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Atacama Crossing Blogs 2013
9
PostsAtacama Crossing (2013) blog posts from Daniel Rowland
08 March 2013 02:16 am (GMT-04:00) Santiago
Yesterday was the long stage of 75km. It was a different start to last year as we had to cross salt flats until the second checkpoint. The salt flats were impossible to run on as they were like hard corral with no placing for our feet. A large group stayed together through these first two sections and then we picked up the pace on the way to checkpoint 3. Our group reduced down to about 5 as we ran a very long 14km section of salt flats and a massive dune that we had to climb. After the dune we descended to checkpoint 4 at about 45km. I picked up the pace after this checkpoint and managed to build a 10min lead by the next checkpoint. By the final checkpoint of the day I was 25mins ahead, although I didn’t know that, and running as strong as I could after being on the go for 60km. I arrived in just over 9 hours and happily waited for the others to arrive about 26mins later. Today is a rest day while we wait for competitors to finish the long stage, the cutoff is 12pm on Friday. Tomorrow is the final stage which I think will be quite short and hopefully less than an hour to the end of the race.
06 March 2013 02:53 am (GMT-04:00) Santiago
Today’s stage was theoretically a little easier than yesterday with the main challenge being 14km through the salt flats. I started off well and ran slightly in front of a group of about five until the first checkpoint. From the checkpoint Vlad and I moved ahead during a 12km section on mostly flat and rolling sandy desert terrain. We opened up a gap of about 10mins on any of the followers by the time we reached the second checkpoint. From there we entered the salt flats. I found them harder, more firm, than last year which meant that it was easier to run and keep a good pace in the salt flats. I moved slightly ahead of Vlad and pushed hard for the last 20km home. It was a big effort, but I’m pleased to have moved a few minutes further into the lead. I’m hoping that the time will give me an advantage, no matter how small, as we go into the long stage tomorrow.
Comments: Total (23) comments
Roberto Rivola
Posted On: 08 Mar 2013 08:54 pm
Great job Dan! You learned a lot of lessons last year :-) I am waiting for the backpack review ...
Enjoy the last stage and the last river crossing. See you soon!
David and Linda Thompson
Posted On: 08 Mar 2013 04:53 pm
Following the race with interest, especially having been to the Atacama Desert just before. It was also great to meet up with Daniel and Vee a day or so previously. Keep going Daniel, only a few (!) kilometres more
Julian Walker
Posted On: 08 Mar 2013 01:54 pm
What a run Dan. I am in awe of how you handled what has to be one of the toughest around. Hope you have a cool chill day and enjoy the last stage. Cheers .. Julian
Jenna Beyleveld
Posted On: 08 Mar 2013 11:04 am
Amazing run, Daniel! Well done! Enjoy the final stage tomorrow and congratulations on a phenomenal performance. Jen.
Mike Newham
Posted On: 08 Mar 2013 10:19 am
Fantastic Dan! Well done mate. Enjoy the last stage - I'm sure you'll bring it home in style!
susan newham
Posted On: 08 Mar 2013 08:36 am
Well done Daniel............you are amazing. So proud of you. Sue and John
Susan Rowland
Posted On: 08 Mar 2013 07:24 am
Hey special - what a runner! rest well and enjoy the final stage tomorrow. lots of love
Jonathan Rowland
Posted On: 08 Mar 2013 05:56 am
Brilliant Dan!!! Well done! Fantastic achievement so far and a fine example for other aspiring runners! I'm proud of you my son! Have fun on the last stage tomorrow!
ian w
Posted On: 08 Mar 2013 05:38 am
awesome performance Daniel - I am super proud of you!!! enjoy the final stage!!!!
Marc Wilson
Posted On: 08 Mar 2013 04:56 am
Awesome running Daniel! In awe.
have a great final stage.
Cleve Walker
Posted On: 08 Mar 2013 03:18 am
!!!AWESOME well done. enjoy the rest day. We are really proud of you. Julie and Cleve
Dalene Barnard
Posted On: 08 Mar 2013 02:52 am
Congratulations!!!! Well done. Hi Daniel I am a South African watching Amanda and in contest all of you. Your effort was absoluut remarkable. Well Done Enjoy the last few days. Dalene
Shayne Stoik
Posted On: 07 Mar 2013 01:10 pm
Yeah Dan! I am following the race closely and am very pleased to see you are in the lead. I am very impressed! Keep up the good work!
