Enter Sandman - Metallica

Enter Coleman

Lyrics:- 'Exit light, enter night' - Hetfield, Ulrich & Hammett

Song Choice:- I wonder just how many times Metallica have ever played 'Enter Sandman' live? It must thousands (one of which I saw in 1992) and I bet I've listened to it just as many times as they've performed it. The track stats are amazing - It's sold over 1 million copies and their 1991 Metallica Album on which it features has sold over 30 million copies... That makes it a highly significant track in the history of modern Rock Music in the 20th Century I reckon and it's a track I never get tired of, especially when I'm running out in the 'Sands the Sahara'.

No fear, it's already loaded on my iPod and ready for action at next weekend's 32nd Marathon des Sables as it's become an integral part of the race for me, far more than the 'Highway to Hell' that's played every day. I mean, how can something you love so much be classed as hell - it's more like 'Highway to Heaven' in my opinion, or certainly to a higher place anyway.

The lyrics speak about going 'Off to Never Never Land' so the sandman can come so we can sleep in safety. However, they go on to warn us that the beasts aren't in our closet, under our beds but in our heads...

How true is that?

I know I'll think long and hard about that line a week next Sunday when I enter the sand on another 'MdS Dream' rather than an 'MdS Nightmare'... Right now, I feel strong and I don't need my imagination to start running wild... Only my legs!

More tomorrow... Sleep Well my Friends...

Rory Coleman - 986 Marathons - 241 Ultras - 13 Marathon des Sables

9 Guinness World Records - 8,484 Days' Alcohol Free

& 1 Inspirational Running Memoir - Get your copy here.

Location: Pembroke Road, Cardiff

Hey You - The Pink Floyd

Lyric:- 'Don't give in without a fight' - Waters

Song Choice:- Well it was either 'Hey You' or 'Pigs' for tonight's blog following an awesome Australian Pink Floyd gig in Bristol courtesy of my 200 days' dry friend Quentin Somerset. It was SO Rock and Roll, we even had a Mocha during the interval... Seriously though it's a great show and well worth a trip down memory lane if like me you saw the original Pink Floyd 'Wall' gig at Earl's Court in 1980.

'Hey You' was just one of the jukebox of amazing Floyd songs the band could have played last night, yet it stood out for me so much as I've always thought of it as a kinda cry for help sort of song. Gilmour's softer vocals on the first two verses leads nicely into Water's harsher more caustic voice for the third and fourth, which gives it the edge that I've always loved about the track so much.

In the reality of the 'Wall' double concept album, according to Wiki, Pink realises the mistake he made in shunning society, and attempts to regain contact with the outside world. However, he cannot see or hear beyond the wall. Pink's call becomes more and more desperate as he begins to realise there is no escape.

Yikes, it's heavy but that's what interests me in today's blog.

You see, that call of 'Hey You' can only come from within. No-one else can give you that It's a frequency only you can give out and receive. I know as I've been there fingers in ears, ignoring every bit of advice that ever came my way, denying I needed any help whatsoever but ask Quentin as I'm sure he'd tell you that too.

Sound familiar?

Anyway, nearly 40 years on from buying the wall as a very young and impressionable 17 year old, the music still spoke as loud as ever. 'Hey You' is one of those songs that lyrically gives you a great kick up the backside whilst being a beautifully written piece of rock theatre. I'll admit that I can't remember much of the 1980 show but I'll remember the Aussie gig for a long time to come and also as a 'Hey You' for my mate Quentin and in celebrating his 200th day.

More tomorrow...

Rory Coleman

976 Marathons - 241 Ultras - 13 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records

www.RoryColeman.co.uk

Shut Your Eyes - Snow Patrol

Lyric:- 'And when the worrying starts to hurt, and the world feels like graves of dirt. Just close your eyes until, you can imagine this place, yeah, our secret space at will - Lightbody, Connolly, Simpson, Wilson & Quinn

Song Choice:- If I close my eyes maybe my current predicament will simply vanish and the last month will have just been a simple nightmare. Sadly for me, I believe the real nightmare is just beginning, you see since returning from this year's Marathon des Sables, my mobility, sleep and even smile have been compromised. It's left me in a right pickle to say the least unable to walk unaided and yesterday, I was admitted into University Hospital Llandough, near Cardiff, as I have Guillain-Barre Syndrome and I'm off to the Heath University Hospital Cardiff now to start the treatment.

