Greetings from Camp 6 at the end of stage 5

The Long March is done and dusted

Greetings from Camp 5 at the end of Stage 4

Ryan and I are like Laurel and Hardy, without proper feet, but we are still in it and going strong. We finished the 44km stage in 7h50. It was hot and tough, but we kept going and are still in one piece (just)!

After a challenging first 9km

Greetings from Camp 4 at the end of Stage 3.

If yesterday was tough, today was just brutal.

Ryan and I needed 7h35 to complete 39.9km. We passed 20km under 3 hours, but thereafter it was just a long slog over salt mushrooms,

Greetings from Camp 3 at the end of Stage 2.

A brutal day in the Atacama Desert. Ryan Hill and I took 7 hours to complete the 44km stage. But we finished joined 23/24^thwhich is not too bad.

The course was a mixed bag of everything the Atacama has to offer - more than 30 water crossings in the first 10km, then up a mountain, through a 100m tunnel followed by 6km on the ridge of the mountain looking over a Mars-like valley, then down a 400m sand dune, followed by 11km over open terrain in very hot weather, then 10km over a salt plain with every step breaking the surface, and last but not least, climbing a sand dune before the finishing line.

It was really hot today and people are starting to drop out. The terrain is really tough on the body and we will have to manage the next three stages very carefully. My shoulders and feet took a pounding today, but I'm still in one piece and hopefully ready by tomorrow morning to take on stage 3 - 39km.

We encountered a few wild lamas and lizards yesterday, but only dogs and a few horse riders during today's stage.

Please keep the messages and e-mails flowing.

I'm dedicating my participation in the 2015 Atacama Crossing to the work of the Sunflower Fund in South Africa. Please visitwww.sunflowerfund.org.zato learn more about their work and how to make a contribution.

Signing off from the Atacama.

David

Greetings from Camp 2 at the end of Stage 1 of the 2015 Atacama Crossing

Stage 1 is done and dusted. Ryan Hill and I finished the 37km first stage together in 4h47, joined 14/15^thposition.

However, before I tell you more about today's run, I would like say happy birthday to Dalene. I hope you have a fantastic day, and as you know, I'm doing this race just for you!!!!

We arrived at Camp 1 late on Sunday evening after a full day of gear checking and other admin issues back in San Pedro. The camp site was about 90 minutes drive from San Pedro, right in the middle of beautiful canyon. After settling into my tent and meeting my tent mates for the week - from Brazil, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, US - is was time for my first freezed dried meal (hate that stuff) and then straight to bed / read sleeping bag on the hard rocky surface of the Atacama. And what a night we all had as a first introduction to the Atacama Desert. It was freezing cold, and with our campsite at more than 3000m above sea level, I really struggled to sleep. The end result was a definite lack of enthusiasm for running when we were told at 06h00 this morning that we had two hours to the start of the race.

But in the end stage one was much better than expected. It is always nice to get the first stage out of the way. The first 26km was fairly moderate through a few valleys and open plains, but then we hit a tough 5-6km uphill section in very hot conditions. This section is going to test the late finishers this afternoon. Although the landscape was not as dramatic as what I witnessed around San Pedro, we are still surrounded by snow-capped mountains and volcanic picks as far as the eye can see.

It was great running with Ryan again - we completed the Sahara, Gobi and Antarctica race together, and only need the Atacama Crossing to join the 4Deserts Club. But, one stage at a time, 210km to go!

Other than one blister and a bit of stiffness in the shoulders and calves, I feel fairly good and ready for tomorrow

Greetings from San Pedro in Chile.

Just two days to go before the start of the 2015 Atacama Crossing...

I arrived in San Pedro last night after more than 24 hours of travelling from South Africa. My trip included three flights - Johannesburg to Sao Paulo in Brazil, then to Santiago in Chile, and finally to Calama in the north in Chile, followed by 100km drive to San Pedro, in the heart of the Atacama Desert.

Given so many issues which can go wrong during the preparations for a desert race, and most importantly, getting to the starting line in a remote part of the world in once piece with all your gear and equipment, I''m very pleased that everything has gone according to plan thus far.

