Blind Vision - Blancmange

Blinding Hope - Message Here

Lyric:- 'A Dream's a Dream' - Arthur & Luscombe

Song Choice:- I wanted a great track to illustrate my latest Marathon des Sables thoughts and feelings on a cold, and rather dull, Monday morning in Cardiff. 'Blind Vision' provides a great anthem for the 73 days we have left to get battle-hardened for 'The World's Toughest Footrace' starting on Sunday April 9th, just a snidge after 9am. It's going to be a battle too out in the searing 50c+ heat and 257kms of desert sand Race Director, Patrick Bauer has devilishly planned for this year's race.

Each year it's said to be longer, tougher and harder and the truth is that every MdS feels long, super tough and f@cking brutal if I'm being honest (I know) but then that's we're going and why I keep going back - isn't it?

Getting a handle on the last 10 weeks though can become a really onerous task for lots of folk though, especially if they haven't done too much preparation and they read of the 000's of training miles being clocked up, races being devoured and packs the sizes of small pianos being transported daily to-and-from city desk jobs by others.

Please - there is still time and don't despair if that's you - if there's any solace, you are a lot fitter for the race than I am today.

As the lyrics say 'A dream's a dream' and I have just the same dream as anyone else right now of crossing the finish line somewhere near Merzouga on April 15th hopefully still in one piece knowing that I've been taken to my 'Limits of Human Endurance' for a stupid 14th time. My thing right now is that I can only train every other day (slow run or light weights) as my recovery rate has been slowed by the awful Guillain Barre Syndrome, that hit me for six immediately following MdS#31. I'll be honest and say it can be disheartening but after just watching a video clip I made last May when I was at my lowest point with the GBS, I've travelled light-years on and thinking back to my accompanying Sir Ranulph on his MdS journey in 2013, where we was totally battered, I know I have the experience and knowledge to walk my way to the medal.

Am I worried? Well, I don't think so...

Just getting to the start line is a miracle considering just how ill I was last year. I'm being  spurred on, like you are perhaps, by Kevin Webber and Duncan Slater with their own-triumph over adversity stories, and I'm sure everyone has their own story for wanting to get out there in the wilderness and find out just what makes them tick by getting a good 'Desert Kicking', where even the top runners will get caught out.

You see it's the 'Self-sufficiency' part of the race that folk forget overlook and it's not only about the 11 days we spend in Morocco, it's also about the 73 days we have left before we fly out to Ouarzazate, as your race can be won and lost here too. Luckily there's still time to advance your 'Sahara Apprenticeship' and focus in on what YOU are doing and not worry too much about what anyone else broadcasts about their heroics, as all the BS stops when the 'Highway to Hell' opens up for business on that first race day.

For me it will 'Book-end' a much tougher life-challenge than any Desert campaign could ever offer. It will however ,give me a chance to feel 'REAL' and 'NORMAL' again - and if that's me having 'Blind Hope' or 'Blind Vision' that's fine because when you've been out there and   lived theMdS experience you'll know where I'm coming from - and that it's not me just talking 'Blancmange'.

Enjoy the 'MdS ride' folks...

Rory Coleman - 980 Marathons - 241 Ultras - 13 Marathon des Sables
9 Guinness World Records - 8,419 Days' Alcohol Free.

Location: Cardiff, Wales