Ferrari developed and produced the F40 to celebrate their 40th Anniversary in 1987 so what better way to celebrate being 40 than to drive one?
I had a poster of a Ferrari F40 on my bedroom wall. I loved it in the 1980s and I’ve loved it ever since. It was the first production car to go over 200 miles per hour and remains the furthest evolution of no-nonsense, mechanical engineering.
With it’s lightweight carbon fibre body with only a thin coat of paint, back then, this was more like an race car with a road-going body kit and at the time was Ferrari’s fastest, most powerful, and most expensive car for sale.
In keeping with the car’s unique authenticity, it was also the last model produced that was personally approved by Enzo Ferrari himself.
Some consider it to be the best Ferrari ever made.
Just over a thousand of them came off the production line against an initial run of 400 and so they are rare now.
I remember seeing one on a family holiday from the back of the car as it crossed over a motorway bridge behind me and I still feel lucky!
I was sure I would find one locally and if not may be I could rent one somewhere fairly easily. I hadn’t really considered their current market value.
For example, whilst not completely factory original, recently this rare 1989 Ferrari F40 was the first motor to sell for over £1million on an online-only classic car auction platform:
In any case, remaining grateful for getting what I want, just not in exactly the same form I anticipated or expected, I made a video to capture my experience:
Essentially, the only Ferrari F40 I could find locally was an Authentic Ferrari branded Radio Controlled car! As luck would have it, the model was also on sale so I quickly clicked and collected.
As a child, I used to enjoy racing radio controlled cars. Of all the cars I had, by far my favourite was my Schumacher Cougar 2 Team Works Specification. I still have it although it is something of a classic bordering on a museum piece these days.
This was the first time I’ve ever driven a Radio Controlled car on a treadmill and keeping it lined up and in one relatively small area was actually quite good fun. The basic steering on this model F40 is digital and not progressive whatsoever. Taking this into account and not coming off the back end of the roller was quite a challenge – it was interesting to see how the F40s performance dwindled as the batteries ran out and for sure it ended up crashing off a couple of times as a result!
I had really good fun visiting the Ferrari dealership Fast Auto Technic dressed in all my Ferrari-related merch. and I’m super grateful to Ammar for allowing me to take photos, sit in and start the incredible F8 Tributo!
As luck would have it, I would finally come face-to-face with a Ferrari F40 at the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at Jeddah Corniche in 2021. I was really made up, they are not common and obviously very valuable so to be allowed to get up close is unusual, based on my previous experiences.
This wasn’t the best flight, nor was it the cheapest or most time efficient but it is definitely scheduled for the appropriate time!
Furthermore, I was able to use the whole of a voucher I was credited when a flight I had booked was cancelled by the operator due to more strict Corona restrictions coming into force at the end of 2020 so that’s good.
I guess me making this booking is only the first stage so I will update this post with my ticketing, departure and flight experience… until then, I’ll look forward to seeing my Mother on her Birthday!
I love you, Mum! x
Update:
Two days after I booked this flight, I got an email to tell me that the 04:40 departure time of the first flight has been updated to 05:10. Right now I’m content because I bagged the challenge and get to set off at a more reasonable time and have a shorter connection time but am just hoping that this is not the start of more messing around with flights being delayed and even cancelled – that’s how I ended up with this voucher in the first place!!!
Thankfully post -booking but pre-flight the realisation set in that Qatar is still on the UK’s ‘Red List’ and so this would mean I had to stay in a Government-backed quarantine hotel for my entire stay – utterly pointless!
I took the opportunity to move this Qatar flight to later in the year and re-booked with Saudia direct to London Heathrow. This allowed me to use a credit voucher for another flight that was cancelled back in 2020.
Somewhat disappointingly, the flight is not at 04:40. Nonetheless, it sets off a day earlier so I gain an additional day in the UK and will be travelling in seat number 40!
The original flight may have been cancelled but I sat in seat 40 on the one I replaced it with!
Inspired by the holy month of Ramadan and my Muslim friends and colleagues, I will be fasting for 40 days.
I began on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan 2021 and will continue beyond the holy month to achieve not only a 40 day fast but 40 days of complete abstinence. No drinking, no smoking, no nothing.
I did my first fast in 2015 and benefitted enormously; I expect to do so this time too. On top of the solidarity it demonstrates, fasting made me appreciate how privileged I am to be able to choose not to eat or drink – many people do not have that luxury. It also helped me to manage being ‘hangry’ – something everyone else in my life has suffered from (sorry about that)!
I will update this post day by day as a sort of diary or log of events.
Ramadan Kareem everyone!
Day 1:
My first fast in 2015 was somewhat disappointing as I felt like I was ready to eat a huge meal after fasting all day but upon eating even a packet of crisps, I felt ‘full’. Turns out, it is much better to ease yourself back in with a few dates and some tea and then set into refuelling and rehydrating proper over the course of the evening.
