Maybe we were on a post-run "high" but soon after we finished the Pharonic Race in November we were looking for our next challenge. We were both so pleased that we had finished our individual sections and finished as a team and really enjoyed all the pain that was involved throughout the long day! So what next?
Well we saw that the next thing on the Egyptian running calendar was the Egyptian Marathon itself in January. I wasn't too keen at first as I knew I wouldn't be able to do a marathon, and doubted very much I could do the half- that was on offer too. I just didn't want to have to think about training over Christmas! Then we saw that in addition to the full- and half-marathons that were on offer there was a "Ramses Run/Walk" that would be 12.5km - sounds do-able!
The Egyptian Marathon in Luxor is run around the sites on the west bank of the Nile, starting and finishing at Hatshepsuts Temple. The basic course is 10km long (excluding a 1km straight from the temple to the main course) and so for the Ramses Run we will complete the basic course, but for the half- and the full-marathon you would run two or four laps of the circuit.
Added to the excitement that we would be running around some of the most famous sites in Egypt was that fact that the run would be on my birthday - my 30th birthday in fact! So just before we headed home for Christmas we booked flights and reserved our places on the Ramses Run.
(A quick aside on reserving our places in the run - I emailed the race organiser to enquire how much the race entry fee would cost and how I could pay it. The reply was that the fee could be paid at the office, or by sending them credit card details. We wanted to pay in cash, as we have more Egyptian money in our accounts than British, but knew we couldn't get to the office downtown because of work. So the race organiser offers to send someone! A day later there is a knock at the door and a suited man produces a piece of paper; a receipt for the cost of the race. We pay up and he then passes us our official entry papers. Job done!)
Onto training and we have a training run before the Christmas break around Maadi. It's so much cooler now compared to just a few weeks ago when we were running the Pharonic. This makes running a lot easier and we both enjoy the run.
We decide not to take our trainers to the UK for Christmas. For one we know that our two week visit is going to be busy enough as it is without trying to fit training sessions in. Another reason is that we can see snow for casted and we really don't have the gear to run on snowy streets! With hindsight there were maybe two days towards the end of the break when we could have run in the nicer weather and we both said that we missed running. Oh well - will just have to get back to it in Cairo when we land!
I have been battling a cold on and off since before the break and for some reason it chooses our return to Cairo to manifest itself fully! This first weekend in Cairo we go for a run both mornings. Unfortunately both runs aren't good for me; although the cold has pretty much gone, the moment I start running all the gunk in my nose and sinus starts to come up! Eurgh! I find myself needing to spit every 100m and this puts me off my stride and my head is feeling dizzy. After the first two intervals I'm really slowing down and have to run through the "walking" sections to keep up with Scotty. I take my leave half-way through and make my way home while Scotty finishes the run. He's feeling strong and enjoying the runs, but I'm wondering if i can really do this!
Another week on in our training and I must be properly over this cold now as I can complete a full IndieRunner without feeling sick! After a few runs this week Scotty is resting his ankle. It hurts him on the outside, running up his leg, so he is icing it and resting it.
I'm keeping training when I can - doing half runs and half resistance training - but Scotty is making sure his ankle is fully rested. A good move as running on it now might make it worse and then he could be out of the run, but if he rests it he will make it round the course.
Meanwhile in non-training activities! We've booked the hotel in Luxor. It's the official race hotel which means we will get transport between the hotel and the run start/finish, we also get a Race Dinner in the evening after the run! The hotel looks like it could be really fun. It's on an island in the middle of the Nile in Luxor and the accommodation is in bungalows around the island. One of the outdoor swimming pools is on the edge of the island, so it looks like you're practically swimming in the Nile! Scotty has bought me a good case for my new small camera, so we're planning on taking this with us when we run. It should just go around my chest and I'll keep it tight so it doesn't get in the way. If we run a bit slower because of it at least we'll have some amazing pictures! We've also set up a fundraising page on Facebook. We're trying to raise money for The Recycling School in Mokattam here in Cairo which provides education and support for boys born into the trash trade. They are an amazing charity that I've had the privilege of working with these last few months and we can't wait to donate the funds we've raised.
