September 29-30, 2005
Its 10:55 on Friday 30th September and I'm sitting in the media tent having completed the 50 mile stage. I got up at 03:45 for a race start of 05:00 on Thursday and finished at 08:50 today, I've had 2 hours sleep and I not sleepy, why?
Last night was so painful, with 22k to go we stopped for sleep, I was in so much pain I couldn't lie still it took me an hour to drop off.
My dream was to be in the tent with only 10k to go and I'm here. Tonight we get bussed to the start line, a little drive of 6 hours, but in an air conditioned coach, deep joy.
Tomorrow I'm going to be a tourist and go for a walk around Cairo.
I stink, I haven't taken my shorts off since last Saturday afternoon. I've also turned into an animal, wherever whenever, just drop your shorts, do what needs doing and move on.
I came up with a of humpty dumpty phrases when writing my journal, you've read the all before, I have no idea how I have survived this but there are a few people that have helped me, all my pals in tent one - Terry, Louise, Hai Yen, Vince, Tony, Billie, Derek, Kevin and Evgeniy, every day I came back they were there to cheer me home, up pack my bag and help me get sorted. Dave Wakefeld and Tess Geddes with who I have endured almost every hour this bloody ordeal, we kept each other going and we're all here.
I should be able to get tomorrow knocked off, will I do it again, absolutely no way no how ever ever ever.
Thanks for taking an interest in a sad old bastard putting himself through the most pain and misery he's ever endured.
Tony Brammer almost finished walk the walk. |
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September 28, 2005
Not much of a journal today, I have run out of words to describe
how brutal this is. It’s mind numbingly monotonous. I’m
so tired I’m so hungry, and I’m so weary, but tomorrow
we only have to go 80km looking forward to it.
Wait for my next one when I’ll be almost finished
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September 27, 2005
Day 3
Tony Bammer
I smell like a yak. 32km in 10 hours. Temperature on the ground
51 degrees C. Still hot. In a little team with Tess and David
but all three walking having a chat like its a stroll in the
park. The heat is relentless. Haven't changed my shorts since
I started. Having to sleep outside. My tent mates don't like
me in there any more. We have a lot of the top runners in my
tent but we are still not winning because I am dragging the
average score down. After my 13 hour yump yesterday, couldn't
sleep. We decided to have a sandstorm. Tent nearly fell down.
I'd be lucky if I got two hours in. I have no idea what keeps
me going. Quote from David Wakefield, "it's not a race, its
just surviving." 40k tomorrow. Setting off at 5:30 in the morning.
Oh joy
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September 26, 2005
Tony Bammer
Same shit different day. Yesterday I was out eight hours 46
minutes. Today thirteen hours. Describing it as hot is describing
the Atlantic Ocean as a little bit damp. I can’t sit up
straight. I can’t lie down straight so that’s gonna
have to be enough for day.
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September,
25, 2005
Tony Bammer
Day one, on the beach all day, just my luck the tide was out.
Nothing in the world can prepare you for this, in the sun
it was 45 degrees, I planned to run when it was flat and walk
when it wasn’t, out of 32k I ran ½ k. You cannot
comprehend how tough this is, I could have chucked the towel
in a couple of times. If it wasn’t for Cindy Drinnan
a lot of people wouldn’t have made it today. I did the
last 10k stage with my mate Dave Wakefield, he’s a City
fan so I couldn’t let him beat me, we finished together
today and we kept each other going. I just found out United
got beat by Blackburn on Saturday, glad I didn’t go
now. Tomorrow is 10k longer than today, all I need to do is
get my mind right and get in done. Failure is not an option.
Sorry not many funnies this time, but believe me there were
times today when it wasn’t funny. But who knows tomorrow
may be a laugh a minute.
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