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Drew Jonkmans will be on the start line for one of the toughest races in the world, challenging himself physically and mentally in the heat of the Sahara desert while raising money for Guernsey Mind.
The 38th edition of the Marathon des Sables takes place from Sunday with the first of six stages that will total 252.8km.
Jonkmans' preparation included completing a 24 hour track challenge at Footes Lane, hastily arranged after the half MDS he was due to take part in was cancelled.
"Due to the short notice of my entry into the MDS and also how recent my 24 hour run was the training hasn't been as extensive as I would ideally have liked it to be but the key for me was building on the base I had built for myself prior to November when I was training for the half MDS and also just making sure I didn't pick up any injuries," he said.
"After completing the 24 hour run I could feel a couple areas that were definitely worse for wear so I had to manage my weekly distance pretty conservatively which led to me spending a lot more time in the gym than I usually would."
He has concentrated on keeping up long runs with the backpack he will be using in the race.
"Adding more than the usual amount of strength work into my training plan as well gave me the comfort that I would be building on how my legs held up in the 24 hour run and also improving other areas that need to be in good shape to deal with running on the sand and carrying a decent amount of weight on my back.
"Another area I knew I had to address was the heat exposure. Unfortunately we're very limited in the winter in Guernsey with any heat acclimatisation training that can be done but for the last three weeks or so of my training I've been focusing on running with extra layers on and also going for regular sauna sessions post long run. The heat is one of the aspects that I'll need to make up for in the mental side of getting through this race rather than the physical side of it."
He said that half the battle with the MdS was the admin and choosing the right equipment.
"Fortunately I had done the majority of the hard work in preparation for the half MdS I was supposed to do in November, but there was still a lot to be done and reassessed to make sure I'm going to get it right.
"Since it is a self sufficient race I need to make sure I have enough food and equipment to keep me going for eight days in the desert. This includes a sleeping bag and a very unconvincing excuse for a fold up foam mattress that attaches to my backpack.
"The majority of the weight in my bag will be the food I'm carrying that mostly consists of ration packs and sports nutrition powders along with some medical equipment and also the kit needed to cook my food every day. My food totals to roughly 2,650 calories a day which is nowhere near enough for an event like this, but unfortunately is the right balance you need to go for to make sure your backpack isn't too heavy."
From the moment competitors arrive at their bivouac tomorrow they have to be self-sufficient.
Technical checks take place on Saturday before the race starts on Sunday with a 31.1km stage. They cover 40.8km on stage two, 85.3km on stage three, 43.1km on stage four. 31.4km on stage five and 21.1km on the final day.
Jonkmans believes the MdS will be "by far one of the biggest mental challenges I will ever face".
"It's a completely new form of race for me and the climate is also obviously a whole new world compared to Guernsey," he said.
"I think I gained a lot of confidence in my own ability after completing the 24 hour run as at the time I thought it was nowhere near within my reach to reach 100 miles in that time but after crossing the 24 hour mark at 105 miles I realised I was capable of pushing myself far.
"The MDS will be a huge test of that ability with facing an extreme challenge every day for six to seven days straight. That will be the hardest thing, having to wake up every morning and face the heat again after already completing a whole day of running before, especially when it comes to the long stage of the race which is 85km and sees most runners running past 24 hours before they pass the finish line.
"As long as I can keep my head down, deal with the heat and look after myself properly I know I've got enough in me to complete it and hopefully in a respectable time amongst the other British competitors."
He is raising money for Guernsey Mind.
"Guernsey Mind is an extremely important charity for the community and the work they do is invaluable to those that use it. I'm sure everyone whether they know it or not is connected to someone who has used Guernsey Mind before.
"Not only do they do great work for those who are currently struggling but they also do amazing work for raising the initial awareness which is crucial for changing the stigma around mental health and making people more comfortable so that they can open up to those around them.
"Running this challenge for Guernsey Mind correlates well with how big of a mental test I'll be facing and I've always wanted to be able to show people how far you can push yourself and how quickly you can turn things around by just being resilient and committing to doing hard things regularly."
Also among those taking on the MdS is James Le Gallez, who will be fundraising for Autism Guernsey and the Guernsey Society for Cancer Relief.
Follow the runners:
Drew Jonkans Instagram account @drewkeepsrunning.
James Le Gallez Instagram account @fromtidestotrails.
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