Am I training for the "marathon des sables"?

13 weeks to the Lausanne Marathon.
11 weeks to the Phedippidations World Half Marathon Challenge (at Henley on Thames)
7 weeks to the Robin Hood Nottingham Half Marathon.
2 weeks to the Regents Park Summer 10k.

I've been a bit remiss with the blog for the past 3 weeks. My excuse is a tough work schedule, not something unexpected, but it has played a bit of havoc with my pre-written 18 week schedule.
It also seems to be over 30 degrees every day - normally I'd love being permanently in shorts and t-shirt, but it makes running long distances extra hard.
In terms of mileage here is where I am
Week 1 - 40.
Week 2 - 39
Week 3 - 36
Week 4 - 31
Week 5 - 19.
My weight is now 87.8 kg (down 4.3 kgs in 5 weeks)
Last week was pretty terrible. After a fantastic "run with a view" up Cleeve Hill above Cheltenham at the end of the hottest day of the year, I had to put running second to my work committments, finally getting out again yesterday for a seven miler and this morning for about 12.5 miles.
Unfortunately I got a sharp pain in my left calf after about 45 mins this morning and, although I finished the run mostly running slowly with occasional walk breaks, the calf is now pretty sore. I've compensated for the sorrow with a really nice glass of good South Australian Red to wash down my sampling of some Fallow deer venison eye fillet steaks. Not bad as compensation.

I have been getting worried about the persistent achilles tendonitis in my right leg this past wek or two and I decided to get some new shoes to alternate runs with my Asics 2110's. A random train transit through Reading took me to Sweatshop and I emerged 20 minutes later with a brand new pair of Mizuno Nirvanas for the knock down price of 55 quid. Maybe the slight change in biomechanics is what caused the problem.
In the middle of week 6, Im feeling a bit sorry for myself, especially as our heatwave continues in the UK, making morning running the only real alternative to getting cooked out on the tarmac. At the ripe old age of 50 my slightly overtrained legs are not quite so willing at 6.30 am as they used to be, but what can I do? I need a big mileage week as a confidence booster. Next week then ........ maybe.
The time for all my race entries is fast approaching and I even have to start thinking of flights to Switzerland in October. That means it is getting real and I must get my fund-raising on track