Thankfully, a supportive friend and colleague who is much more experienced than I am provided some advice and a perfect gift in the form of some dates and a beautiful piece of glassware to present them in.
Shukran Jazeelan
I guess the first day was novel and new and it seemed to pass by easily. I drank a pint of water before bed and took some more to drink during the night.
Day 2:
Drinking a pint before going to bed means one thing – that you wake up needing to visit the bathroom but having woken up well before dawn, I enjoyed a solid breakfast of oats and nuts with honey and milk and some mango with a coffee and another pint of water before getting ready to go to work.
Talking and working all day definitely dries you out and by 17:00 I was feeling really quite tired and ready for a drink but I had to go to the Dentist at 20:00 so once it was dark, I had a few dates with a cup of tea, some salad in a wrap and headed back out the door.
The Dentist did a scale and polish but whatever they out on my teeth tasted so good I ate it all – much to their surprise and amusement. I returned home to eat a few curly fries and sautéed chillies, garlic and tomatoes before downing another pint of water, updating this post and going to bed.
Day 3:
Today was tough. I think because I spent the previous evening at the Dentist and as a result didn’t re-hydrate or eat as much as I should have done, I woke up feeling seriously depleted and exhausted. My left leg has been sore all day too. I was glad it was the last day of the working week here.
Working around 12 hours a day is not easy when you are not able to even have a brew but I’ve got a weekend ahead of me with it’s own set of challenges to overcome.
I hope I am able to fit in some gentle training next week to maintain my fitness or some of the other challenges may be impacted (like running 10km in 40 minutes and cycling 40km in one hour).
I’ve not eaten much today, the usual oats and nuts with honey and milk early this morning followed by two hard boiled eggs with a lemon and ginger tea and pint of water for breakfast. I broke my fast with dates and a cup of tea followed by a vegetable stew with curly fries and some sautéed garlic and tomatoes with.
Since I had a scale and polish last night, I haven’t drunk any coffee – may be I will abstain from that too!
Day 4:
10% complete and feeling optimistic, if a little emotional. I woke well before dawn, ate oats and nuts with honey and milk for breakfast and drank a lemon and ginger tea with a pint of water and went back to bed to sleep until 9:30am. I stayed in bed until 11:30 and then had what is probably one of the laziest days I’ve had in years. I felt fatigued and lethargic but I figure this is because I am conserving energy and actually resting from a tiring week.
I broke my fast with dates and two cups of tea followed by a vegetable stew with curly fries and a can of diet coke and a pint of juice.
My leg has stopped hurting but think I’m not taking on enough fluids so need to address that in the mornings so I feel better throughout the day.
Day 5:
An eighth of the way in and I slept more today than ever before in one day but it included a crazy dream where I had to turn back on a mountain because I had vertigo – this is how I knew it was bulls*it and woke up!
I felt emotional and this was compounded by watching the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral – after the lamentable COVID management disaster in the UK, despite the circumstances, I was glad to see something went according to plan. He really was quite a guy.
I followed my same routine regarding waking, eating and drinking and managed to fit in 30 minute cycle on my road bike which was nice but dehydrated me so I’ll do it later in the day next time.
Day 6:
Back to work, mild headache, but feeling grateful for the gift of life.
I went for my first pre-Iftar ‘Ramadan run’ and despite my heart rate being high even though I took it easy at an average of 5:45 per kilometer over 3.5km (presumably due to dehydration) it didn’t feel as hard as I expected so I’ll ramp it up slowly over the next few weeks.
Day 7 and my amazing Sister’s Birthday:
Super tired after yesterday’s short run. Hunger seems to have subsided but the thirst I am experiencing after taking at work all day is immense.
Didn’t eat much, same breakfast plus a hard boiled egg and then broke the fast with 7 dates washed down with 2 cups of tea, followed by sliced carrots, cucumber and a big bag of crisps dipped in hummus. I drank a pint of water and a pint of juice and a mug of lemon and ginger tea and after running one errand went to bed, shattered.
Day 8:
A fifth of the way in!
Despite being exhausted, I hardly slept last night. Challenges from work rattled around my mind and kept me awake, leaving me in a terrible mood which I managed to overcome by investing a little more time in myself, going for a run and trying to plan some holidays (turns out still not easy to do…).
What cheered me up no end is hearing from an old friend whom I met around 12 years ago and who had and continues to have a dramatic and unforgettable effect on my life. We’ve stayed in touch periodically but the coincidental nature of this reunion on 4/20 lifted my spirits – thank you Klara 🙂
I haven’t touched a drop but keep this as a memento; if you know, you know
Day 9:
A better night’s sleep, the kind where you are zonked and sleep like a log was really rewarding. It seems that I am losing weight. I started the 40 days fast at my usual weight of around 73 – 74 kilogrammes and now am around 72 kilograms depending on if I have eaten and how dehydrated I am. After last night’s pre-Iftar run I was 70 kilogrammes exactly but that was definitely down to dehydration – can’t wait for the weekend!