Kevin Boyle
Posted On: 07 Mar 2013 10:36 am
Phew! We feel like we are taking every step with you Dan! We know you can do it, because you don't know the meaning of Difficult!
From the frozen North of England. Kevin and Val xx
Massimo Passamonti
Posted On: 07 Mar 2013 09:05 am
Dangerous Dan... Extra-ordinary performance man... I am sure that if you look ahead of you, you can already see the finish line my friend... Advice: go for a warm-up run before the last stage; it took you 7km to catch up with me last year :-)... Well done champ!!
Debs Brous
Posted On: 07 Mar 2013 07:34 am
Dan you are a machine, well done , have a great long day, don't forget to smell the roses (or cactus, blade of grass!!!) enjoy the last leg :0)
Julian Walker
Posted On: 07 Mar 2013 07:19 am
Fantastic run Dan. This is more distracting then the cricket. Heres to u having a good day out today. Julian
Frances Batzofin
Posted On: 07 Mar 2013 07:14 am
Well done Daniel. Keep up the strong running. I still cannot imagine running in the heat. I can't remember which stage you have a swim but enjoy. best wishes for a successful run from all the Batzies
susan rowland
Posted On: 07 Mar 2013 06:52 am
What a star! Well done special boy. Good racing today on the long one - enjoy
Jamie Cawood
Posted On: 07 Mar 2013 06:38 am
Great work Daniel! I am inspired. Makes Crow Pass Crossing look like a stroll along a stream! Tracking your progress and praying for you! Heater and I will be thinking of you on our 8 miler tomorrow morning... Still running in the snow with Ice bugs! Go hard or Go home bro!
Jenna Beyleveld
Posted On: 07 Mar 2013 05:41 am
Congrats on all your wins so far, so awesome. Good luck with the long march today!
Jen.
Jonathan Rowland
Posted On: 07 Mar 2013 05:39 am
Fantastic Dan! The long one today is yours too! With your training and pacing yourself today you will have a good run! Enjoy my son! Well done!
Cleve Walker
Posted On: 07 Mar 2013 03:16 am
Great tactics and awesome stage win. Good luck on that long march. Cleve and Julie
05 March 2013 03:49 am (GMT-04:00) Santiago
Today is thought to be the hardest stage as the four sections of the stage are rated: difficult, moderate, difficult and difficult! The stage starts with soft salt flats, continues with a soft sandy road, returns into more salt flats and finishes up with sand dunes and climbs. After the last two days of very hard running I was hoping to run this stage a little more conservatively as we’re not even half way yet. That plan didn’t last very long as I ran into the lead with Vlad in the first few kilometers. However, later in the stage the pace was a little slower and I ended the day feeling strong and excited about tomorrow and the long day on Thursday. I’m happy to be in the lead (even if only by a small margin) and also happy to have finished the “hardest” stage feeling good.
Comments: Total (8) comments
Monserrat Muñoz
Posted On: 07 Mar 2013 01:32 am
Congrats Daniel! At the office we are following the race through this website. We are very excited to see how well you are doing in the race, and also very happy to see how joyful you look running. Peace.
Mike Heatwole
Posted On: 06 Mar 2013 06:18 pm
Keep it up Daniel. Keep your focus on the prize! Excited for you and congrats on a strong start.
Heater.
Gonzalo Acevedo
Posted On: 06 Mar 2013 06:05 pm
Felicitaciones Daniel, un abrazo
ARGYRIOS PAPATHANASOPOULOS
Posted On: 06 Mar 2013 02:51 pm
You're doing an amazing job Daniel!I'm so impressed with your performance and determination to keep your first position. Looking forward to read about how things will go at the long march.Keep your spirits up and think ONLY of positive thoughts!You bring back all the beautiful memories from this tough race for me but to be honest with you, I am glad that I am following all your adventures from the comfort of my home instead of fighting the high temperatures and the horrible salt flats ;-)You're a hero Daniel!Just finish the job and get what you deserve...a glorious place on the podium!Good luck my friend! We will be watching you !!