The trip from Sao Paulo to San Pedro gave me an opportunity to once again appreciate the unique geographical diversity and beauty of South America, including the terrain which awaits us next week in the Atacama Desert. Flying west from Sao Paulo to Santiago, the Brazilian landscape is lush green with agricultural activities, big rivers, etc., followed by early glimpses of the brown Atacama Desert once you cross into Chile, then the snow-capped, mighty Andes mountains, and finally lush green valleys as you descend into Santiago. From Santiago to Calama you once again see the Andes mountains in their full glory until you get to the Atacama Desert, and then you realise how unique and different it is compared to any other place on earth. For the final hour flying into Calama and then driving to San Pedro, you get to experience this dry, rugged, lunar-like landscape in its full glory. No wonder NASA has been testing instruments and vehicles for Mars missions in the Atacama Desert!

There is no doubt in my mind that the Atacama Crossing will be a very tough race to complete, but although I''m a bit tired after the long trip to San Pedro, I''m excited about the challenge that lies ahead over the next week.

As this is my fourth and final leg of the 4Desert Series - having already completed the Sahara Race, Gobi March and Last Desert Race in Antarctica - I think it is appropriate to complete my 4Deserts experience with a tough challenge - running 250km race through the Atacama Desert!

I will use the rest of today to check and repack all my gear and equipment, and hopefully reduce the weight of my backpack, as well as explore San Pedro and surroundings with a few other competitors.

Tomorrow morning all competitors will meet for the official race briefing and kit checks, before we depart for our first base camp and the start of the race on Sunday morning, 4 October 2015.

You can follow my progress during the race via the Atacama Crossing website and my daily blogs which I will be posting after every stage.

Until next time.

Greetings from San Pedro in Chile.

Only three days to go before the start of the 2015 Atacama Crossing.

Competitors in multi-day, self-sufficient, footraces face many challenges. These include the weather, sand, injuries, blisters, tiredness, thirst, lack of comfort and privacy, etc.

But there is one challenge which ultimately could make or break your race - the weight of your backpack. As runners need to carry in their backpacks everything they need for the duration of the race, finding the right balance between the overall weight of your bag, and the food and equipment required to get you through the race, could have a major impact on your ability to finish or not. Ultimately, what every runner packs will be determined by personal preferences and daily nutritional requirements. Runners are only provided with water during the race - 1.5l at every checkpoint, 10-15km apart, and 4.5l at the overnight camps - everything else required needs to be in your bag when the race starts on 4 October 2015.

According to the rules of the race, there is a standard list of compulsory equipment which every runner has to carry from start to finish (e.g. head lamps, sleeping bag, blister kit, etc.). In addition, every runner has to start the race with at least 14 000 calories of food and nutritional supplements in their backpacks. Anything else in your bag is a personal choice of what will make the experience as comfortable as possible for you over seven days in the desert.

The preferred weight of a backpack is between 8 and 10kg for most runners, with some starting with less and others with slightly more weight. My aim is to start the race with my backpack weighing less than 8kg.

At the moment, I have the following items in my backpack:

6 x dinner packs - biltong and smash or freeze dried beef and rice

6 x sachets of Future Life breakfast cereal mixed with protein

Variety of snacks - salty biscuits, nuts, etc.

5 x Rehidrat Sport sachets

5 x PeptoPro Sport sachets

30 x 32Gi hydration tablets

10 x units of 32Gi sports drink

5 x packets of salt and vinegar chips

5 x packets of biltong

2 x water bottles

1 x knife

1 x camera

1 x iPod

1 x sunscreen

1 x blister kit

2 x head lamps

1 x sleeping bag

1 x inflatable mattress

1 x emergency / space blanket

1 x head scarf / buff

1 x running cap

1 x unit of Vaseline

1 x hand hygiene gel

1 x sewing kit

1 x spoon/fork

1 x toothbrush and toothpaste

Medication - Voltaren / Ponado / Immodium

In addition, I will be using the following gear:

1 x Innov 32l backpack

1 x pair of Innov trail running shoes

7 x pairs of Innov socks

1 x rain jacket

2 x running shorts

2 x running shirts

1 x compression pants

2 x gaiters

1 x Garmin Forerunner 310XT watch

Based on my experience from previous desert and multi-stage races, most competitors start these races with more food items (and therefore weight) than required. After every stage they re-assess their requirements for the remaining days and reduce their weight (and especially food) accordingly. This usually results in a mini feast amongst those sharing a tent!

