Finally finished stage 5! It was absolutely crazy - from starting on an empty stomach, to being completely exhausted and unable to move by3pmm alongwith sever sunburn on the legs, to being surrounded by a stunning electric storm and two amazing rainbows to having to walk 13.8k to the overnight checkpoint barely cold and wet and then...i got pulled from the course as there was more bad weather expected! This might sound crazy but the reaction was please please let me continue, i need to finish this. but RTP decision was to take all remaining competitors off the course. thankfully they let us complete it this morning. and although we had to run in the hot sun again, we could see some amazing salt formations and the valley of the moon by the light of day. Well, its not over until its over. So we run into San Pedro tomorrow to a drum welcome and pizza, yay! I am so looking forward to it. I feel so lucky to have managed to come this far and am absolutely enjoying every moment.

 

Thanks to all your lovely messages. Tom, its so cool to get your message, thanks! I am at the back of the pack and not too happy with the fact that i've barely run. But the terrain, backpack and heat are really hard. Upside is that everyone seems to be excited when i finish, so i'm happy. And you were totally right about the vibrams, i would have died on the salt flats in them. By the way i brought a pair of crocs for camp, they are great. or rather they were, till i dropped themsomewhere on the course. My tentmates believe that's the best thing thats happened for me. They've been making me trash all unnecessary things, including food (!) Look forward to catching up with you sometime when I'm back.

 

 

Love you Swami - Mary told me that they had been unable to update one day and she said she'd written to you. This might be the last RTP website update - but tomorrow I'll be in san pedro so i can ring and sms and skype and everything, connectivity at last! To Rahul and Katya, I cannot wait to see my darlings again.And Rahul, it is indeed grand to have an entire desert to yourself. Or a dune! Thats the most fun thing I've done, run down a 200 meter tall dune going wheeeee! Someday we'll run this desert together.

 

Ciao everyone!

Shri

Stage 4 done and dusted. now for the long march and the home stretch. thank you everyone for your amazing support and love, especially everyone at RTP and the wonderful competitors. one word on the salt flats - they are salt sharps and the only way to describe them is 'hell'. 13.8k of neverending salt crusted mud that is either sharp and hard or soft and sinky.

 

 

Ciao

Shrimathi

Hi everyone, am so happy to post that i managed to finish stage 3. it was awfully tough but I had so many people encouraging and supporting me that it was all totally epic :) So, i'm still in the race and totally loving it. The feet are doing great and the body is battered but I am totally satisfied so far. Cecilia, thank you for your email. It was great to have met Felicia and i am hoping that we will continue to hang out back in singapore - maybe even go for a run together! Felicia, if you read this, you deserve to be in the race but each day is completely unpredictable. It was horrible to hear that you were pulled out, but I dont think the fun adn adventure stop here. It is lovely to have met you, will stay in touch.

 

I cant describe today's course in words, hope RTP puts up pictures that will show you the horror better :)

 

Tomorrow, I get up and do it all over again, ya?

 

Cheers everyone,

Shri

Hola everyone from the Atacama Desert! Happy to update that I’ve completed Stage 2 of the race and am looking forward to the nastiest stage of the week, tomorrow!

 

Its been a tough race so far and I have been mostly walking, except for sprinting into camp in the evening – it is a race after all! My equipment has all been working great. Swami, the next time I argue with you on anything, please just mention ‘poles’. I will shut up. They are absolutely great. My feet are in super shape, sore and maserated but no blisters. Pain is constant but then its all about embracing the pain.

 

The altitude has had absolutely no effect on me which has been great. I am in a fabulous tent – no one snores! Also they are all super runners but very warm and helpful so its nice to run back to camp each day. The Atacama desert is beautiful, I wish I could keep talking about it but will tell everyone when I’m back.

 

That’s it from Shri for now, tomorrow is a new day J

I'm focusing on getting used to a heavy backpack and getting longish runs in with it, after running with just water and gels for the last few months. My backpack is filled with bags of rice and dals. The positive thing in all this is if I did get stranded in the wild (not likely in Singapore), I can cook full Indian meals for several weeks! So I started with a 5kg backpack and ran 5k. Wow, that felt heavy. Then did 8k carrying a backpack weighing 8kg - that felt really good. I would have run longer, but Swami and I ran past St. James' Power Station and this being the night of Jan 1st, everyone was hanging out and having a good time. So, that ended the run... Then did 16k carrying a backpack that was a bit over 10kg in the MacRitchie trails. I probably strained the trapezius muscle and I was a bit sore. Saw Paul Bell of Gobi March 2011 fame and he did wonders to the shoulder. Here's another awesome guy I work with, who is not only a darn good osteopath but also a super fit runner who gave me important training tips while popping my back and cracking my neck! Now the latter sound scary but my joints felt fantastic afterwards. Thanks Paul! Well, it all seems fine except that I'm frustrated beyond belief with my speed. Or the lack of it :( But Tom from MetaSport said, "you don't need a whole lot of speed. Ultra running is about shuffling for long periods of time". I can shuffle forever. I should be okay!