Axel M
Posted On: 06 Mar 2013 02:17 pm
Dan my main man!! I am über thrilled to read how you have performed thusfar!! All best wishes for the next stages!! Stay strong!
Axel
Francisco Bórquez
Posted On: 06 Mar 2013 12:34 pm
GO DANIEL !!!! and remember run as if you were escaping from lions :)
Jonathan Rowland
Posted On: 06 Mar 2013 06:18 am
Good stuff Dan - I have a feeling that there will be the opportunity to slow the pace today and stay at the front if the photos are anything to go by. I think your training and the long run in stage 5 will be the decider! Keep it up my son! Im proud of you! love Dad
Sandy Suckling
Posted On: 06 Mar 2013 04:22 am
Awesome effort Daniel... you are on fire... stay strong Woot Hoo Sandy
04 March 2013 04:01 am (GMT-04:00) Santiago
Thank you everyone for the comments and messages. They help a lot and keep me motivated to run hard - which is exactly what happened today! It was a beautiful stage where we ran through a canyon, up a mountain, down a massive sand dune and through some salt flats. I ran well and at a measured pace to checkpoint 1 as the footing was tricky and it was easy to fall and trip up. After that we climbed to a tunnel where Vlad (who is 2nd) and I opened a gap on the others and ran together for the rest of the stage. It was another quick day and we ran hard again. The salt flats were better than I remembered from last year and we ran all the way through them to the last tree in the desert. From there the race was on and we were eyeing each other Western style and holding a very fast pace on the last 4km to the finish. Luckily for me I managed to win in a sprint finish and gain another 1sec on Vlad. Hopefully tomorrow won't be as exciting which will mean I'll have an easier day!
Comments: Total (1) comments
Vanessa Walker
Posted On: 06 Mar 2013 09:48 pm
Hi lovely boy, I'm so proud of you! Keep up your fantastic effort. Only 3 more days till I see you at the finish line :) I love you!
03 March 2013 04:20 am (GMT-04:00) Santiago
Yesterday we checked in and I had no problems with any of my gear. My pack came in at 6kg which was the 3rd lightest when I checked in. I had a fresh last meal at camp and a great night's sleep so I was ready to go in the morning. It was great to be back at Rio Grande and in the desert again. This morning's stage was about 30km and involved a lot of descending from the first camp, which is the highest, followed by a tough climb at the end of the day just before camp 2. The terrain was not too bad, mostly rocky and only a few sandy sections. I ran well and in the front group all of the day. We split up on a series of climbs after checkpoint 1 and I was runnning in the first two where we kept a more reasonable pace after the very fast start. This allowed the others to catch-up and we went through checkpoint 2 as a group of four. In the next section the group slowly split up again and I was running in 3rd place during a 5km climb at the end of the day. I caught up to second and moved ahead and then just before the end of the climb the leader went off the trail for a break and I took the lead. I ran home hard and finished before they had even put up the finishing banner. I was really happy with today's result. We ran really hard so I expect the pace to be a little slower tomorrow, but that's tomorrow's challenge. [Felipe: estoy tan cansado para escribir en espanol tambien, lo siento!]
Comments: Total (24) comments
Sigrid Stone
Posted On: 09 Mar 2013 05:47 pm
Fantastic!! Saw news from David Coltard's website.Lovely to see Zimbabwe Flag flying so High!
Colleen Sanderson
Posted On: 09 Mar 2013 03:48 pm
Saw the news on David Coltarts face book. Well done to you. We are proud that you still chose to fly our flag. My son is at CBC. Will make a mention of you to the school.
Bron Grey
Posted On: 09 Mar 2013 02:07 pm
Saw the news on David Coltart's FB.
Well done Daniel. Good luck for the last bit... go go go!
Peter Dunning
Posted On: 09 Mar 2013 01:16 pm
Just seen the news on facebook via David Coltart. I used to work with your dad and his brother many years ago. Keep going and win that race!!
jennifer Munro
Posted On: 09 Mar 2013 09:54 am
good luck!
kudzi nzombe
Posted On: 09 Mar 2013 09:48 am
cumon Dan!!!goodluck
Colin and Laura Shreenan
Posted On: 09 Mar 2013 09:46 am
Wow, amazing! Keep on keeping on! What a wonderful testimony of ability and endurance. God bless from us at Renewal Fellowship, Marlborough, Harare!
