(Actually, it wasn't quite THAT bad!)

We're finally here.  The big day is over and it's now just a case of recovering in time for tomorrow's short lap into San Pedro and trying not to think too much about the pizza that is waiting on the finish line!

Reality struck yesterday in the mid-morning.  I ran about 20km no problems but my legs just didn't feel as good as they have on the previous two stages.  Then I managed to hyper-extend my bad knee coming into one of the checkpoints (just not looking where I was going). At that point the physical challenge ended and the mental one began.  Luckily, I bumped into Dan from my tent who has a bad knee and feet so we hooked up and ground our way through the whole thing.  I won't bang on about the heat and mind-numbing frustration of trying to push on for 14 plus hours - it'll probably be a little while before I feel like pushing myself like that again though!  Went we  hit CP6 there was a storm so we got held back.  Had to sit in the rain and cold for an hour and 40 mins! Very tough to get the legs moving again after that, be we hit the finish around midnight.  They promised that our times will be adjusted for the stop (I'll be looking closely at that!) but the effect of having to hang around really didn't help much.

Will got back a little after me.  He'd been bussed home when they cut off all runners who'd not made it to CP6.  He was seriously p!ssed off, not something that happens often.  We got some food though, rested up, and he was able to go out this morning and finish off the course.

Just the victory lap back to San Pedro to go! I think I will slip around 25-30 places after yesterday so I may not make my goal of a top half finish :( Couple of the boys in my tent just smashed it yesterday.  They'd done one of these events before and to be honest, it's a good strategy for doing well, but you still have to have to condition to pull it off.  Good guys...

OK, will be in touch when I get back to civilization.  Thanks again for all the comments!

dave

So, I think I'll drop 20-30 places so am not sure

So, in as much as a 25 mile run across the desert in the middle of the day, carrying a pack and crossing very difficult terrain could ever be called easy, today was about as good as could be expected.  The profile was good for me; I warmed up slow for the first hour then just caned it for 14km, all the way to checkpoint 2.  I was lying 39th at that point!

That's where it all changes though - I just can't 'do' the heat so I have to dial it back a lot (going to be a big factor tomorrow).  We crossed the salt flats at that point - endless shimmering horizon of sharp, scorching, broken rock, salt and sand.  It was pretty nasty and just went on for ever...

THree back to back episodes of 'The American Life' really helped out though (thanks for that Loz!); the Ipods fully charged so that will be a key tactic for tomorrow too.

Two guys from our tent left this morning.  One guy retired and another was pulled with an injury - felt very bad for them.  Tonight we're camped by a couple of volcanic lagoons with chilly water.  I was in wearing my full kit as soon as I arrived!  Now instead of smelling like a farmyard, I smell like a swamp monster but the change is as good as a rest.  Slept out under the stars last night (too much snoring going on) - it was fantastic.  Gibbous moon gave us enough light that we could have run in it! I had to put an eye patch on just to get to sleep in the end.

Big day tomorrow.  Will and I are exactly where we wanted to be though; uninjured and fit for the 72km leg tomorrow.  The route starts off tough which is rough for me as I will be slow and probably walking by the time the heat comes.  It's going to be very different to what's come before.  I'm really really pleased with how I've performed on the last two stages, so if that's the last heroics that I can manage for the race' then I will be happy.

Thanks for all your comments - wish me luck tomorrow.  dave

p.s.SO sick of expedition food....

Yep.  So today was so special it gets two songs in the title!

Invincible (dreadful song) First 25 km were fantastic! It actually felt like my training had been relevant i.e. had a decent surface to run on.  It was so much fun; around the middle I literally had tears of joy rolling down my face - running smooth in the early sunshine, volacnoes all around and 'System of a Down' on the Ipod.  I felt like I could take a bullet and still keep running! (perhaps I'd had a few too many Gu shots by then!)

Citizen Erazed - Ok, they DID tell us the last 15km were going to be tough, but i the end, it was just cruel and unusual.  Nope, I don't want to talk about it.  Suffice to say I was broken when I got into camp.

Still amazes me how fast the body recovers though!  Good news; a few changes to the pack and some tape and my shoulders were not too bad today.  Bad news, my right knee has started to throb and was pretty swollen by the end.  We're not supposed to have ibuprofen (liver's having a tough enough week as it is) so it's just elevation and, well, fingers crossed!

Will got in a bit after me.  Was struggling, but he's shrugged it off already I can tell.  We're not talking about tomorrow or Thursday.  Much better to think about steaks in Buenos Aires on the way home.....

Thank you everyone who has written; I am getting the mails, can't tell you what a lift it is.  Very pleased with my position!  Please keep me updated as you're clearly all getting more info than we are!

Wish me luck for tomorrow! dave

(hallo my lovely wife and baby! I miss you very much and am talking to your pictures every evening :))

Stage 2 - Good!
First 20 odd km was one of the most beautiful runs you could imagine.  Along rocky ridges with a skyline of volcanoes on the horizon.  We then dropped down a huge sand dune (think the photographer was there so you might see it).  From there we went into the 'Valley of Death' (nice) which was pretty fast, being hard packed and slightly downhill.

Wheels came off a bit after that.  We had our first experience of salt flats and it doesn't make me relish the prospect of 40km of the same on Wednesday.  Had a lot of pain in my shoulders toward the end which made running hard as my bag kept crashing down with every step.  Very hot too. Got in just after 6 hours - happy with that. 

Back in the camp now.  Took quite a while to get back to feeling human.  I've got two lumps like golf balls under each shoulder and I think I'm going to really suffer with that tomorrow.  Went to the med tent, but there's really not much they can do about it to help me.  As Will would say, 'I could just suck it up...'.

So, still feeling good.  Legs hurt like hell, but that's to be expected I suppose.  Best of all, I don't think I've lost any weight yet and I'm keeping well hydrated.

Word is tomorrow is the hardest day of all.  35km across loose sand, then four huge sand dunes to cross in the last 10km - all in view of the camp! Sounds deeply unpleasant....

OK, there's a queue so I'll wind this up.  Can someone send me my overall position?  I know how I did on both days, but we dont get to see the overall.  Think I'm middle of the pack, and in this company I would be VERY happy with a top half finish.

Laters, dave

OK, this will be quick as theres a tornado howling through camp just now!

Stage 1 went well.  Pack is too heavy but once I got warmed up all was good.  First 20km were bliss - no really! Hot sun but cool air and a beautiful course.  From there on we hit an interminable hill that really tested out my legs.  Checkpoint 3 was at the top (mercifully) and after a few strtches, I was good all the way into camp.

Tired now but no worse than after a normal Saturrday run.  The REAL work starts tommorrow.  Back to back marathons for three days and then.....well, you know.

p.s. weathers been horrid in camp!