Day 10:
A quarter of the way through or 25% complete and I marked this by enjoying Iftar with some friends in a restaurant called Burj Al Hamam in Riyadh. The food was incredible as was the company. I then went for a 13 kilometre trail run with Nelly Attar in the Diplomatic Quarter and saw an Desert Hedgehog to top if off!
Day 11:
Waking up early was not easy but I had to rehydrate so went back to bed quick-style having done so. The rest of the day was quite slow fixing bikes and doing life admin until I went to my friend Tom’s for Iftar / Dinner. He cooked beetroot risotto which was a special treat and having spent the time catching up with him and Jack, I spent the rest of my evening teaching my friend Thukaa to ride a bike – this was a really fun and rewarding experience, she did great and gave me a huge pack of the world’s best dates from her Families farm.
Day 12:
I went back to bed three times today. I am exhausted. I fixed one bike, played my guitar and did more life admin only to realise that I am now 16 weeks away from Ironman Kazakhstan 70.3 on the 15th August 2021.
This came as a shock and the reality is that I will be beginning training hard while I am still fasting for the next four weeks! Not sure how this is going to go, or how I will balance it but I’ll find a way and blog about it here.
Day 13:
Tough, not because I was hungry but because I was dehydrated and experienced headaches and had a crown replaced at the Dentist and two fillings! The Dentist was the best ever and I am extremely grateful for his care, competence and reliability.
This headaches were offset by going to the Noor Riyadh light festival at King Abdullah Financial District with my friend Mirka post-Iftar – what a mind blowing experience:
Example of one of the installations – Infinity Mirror Room – Brilliance of Souls (2014) by Yayou Kusama
Day 14:
Long day at work and first day of training for the Ironman. I swam 1.1 kilometres and ran for 45 minutes in Zone 2, after Iftar.
I’ve tried my best to rehydrate and get in bed early but midnight is approaching and here I am….! Khallas!
Day 15:
Long day at work followed by a post-Iftar cycle and a run – felt good but I’ve tried to fit too much in today and am late to bed so I’m likely to suffer tomorrow…..
Day 16:
Immediately after work today I travelled to Tabuk to start what I consider to be a personal pilgrimage to same places I have wanted to go for many years. I will travel from Thursday through to Saturday and be back in work for Sunday, inshallah.
Royal Saudi Air Force English Electric Lightning on a roundabout in Tabuk
Day 17:
I woke up at 04:40 this morning to take breakfast and plenty fluids before going back to sleep until 09:00. I then swam 1.4 kilometres before setting off on the road trip to Al Ula. I feel so privileged to be doing this journey whilst fasting in the Holy month of Ramadan.
What an incredible day! I have so many amazing experiences, pictures and videos to share and will update this post, my Instagram and YouTube accordingly but for now I have to get some sleep so I can wake before dawn to take breakfast.
This evening’s meal was in the Old Town at Al Ula at Nakheel Cafe, the company, service, setting and food couldn’t have been better.
Better than momtaz!
Day 18:
One of the best days of my life. Staying at a hotel in the middle of Al Ula neigbourhood meant the call to prayer woke me up in a way it hasn’t ever before – no need for the 04:40 alarm!
I took on plenty fluids and breakfast before getting one more hours sleep before we set off to Medain Saleh or Hegra – a magical place that I’ve wanted to go for years, I was so excited about it.
I will expand up on the post with a YouTube video of my experience but suffice to say, my expectations were not only met but surpassed!
Mashallah – More to follow!
Spending all day in desert sun was tough when fasting and by 18:15 I was flagging… a red tea with mint and lemon followed by a huge Kudu set me back on the right track. A four hour drive back to Tabuk followed and a 05:40 flight back to Riyadh tomorrow awaits us!
What an amazing few days – special thanks to my friends Jack and Tom, big respect guys.
I made a video to summarise the experience, you can watch it via the following YouTube link:
Day 19:
A super early flight back to Riyadh meant I got back into bed upon arriving home and slept in until the early afternoon. Reflecting upon my trip reinforced just how incredible the whole experience had been and I am very grateful for each opportunity and memory.
I cycled 35 kilometres in the evening after breaking my fast and then went back to sorting through the many pictures I took and posting some of the best on my Instagram @cjburgoine and Facebook to share with my friends and the wider world.
Day 20:
Halfway through but who’s counting…. 😬😅😂
Seriously, I’ve falled in love with Ramadan this year. It has given me a purpose, structure, challenge and level of appreciation that I didn’t have before. I’m still training and ran for one hour at heart rate zone 2 this evening. The most difficult thing is being in work super early until late and the resistance I have experienced from people who don’t understand or remain opinionated and negative. I’d say they are non-believers who lack faith, commitment, respect and moral fiber; more commonly known as ass*oles.
