Marathon Des Sables 2010

Marathon Des Sables Training
This is my training diary for the 2010 Marathon Des Sables. It is a 2 year program with various events in 2008; including 10K's, and half marathon to get me fitter, then the London marathon and Snowdon Marathon some hill run/walks in 2009. I plan to also take up the challenge of a number of ultra distance events in 2009. I'll try to keep it interesting and post some photos, maps and local information as I go. Interested to hear from anyone with similar interests.
I joined the local gym in October 2007. I have been running for 25 years having done numerous races of all distance from 10K to marathon. From when I did my last marathon London 2005 I have taken things easy. Slowing down and only running around 10 to 15 miles a week. So in October 2007 when I joined the gym I was feeling very unhealthy. 5” 7 and 14.4 stone I had put on some pork as you can tell by my picture on the web page.
So into the gym I went along with my wife who also joined we had never been members of a gym before. We started to go twice/three times a week and really enjoyed it. I also had a fitness assessment and had a personalised training program drawn up by a young man name Dave. My program was a resistance program so focused only on weight training. I was very surprised at the way I began to lose weight with still very little running but weight training three time a week.
It is now April 2008 so six months down the line and two months since I entered the MDS. I now training five /six time a week typical training week goes something like this.
Sunday 10 mile club run am Gym weight session pm
Monday Rest optional spin class am
Tuesday Weight session pm
Wednesday Run at the club 6/8 miles steady
Thursday Rest
Friday optional spin class am Weights session pm
Saturday Hill session treadmill gym

The purpose of my current training regime is to get to a level of fitness when I can sustain heavy levels of training for long periods of time. Current weight is 13.3 stones my target weight for August is 12.7. 23 months and counting.