Melissa Sibindi
Posted On: 09 Mar 2013 09:28 am
What an incredibe achievement! I love my country and am so proud, inspired and grateful when athletes like yourself excel while flying our flag so high! Congratulations!
Debbie Taylor
Posted On: 09 Mar 2013 09:19 am
We are rooting for you! Here in Zim.
Sharon Pickup
Posted On: 09 Mar 2013 09:11 am
As a member of the Zimbabwe Youth council board i would like to wish you the very best. We are proud of your achievements. Keep flying high the Zimbabwean flag
Lindi Mpofu
Posted On: 09 Mar 2013 09:01 am
Go Daniel!!!
David Coltart
Posted On: 09 Mar 2013 08:52 am
Daniel, This is a just brief note to tell you how proud we all are of you. Thank you for flying Zimbabwe's flag so high. Our thoughts and prayers are with you today as you go into the final leg. I have just spoken to your Dad and he is bursting with pride, as are we all. Senator David Coltart, Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture. Zimbabwe
Scott Bell
Posted On: 06 Mar 2013 12:32 am
Hello from Nashville! WOW...You really did show up ready to tackle Atacama 2013! Looks like your hard work is paying off. Looks like the competition is pretty stiff out there to say the least. Best of luck...I'll be keeping up.
Maida Pino
Posted On: 05 Mar 2013 11:19 pm
GO FOR IT DANIEL, I KNOW YOU CAN WIN THIS RACE.
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face
:)
Massimo Passamonti
Posted On: 05 Mar 2013 09:24 pm
Amazing Daniel... Keep going man!!! only day 4 and 5 left and then it is all downhill. Good luck my friend!!!
Hannisze Yong
Posted On: 05 Mar 2013 09:09 pm
You are AWESOME, Daniel!! Argy & I were at the edge of our seats for the past 3 days, following your every move :-P We are cheering you on all the way from UK. Try to get as much rest as you can after each stage so that you are fully recharged for the next. You are doing GREAT!!!
julian walker
Posted On: 05 Mar 2013 08:29 pm
Ama'zing Dan. Tomorrow is huge. Will be holding thumbs for you having a good run. Hang in there you can do it.
Susan Rowland
Posted On: 05 Mar 2013 08:19 pm
Way to go special!
Jonathan Rowland
Posted On: 05 Mar 2013 08:17 pm
Fantastic Dan - great going! Keep it up my son! Great tactics - stage 5 will create the split! You are on the CBC web by the way - an old boy showing the young 'uns what your mettle is! love Dad
Ian Waddell
Posted On: 05 Mar 2013 06:35 pm
Well done on 3 stages in the bag - awesome running!!!! Good luck for the 76km stage - this will be the make or break - you have got the goods and I know you can do it Daniel!!!!
Cleveland Walker
Posted On: 05 Mar 2013 06:16 pm
Another stage won, WELL DONE!!! Keep your eye on the Aussie he seems pretty strong. Julie and Cleve
steven sleuyter
Posted On: 05 Mar 2013 03:40 pm
go go go Daniel !!!!!!!
a lot off support from your belgium fan club ;-)
Meghan Kemsley
Posted On: 05 Mar 2013 03:27 pm
My cuz well done crazy to run across a desert haha but pretty awesome. Good luck xx love Meg's
Kyle Walker
Posted On: 05 Mar 2013 09:25 am
Well done on the 2nd stage Dan! very impressed!! Keep it up. Hope today is going strong.
25 February 2013 08:45 am (GMT-04:00) Santiago
I've had a great first week in the desert. Vanessa was here with me and we visited most of the usual tourist attractions: Valle de la Luna, Cordillera de la Sal, Laguna Cejar and the Geisers de Tatio. San Pedro and the surrounding areas are so beautiful and we really enjoyed seeing all of these places and having enough time so we didn't have to rush through a series of tours. It was strange to see some of the camps and places along the route filled with buses and tourists. I wanted to show Vanessa the spectacular campsite at Laguna Cejar and where the camp was supposed to be the area was performing its normal role as a car park!
