Its official, 1^st female to cross the line, 18^th overall and 2^nd British Competitor to finish. 

My final lead time over Luisa was 49 mins (less the 15 min time penalty).

Running into San Pedro it finally hit me that this is for real, I cant describe how elated I felt, the cheers were so loud and the drums beating as loud as my heart, Mum was there to put the medal round my neck, tears rolling down my cheeks, its finally all over, thank god.

I gobbled 3 huge pieces of pizza, 2 cokes, an ice cream and a packet of crisps, FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD! It’s now 5hours later, 2 of which I spent scrubbing every inch of my skin and hair.  Never has a clean towel, a flushing loo, a razor and a hair dryer felt so good.

It has been the hardest week of my life, with some serious lows but amazing highs, I am weak beyond belief but my mind has had the best work out of its life.  My feet look like they’ve been through a shredding machine, my legs are covered in scratches, I have no idea how I have bruises in so many places, my back is one big scab, my left ear looks like Van Gough’s (no idea how, I guess my glasses got busy rubbing away there)..  But I’ve never felt happier or more amazing, I loved it all so much despite the pain and strain along the way, it was worth every foot step, WAHEY, I DID IT!!!!!!

I cant wait to spend tomorrow reading and re-reading all your messages, you have no idea how much they spurred me on, thank you so so much.  Tom Naughton, I just noticed you put £500 on my Just Giving which means I reached the target of raising £10,000 for LIFELINE, Tom you are so generous and so kind, you made me cry (again).  I’ve achieved more than I ever dreamt possible today.

I think in one of my first blogs, before I set off, I said ‘today is the 1^st day of the rest of my life’ – how true that was.

I am staying out here for 2 days of r&r (massages, sleeping, eating, lying horizontal as much as possible), then its back to the real world of mobile phones and flushing loos – but bring it on, I think I can handle anything after this!

We have the big party tonight in San Pedro, the prize giving (can you believe I will be on the podium holding that trophy, calm down Bex, you're not Jessica Ennis).  There will be a slide show set to music of the whole event which will be so wonderful to see, the photographers were amazing, one of them told me he took over 10,000 photos, I hope to get lots of copies and will create a photo gallery to share with you all next week.

Thank you again for your donations financially and emotionally, and for sharing this amazing journey with me xx

WHAHEYYY!!!! Unbelievable, so excited, cant quite believe I will be wearing the yellow ‘LEADER’ bib tomorrow (the first male + the first female get to wear them). Dominic, I was totally planning to follow your advice and stay in 2^nd position as god knows the pressssuurrree is now a bit scary but sod it, if I only get to be a champ for 1 day of my life its worth it.

My god it is so tough out there, to think it took me 6hr15 and I came in 18^th over all (another WHAHEY moment) but to think that therefore over 130 people out on the course so much longer, its murder out there, the sun pounds down and bounces off the dry ground, add that to the insanely rough and contrasting terrain, well basically it’s a killer on the legs…

Today started with a few kms up a very rocky hill and then down into an amazing canyon where we ran alongside a river bed for about 8kms, we had to cross over the river at least a dozen times, the current was quite strong and sometimes up to my waste, the ice cold water felt great but then you come out onto muddy banks, massive rocks, real ankle twisting stuff (one chap was pulled off with a serious twisted ankle and another is now in hospital with a slipped disc). It was really exhausting but so fun, I loved it and kept trotting on.

We came into CP 1 where Mum was on water duty, its so fantastic to see her here, she is just amazing. She told me the Italian was only a few minutes ahead, I tried really hard to ignore the idea of catching her but when I then spotted her in the distance, well it was just too good to resist and I found myself overtaking her on a steep up hill – ‘ARIVADERCI BELLA!!’ (my Italian spelling needs some work). She looked a bit horrified, actually I don’t know who was more shocked. You can imagine the adrenaline hit I got (I know Dom, I know, danger zone, but I was feeling strong).

The Sand dunes were AMAZING (hope there are some good photos?), I was so over excited at that stage I felt as if I was about to take off.

The final 22km were supposed to be flat but so much for it being a ‘moderate’ stage, the ground is so uneven it makes it so hard to run, mix of rocks, dried crunchy mud, soft sand, some massive steep hills (Tom, Lucy – remember that killer when you come out of the tunnel and turn left – WTF?!!)

The kms just kept on coming, it was so tough, harder than I expected and this is only day 2, but trying not to think like that…

Dominic (my amazing trainer), I dedicate the yellow jersey to you tomorrow, thank you for getting me here. Its been a really tough day but I ‘focused on the process’ and although I’m completely knackered, I’m so elated and my feet and legs are in much better state than a lot of people, the campsite looks like some sort of war-time hospital with people hobbling around all over the place.

