Himalayan 100 Mile Stage Race Day 2. Sandakphu - Molle and back

Well Ronnettes, my Day 2 of probably one of the greatest events you've ever seen me do, was eventful. I woke after another rotten night's kip to find that some of the ordinary people who were trying to do the event were struggling. With one American girl on a drip, a very nice English gal with a broken thumb and my mate George inconsolable due to certain bits of her body not working properly, we were a right motley crew.

I decided that the field of athletes might need some motivation so I began with my Very Loud Warm Up and Aerobics Session which I normally do to the accompaniment of some up-tempo Max Bygraves sing along records - unfortunately I didn't have any music so I just sang unaccompanied.


Well all I can say is if people don't like getting up early they should keep their feelings to themselves. They had no need to take it out on me and should, in my view, have shown just a bit more respect to an elite athlete.

The morning temperature was around minus 6 at 5 am - very parky indeed. And, I'm afraid I needed that visit to a place that was not in a hole in the ground. It was now some time since I'd last had a ... err a number 2. But today I'd got a plan. I'd noticed yesterday that the frequent Aid Stations provided by the organisers had a very small tented cubicle - inside which was a sitting down toilet thing. OK it then went into a hole in the ground - but at least I could sit down. So, my plan was to set off on Stage 2 and at the first Aid Station at 5 miles, nip in and get the business done. Well don't you just like it when a well made plan comes to fruition?




Well, it was pitch black in our Sherpa Hut - and, with no electricity, I fumbled around to take my morning cocktail of drugs. I counted out the tablets - Dimox for altitude sickness, 2 decongestion tablets to help my breathing, two neurofen to get rid of the stonking headache - and a couple of Ibuprofen to help with any possible knee pains.

Great, I thought as I swallowed them with some water. But wait. What were those two little white tablets on the table? Those were my decongestion tablets which meant ..... I'd only gone and stuffed two more Immodium down my neck! Potentially that meant I wouldn't be able to poo until Thursday!! This was turning from farce into disaster.

Regardless I decided to get myself ready for the day ahead. Before leaving Mirik, we were told to split our luggage into two - one lot to be left for after the race; and another bag containing the stuff we would need for the five days on the run.



I'd only gone and brought the wrong ruddy bag.

So, there I was stuck 12000 ft in the Himalayas, with no gloves, no hat, no coat, no running leggings. Sure I'd got books, suit, shirts and ties In fact nothing that could remotely be thought of as useful for running five days at altitude in one of the planet's toughest running events. I searched frantically through my rucksack desperately seeking something to wear. My spirits were lifted when I came across a pair of tracksuit bottoms - well that was a start; spirits then headed south when I noticed the Winnie the Pooh logo - I'd only got a pair of the Half Share's pyjamas in my luggage (Incidentally, I did chastise her for the Winie the Pooh stuff - in very poor taste considering my condions.).

The problem was eventually solved. I stayed in the same stuff that I'd walked and slept in - and stuck a pair of the Half Share's running tights on top.

Ronnettes - I was dressed like a prat.




But the show must go on - and so, I once more ventured out on to the freezing mountain top. The views of Everest and Kanchenjunga were obscured somewhat by cloud - but the peaks were there to be seen nevertheless. Today's stage for the runners was a 20 mile out and back stage whilst us trekkers could see how far we got. Captain Underpants got the runners under way and I mumbled my good wishes to the Half Share - and I reminded her to try and get a move on today. I had the company of my new friend Joe from Canadia, my daughter figure George (she said she saw me as something of a father figure which I found rather touching. I did tell her that if she was my daughter I'd still be bathing her but that didn't seem to go down as well I'd meant). I also eventually dragged the MOS and her Personal Shopper out of the hut - I had to say I needed to drag her kicking and screaming because she'd lost her Lidl Loyalty Card.

As the morning progressed the weather turned very pleasant and today's route was much easier than yesterday's gruelling uphill yomp. There were plenty of hills to climb but these were compensated by a bit of flat and downhill. The terrain was also slightly easier with a mix of those wretched cobbles and trails. I did find myself dreaming of tarmac a number of times during the week - and today I could have done with a nice bit of road.



Yesterday's exertions had taken their toll and I still found breathing when climbing a little difficult. The old legs were also feeling a bit jaded and I told my new friend Joe from Canadia that I'd woken up stiff this morning. She kneed my in the groin again.

But though my body was racked with the effort I did find some consolation in the fact that this is exactly the sort of pain an Olympic champion has to go through. A fact that escapes most ordinary people.

Upon reaching the 5 mile point I spotted the tented loo and gazed at it with cow eyes - oh why couldn't I use it? I tried eating a few cooked potatoes and biscuits from the station to see if that could galvanise anything into action. But nothing.




A further 45 minutes ahead though and I felt a twinge. Without becoming too graphic I realised that I needed to get back to the aid station. The Immodium had worn off. We'd covered around 7 miles - but the next two back to the station were almost agonising. Upon arriving I dashed into the tent and ... well lets just say it was a relief and leave it at that shall we?

I emerged from the tent some 20 minutes later to a distant but well-deserved round of applause from marshals, participants and locals alike. I heard them but couldn't see them though - but I found them hiding in some bushes about 100 yards away - what kind of game were they playing I wondered. The local Nippallese people came out to greet us and offered us Nippall tea. Now then Ronnettes. If a Nippallese person ever, ever offers you a cup of tea my advice to you is to be very firm and say "No. No, my Nippallese friend. I appreciate your offer but I cannot possibly drink tea with you owing to the vast cultural differences that presently exist between our two cultures".

The difference being that we put sugar in our tea. They put salt in theirs.

After 9 miles the offer to ride back to Sandakphu in a Jeep seemed to good to be true and we piled in for the journey home. The journey lasted precisely 400 metres when not only did the jeep break down but as we piled out we came across a young gal in obvious distress. We thought she was German so I was all for leaving her but then to our horror we discovered she was English. The poor lass was one of the runners but had found it all a bit much. So we decided to accompany her the 5 miles back to the finish line. The fact that she had to keep stopping to wait for us didn't seem to worry her and between you and I, I think she secretly enjoyed the experience of running with a celebrity.

The scenery today was spectacular as usual and, in addition to meeting lots of Nippallese people living in house-type huts we also saw many different kinds of wildlife including yaks and other kinds of birds.



So, my mileage today was around 14 miles - and the knee was still holding up.

When we arrived back I contemplated waiting for the Half Share to finish the race but it was so flippin' cold I decided to have a bowl of soup and a kip instead.

She eventually bowled in after 6 hours and 30 minutes and after giving her a cursory nod and a hand shake I reminded her that her time was about 4 hours slower than the Worthing 20. Honestly you'd have thought I'd insulted her mother - some people just cant take constructive criticism can they?

Captain Underpants once again triumphed today, with a couple of Brits in close proximity. More injuries amongst the 60 strong field though with the blood pressure monitors needed for the Americans. Also today ... the first signs of stomach problems! I shovelled Imodium into me again - I needed to be poo-less until reaching the Sherpa Lodge in Rimbik - our destination tomorrow. For the runners it would be the Everest Challenge Marathon.

Darkness arrived around 5 pm and so, after eating something that tasted a bit like food it was into the sleeping bag - still in the same clothes I started with on Monday morning! I went to sleep dreaming of tarmac.

Tomorrow I'll tell you about how I inspired all those runners to tackle the Everest Marathon - and we have our first chip in almost a week!

Keep on tapering.

Ron