This week is going to be a lot different. I'm going to be resting and staying off my feet. I've done a few checks on my equipment and clothing and I posted the list with some photos on my blog (www.dwrowland.com). I'll probably be going through all the gear a few more times, like all competitors I think, but I can't imagine any changes now.
Comments: Total (12) comments
Susan Rowland
Posted On: 04 Mar 2013 07:59 pm
Wow and wow! Proud of you, good racing .
Jonathan Rowland
Posted On: 04 Mar 2013 07:39 pm
Fantastic Dan! Another great day! Looks like the pressure will be there throughout! Don't run any harder yet than you need to to keep ahead of the Australian - keep the fast sprint for the last leg!
love
Dad
Cleve Walker
Posted On: 04 Mar 2013 06:22 pm
Well done on another stage win. Hope you are sticking to the plan, sprint finishes take a lot of energy this early in the race! Cleve and Julie
Kyle Walker
Posted On: 04 Mar 2013 11:05 am
Hey Dan, Congrats on the first stage!! Keep it up! Hope todays stage has gone well! Good luck and Enjoy it!!
Massimo Passamonti
Posted On: 04 Mar 2013 09:36 am
Hello Daniel - I just wanted to let you know that it is the my biggest pleasure to see you first up there. You are an inspiration man. Keep going!!
Sandy Suckling
Posted On: 04 Mar 2013 07:46 am
Awesome day for you so fantastic... keep up the great work Day one done and dusted.. all the best for tomorrow.. Sandy Suckling
Deb Brous
Posted On: 03 Mar 2013 09:32 pm
One day down , go Dan go, well done for stage 1
Jonathan Rowland
Posted On: 03 Mar 2013 08:26 pm
Fantastic start Dan - well done my son - Im proud of you! Keep it up! Rest well tonight - another fine run in store tomorrow - pace yourself!
Dad
Cleveland Walker
Posted On: 03 Mar 2013 05:56 pm
Well done for stage one!!!!!!! Keep going strong. Julie and Cleve
Cleve Walker
Posted On: 03 Mar 2013 03:22 pm
Go Dan go. Good luck, we will be rooting for you all the way! Julie and Cleve
Debs Brous
Posted On: 02 Mar 2013 10:21 pm
Running with you every step of the way Dan , take care, have fun :0)
Jonathan Rowland
Posted On: 02 Mar 2013 05:27 pm
Hi Dan - this is your moment! You've done the training, the conditions are great - this is your race - show no mercy!
18 February 2013 12:50 pm (GMT-04:00) Santiago
I have arrived in San Pedro and it's great to be here. It makes the race feel so much closer and more real than training on my usual routes at home. I had already started winding down my training with a taper before getting here so now I'm doing a few easier sessions with a little intensity just to keep my legs turning. The altitude was tough when I first arrived, but I'm slowly starting to feel better and enjoying the heat and sunshine in the desert.
I'm looking forward to doing some sightseeing before the race and seeing the attractions around San Pedro that I didn't see during the race last year. It will also be fun to see some places along the route in a more relaxed way. It is fantastic to have Vanessa here with me before the race to show her some of the places I'll be running and to be a tourist with her. Other than the sightseeing, I'm planning to relax as much as possible to be ready for action in 13 days' time.
Comments: Total (4) comments
Daniel Rowland
Posted On: 21 Feb 2013 11:09 pm
Pat, the clock is indeed ticking... thanks my man! Daniel
Daniel Rowland
Posted On: 21 Feb 2013 11:08 pm
Hi Sandy, of course I remember you and your great battle at the front of the race! I'm very excited to be back and looking forward to revisiting all the places we ran last year. Thanks for the encouragement. Daniel
patrick thunderbird
Posted On: 19 Feb 2013 02:42 pm
YES! The mighty clock has begun its indomitable ticking! GLORY LOOMS!
