Bonjour mon petit filous!!

Hey dudes pour le trail!

This will be my last post before heading off to Chamonix to tackle the Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc. This is LE GRANDE one!

Sh***ing it??...not me!!.......much.........

The last couple of days have been spent weighing all my gear piece by piece and trying to save a few grams here and there, I even cut a foot off the bottom of my trouser legs to save about 50 grams (that's almost a whole Go-bar) also some very complex calculations to ascertain if the highly technical Go-Bars are a better fuel than the teuchter performance enhancer and national dish, Shortbread. After much frothing over a calculator the sassenach Go-bars won out by a narrow margin. Its a real dillema though, because this will be my first long race without a wee tootie o' shortie to look forward to mid race, I'm gambling with a tried and tested formula here! It sounds like most of the aid stations are well stocked with goodies though, so I'm going to take the chance. Hope it's not all Fromage Frais and Petit Filous!!

I had another practice with the poles too which drew some funny looks as I ran up the street the other day. Just running in these parts is strange behaviour, unless you have a Polis van in hot pursuit, and usually if you're on foot it's only because your wee mini scooter has broken down. Anyway, I headed up Benarty Hill and gave them a good work-out and came to the conclusion that, in the race, I'll fold them up and keep them in my rucksack until I'm in such a state that I need them to keep me upright.

I was going through the compulsory kit list, stuff which must be carried or else, and was surprised to see "tight fitting pants" listed, I hope the locals are ready for this!

So, eight months training is in the bank, I'm tapered to the stage of insanity (chewing the door-frames stage) I can speak some more of La Francais (Je suis bloody knackered, comment beaucoup plus loin??!! Avez-vous des shortbread?? Sont mes pantalons serrés!!) and my tight pants weigh 37 grams, I hope they don't get any heavier.......!

My race number is 3266 you can follow my progress live here from 1730 hrs BST Friday 29th.

Only five dinners to go.......

Wish me luck mes amis!

Ooh la la!