Well we saw that the next thing on the Egyptian running calendar was the Egyptian Marathon itself in January. I wasn't too keen at first as I knew I wouldn't be able to do a marathon, and doubted very much I could do the half- that was on offer too. I just didn't want to have to think about training over Christmas! Then we saw that in addition to the full- and half-marathons that were on offer there was a "Ramses Run/Walk" that would be 12.5km - sounds do-able!
The Egyptian Marathon in Luxor is run around the sites on the west bank of the Nile, starting and finishing at Hatshepsuts Temple. The basic course is 10km long (excluding a 1km straight from the temple to the main course) and so for the Ramses Run we will complete the basic course, but for the half- and the full-marathon you would run two or four laps of the circuit.
Added to the excitement that we would be running around some of the most famous sites in Egypt was that fact that the run would be on my birthday - my 30th birthday in fact! So just before we headed home for Christmas we booked flights and reserved our places on the Ramses Run.
(A quick aside on reserving our places in the run - I emailed the race organiser to enquire how much the race entry fee would cost and how I could pay it. The reply was that the fee could be paid at the office, or by sending them credit card details. We wanted to pay in cash, as we have more Egyptian money in our accounts than British, but knew we couldn't get to the office downtown because of work. So the race organiser offers to send someone! A day later there is a knock at the door and a suited man produces a piece of paper; a receipt for the cost of the race. We pay up and he then passes us our official entry papers. Job done!)
Onto training and we have a training run before the Christmas break around Maadi. It's so much cooler now compared to just a few weeks ago when we were running the Pharonic. This makes running a lot easier and we both enjoy the run.
We decide not to take our trainers to the UK for Christmas. For one we know that our two week visit is going to be busy enough as it is without trying to fit training sessions in. Another reason is that we can see snow for casted and we really don't have the gear to run on snowy streets! With hindsight there were maybe two days towards the end of the break when we could have run in the nicer weather and we both said that we missed running. Oh well - will just have to get back to it in Cairo when we land!
I have been battling a cold on and off since before the break and for some reason it chooses our return to Cairo to manifest itself fully! This first weekend in Cairo we go for a run both mornings. Unfortunately both runs aren't good for me; although the cold has pretty much gone, the moment I start running all the gunk in my nose and sinus starts to come up! Eurgh! I find myself needing to spit every 100m and this puts me off my stride and my head is feeling dizzy. After the first two intervals I'm really slowing down and have to run through the "walking" sections to keep up with Scotty. I take my leave half-way through and make my way home while Scotty finishes the run. He's feeling strong and enjoying the runs, but I'm wondering if i can really do this!
Another week on in our training and I must be properly over this cold now as I can complete a full IndieRunner without feeling sick! After a few runs this week Scotty is resting his ankle. It hurts him on the outside, running up his leg, so he is icing it and resting it.
I'm keeping training when I can - doing half runs and half resistance training - but Scotty is making sure his ankle is fully rested. A good move as running on it now might make it worse and then he could be out of the run, but if he rests it he will make it round the course.
Meanwhile in non-training activities! We've booked the hotel in Luxor. It's the official race hotel which means we will get transport between the hotel and the run start/finish, we also get a Race Dinner in the evening after the run! The hotel looks like it could be really fun. It's on an island in the middle of the Nile in Luxor and the accommodation is in bungalows around the island. One of the outdoor swimming pools is on the edge of the island, so it looks like you're practically swimming in the Nile! Scotty has bought me a good case for my new small camera, so we're planning on taking this with us when we run. It should just go around my chest and I'll keep it tight so it doesn't get in the way. If we run a bit slower because of it at least we'll have some amazing pictures! We've also set up a fundraising page on Facebook. We're trying to raise money for The Recycling School in Mokattam here in Cairo which provides education and support for boys born into the trash trade. They are an amazing charity that I've had the privilege of working with these last few months and we can't wait to donate the funds we've raised.
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