365 Days and Counting

Happy One Year Anniversary to myself! I have survived a whole year in the sand pit they call Abu Dhabi…and now I am leaving! I’m in familiar territory now.  Packing, watching the Giro, moving and getting up to ride my bike at 4am!  Same place I was one year ago. 

Jen and I found a place in Dubai Marina, living in the The Jewels.  It should work just fine.  It’s right across the street from Jumeriah Beach Residences where the have “The Walk” with a ton of places to eat and shop.  That means I lost, and I have to commute.  It wasn’t a contest because I was the one that wanted to live in Dubai, specifically the Marina area.  Living in “the city” is something that I have always wanted to do.  I don’t get to walk to work, but it will have to do for now.  It’s really not that much of a city, but it’s as close as I am going to get right now.

I had grand ambitions to post a brilliant Top 10 list, but I haven’t had the chance to compile the list.  Instead I will tell you about the desert run/hike the other weekend. 

 The course was 5 checkpoints covering 60kms through the desert, near Hatta.  I only did 33kms as I am still training, not trying to burn out, for IM France.  It was super fun though.  Running on sand is like snow, but I would say harder.  I ordered up some sand gaiters.   After failing to find a cobbler to sew the velco to my shoes, Jen had to venture into Satwa, apparently where you can get your car fixed for cheap. 

The first two checkpoints were almost 10kms apart where the next two were about 5kms, but harder terrain wise.  We were following GPS coordinates and since it was after dark (on purpose – it was a full moon and it’s too hot in the sun) we couldn’t exactly pick a “good line” through the dunes.  At some point you just go up and down, up and down until you reach the CP.  There was beer, water and food at the points.  Kevin did an excellent job of setting up the course and making sure he had people or cars at the checkpoints.  As it was there were teams that took until 7:30am (started at 8pm) to reach the finish.  

Kevin and I did the first 20km, trying to run as much as possible.  We made good time and caught a team that was also running/walking that left 20min ahead of us.  We picked up a 3^rd guy that styed with Kevin for over 50kms.  I bailed after the CP4.  Jen and her friends were walking the first two CPs and I met them about 2am at CP2.  I had short 3km run to CP2 from CP4.  We all got in the cars and headed to CP1 were camp was.  After a few beers and some food (I don’t remember eating much) we crashed about 4:30 on to wake before 7 as it was roasting already.  The last team finished just then was well. 

We (I do want to help Kevin do some more of these as the weather gets cooler in the Fall) want to do more of these, make a series out of it.  I still need to practice my orienteering, since Kevin did all of it for us that night.

The TT in the Giro is going through Cinque Terre, Italy right now.  Looks very cool, can’t wait to hike around the cities in July!