74 Days to go. Its no longer making me panic as I am learning to evaluate my training and performance as if I were the coach, not the runner. I have to publicly thank two people who have been of tremendous help. My colleague and podiatrist, Adam Jorgensen who is first of all the nicest guy on earth. Second, he gives me very sensible advice on my feet. Third, he lets me pay him in chocolates. Fourth, he always gives me such a morale boost when he hears of my runs. He called me a 'legend'. Thank you Adam - your expertise in foot care is solid good stuff. Another guy I met is Tom Soper! Tom is a friend of Paul Bell (another colleague of mine) who completed the Gobi MArch in 2011. What a small world it is! Tom is generous with his time and advice on everything I want to ask. You are fantastic Tom and I cannot begin to tell you how cool your achievement in the AC2011 is! I used various races as training and its paid off immensely. Last weekend, I braved the MacRitchie Runners25 Ultra Marathon. This was by far the best race I've run this year - no frills, no unwarranted pampering of runners but they got all the important stuff right, such as directions, aid stations, etc. What a race this was! It took every ounce of energy, grit and passion I had and I am really proud to have completed 51k. I can officially update my FaceBook 'About Me' page to Endurance Athlete :) Haha. Ok, cheap thrills. So, Adam (my podiatrist, in case you've forgotten) told me about this guy who runs ultra marathons and doesn't do marathons anymore as they are too short (I have a sneaking suspicion that this might be Tom Soper!). We had a good laugh about this. Today, I have to admit, I agree. So, bring on the Atacama! I am ready :)

If anyone asks me once more why I am running 250k in a desert, I will scream and run around in circles. All I want to do now is to forget the Atacama and March 2012 and just keep running. There is no turning back as its confirmed, its official! I even have an email from Alina to prove it! I am running the AC2012. I must say the running has been going as well as I planned, clocked a decent mileage this week and am still injury-free (banging on wood here). A quick update on the Chennai holiday - it was nice. Managed a few runs along the Marina Beach, one in a torrential downpour - much to the amusement of all passers-by. Including the beggars (especially the ones holding plastic sheets over their heads and huddling by a statue). One auto-rickshaw driver honked at me and asked me to get in. For those not familiar with Chennai - auto-rickshaws are really cool, sort of like the thai tuk-tuks. It is said that if you stand with your feet wide apart, an 'auto' is bound to take a quick u-turn through.... Back to running and stuff. The backpacks available in Singapore don't seem to satisfy me completely and I panic each time I see one. Most backpacks, except for infant school bags are nearly as big as I am. I told one shop owner what I needed and why - I said I needed to keep the backpack fairly small as I am short (he could see that and tried to look sympathetic) and keep it light as I will be running for many days carrying my food and other gear. He looked away. Then I added, truthfully of course, "by the way I am vegetarian". Just for fun. I swear I heard Swami giggle beside me. Seriously though, would appreciate gear recommendations and advice. I notice the silence on the blogs and it freaks me out. Almost makes me feel I will be the only one crossing the salt flakes, sorry flats, in the Atacama. Nutrition seems to be going okay. I eat a lot of GU Chomps and drink a lot of water - am planing to force myself to use the Gels, power bars and this cool new liquid I bought at Campers' Corner which promises to turn water into an isotonic drink without changing the color or taste. And you just need a teaspoon of that stuff for a litre of water! The price tag is right on its name though so I have no idea what its called. Signing off now and hope everyone will be kind and give me lots of advice...

I can hear her breath, whispering just behind In spasms of rhythm as speedily she flies, A juggernaut of heaviness sinks my mind I stumble and stall, cannot go on like this! I wish she

The TNF100 is approaching. Much as I wanted to, I didn't sign up for the 100k duo and settled instead for the 50k duo with Swami. Yeah, he refused to do the 100k... Team 'Beauty and the Beast', will be marking the MacRitchie trail on 15 October. (Guess who's the beast?!). So, how's the training coming along? Ok-ish. I've surprised myself with how long I am able to run. But I'm still a really slow runner. Just haven't gotten started yet on the fartleks. I did manage to run with a backpack weighing 5kg, in the hot afternoon sun. Once. Well, if you call it running. Also, I really have to look into flight tickets and race equipment. But first, a holiday in Chennai for Diwali with fireworks! Happy running everyone! Shri

My very first RTP and 4Deserts race! My very first ultra! The beginning of my own athletic frontier. In the coming weeks and months, I will condition my body and mind for the toughest 7 days of my life till now. Training and planning are everything but I am like a woman possessed as I prepare for the race. In a sense, I am both the racer and the spectator. I watch the unfolding drama in my life, where I've taken centre stage and front row seat. And then, when people ask me why I've signed up for the Atacama Crossing, I can't seem to find the words! That's an ultra-race in the desert I guess, a lot of action, to be fully processed only after the adrenaline rush calms. Love you, Rahul (who is miffed at not being able to race with me and who thinks 14 is nearly 21) and Katya, my baby. Thank you Swami for letting me test my limits and being the pillar of support in my life. I will post more on fundraising in the future. For now, its goodbye and good luck, to all! Shri