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Atacama Crossing Blogs 2022
5
PostsAtacama Crossing (2022) blog posts from Denis Kelliher
30 September 2022 08:26 pm (GMT-04:00) Santiago
Well we are done on stage 5 injust under 12 hours. Powerwalked like thewalkersround hagleypark.warm and windlessday. Feel pretty good overall other thanknee whichat least has survived. Found my spoon yesterday whichilost for 2 days- in the back pocket where I put it of course ( cue eye roll Meaghan).forgot tomention the 250gm chia seed packet explosion on day 2 which provided some comedic relief.Bilbo tentmate has blitzed today with afterburners and will win the event,withmy coaching asignificant factor.ajaunt intotown tomorrow and we are done yay
30 September 2022 08:57 am (GMT-04:00) Santiago
Thx again for messages. except for Rob – its lucky you didn’t come as this course would hav been too tough and broken you. Well on a rerouted and flatrunners course ( grrr) I waddled my way in in 6 hours,not sure of placing - still cant run unfortunately. Id say easiest day so far. Relaxing and getting ready for long day tomorrow,with weather gettingabit warmer after another chilly night. Bilbo baggins did it in 3.15 to put it all in perspective however. Other than that notmuch icansay - keep onefoot in frontof the other..... cheers!
Comments: Total (5) comments
Bernie O'Fagan
Posted On: 30 Sep 2022 05:53 pm
nice work mate, hope the big day out is going ok, if I'd known there was a bus with mushrooms, I def would have come.....b
Bernie O'Fagan
Posted On: 30 Sep 2022 05:53 pm
nice work mate, hope the big day out is going ok, if I'd known there was a bus with mushrooms, I def would have come.....b
Rob Campion
Posted On: 30 Sep 2022 08:09 am
DK
I put down my mai tai to review some of the responses to your blog and for a moment thought I should be more sympathetic to your plight! Then common sense prevailed. As a compromise and the best I could come up with in my mai tai haze is at least you doing better than Kimberley’s 2010 😜.
Keep trucking fella….and always remember run across the bridge not to the bridge (inside joke).
Aloha
Rob Campion
Posted On: 30 Sep 2022 08:09 am
DK
I put down my mai tai to review some of the responses to your blog and for a moment thought I should be more sympathetic to your plight! Then common sense prevailed. As a compromise and the best I could come up with in my mai tai haze is at least you doing better than Kimberley’s 2010 😜.
Keep trucking fella….and always remember run across the bridge not to the bridge (inside joke).
Aloha
Mariamne Ingalls
Posted On: 30 Sep 2022 03:45 am
Thanks for your blog entries, Denis!
Good luck on the Long March!
Best Regards
28 September 2022 02:34 pm (GMT-04:00) Santiago
The owner took his car to a mechanic, said “ its not working too well, keeps breaking down, what do you think” mechanic says, “ well, we can try and keep patching it up, but its got a lot of miles on it, not in great nick, its probably to heavy for the size of the motor, and wasn’t really meant to be a rally car, perhaps its time to retire it to the junkyard and maybe buy an Ebike?”
Anyway, We finished stage 3 just as sandstorm hit. A bit of excitement as evacuate to a hall as winds hit 60-80 and many taken off course before finishing. Its now a rest day today and we await a plan as today winds predicted to be 80-100kmh.... knee ok on flats, still cant run,and its not great on downhills but hangin together so far. Going across the “upside down Broccoli” caused a few swear words. thx for messages of support except for Rob who ive reported to the Internet communications authority for bullying. Cheers!
Comments: Total (8) comments
David Westcott
Posted On: 29 Sep 2022 09:03 pm
Steady as you go, Sir. Look after that knee. Hooefully the rest day did the trick.
Fred Kroon
Posted On: 29 Sep 2022 08:50 pm
Enjoy the next couple of days, sounds like it may be your last ultra-marathon as a car. Keep that knee in good order, it needs to walk for a little while longer! And there is this boat that needs sailing back from the UK to Oz that needs you as crew 😄.
Brent Kappely
Posted On: 29 Sep 2022 08:32 am
Good call Jack! Don’t go buggering up your knee for life mate. If you need help I know a good Chiro who can sort it. Once you’re back in Aust I have some Sand Dunes for you to practice on out at Uluṟu or do we need to find Snow? Proud of you mate as always.
Ash Kelliher
Posted On: 29 Sep 2022 04:48 am
hey dad hope you doing amazing don’t ruin your knee too badly! been messaging you on messenger which is stupid but i saw the david bowie documentary which was so so good you would have loved it i think, hope the sand storm blows over love and miss you !!
Vanessa Wells
Posted On: 29 Sep 2022 02:24 am
Crikey!! Sandstorm? Well, makes for better stories for sure ... it would be boring if it was all straightforward!! Hope something is holding that knee together. More tape on the tape, and keep up the painkillers!! Not far to go now ... left, right, left, right. :)
Jac Kelliher
Posted On: 29 Sep 2022 01:06 am
Make sure to keep your knee in good shape for everest! Good luck :)
Robin Westcott
Posted On: 28 Sep 2022 09:29 pm
A sandstorm, oh no. The Irish blessing came to mind "May the road rise up to meet you" etc. For the sake of your knee "May all undulations be asymmetrical" - steeper on the upside and smooth on the downside.
