The competitors have now come 62 km through the heart of the white desert. The sun has been fierce and the pace has been equally as strong with the whole field clocking quick times over the first two stages.

Sweeping the course on the first day allowed me a glimpse of what the athletes are experiencing and how their feet are feeling.

The course has taken us through some amazing, almost unearthly scenery. The first day wound through an incredible landscape of high, sculpted chalk columns. At the course briefing Bill Spenney joked that NASA could test drive their Mars lander here.

He wasn’t too far off the mark. The landscape looked so ancient that you half expected to see a dinosaur stalking around in the distance or a pterodactyl come swooping around the corner.

The sun reflected strongly off the chalk and the breeze died out in the morning. Staying properly hydrated was a challenge. A few of the competitors did not understand the mixing ratio for their electrolytes and suffered with nausea and headaches.

We also had a fast learning curve that although this desert is sandy there are many different types of sand. Some is firm and is relatively easy to walk on; our local Egyptian team told us that this is known as ‘fish-fish’. There are also soft, powdery, chalky sections that feel like paddling though a duvet. Finding your way onto the firmest areas is the way key to keep a rhythm going.

Keeping the sand out of your shoes is difficult but vital. On the start line this morning there was a huge and highly creative variety of sand gaiters on display. As the day wore on they became vital to keeping sore feet from becoming a blistered mess.

Today’s stage was long and mostly flat. We left the large rock valleys behind and passed through smaller rock formations. Some of the rocks looked like animals or modern sculpture; they gradually gave way to a more open space dotted with small tufts of grass.

At the first checkpoint the competitors crossed a road and passed a small well. The next section was firmer going but sunlight was bouncing back strongly off the flat chalk rock. This time the heat didn’t cause hydration problems as everyone had worked out their electrolyte needs and there were no wobbly salt overdoses.

A lot of the competitors were starting to feel tired on last section but were all delighted to find camp after cresting a small ridge. Camp Salt and Pepper has seen more activity at the medics’ tent and some of the competitors reassessing their strategies for the coming days.

The desert is starting to take its toll on the athlete’s feet and on their shoulders. The medics have been busy dispensing tape, lancing blisters, saving toenails and taping up problem toes. Most of the athletes are taking care of their feet well and a lot more are learning this delicate art from the medical team.

What has really impressed the medics is the mental strength of the competitors and their amazing capacity to continue despite discomfort and injury.

The competitors are looking very strong but are walking more gingerly around camp. The next few days will bring a lot more sand as we move out of the white desert and into the Saharan dunes. Keeping the sand out of their shoes and away from their sore feet will be a massive challenge.