh....Sunshine!

What a great feeling running in the sun and heat again! Not that I would recommend going out for a 3 hours run after a 24 hours flight - almost fell over falling asleep running. Slowly getting back into the rhythm now.

Like to thank you all once more for the great evening at the

Moroccan Feast. I was able to transfer over 1'200 $ to The

Fred Hollows Foundation. Almost 50 blind people will have

their eyes saved thanks to your generosity!

Thank you!

Brrrrrr.....3 degrees and snowing....

I am looking forward to coming home to hopefully sunshine and hot weather. Running and training in the European winter is tough! Respect to all those runners who have to get ready for Morocco in freezing temperature.
I spent all but one day on the treadmill in the gym, which was boooring, especially the 5 hours last Sunday. Can't wait for some outdoor trail running next week again.
Paris was great for gear shopping even so they had mostly winter gear in the shops. So much more choice then in Australia.
65days22hours to the start gun!

BIG Thank You All!

I'm sitting at Gate 31 waiting for my flight to Paris. This morning, I just had enough time to put all my running gear away and pack for 2 weeks winter weather in Europe.

Unfortunately, we have a small problem: for those kind people who donated equipment last night – the restaurant staff was too efficient and cleaned away that list with your names on it. Uli and I could remember a few, but if you could please be so kind and send an email to info@run4vision.com and let me know what gear you did sponsor last night for my race so I can update my list and thank you properly once I am in Paris tomorrow. Uli will also update the website and blog with photos and report ASAP.

Thanks again for your incredible generosity last night – we have saved many unnecessary blind people's eyesight!

Check out the photos of the evening, taken by my friend Warren Field.

Moroccan Feast & 82 Days to Go

Happy New Year! It will be a very exciting one for some of us. 82 days to go!

Christmas and New Year I spent running in National Parks. The cool weather was nice to run in, but I really look forward to get some hot 'Moroccan' days soon. Won't happen this month as I am off to Europe ... brrrrr. Hotel gym and treadmill work for me in freezing Paris and Switzerland.

Spent the first two days of 2008 out of action. My knees

played up badly just because I started using a different

shoe the last 3 weeks. They changed my stride and affected

legs and knees. A couple of sessions at the physio and some

Voltaren fixed the problem, but my new shoes will be

on Ebay shortly!

For this coming Friday, 11th January I still have a few spare seats to fill on my fundraising dinner night at the Moroccan Feast in Randwick. http://www.run4vision.com/special.php

Why not start 2008 with a good deed and help some poor blind person to see again? Email (info@run4vision.com) or call me (0400 627 587) to book.

Only 90 Days to Go .....

2007 was a year which kept me busy: 3560 km training runs, 365 km /47 hours of races and 5 pairs of running shoes later with only 90 days to go – Morocco seems scarily close now.

Met another Aussie runner this week. Trent signed up with the UK contingent and is just getting his preparation into full speed. It is great to see that there will be at least 3 tents full of Aussies now in the desert next year. Ultrarunning is well alive in this country!

Had a few shorter runs this week with the Christmas break and all. Also, I seem to have injured my knee somehow, hurts like hell when standing up or laying down but not when running, figure that one out? Will give the Black Stump race on New Year's Day a miss and try to fix this little annoying problem ASAP.

Looking forward to the fundraising dinner in 2 weeks time The restaurant is now fully booked and I encourage the people who have not confirmed with their payment yet to do this in the next days, so I know how many spare spots there will be, thanks.

A big THANK YOU to all my generous supporters during 2007 and my best wishes for a happy and successful New Year ... with lot's of injury free running :-)

Finally...warm weather

We had to wait a bit longer but yesterday was finally a nice, hot and sunny day for running. Had some really good runs and clocked up another 105 km last week.

Have been told to plan some additional, special heat training for next year - some recommend winter clothes and running, others Sauna for hours....wonder if there is ways to really simulate the desert at 50 degrees apart of going there....(and what about the sandstorms?)

Thanks to all who have already sent their payment for the Fundraising dinner - seats are limited and I encourage everyone to confirm soon by transferring the dinner money. I was very successful with getting over 1500$ of prices together for our raffle and auction on that night....so don't miss out.

For all the support I received in 2007 raising funds for The Fred Hollows Foundation I like to thank everyone! It really makes a difference and helps me to keep going out there every day and run for this great cause.

Wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Markus

New Shoes

Another week and 100 km later - decided to try out those trail shoes some are raving about. Love the fact that there are no shoe lashes anymore - quite cool system and the titanium plate in the sole makes it so much easier to run over those rocks.
Check it out
http://www.backcountry.com/store/SAL0581/c100000009/s21/Salomon-XA-Pro-3D-XCR-Trail-Running-Shoe-Mens.html

Unfortunately they only sold the normal size here and the shoe became a bit tight after a couple of hours running - so may have to go for the extra wide option with my next pair – don’t want to hurt in the desert unnecessarily.

There will be for sure another shoe, as I still have 3 months of training to go and this means another 1000 km to cover.

Fundraising dinner is slowly filling up so please book your seat(s) soon and help in the process The Fred Hollows Foundation saving someone else eyesight. http://www.run4vision.com/special.php