WTF? Exactly as I'd never heard of it either and depending on which part of the internet you read it ranges from very kinda serious to very kinda life threatening and rather than me list all my symptoms, I've copied this from Wikipedia as it lists all of mine quite nicely.

Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rapid-onset muscle weakness caused by the immune systemdamaging the peripheral nervous system. Many experience changes in sensation or develop pain, followed by muscle weakness beginning in the feet and hands. The symptoms develop over half a day to two weeks. During the acute phase, the disorder can be life-threatening with about a quarter developing weakness of the breathing muscles and requiring mechanical ventilation. Some are affected by changes in the function of the autonomic nervous system, which can lead to dangerous abnormalities in heart rate and blood pressure.

This autoimmune disease is caused by the body's immune system mistakenly attacking the peripheral nerves and damaging their myelin insulation. Sometimes this immune dysfunction is triggered by an infection. The diagnosis is usually made based on the signs and symptoms, through the exclusion of alternative causes, and supported by tests such as nerve conduction studies and examination of the cerebrospinal fluid. Various classifications exist, depending on the areas of weakness, results of nerve conduction studies, and the presence of antiganglioside antibodies. It is classified as an acute polyneuropathy.

In those with severe weakness, prompt treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins or plasmapheresis, together with supportive care, will lead to good recovery in the majority. Some may experience ongoing difficulty with walking, painful symptoms, and some require long-term breathing support. Guillain–Barré syndrome is rare, at one to two cases per 100,000 people every year.

Now what the heck does all this mean, well who knows. I must thank my Doctor Brother and Doctor Ganderton at my own local surgery whom spotted all the tell-tale signs otherwise it would have been a whole lot worse by now as GBS is Rapid and needs a lot of management to beat it's complications.

My job now, is come to terms with just functioning for the next few days/weeks/months and try to be a good patient and make a recovery. The care I've received so far can only go to help as it's well beyond the call of duty. It's my aim to be walking as much as I can whilst I'm in here to keep myself mobile and keep this nightmare killer at bay.

Well that's the plan anyway...more later.

Rory Coleman

976 Marathons, 241 Ultras, 9 Guinness World Records, 13 Marathon des Sables and 1 Sick Bugger

The Happiest Days of Our Lives - The Pink Floyd

Lyric:- By pouring their derision upon anything we did and exposing every weakness - Waters

Song Choice:- On a weekend that marks the Great Bards 400th Anniversary (of his death, which seems a little strange but hey ho), I'm really proud to say that he and I both went to the same school Grammar School in Stratford-upon-Avon.

There have been lots of news clips this week from the Tudor Styled 'Big School' where he studied and where I did my exams including my English Language 'O' Level way back in 1977. Sadly, Shakespeare’s English Literature passed me by, but I wonder what he would make an 'Internet Blog' and I wonder if his school days were as 'happy' as I remember mine were.

Or were they? Are my memories of what happened from 1973-1980, really what happened. They were really formative, terrorising and enjoyable all at the same time, you see the human brain is capable of an enormous amount of rose tinted retrospective thinking. I believe that I have definite 'Stockholm Syndrome' love for my teachers. Most of them were ex-army, violent bullies that beat the education in, whilst beating the crap out of us on a regular daily basis. Those really were the days eh?

Well, school like so many aspects of life have proved both a challenge and a struggle for us all I'm sure. Luckily, triumph over adversity brings reward and that’s been my major life driver.

Being continually tested, and being on permanent trial must have been the making of a young and impressionable Coleman. It still is if I'm being honest...The beauty is that I now receive lovely feedback and praise for my work. Back then, just like the Waters lyrics proclaim, the 'Derision' was over-powering and had to be ignored if you wanted to succeed at your studies. Maybe that's where I got my stubborn streak and single mindedness from.

It's the way I’ve ring fenced my 'Happiness' and I often wonder if that’s how other folk get through too?

Just what is it that brings the ‘Happiness’, that people spend a lifetime searching for I ask? 