I celebrated day 20 by eating 20 dates with low fat fresh cream, washed down with black tea and it was one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten. Alhamdulilah!
Day 21:
All I need to do is sleep more to achieve greatness but trying to fit in so much around what is still an unusual schedule for me is not proving to be so simple.
Tonight I swam 2 kilometres and ran for 45 minutes in zone 2. I was still dehydrated and as I had pushed hard in the pool it was very difficult to stabilise my heart rate so I did a lot of run-walk-run.
I’ve really noticed how lucid my dreams have been, totally crazy, super entertaining and memorable!
Day 22:
After work I headed out to the desert to get some headspace, to a completely different environment to break my fast and also to train with Nelly Attar. Thankfully, I arrived just before sunset – to watch that, eat dates and drink tea was amazing.
I thought I would be able to do a Brick session up and down the Camel Trail but it is such an unforgiving environment that my (fairly new) chain broke and I had to descend with no gears and then carry my bike back up!
Good cross training…
Perfect for Iftar!Amazing scenery, even after dark
Day 23:
Work, work, work, work, work! Followed by a 22 kilometre bike ride in zone 2 and Iftar at the Ritz Carlton in Riyadh. Very grateful for this opportunity to spend time with some of my colleagues both old and new.
The Ritz Carlton, Riyadh
Day 24:
The end of a long week at work that became memorable for assembling my new scuba diving regulator! I was lucky to be able to test it in a pool after work in advance of going scuba diving next week (can’t wait!) and am grateful to my friend Phil for giving up his time to make this possible. This and eating and drinking took up my early evening and pushed my 1 hour 45 minute cycling training session into the night so I finished after midnight and fell asleep on the sofa, completely exhausted.
My diet is good and has become quite regular (with the exception of a few Iftars). I break my fast with dates and cream, am eating a lot of vegetables and hummus, occasionally chicken and / or tuna or fruit-based protein shakes in the evening and oats with nuts, milk and honey and a boiled egg in the morning. I try to drink at least two litres of fluids each morning and each evening (water, tea and juice) and despite needing to visit the toilet regularly a couple of hours afterwards this seems to be working well for me. I appear to have lost about 2 kilograms in weight (from around 74kg to 72kg) but it’s hard to judge exactly as my weight varies depending upon it I measure before or after Iftar! I’d like to get down to 69 kilograms by the end of the 40 day fast and then build my strength and endurance from that point.
Day 25:
I went to bed so late, so only slept two hours before my phone ringing woke me up – always nice to hear from old friends but not fun at 4am! There was no point sleeping again so I got up and had breakfast before my 04:40 alarm. I read a little before going back to bed at 07:00 and attempting to sleep in. However, despite ear plugs and an eye mask, my body clock had other ideas I was up before too long. This gave me the time to sort a video of the previous weekend’s road trip which I will include on another post. Having taken Iftar, I joined Nelly Attar for a trail run starting at 10pm, after an hour or so we went to a friend’s party which I was grateful for not least because I met some incredible people but because it tested my abstinence resolve. I am proud of myself for only drinking diet cola and doing so sure made it easy to stay up to 4am (so I ate breakfast and went to sleep) – great day!
An athlete and a photographer – credit to the multi-talented Nelly Attar
Day 26:
Got out of bed at 10:30am, did life admin, shopping, prepped for the week ahead, did a spot of gardening, swam two kilometres at 16:30, took Iftar 18:30, followed by a 45 min cycle at 19:30 and 15 minute run (Brick session). Interestingly, I weighed myself pre-Iftar after swimming and was 69.2 kilogrammes. After eating 21 dates and drinking two cups of tea and a can of soda (around 1 litre total) I weighed in at 70.1 kilogrammes. I then drank 750 millilitres of water during the bike ride and weighed 69.6 kilogrammes (lot a lot of this sweating during the cycle). Clearly, my weight is very dependent upon how hydrated I am but I was past ready for a decent meal. I downed a 300 millilitre protein shake made with milk, ate Thai green chicken curry with basmati rice and drank at least one and a half litres of orange juice and ginger, lemon and mint tea and weighed myself again (feeling proper full) and was 71.4 kilograms so I guess I must be losing weight. It’s almost midnight and I’m working tomorrow so time for bed!
Day 27:
So tired, bordering on exhaustion but it didn’t stop me working all day (I fell asleep from 16:40 to 17:20) but then refreshed myself with a 2 kilometre swim before Iftar. I then packed my stuff for a dive trip I am about to go on over the next few days and cycled for 45 minutes in zone 2 before eating my evening meal and rehydrating as much as I could before bed.
Day 28:
In an effort to squeeze in some final training before embarking on the dive trip, I ran 7 kilometres this morning. I now consider it a mistake. It left me dehydrated and fatigued all day. I’ve essentially fitted three weeks worth of training into two weeks with no breaks to save the rest days for this 5 day dive trip so no wonder I’m exhausted.