Sandy Suckling
Posted On: 19 Feb 2013 01:04 am
Hi Daniel, I just noticed you are doing Atacama again..awesome lucky you... I did Atacama with you last year oh would love to go back and do again but this time I will be watching from my computer. All the best you will do a great job as usual... Sandy Suckling
11 February 2013 02:43 am (GMT-04:00) Santiago
Thank to everyone for the comments on my last post. It's great to be in touch and to get to know a few other competitors before the race. I love how we're all going through a similar process and trying to figure out what gear will work and how it will all fit together in a backpack. This week I'm finalizing my gear and doing a last long test run with my race equipment. I'm sure that I have all the required gear and I know what food I will be taking, but I haven't yet put the food in ziploc bags and tested how everything fits together in my pack. This year I hope to have a pack that weighs in at less than 7kg so there might still be some cutting and trimming of labels and unnecessary pouches to bring the weight down.
Last week I had a recovery week to rest up after a higher volume of training the previous week. It was fantastic to give my legs a rest and the benefit showed when I did a long run with some friends on the weekend (I posted some photos and a video up on my blog: www.dwrowland.com). From now until the race I have one more long run and then I'll be in full taper mode with only a few higher intensity sessions to keep the speed up. I'm also hoping to do some running in the heat of the day to acclimatize to the desert conditions. There's not much time left to the race and I plan to take it easy and arrive at the start line relaxed and ready to go.
Comments: Total (2) comments
Daniel Rowland
Posted On: 13 Feb 2013 01:36 am
Hi Brian, thanks for going to see my blog. I have a friend here who is experimenting and learning how to create video and he put that together for me which is pretty cool. Last year I used the same pack, but without a front pack and with two bottles attached to the shoulder straps. It was really full at the beginning of the race and I struggled to get everything in. This year I've decided to use the front pack for the additional capacity. I think we need between 20L and 25L and this set-up gives me a little extra over last year. I have managed to reduce the bouncing of the front pack to a minimum with some additional straps and by packing well. It took a while, but it's comfortable now and I appreciate having a little weight in front to keep me balanced. The race is really soon - I can't wait to meet you and get started!!
Brian Flemming
Posted On: 12 Feb 2013 07:12 pm
Daniel
Great blog. I really enjoyed your video! How do you like your pack? I am not sure if I could get used to the front pack bouncing around so I opted for the OMM 25L Clasic pack. Looking forward to meeting you at Atacama soon. Thanks for posting the video. You made my heart feel like it was going to jump out of my chest! The race is so close!
04 February 2013 07:13 am (GMT-04:00) Santiago
Hello and welcome to my blog for the Atacama Crossing 2013. I ran this race last year and was completely overwhelmed by all the support I received from family and friends via email during the race. This year I will be writing a blog so it's easier to follow my progress and as a way to let anyone following know how I'm feeling during the race.
With 27 days to go to the race I'm extremely excited and cannot wait to arrive in San Pedro to start the race. I completed a tough four-day training block last week, my final big training week before the race, and now I'm slowly tapering down to the race to let my body relax and take in the work I've done so far. Often the taper period can feel a little boring as if you're not making progress towards the race. However, I feel happy with my training so far and I'm pleased to have this period to consolidate the work I've done and to do the final race-tuning work to arrive at the start in good condition.
I have almost all of my gear for the race ready to go. I'm fortunate that I raced last year so I still have most of the obligatory materials, and this year I have the support of Lafuma Chile so I have a few new pieces of equipment and some new clothing for the race. I have also tested my nutrition for the race; it's ready to go and hopefully a little more nutritious and delicious than last year!
I will post another two updates before the race (on Mondays) and then a brief recap after each stage during the race. Please feel free to leave any comments or questions on this blog and I'll try to answer them.
Comments: Total (8) comments
vlad ixel
Posted On: 12 Feb 2013 12:04 am
Great blog from last years race and a lot of info about nutrition, very much appreciated. see you in the race in few weeks
Megan Lay
Posted On: 11 Feb 2013 05:48 am
Hi Daniel
Thanks for your reply - I will jot those names down and think that will have me covered - I have nothing out of the norm, but Murphy's Law says that I will be the one to get a vigorous customs officer. See you in a few short weeks.