The campsite is so beautiful, hopefully photos on the website, we are by a lake (but might aswell be a mirage as we cant swim in it –salt water). The beauty of the camp is helped by the 100+ fit men walking around with their shirts off (I decided to keep mine on). Talking of mirages, I saw an ice cream van just before CP3 - I was all ready to put in my order for a 99 flake but by the time I got there, it had moved on – umm, not sure about that (one of my tent mates says he saw a cat on the sand dune, funny what a bit of hot desert can do to you).

Thank you thank you thank you for the messages – too many to mention but I couldn’t wait to get into camp and read them, they keep me going so much, keep sending! Mum is doing great. I don’t yet know how Jeffa is doing but I am sure she will come in smiling later, here’s hoping, she is such a special part of the team and I am so proud to be her niece.

Toby, if you talk anymore about branston pickle and cheese I will send in the heavies, I am SO HUNGRY I could eat a horse (shame there’s no Sainsburys out here then). Today I’ve eaten freeze dried porridge (which spent the night under my arse), 6 sickly energy gels, a power bar and some sickly recovery shake. Time for more freeze dried delicacies.

I do feel like a total champ walking around camp, lots of back patting, sweaty hugs and smiles. Tomorrow is supposed to be the toughest of the 42km stages (thanks for warning me Tom), dreading those mud flats and also the daunting idea of having to live up to the Leaders Bib.

I spoke to the Italian girl just now, she made it very clear I wont be in possession of it for long, we’ll see about that my friend

THANK YOU THANK YOU, wish me luck!!

Sweaty Becky x

How about that – I am Bib Number 111

Ok so I have heard number 111 is sometimes called a ‘Nelson’ (something about Nelson only having one eye, one arm, one ball?!) and Cricket fans might say it is an ill-omen (wicket without balls or some such nonsense) but I prefer to go with the suggestion that it was derived from Nelsons 3 great victories – Copenhagen, Nile & Trafalgar which gives the sequence ‘Won-Won-Won’!

I reckon it’s a Number full of POWER and ENERGY resonating with new beginnings and achievement!  You with me on that?

Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life… A full day of competitor check-in, briefing, bag checks and then bus transfer out into the big fat dry desert where we set up Camp 1 and I get to sleep in a bag and lie awake all night panicking about what lies ahead..

I cant get this song out of my head (thanks to JW for that): I've been through the desert on a horse with no name..  Felt good to be out of the rain … In the desert you can remember your name ... 'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain (what on earth was Bunnell on about, no pain???)

Next Blog update Sunday night from Camp 2 – I’ll let you know how that no pain is going then..

Just 3 days to go and just can’t wait to get to the start line.

Arrived in San Pedro on Sunday night after a 26hr journey and lost luggage (panicckk), it turned up 8hrs later in a shambles (or was that really how I packed it all?). 

I spotted a chap in Santiago airport wearing Race kit so I walked over and introduced myself as a fellow competitor, he looked a bit surprised - I clearly don’t look like I can run 250km in the desert (actually I looked more like I was off to Monaco with my painted red nails, gold designer pumps and LV handbag) – that’s my plan, creep up on all the guys slowly and take them by surprise – watch this space..

Went out yesterday with Matt Moroz - look him up, he’s in it to win it and has become a great friend and mentor (and I’ve paid him to be my camp slave next week – its true isn’t it Matt?) Also the Italian I picked up at the airport, Andrea Girardi, the most wonderful spirited charming and fun guy, also ‘in it to win it’  but again, full of help and advice (no Andrea, I am not taking polenta and parmesan no matter how many times you try to convince me). 

We set off at midday (hottest part of the day, whose idea was that?), for our little ‘training run’ which turned into 22kms but we just couldn't resist going on ‘around the next corner’ the views just kept on coming.  I had to keep telling the guys to hurry up as they were going so slowly (thats right isnt it Matt, Andrea??).  Ok maybe not.  Felt great to be out there (the altitude makes talking on the go a bit harder, that’s one way to shut me up I guess).

The Atacama desert is like nothing I’ve ever seen, too big and overwhelming to describe.  Check out my Facebook photos for a quick peak of yesterday’s little trot up to the tunnel and back.

Jennifer (oldest volunteer who I am proud to say is my Aunt) is in fine spirits as ever and an inspiration to everyone.  Equally proud to say that my Mum is a Volunteer, a tough and much sought after job on these events, she is the oldest volunteer by far. Anyone who knows her will know she is totally cut out for the Volunteer role, though she’s bound to be way too much of a goodie two shoes to give me any special treatment (no change there then – KIDDING MUM!)

Today is a day of lying by the pool and eating for GB in a vain attempt to store up the kcals and then release them all over the desert, more likely they will find their way to my arse and stay firmly put.

Thank you for all the amazing support, the donations and comments on my Just Giving Page have made me laugh and cry and want to do a big group hug with you all.  I am so close to the target of £10,000 now and so close to that finish line – nothing’s going to stop me from the latter now, so please keep helping with the former.

https://www.justgiving.com/Rebecca-Pattinson1

Next update from the start line, no going back now, bring it on! xx