Well marching on the moon lived up to its name yesterday!!!!! - and whats more running for rescue did turn into rescue!!!!

Well hello out there to you all!! Many thanks

for your support and thoughts throughout this race - it is awesome to read the comments - especially some from far away - cheers Gerhard, awera crews etc - you all help to make this worthwhile!!!!

Well yesterday was awesome - bloody hard work though - talk about long, hot, frustrating, scarry!!!!. It aint called the long march for nothing - we started out on a nice track for about 13km then they upped the anti and it became a bit of a slog - very hot salt flats meaning we had to carry extra water again - alot of this was sprayed over myself to keep me cool. I had to concentrate on fluids and electorlytes and just wheni though it was all going well I turned around and there was the sand dune from hell - about 300m of it and I went up it backwards in fresh crusty sand - it worked though - then Ireally did thin that we were on mars - it was awesome. I didnt see as many lizards today as I have done in the past few days.....then down the dune and this is where the fun begins. A storm was fast approaching with horrendous thunder and forked lightening. All week we have been warned and told what to do in a storm - the main worry being the lightening which is fantastic to watch as its mainly forked. Anyway the storm gets closer and closer and I had to pick my speed up to keep ahead of it - well to a degree....then the wind became head on and made travel really hard work - but the weather gods were not finished yet with is and threw in a sand storm - its not really funny being blown off your feet - then the lightening really cranked up and as I was mainly on my I  own I just put my head down and went for it. Arriving at checkpoint  5 there was a compulsory stop and no one was allowed to continue until the lightening stopped - after and hour and a half we were told that we could continue as long as we were not alone out there - it was till raining and off we went only to be stopped near checkpoint 6 to say more bad weather coming and so we were all bused to camp - so I finished the last leg this morning and only have the last day tomorrow..........I have enjoyed this journey but it is tough.............

In the long stage I thought of my family heaps - all that is precious to me - especially Cam....and you pay heaps for oil and gold when water is the most pr4cious commodity in my world at the moment.

Only one more day - I hope that my st john and TRHT colleagues have worked as hard as I have in the last week in seeking donations for my causes - I have been thinking alot and hopethat we have made heaps of mney to go towards saving lives in our beautiful place!!!!

So my friends  - just one more slog in this desert tomroow then a shower YA. My feet only have 3 big blisters but my lips heart the most from the sunburn , wind, and sand blasting last night.

Big cheers to Vicy on her wedding day - love toyou both - and bigs hugs to you all

luv megs

Hey there all ov you out there - sorry about no blog last night but it was a mission of a day and I couldnt wait for the cyber tent as i needed to recover and sleep.

Well yesterday was really hard work  - head down arse up and go forth.But I got there - one of the race men said that he considered yesterday was one of the toughest - but today we had the salt flats so hey!!!!.

Again I spend aot of time on my own out there either being passed or passong someone - I enjoy the time on my own as it heps to get keep my mind on the job. I have been pacing myself and getting through the day ok - I am buggered when I arrive at camp but it doesnt take too long to recover. I havent had any pain relef yet and only have a couple of trouble spots on my feet so consider myself lucky.

The sun in the afternoon is just so intense in the afternoons - this coupled with the altitude really hurts - I dont remember the sahara being so intense!!!

The scenery here is just stunning..................

If I look to much I trip up - not a good look

The commraderie again is just majic here  - everyone supports each other and it doesnt matter if you dont speek the same language or not.

real treat tonight at camp  - we could have a swim in a small soak hole - so i went in clothes and all - oh my !! after not washing for the last 4 days this is absolute luxury..........................

I have thought of many things over the last few days - My Sakura kan family - I count out stepsin japanese much to the delight of the japanese competitors - Kan Cho I really have missed training but this is worth it see you when I return.

Mum, dad and the family - I think of you everyday...love , kisses and heaps of hugs

Cam - I think of you most out here ,and look at the moon !!!!

Anyway heapsof people waiting - its the long stage tomorrow so dont expect a blog tomorrow night - Luv to you all...

and it does make me proud whe fellow competitors say - therees the kiwi.... xxxxxxxx Meg

Hi there from Mars - well parts sure did look like that today - I got in just before 1600 and that was good - today was just fantastic - the views are phenomenal and inspiring - I have to keep looking down to be sure of my footing and yep you guessed it everytime I get carried away by a view i nearly trip up!!!. There is no doubt that this is a tough one and whilst I feel great i am buggered by the time i cime in. I cant run as much as I wanted and remind myself that we are at 2,500 meters or more so all of this is like running a marathon on the mountain.

My hot spots on my feet have made their debut as blisters today sothat i great but they will not stop me - it was the river crossings maybe - we went down this huge sand dune today and it was so so cool to run down...........

Thinking of you all at home - today i had work thoughts - I just hope that you are all working as hard as I am out here and how is the fundraising going  - I feel very proud to be a kiwi and to be running for these two causes - It certainly keeps me going when I feel a bit low.

Well tomorrow is a hard day with 20 km of bog I hear - but you now what herey is allabout - s will keep an openmind......

Heaps of happy thoughts to you all,luvmegs

Gidday all out there.Well marching on the moon it was today!!! not too bad although it got really hot in the afternoon - started @ 0800 and got in at 1430 so was hapy withthat.

Today I was thinking of  Blakey - Blakey is a kid that I know that has a rare undiagnosed medical conditionand along with his brother and mum and dad their nights are often not so good-well today at  event again - the people are awesome, lots of laughs but also very hard work - but hey that is what I am here for !!!!!!

Tomorrow is a longer day and a higher degree of difficulty so willbe out there longer - anyway others are waiting so must go and rest up for tomorrow.

Thinking of you all out there,luv megs