Training in UAE for a hot run in the US

Training in UAE for a hot run in the US Sarah Young / 23 June 2013 The UAE is the perfect training ground for one extreme runner who will traverse hundreds of kilometres in searing heat in the United States next month. Dubai resident Dr Catherine Todd, 34, will run the Badwater Ultra-Marathon from July 15 to 17 in Death Valley, California, despite vowing to a friend after last year’s race never to do it again. Known as the world’s toughest footrace, runners on the 217km course scale a cumulative elevation of about 4,000 metres from the hottest, driest place in North America to Mount Whitney, the highest summit of continental United States. It has to be completed within 48 hours. The assistant professor at the University of Wollongong in Dubai, who focuses on biomedical engineering research, is no stranger to long distances, having run from Dubai to Fujairah last year, and completed ten 160km marathons and three 217km marathons. She has been in training for this invitation-only event, which takes 100 runners each year, since completing the same race last year, in a time of 36.5 hours — despite having a cold and ear infection. This year, she hopes to be the fastest woman on the course, aiming to complete it in under 30 hours. She will also be raising funds to help friend Richard Holland who was hit by a car in a “horrific accident” while cycling in Dubai last year. “He’s been taken back to South Africa, but the rehab costs are enormous.” Holland, who is in his early 30s, was now unable to speak, but had begun communicating with his mother by blinking, she said. “The worst thing is it could have been any of us out there. Richard was the safest cyclist we know.” Todd has just returned from a 13-hour, 160km trail run in Ohio, giving her some variety from her usual training regime here which involves road, desert and mountain runs, including back-to-back ascents of Jebel Hafeet, on the outskirts of Al Ain, starting at 3am. She trains between two to four hours each day, with a long run between five and 10 hours on the weekend. “I try to fit in a lot in my life…I believe you make time for the things you’re interested in — you’ll get up early and manage your time effectively. I don’t go out and party every night so that helps.” The UAE was the perfect training ground, she said. “I’m really lucky as a lot of people don’t have that exposure to the heat,” she said of the 55 degree heat. “Death Valley is absolutely horrible… hot, dry, barren. There’s a long stretch of asphalt which everyone hates and you have to run on for a very long time. “It’s like being out on the roads out of Dubai, quite rocky and deserty. “The issue in the dry heat is the sun piercing your skin. Throw some sand and a hot wind in there and it can really destroy your soul. It’s important to have very positive people in your crew.” Staying mentally positive during the race was incredibly important. “Your feet get trashed. It’s tough on your msucles, your whole body aches by the end, you’ve just got to push through the pain. But it’s not all downs…there’s highs as well.” Along with getting enough fluids, the biggest challenge would be forcing down food while running, including avocado on crisps, soup, lentils, salads and rice, and plenty of electrolyte drinks. Todd, who has lived in Dubai for seven years, got into marathon running at the university and was then inspired by a friend at a running club in Dubai to try out ultramarathons. “He told me about all the adventures he had, and I thought it sounded more interesting than just putting your head down and running a marathon to get a good time. It’s more of a challenge to finish…what will go wrong and how to deal with challenges as they arise. It’s also a good way to travel, and you meet a lot of people from different parts of the world.” sarah@khaleejtimes.com Taylor Scott International