I also broke the fast a few hours early today for the following reasons 1). My flight was at 18:30 2). There was loads of perishable food in my fridge which I thought it better to consume and 3). The early run. I felt guilty for doing this but I think it was reasonable given the circumstances.
I’m not sure how fasting will work when I am living on a boat and diving all day but I’m going to give it a go!
The Dream Master – home for the next few days
Day 29:
Woke up to the sound of the boat engine starting and fell back asleep. This meant that I missed my breakfast and went all day without food and water… after three scuba dives and some snorkelling / freediving, I was completely dehydrated but was elated to see the sun setting as I prepared a cup of tea, downed a bottle of water, an apple and a piece of cake. After one more dive after dark, I had three plates of great food and was back to ‘normal’!
What a view! Sunset moored at Cement Wreck
Day 30:
Woke at 5am when the boat engine started, ate an apple, an orange, a banana, 2 pieces of toast with Nutella and drank two cups of tea and a bottle of water. I then promptly went back to bed until 8am when the first dive briefing took place.
I broke the fast at 18:30 again with a cup of tea a bottle of water, an apple and a piece of cake. After one more dive after dark, I had dinner. Day 30 felt a lot easier than the previous day but that is because I had breakfast. At dusk a pod of Dolphins surrounded the boat – magical!
3/4 or 75% of the fast complete!
Day 31:
Followed the same routine as the day before and it worked a treat. This evening was our last on the boat also the start of Eid.
Eid Mubarak!
Day 32:
I spent the day freediving off the coast of Jeddah which was much more challenging than epected, proably due to being out in the sun all day rather than being able to retire to an air conditioned cabin!
I’m also now training to complete my AIDA level 4 and SSI level 3 freediving qualifications in parallel. One aspect of this involves practicing an advanced equalisation method which helps achieve even greater depths. However, this equires no mask to be worn and a nose clip. I’m not used to opening my eyes in salt water and kept wanting to swallow (even though my mouth remained dry) which was not helping me to relax and equalise.
I enjoyed breaking my fast looking out over the city and then had an exceptional meal at Sakura, the traditional Japanese Sushi restaurant.
Day 33:
I spent the day freediving again, which was great but with no hydration it was challenging and not be be recommended. My ears were a little blocked form the last 4 days worth of diving so I took it easy and enjoyed being one with the water and reflecting on what an amazing few days I’d had.
7 days remain of my 40 day fast and abstinence and I’m looking forward to each and every one of them – to say the perspective’s been enlightening would be an understatement
But first, shawarma…
Day 34:
Back to work and back to training for the Ironman. I woke at 04:40 to eat breakfast, drink tea and juice before going back to bed for an hour – I was shattered!
After work I started to process some of the photos and videos I took over the past few days – what a great trip. I then cycled for 1 hour 45 minutes, followed by a 15 minute run, both in zone 2.
Day 35:
I’m 7/8th of the way in or 87.5% complete! I woke at 04:40 and took breakfast but due to how tired I am after the past week, I fell asleep before I finished my cup of tea. This meant I had not fully hydrated and felt the difference throughout the day. I guess there is a balance between drinking too much and needing the toilet a lot and too little leading to dehydration. In any case, I’m glad to be able to choose – as I’ve said before, for some people this is not an option.
I worked all day, I posted some videos, I ran for an hour and a half in zone 2 (which to maintain required me to walk occasionally). My heart rate does seem to have remained high after diving and because I’ve not been sleeping a lot and have got back on with training, it hasn’t had the opportunity to reset. This means my average resting heart rate is now in the high 50s so in looking forward to a rest day…. eventually!
Day 36:
Only 10% / 4 days remain!!!! My body and mind are telling me a rest is in order so I did zero training today. I didn’t drink enough having woken at 04:40 and I worked all day, followed by a webinar for a new course I am enrolled upon. Having broken my fact at 18:30, I then processed photos and videos from the recent dive trip. My heart rate seems to have dropped back down to more normal so this is a good sign that I am recovering from the strain of the past week or so.
Day 37:
Woke up at 4am so went for a 45 minutes run in zone 2. I hydrated during the run and then ate breakfast afterwards. My heartrate was much lower and it was relatively easy to maintain a good pace and stay in the aerobic zone. That being said, running before work yet again proved itself to be disadvantageous later in the day as I became very tired and a mild headache set in.
I’ve only got three days left of my 40 day fast and abstinence and I’m ready to adopt a different schedule, one that facilitates harder ironman training and better recovery.
I’ve definitely lost weight (now I am 70 kilogrammes and if I go for a run or at the end of work having not drunk or eaten anything, I will definitely be below 70 kilogrammes). I will include some statistics at the final post on my 40th day.