Money? Possessions? Cars? Drugs? Sex? - I’m convinced these are all short lived emotions.

Happiness comes more from achievement I believe and can only be earned and not bought. However, keeping on a 10,000 hour learning path to success, means undertaking an apprenticeship of massive commitment and total single-bloody-minded determination.

You have to be a VERY strong person indeed, if you want to succeed.

It's certainly not easy, I can vouch for that and I’m far from perfect. There's definitely some work in progress in my world that will still slowly change me, my outlook on the world and filter down through my work to my clients. To that end I’m making doubly sure that there’s no derision being poured on my parade.

Make sure it's not poured on yours either as you are a long-time dead. 400 years in Shakespeare's Case...

Rory Coleman - 975 Marathons - 241 Ultras

13 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records - 8145 Days' Alcohol Free.

Location: Malvern

Allons-y (1) - The Pink Floyd

Photo - by Mark Gillett RIP, will be sadly missed at this year's race...

Song Choice:- Seemed a good fit for Marathon des Sables Eve and tomorrow morning I will flying out to Ouarzazate - So 'Let's Go'...

How well am I prepared this year you ask? Well, the answer will become evident over the next 11 days. I've certainly got the miles in the tank having already bashed out 21 marathons this year, a lot of them in sand too, so really I should be in good shape for what lies ahead.

You see, it doesn't matter how much you train for the MdS, it never feels enough - hopefully that's pre-race nerves talking as there isn't a  guaranteed finisher t-shirt no matter how many times you've  run  it.

You only get out, what you've put in.

Some have already decided not to go and there's a fair few drop-outs from the British Competitors with last minute illness/injuries, work place dramas and pure 'I'm just frightened shitless and can't see myself finishing the race realisations' taking their toll. It's probably a good job as some had done very little training and t's bloody dangerous when folks can get so ill. I worry each year that folk should be encouraged to train more and for longer, qualifying to take part with a list of races to be completed and points like they do with the UTMB would save the race logistics a lot of headaches. 

It's long overdue...and folk are crazy to blow nearly £4k by not going...or going and then getting completely destroyed for months.

Anyway, that's for the organisers to worry about and just my opinion. For the next 11 days, I'm actually on my running holiday, just like all the other people taking part. I'm going to enjoy the peacefulness of the desert, it's massive range of temperature, the fun of folk there and watch the world go past my tent in the million shapes, sizes and colours of the world's toughest footrace - The 31st Marathon des Sables.

My number is #892 and if you get a minute please drop a message out to me on www.darbaroud.com - any form of encouragement, sarcasm and MTFU comments would be most welcome :-)

Rory Coleman

973 Marathons - 240 Ultras - 12 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records - 8128 Days' Dry

Inside Out - Phil Collins

Lyric:- 'All of my life I've been searching and hanging on' - Collins

Song Choice:- Well, I've never been a great Collins solo fan, if I'm being honest and he was and always will be that 72 degree part , one fifth of the 'Perfect Genesis Pentangle' for me. However, this song demonstrates all that is good about his songwriting abilities. The live version also has some outstanding drumming from Chester Thompson that you ought to see here too...as well as an amazing Daryl Stuermer guitar solo.

Anyway, this song sums a lot of life's scenarios up for me. I love the hook...the big 'Inside Out' repeat and the massive drum sound that Collins developed over two decades of playing with Genesis; that's the bit bang, that initial hit that gets you hooked and made me want to hear the track over and over again - I do with a lot of tunes that I immediately love and just play them to death you see. 

That's good songwriting IMO and you know instantly when something is right...

The thing is though, you need to get right inside this tune and really listen to the heartbeat of the track to see the real Collins, the fuck off and leave me alone bit. The sad Sax in the middle eight, then euphoric lead guitar solo are so strong yet it's the protest deep within the track that's intriguing.

I like to think of the song as knowing something or someone in Collins case, 'Inside Out' only to find out you don't have a real understanding of it or them at all.

Or maybe, even yourself...

A trip to the desert will work wonders in working that one out no doubt...

More later...

Rory Coleman - 973 Marathons - 240 Ultras

12 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records - 8127 Days' Alcohol Free.

Location: Caerdydd