In Motion Asia: Outdoor Adventures in Taiwan and Asia

Dec 2011 - Clive Saffery Dec ARA

December ARA news & update from ultra-runner Clive Saffery

Editorial Bit:

I started this newsletter 13 years ago. I sent it out on Boxing Day (it must have been a slow Christmas that year) to a massive circulation of eleven people. Three years on the circulation is so big that I have to split it into three just to pass the firewall limit on the number of people receiving an e-mail. The calendar is those days was just a few pages and keeping it updated was a lot easier than now.

Many of the people I was racing against at the time have retired (although don’t bet against one or two making a comeback after children have grown up) and if there is one race that none of us can win it’s the one against Father Time. Being diagnosed with an arthritic knee last week was another (and literally) painful reminder.

The response of most people to my diagnosis (and the subsequent MRI which revealed a lot of wear and tear in my knee) was “what do you expect?”. It is true that I’ve now been racing for 45 years but “what I expect” is to carry on racing as long as possible. And, to quote a oft used cliché: “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but to rather skid in sideways, bottle of Chardonnay in one hand, chocolate in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “Woo Hoo, what a ride!” About the only thing I’m prepared to debate on this as a sentiment is the choice of wine.

All of which is a preamble to he fact that I retire next month. My last full working week will be much like any other i.e. a football match in Manchester at the start, a half marathon at the end and the days in between full of flights, hotels and hopefully some great food and wine (see above). We will then be on the road for a long time, Australia for the Tour Down Under (watching not racing!), California for the Jed Smith 50k, a few weeks wandering around South America. Two Oceans at Cape Town at Easter and then 70.3 in Busselton WA in May. It’s wonderfully liberating to tell people that we will have no fixed address for the foreseeable future but even more fun to tell people that when we do settle down it will be in Marin County where we can run and bike to our heart’s content. Apparently Napa is only up the road J

I haven't decided if I will keep this newsletter going. We will be spending some of the year in Hong Kong which at least gives me some legitimacy to talk about racing in this part of the world but being a nomad for a while may also mean I’m not in touch with things and that might prove a problem. However what ever decision I eventually make about the newsletter you can be sure that we’ll be continuing that wild ride: at least if I slide in sideways it won’t hurt my knee any more.

News Bit:

As soon as the last newsletter was sent out came the news that the ITU part of the Hong Kong triathlon weekend had been cancelled because the police would not shut the road for two days. So let me get this right: it’s ok to shut down half of Hong Kong when a mainland politician visits but it’s apparently impossible to shut down a remote country road for a few hours for elite athletes to compete. And wasn’t my last newsletter complaining about the Hong Kong government and permits?

The Track stage race again takes place in Australia in May 2012. The course runs from Alice Springs to the foot of Uluru guaranteeing some obviously spectacular finish line photos which might be sufficient incentive to get out there and run self supported for 520k.

It must be at least three months since anyone came up with a new triathlon distance so let’s rectify that right now and steer you in the direction of the Leadman distance 5/223/22k with two races next year in Las Vegas and Bend www.leadmantri.com

Alternatively look at www.hitstriathlonseries.com twelve races a year and each race has a distance for everyone. And I mean everyone: the shortest distance having a 100 yard swim, a three mile bike and a mile run: the longest distance being a full Iron distance.

I forgot to mention last time that Japanese runners finally turned up at Badwater and took second and fifth men and first woman. Could this be the start of the dominance they have shown at Spartathlon (at least in terms of people applying)?

For those of us aging (which of course scientifically means all of you): Michael Secrest finally broke the world indoor 100 mile cycling record at the ninth attempt. His time? 3 hours 46 minutes. His age? 58. And for all of us who have invested in new technology bikes: he did it on the same 1996 bike he used when setting his outdoor 24 hour record.

Hanoi had a new half marathon on 11 December i.e. a week after the usual pile up of major Asian races that we get every year on the first weekend of the month.

I don’t recall any bad moments with black cats but for the second time this year I’ve flown to California to race and for the second time the race was cancelled. At least last time gave me a bit of notice: this one occurred after I had arrived in San Francisco and was eating what I thought would be my last proper dinner before the run.

Talking of California I took the opportunity to visit a couple of wonderful bike stores in the region including the world’s only Rapha store, Studio Velo and Above Category where the US national time trial medal hangs proudly on the wall, the race having been won by one of the store’s bike mechanics. I also found a wonderful new website www.velocurean.com which says simply Eat. Drink. Ride. There are worse ways of spending your life (see retirement plan above)

Calendar Bit:

Those good guys at Sabah Adventure Challenge are adding two stage ultras this year, the first 200k runs in Malaysia. The first one on 28 April, details are at www.sabahadventurechallenge.com They are also hosting a trail ultra in September with 100k and 50k options.

Another new series of ultra is being planned across the world with the initial event in Ireland next March, check out www.lostworldsracing.com Although quite what Tuscany has done to earn the moniker lost world is beyond me.

The Welsh island of Angelsey hasn’t been mentioned before so let’s fix that now and mention the new Ring O’Fire 131 mile stage ultra starting 31 August. It also comes with 4 qualifying points for UMTB, not a lot for 131 miles of mountains but perhaps a lot for a race that is a stage race only.

Trailwalker comes to Bangalore in India February 10 www.trailwalker.in

Another new 100 miler in the US, the Coyote Springs Trail race will offer both 100 and 50 mile options as well as 100 and 50k. It bills itself as the first 100 miler in Las Vegas and takes place on 31 March http://elementalrunning.com

Despite its’ name the inaugural Shotover Moonlight Mountain Marathon in Queenstown will start at 8 a.m. on 4 February www.activeqt.co.nz

A new ultra next year in Arizona looks a tough one, the Mogllon Monster will see runners tackle 106 miles in the ponderosa pines next September www.mogollonmonster.com

A new event next August in Switzerland, three distances from 71k up to 201k www.irontrail.ch

The Bangkok floods have caused the postponement of the Bangkok Challenge adventure race to 11 February. Expect the Libyan Challenge to be postponed as well but possibly not for the same reasons.

The second iteration of the Amazing Maasai Ultra will take place on 21 July www.amazingmaasaiultra.org

I supposed it was only a matter of time before the hugely successful Trailwalker format was copied, next June the same team type race will take place from London to Brighton www.walk100.org.uk

And finally, as we enter the festive season, let’s pause and regret the modernization of sport: up to 1924 wine was the rehydration drink of choice at the Olympics. And for those bad days always remember that DNF stands for Did Nothing Fatal.

As ever, train hard and race smart. Merry Christmas.

ARA Calendar Dec 21