Sunrise on day 37
Day 38:
95% complete – only two more days remaining and it is now the weekend! Frankly, I wish this fast and abstinence was over already so I could celebrate over the weekend but khallas I will have to wait. I swam 2 kilometres today and did a 45 minute cycle followed by a 15 minute run (Brick session). I really felt like I had adjusted to this fasting well today and felt strong on the cycle and run but that was after a better nights sleep and a solid pasta dish with fresh vegetables so it’s no surprise really!
Day 39:
Alhamdullilah one day to go! I worked quite a bit today and then slept a couple of times. Having woken up at 04:40 the ability to rest when I was tired (since it was the weekend) was much appreciated but for sure at the end of this period (in fact at any time), a weekend should be for relaxation and recuperation rather than a further flogging due to unrealistic work demands and deadlines. I still managed to train with a 60 minute cycle in zone 2 and maintained a 30 kph average speed so am happy with that but was too tired to swim today so deferred it until tomorrow.
I am excited to wake up in 4 hours for the final time in this prolonged period. My overnight oats are ready and I am really ready to get horizontal!
Day 40:
It’s finally arrived! I have just broken my fast for the 40th time and I’m on the verge of emotional about it. I feel out of breath somehow, like I’ve got to the end of an endurance event… I’m not going to lie, the final week has been tough, in part because I was fasting alone and everyone else was eating around me, even at work but also because I’m genuinely ready for a change in my routine, mentally, physically and emotionally.
Waking up super early every day has become disruptive to my sleep patterns because even if I go back to bed I usually frequently wake up to go to the toilet having taken on so many fluids in a short space of time.
So what have I learnt?
I’ve learnt that taking on excess fuilds and food to last for the day does not work. This behaviour is for camels, not humans.
I’ve learnt that staying up all night and sleeping all day, whilst culturally acceptable, is (in my opinion) a way to ‘cheat’ your way through a daylight fast. Fasting should be difficult, it should be a challenge and it is my opinion that simply flipping your schedule on its head may be disruptive but it’s not really a challenge. It’s fairly straightforward to take on the requisite amount of fluids and calories in each 24 hour period by employing this tactic.
I’ve learnt that choosing not to eat and drink and maintaining it through out the day not only requires strung discipline, it is a great privilege; some people do not have that choice in their lives.
I’ve learnt that many people are not able to get their heads around the point of it.
I’ve learnt that many of us live in super-abundance and probably don’t even realise it. If we are hungry, we go to the fridge or the cupboard. If they are empty, we simply go to the shop. For some people even this is a chore, so they drive, or get a delivery or take away.
I’ve learnt that the majority of people have a strange or unhealthy relationship with food.
I’ve learnt that some people do not treat their bodies with the respect they deserve by eating poorly, excessively or irregularly.
I’ve learnt that people do not eat when they are hungry. Often, it is habitual or in response to stress or other ‘triggers’ not related to sustenance.
I’ve learnt how little I actually need to survive and I say this when I’ve remained very active, working a minimum of 55 hours a week, training for an Ironman and diving for days on end, for example. That being said, when I ate nutritious meals (a pasta dish being one key example) it was like I was running on some kind of super-fuel. I guess the additional carbohydrates (as opposed to a protein-rich diet) really make a big difference to my performance.
I’ve learnt that if you want to do anything out of the ordinary, like exceptional travel, hiking or sports, it makes sense to at least be properly hydrated.
I’ve learnt that without sustenance, I become more tired more quickly and have had to curb my enthusiasm for things, so much so that friends have considered me to be ‘calmer’ (this is not necessarily a bad thing). The truth of the matter is that after a full day or work, pre-Iftar I was exhausted and this often forced me to succumb to 40 winks more often (another story)!
I’ve learnt that my weight didn’t change that much (I started at 73-74kg and am now between 69kg and 71kg). This range is directly proportional to how recently I have eaten and hydrated and also how recently I trained and for how long at what temperature (sweat loss). It would be interesting to see if my body fat percentage has changed significantly or at all but I do not have the technology to make an accurate statement in that regard. I do think it has reduced slightly in line with the few kilograms I have lost.
I learnt that my blood sugar only dropped as low as 4.7 mmol/litre of blood and typically remained in the 5-5.5 range (usually measured in the morning or pre-iftar) except immediately after breaking the fast when it would shoot up to the 7-8 range within 30 minutes. I will keep this in mind, as my body must have been working hard previously to keep blood glucose levels down if I was constantly eating or snacking all day. The point is, I don’t need to be eating all the time.
I’ve learnt that the kindness and generosity of some people is really encouraging and special. I remain extremely grateful for those who helped me and made this experience memorable for me in their own unique way.
I saved the best until last – Echo!
I’ve learnt that at times, I felt stronger, happier and more alert that ever before. I was so excited to eat dates and drink and cup of tea each night, it really made me appreciate the simple things in life. Often, after feeling a bit groggy toward the end of the day, to go for a cycle after eating and drinking left me elated to the point of feeling ‘high’ and to think this was totally natural is a point to ponder.