Meaghan Kelliher
Posted On: 28 Sep 2022 09:16 pm
Sandstorm might be a blessing in disguise. Under normal circumstances you could spend the unexpected rest day with Ice on the knee - hopefully you’ve got heaps of tape and a decent spot to hang with your leg up in the air! Keep the drugs flowing…… Mx
25 September 2022 06:21 pm (GMT-04:00) Santiago
So day one finished, 5 hours 15 minutes or so, don’t know where that was overall tho, felt pretty good. A bit of knee pain so see how that goes over the next few days- bugger..... Got the leader in our tent who did 3.15. I told him no-one likes a show off......Was pretty cold last nite, but warm and sunny now, as expected....anyway, back to relax. Two kiwis in the tent an two brits....
Comments: Total (10) comments
Brent Kappely
Posted On: 28 Sep 2022 04:14 am
Going well DK…maybe time to break out the Pepper Mix.
Rob Campion
Posted On: 27 Sep 2022 10:54 pm
Hurry up and post an update. There 24 hours in the day, you only running for 7 of them! The rest of the time you just lying around…..
It fortunate that you remained in the top 50. If you slip down further I am going to become a groupy for your tent mate (who is clearly putting in more effort than you).
I can only assume you struggling as neither Bernie or I are there to carry all your gear.
From the David Brent School of Motivation: you have completed 113km……only 137km to go!!
Aloha😀
Vanessa Wells
Posted On: 27 Sep 2022 06:20 am
Amazing DK ... following the numbers ... cheering you on!! Woohoo!
Matt Darnbrough
Posted On: 26 Sep 2022 06:33 pm
Nice start, DK. Good luck for the next few days. We’ve done some calculations, taking into account your age, the distance travelled to get to Atacama, and your IQ, you’re actually in 3rd place overall! Obviously your IQ let you down… Lots of love and virtual foot rubs, The Darnbrough5
Robin Westcott
Posted On: 26 Sep 2022 08:06 am
Enjoy the Atacama panorama and be kind to that knee.
Mark McIntosh
Posted On: 26 Sep 2022 07:34 am
Great work matey. Crazy how we were doing our LANDSAR training in the Port Hills this time last week and now you're casually racing in Chile! Nutter.
I'll be supporting you and your fellow Brits and Kiwis in your tent. Catch up for a cold one when you're back in ChCh 👌
Sarah Norrie
Posted On: 26 Sep 2022 06:12 am
Well done Dave. First one done. Say hi to Mark Cross for me. You were in his dust today. 😘
Meaghan Kelliher
Posted On: 26 Sep 2022 05:45 am
Good start! How’s the solar panel working for the tunes? Tape the knee?
Loads of people passing on their best - half a dozen 20/21yr olds raising glasses to you last night 😉🍺🥃🍻 so stage 2 should be a breeze….
Bernie O'Fagan
Posted On: 25 Sep 2022 11:45 pm
nice first stage dk, top third, and thats before we take age into account, good luck tommorrow
Rob Campion
Posted On: 25 Sep 2022 11:33 pm
Perfectly run opening day DK. You so far back in the pack that nobody will consider you a threat!
I have warned your tent mates to watch their food supply #kimberleys2010.
05 September 2022 10:12 am (GMT+08:00) Beijing, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Urumqi
Pretty much ready to go, albeit with gear scattered over the bedroom floor in a vaguely logical pattern and causing a modicum of marital issues. Whilst a chilly Christchurch winter and spring means heat training has been limited, some final sessions in Vertex Gym heat and altitude chambers hopefully will trigger some good sweating, and borrowing a mates sauna as well. Getting into San Pedro a few days early and maybe do some touristy stuff. Look forward to seeing the team!!
Comments: Total (12) comments
Ian Gilham
Posted On: 27 Sep 2022 04:29 pm
Good luck mate! Working my way through the homework you set me - not long till MDS! :-)
Jodie White
Posted On: 25 Sep 2022 01:32 am
All the best for the race tomorrow, you got this! You didn't spend all that time in Bernies sauna for nothing!!
Vanessa Wells
Posted On: 24 Sep 2022 06:05 am
Woohoo ... following all the way ... go well DK!!
Vanessa Wells
Posted On: 24 Sep 2022 06:05 am
Woohoo ... following all the way ... go well DK!!
Donna Kotzikas
Posted On: 23 Sep 2022 11:38 pm
Wishing you all the best DK from the less fitter DKs
Donna Kotzikas
Posted On: 23 Sep 2022 11:37 pm
Wishing you all the best DK from the less fitter DKs
Michelle Hewett
Posted On: 23 Sep 2022 08:13 am
Hey DK, you crazy man! Thinking of you and hoping you have an amazing time.
Go you!
Michelle & Dave
Fred Kroon
Posted On: 22 Sep 2022 03:13 am
Enjoy! Break a leg!
Not literally, of course...
Eva Stockdale
Posted On: 21 Sep 2022 01:40 pm
Best of luck DK - not that you need it. We’ll be following online from Malaysia, from poolside. Hayden will be there for moral support just when you need it 😬. Xx Eva
Meaghan Kelliher
Posted On: 20 Sep 2022 10:18 am
Thks Sam!
I did briefly think about volunteering again….. but it would be so hard to match such a great group!
Maureen Howard
Posted On: 18 Sep 2022 11:42 pm
All the best! I see you are from Christchurch! I live in Dunedin. Say hi to my brother John Howard who is doing the race.
Sam Fanshawe
Posted On: 05 Sep 2022 12:15 pm
Whoop - it will be great to see you back in San Pedro! We'll miss Meaghan this time though.
Comments: Total (3) comments
Vanessa Wells
Posted On: 03 Oct 2022 03:58 am
Sam Simpson
Posted On: 01 Oct 2022 11:30 am
Robin Westcott
Posted On: 01 Oct 2022 05:24 am