Ultimately, a multi-stage desert race such as the 250km Atacama Crossing is all about survival and as we say in Afrikaans - vasbyt!

But then again, there is nothing to gain without a little pain! I am dedicating my participation in the Atacama Crossing to the work of The Sunflower Fund in South Africa. The Fund's vision is to give all South Africans diagnosed with leukaemia and other life-threatening blood disorders the chance of life, irrespective of their race and financial circumstances.

The Sunflower Fund's slogan is "Share a Little, Save a Life", and we can all make a contribution by either registering as a potential bone marrow stem cell donor or making a donation in support of its work.

Supporting the work of The Sunflower Fund provides me with all the necessary motivation to complete the fourth and final leg of the 4Desert series.

The countdown to the Atacama Crossing continues...

(this blog was first published on Desert 2 Desert on 26 June 2015)

Exactly 100 days from today I will embark on my next desert running challenge, the 7-day 250km Atacama Crossing from 4-10 October 2015 through the Atacama Desert in Chile!

I have completed various multi-stage desert races over the past few years - Kalahari, Sahara, Namib, Gobi, Burkina Faso and Antarctica - using my participation to support the fundraising and awareness-raising efforts of non-profit organisations and social causes in Africa.

My participation in the Atacama Crossing will once again be a special and challenging running experience, and one with a real purpose.

Firstly, the Atacama Desert is like no place on earth. Sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean in the west, and the Andes mountains in the east, it is the driest non-polar desert in the world with an average rainfall of less than 1mm each year. In addition, its jagged, rust-colored ravines, white salt pan and volcano-topped horizons give it a Mars-like feel, and combined with high altitude and the challenges associated with a self-supported desert race, will present the 150+ competitors with a serious test of endurance.

Secondly, I will achieve a unique milestone by completing the Atacama Crossing. The race forms part of Racing the Planet's 4 Desert Series - Sahara, Gobi, Antarctica and Atacama - and having already completed the other three races, this is my fourth and final leg to join the "exclusive" 4Deserts Club. Only six South Africans and 174 runners in total have completed all four desert races over the past decade.

Thirdly, my participation in desert races provides me with an opportunity to support non-profit organisations and social causes making a difference in society, and I am dedicating this race to the work of The Sunflower Fund in South Africa. Having participated in its Everest Challenge in March 2015, I'm excited to continue my association with this special organisation.

The Sunflower Fund's vision is to give all South Africans diagnosed with leukaemia and other life-threatening blood disorders the chance of life, irrespective of their race and financial circumstances. Leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts".

The Sunflower Fund's mission is to educate and recruit a viable number of well-informed potential bone marrow stem cell donors who are ethnically diverse, in an effort to save the lives of those needing a transplant when suffering from life-threatening blood disorders like leukaemia.

There are only 68 499 people registered with the South African Bone Marrow Registry, an unacceptable number for a country with a population of more than 50 million people. An average match ratio is 1:100 000 within a specific ethnic group, and as a result, much more needs to be done to grow the number of stem cell donors.

I will therefore use the period before and during the Atacama Crossing to support The Sunflower Fund in raising awareness about the registration process and encouraging South Africans to become involved.

All it takes to register is a normal blood test! It does NOT involve drilling into your bones to remove bone marrow.

The Sunflower Fund also hosts various events and campaigns throughout the year, such as the Everest Challenge, to raise money which enables it to pay for people's test costs to join the Registry. It costs The Sunflower Fund R2 000 per person for the test, and I encourage you to make a donation in support of this important cause.

I'm excited about supporting The Sunflower Fund and preparing for the Atacama Crossing over the next three months, and invite you to join me on this journey.

Follow updates on my Facebook and Twitter pages, and via The Sunflower Fund's various online platforms.