Would I do this again? Absolutely. I think it has been healthy for my body and mind and has provided a perspective that has been enlightening to say the least. Would I do it for 40 days again? May be. Will I be doing another 40 day fast any time soon? Hell no!
In retrospect and with reference to the above, I think 30 days is sufficient and probably fasting for a week occasionally (and when it fits in with the rest of life better) would be equally as beneficial.
As a final note, I’ve completely abstained from all things and this has been a real challenge that I’ve embraced. I believe this is what led to me experiencing such lucid and varied dreams almost every night and I was glad to have them.
40 days abstinence got me like….. (pictures of coral)
P.S. This is a file note for my future consideration. Having worked both days this weekend, I received the most ungrateful, ill-timed, ill-mannered and misjudged telephone call right before I went for a pre-Iftar swim at 17:30. That phone call will determine the path I take going forward and I shan’t forget it.
Day 41:
Today, my colleagues and friends presented me with a certificate of achievement for completing my 40-day fast 😂😘👊🏻
Respect wa tikalafia
It was Marcus Buckingham that said “People leave managers, not companies”.
Leavers often wax lyrical about it being the people they worked with who made it special, memorable and fun; worthwhile, somehow…
Well, I’m happy say I am blessed with colleagues and friends of that calibre.
I value your individual and collective contributions, period.
To complete my #40s440 ‘run a Marathon in 4 hours and 40 minutes (or less)’ challenge I entered Manchester Marathon which was originally scheduled to be on the 5th April 2020.
I posted this blog anticipating the marathon would go ahead as scheduled and looking back, it’s hard to comprehend just how much has happened since then.
Some people might be surprised to read that this will be my first ever actual marathon.
Back on Christmas Day 2019, I ran 11km to the summit of Great Hill and back, with my Sister.
With 9 weeks to go until my first marathon and feeling the fear building, I put on my trusty Brooks Pure Cadence 5 trainers and hobbled out the door for a 45 minute aerobic run in heart rate zone 2 (for me 135-153 BPM).
The run was not just hard work, it hurt.
I was planning on running at circa 5 minutes per kilometre for the marathon to ensure I finished within 4 hours 40 minutes (on theme and allowing for bunching and a comfort break) and whilst I felt OK with the 5mpkm pace, my heart rate did creep up above zone 2 (above 160BPM) so I slowed down a little toward the end.
I don’t consider myself a ‘runner’ and getting out the door can be hard enough psychologically without any physical impediment on top – much respect to those people who learn to live with anything like that.
The thought of putting on my ‘trusty but crusty’ Brooks on and aggravating my sore feet for an hour was becoming a blocker and this preventing the commencement of my second run…. I decided to seek out a new pair of trainers – not as easy as it first sounds in Riyadh…
Thankfully, after much web-surfing and checking the usual sports stores, a friend recommended Foot Lab to me. Not only is this the only store specialist enough in Riyadh to do gait analysis, it has a friendly team of qualified advisers to assist you and a reasonable stock of known brands.
After walking, running (and posing) on the treadmill to have pictures and video taken it was immediately obvious just how much I over-pronate.
My ankle rolls too far downward and inward with each step. It continues to roll when the toes should be starting to push off. As a result, the big toe and second toe do all of the push-off and the foot twists more with each step. I think this motion has contributed to my ‘shin splints’ when wearing neutral shoes in the past.
These shoes more comfortable and they are clean! I was looking forward to pounding the pavement over the coming weeks… and then COVID happened.
Like all the other formal events I signed up to, the Manchester Marathon was delayed by restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, not once but twice!
I managed to adapt my schedule and fit so many things into the interim period and I’m really pleased things have worked out the way they have because the 10th of October 2021 became the final date which is already significant in my calendar as it is both my Father’s and my Nieces’ Birthday!
I haven’t done any specific training for this marathon, the furthest I have run is half a marathon as part of the Ironman 70.3 on the 26th September and whilst I did run over 40 kilometres once before, this was not a formal event and it was over the moors during winter!
Thankfully, the Manchester Marathon is the flattest major marathon in the UK and I’m really looking forward to running the route around Greater Manchester from the City Centre down to Altringham and back. I think I am fit enough to get round and so just want to enjoy the experience in the best City in the UK.
An animated preview of the route can be found below:
So considering this is a first for me, I’ve been mulling over how fast to do it in. When I signed up, I said I would complete the distance in under 4 hours which I still think is possible but a few things got me thinking:
I have to travel on a couple of flights the day after the marathon and so I’m likely to be sat down for long periods the next day
It is only a couple of weeks after the Ironman and I do not want to risk injury or be too tired afterwards, and
Can I run it in exactly 4 hours 40 minutes #40s440 – seeing 4:40 as my result would be pretty cool!
With the above in mind, if I ran at an average of 6 minutes per kilometre then it would take just under 4 hours 15 minutes. If I factor in a couple of toilet breaks and a few conversations and walking through the feed and drink stations, would this equate to another 25 minutes and a total of 4 hours and 40 minutes?