Thanks, Megan
Daniel Rowland
Posted On: 10 Feb 2013 04:54 pm
Hi Meghan. It\'s fantastic that you\'re coming to Chile to do your first event! I\'m glad that my blog has been some help. I\'m not sure what food you\'re bringing and what you\'re worried about being confiscated. I know that you won\'t be able to bring in any fruits or animal products, but all of your gels and freeze-dried food should be ok. [if you have expedition meals I would suggest removing any labels that say \'high-energy\" as this is something that customs doesn\'t like). In Santiago I don\'t think that you can buy freeze-dried meals so that will be difficult to replace. However, everything else you should be able to get here. For real food like couscous, noodles, ham, chorizo, dried fruits and cereals you will be able to get these in almost any supermarket in Santiago (the big ones are Jumbo, Tottus, Lidre, Unimarc). For any sort of powdered meal, baby formula or Ensure you will need to go to a pharmacy/ drug store and some of these items may be behind the counter (I get mine from Cruz Verde, but any \"farmacia\" should have these types of food). Finally for gels, energy bars and other sports food you will need to go to Mall Sport - this is a big mall with only sports stores in it and you will easily be able to find these types of products (bear in mind that you might have to be a little flexible on the brands as you might not get Hammer gels, but might be able to Gu or Honey Stinger gels for example. If there is something specific you\'re worried about or looking for let me know and I\'ll try and find the best place for you to get it. See you soon. Daniel
Chantelle Rowland
Posted On: 10 Feb 2013 12:40 pm
Hi Daniel,
I've really enjoyed seeing how you've prepared for your Atacama Crossing. In terms of nutrition is has been interesting for me to see how athletes prepare for the actual training and how they are limited in terms of what they can carry. I hope this are progressing well and feel prepared. Good luck with everything and after the race I hope that perhaps we could discuss how t went and is be happy to advise you if you feel there may be things you could improve for next time.
Take care, Chantelle
Megan Lay
Posted On: 10 Feb 2013 12:15 pm
Hi Daniel
I have enjoyed reading your blog from last year full of great information and tips. This will be my first event of this kind. I just want to cover my bases in case my food is taken in customs when I arrive, can you tell me where you buy your food in Santiago. Look forward to meeting you during the race - although looking at your efforts it will only be in camp as my pace will put me at the rear of the pack. Cheers, Megan
Daniel Rowland
Posted On: 08 Feb 2013 08:24 pm
Hi Faisal and Brian. Thanks for the comments.
I'm glad that some of the information in my blog proved useful for you Faisal. It was an excellent learning experience for me last year and I look forward to putting those lessons to the test this year in the race.
Brian, I sent you a message to your facebook page with some ideas about food. I have also posted some of the meals I'm planning to take on my blog (http://www.dwrowland.com/2013/01/running-rations.html). I hope that helps with your nutrition plan.
I look forward to meeting you both.
Daniel
Faisal Al-Nakib
Posted On: 06 Feb 2013 04:46 am
I read your blog a few times especially your diary of the race last year. Thanks for taking the time to provide such useful information regarding the terrain and what "worked" and "didnt work". I have one more week of hard training and mileage then I too shall be tapering down for the race. The crucial thing now is to stay injury free. Wish you the best and looking forward to meeting you and all the the other fellow runners. The thing I love about the running community is how we all pretty much live the same lives (outside of our day jobs) and that is the life of dedicated and focussed training, the love of the sport and the environment. Its nice to read all the blogs wherever people are around the globe. Cheers.
Brian Flemming
Posted On: 04 Feb 2013 09:03 pm
Daniel- I am looking forward to meeting you in Atacama in less than a month! This is my first Ultra and I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out the best nutrition plan. Any suggestions that you may have would be greatly appreciated! Check out our Facebook page. Your support would be greatly appreciated! www.facebook.com/teamflemming
Comments: Total (10) comments
Sandy Suckling
Posted On: 12 Mar 2013 02:01 am
Jay Vaghmaria
Posted On: 11 Mar 2013 02:03 pm
John Shively
Posted On: 10 Mar 2013 06:52 pm
Jonathan Rowland
Posted On: 09 Mar 2013 08:31 pm
Peter Edmeades
Posted On: 09 Mar 2013 07:34 pm
Paul Emant
Posted On: 09 Mar 2013 06:18 pm
keith Kemsley
Posted On: 09 Mar 2013 03:20 pm
julian walker
Posted On: 09 Mar 2013 03:17 pm
Deb Brous
Posted On: 09 Mar 2013 02:55 pm
Vanessa Walker
Posted On: 09 Mar 2013 10:26 am