Doing this will mean I am not too exhausted after the event and will be better able to navigate the numerous airports I have to travel through the next day.
So I’m going to try and achieve this, with the official human pacers at the event and with my Garmin watch programmed to tell me what my estimated time of arrival was and how far I am under or over it should be relatively simple to achieve provided my legs kept going…!
Live tracking is available and so anyone could track my approximate position and progress, my race number was 11464.
I dressed in the shortest running shorts I have and my #40s440 t-shirt and shaved my beard into a horseshoe moustache for good luck!
#40s440!
I also took my GoPro to see if I could make a video of my experience; here is the video I made:
Race Report:
I started the first 10k of the race well with a steady pace of 6 minutes per kilometre that was frankly, too fast. Even with walking though every water stop and taking more toilet breaks than I really needed, I still had to walk to burn off excess time. I was finding it really hard to run as slow as 6:38 per minute, the flow of runners, the support from the spectators and the excitement was really spurring me on!
I managed to slow down a bit for the second 10k but then realised I was so far over my target that I was gong to have to walk for quite a lot of the second half just to reduce the amount of time I was up.
There are few more frustrating things than wanting to run faster with some much adrenaline and encouragement from the amazing crowds and fellow runners and having to walk!!!
That said. this negative split approach really helped me to maintain a low heart rate and all I needed all the way round was just water to keep my hydrated. I had porridge and a banana for my breakfast and nothing else at all until my tea that evening. If it has been any hotter, I think I would have needed to put more sodium into myself to prevent any cramps but clearly training in the heat of Saudi summer has helped my endurance.
If you’ve watched the video you will appreciate just how must time and effort I put into trying to complete the Marathon in 4 hours and 40 minutes exactly. But I failed. I did it in 4 hours and 42 minutes!
Only 2 minutes over was within 1% of my target time and I wouldn’t have been able to achieve that without the Garmin guiding me. I set it to pace me to complete the marathon distance in 4 hours and 40 minutes which was a pace of 6:38 per kilometre and it was really easy to follow. However, my lateness was due to the Garmin tracking the distance as 445 metres more than the 42.195 kilometres than it actually was. The difference I guess being driven by GPS distance versus official distance. So in effect, the Garmin thought I had completed the distance earlier when in fact, I still had 445 metres to go!
Basically it took me an extra 2 minutes more to run those 445 metres which correlates with the 4:18 pace I was running right at the end.
I’m too happy about the whole experience to be annoyed and I’ll go back and do it again to see how fast I can complete t – I hope within 4 hours!
I’m particularly happy with the following things
Support enroute was the best I’ve ever experienced, anywhere in the World – thank you Manchester!
My average heartrate was comfortable aerobic and only rose as I sprinted at the end
How I felt during and afterwards – testament to my fitness
The weather – after two weeks of rain the sun came out on the day!
GoPro Hero 9 Black battery life – one battery lasted long enough for intermittent filming for the whole race
The Garmin Statistics:
Some pictures from the official photographers:
The First Riyadh Marathon 2022:
I set myself a challenge to run the first Riyadh Marathon in under 4 hours. In the end, I ran it in 4 hours exactly!
Supported by the Ministry of Sport, Quality of Life Program, and the Saudi Arabian Athletic Federation, the Saudi Sports for All Federation (SFA) hosted the Riyadh Marathon 2022. The Riyadh Marathon included multiple races (there was at least 10k, 21km and 42.2km plus children’s races) and a marathon village offering opportunities for everyone to participate regardless of their age and athletic abilities. The Riyadh Marathon started and finished at King Saud University in West Riyadh.
To complete the 42.2 kilometre marathon in 3 hours and 59 minutes would mean I had to run at a pace of 5 minutes and 40 seconds per kilometre so I decided to run as close to 5:30 as possible to build up sufficient buffer to allow me to take comfort and refreshment breaks every so often.
The marathon was two laps of a course of two haves. The first half of each lap being uphill, meaning the second hall was down hill. The day before there had been major sand-storms and although the air remained dusty, it seemed OK to run in. I even felt a spot of rain at one point!
I am happy with how I kept my average pace at 5:38 and my moving pace 5:34 but note that the Garmin tracked the distance as 42.64 kilometres and that is exactly the same as it measured Manchester (both being .445 of a kilometre over). I did try to factor in some calibration tolerance delta into the buffer equation but clearly miscalculated by a few seconds – if only I hurried up in the loos and hadn’t spent so long running backwards…! 😉
Clearly, I had fun en route…
…and I vlogged my journey!
The Garmin Data:
Summary
Happy that I kept to pace, less so that I ended up 10 seconds over my target!
My official results certificate
The race was really well managed and a fun route that will only get better with time and as things develop further in this incredible country – well done Riyadh, and thank you!
