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Gobi March Blogs 2023
4
PostsGobi March (2023) blog posts from Lara Reynolds
22 June 2023 02:00 pm (GMT+08:00) Irkutsk, Ulaan Bataar
Long day done! So glad It’s over. It was again a very brutal day. The sun was a complete scorcher. I am sure my water and electrolyte’s got to 40 Celsius.
The course was stunning. Rolling hills and a few climbs from Start to CP3. Then we had a lovely water well with freezing water, which I completely immersed myself in - and off course a big mountain just after that. Made it up to enjoy the view, just to have to descend via a gully with very loose rock and conveniently placed Nettle bushes both sides of the flags, which nearly got me when I slipped and fell towards the end. I think that would have been an automatic DNF for me.
It was all a bit wobbly after CP3 - with very hot weather, so I felt nauseous for at least the next two checkpoints. It helped getting to CP5 and realising we only had 25 km left to camp - although it felt like 30 km!
Ran along the mountains of Mongolia with the wild horses as the sun was setting - which was truly magical, if you forget about the big green bugs that would settle on your bag and inch their way to your face!
But hey, I made it to Camp 5. Now only 1 Camp to go after Day 5 and then we can hit those showers
20 June 2023 06:00 pm (GMT+08:00) Irkutsk, Ulaan Bataar
We had a climb up a very Rocky Mountain from camp. Then a gorgeous run through some ruins. Then the fun started after checkpoint 2. We had the worst dunes I have ever experienced. Some people like this - not me. Jen van Gorder - I thought of you so much with you UP UP UP! I was literally crawling up with my hands covered in sand. It was intense up and down hills - not like Namibia where you had one big climb and then you were on top of the dune for a while. We had a water point after the dunes, where I could clean out the bucket of sand I had accumulated in my shoes!
Just to finish it off for us - they made us ended with some sand and dunes again.
It was also really hot today. I am hoping tomorrow will have less elevation. Just finishing this - and yes - its a walk you know - I am walking - not running. Listening my load today ahead of the 80km tomorrow!
Thanks for your blogs and plz keep them coming!
Comments: Total (10) comments
Nadine Rolland
Posted On: 23 Jun 2023 03:45 pm
Hi Lara - beautiful scenery - looks
tough out there, but we are all proud of you. Short run tomorrow - enjoy.
Yolande Hansen
Posted On: 23 Jun 2023 05:34 am
Well done Lara !! We are proud of you and looking forward to the final results...enjoy every moment xxx
Simon Lacey
Posted On: 21 Jun 2023 10:34 pm
HI Lara.- you are doing so brilliantly!!! Bloody Well done. Looks tough. Wishing you all the very best for the final couple of days. You can do this!!! Congratulation!! - Much love - Simon (from Antarctica) x
Sharon Grosse
Posted On: 21 Jun 2023 04:41 pm
Long March behind you now and we’ll done on a jolly decent time. Hope you were able to enjoy some of it. X
Gart Reynolds
Posted On: 21 Jun 2023 02:06 pm
Looks like you are having a good time and actually walking abit this time… Hope you recover enough from the long day to keep going. Good luck - break a leg…
Ronan Reynolds
Posted On: 21 Jun 2023 01:51 pm
You’re doing great mom, I hope you’re enjoying the race. Wishing you luck,
Ronan
Carla Botha
Posted On: 20 Jun 2023 08:49 pm
Wow, well done Lara! Keep going!!! You've got this
Julie Widdison
Posted On: 20 Jun 2023 06:45 pm
Well done Lara!!! Stay strong and keep up the great work!!! Cheering for you from Utah!!! ~Julie
Sharon Ashton
Posted On: 20 Jun 2023 05:05 pm
Just catching up with your blog ! You are incredible - will be following you and sending you strong legs and lungs …
Andy Reynolds
Posted On: 20 Jun 2023 02:59 pm
Well done on Day 3. Sounds like it was a tough day on the beach. Rest well, and good luck on the long march. Liam says good luck and missing you.
Andy
18 June 2023 10:00 pm (GMT+08:00) Irkutsk, Ulaan Bataar
Today’s start was great. Perfect running conditions. It was nice and cool and we had a nice flat 15 km.
There was a monster of a hill just after the second checkpoint and then a huge bog just before the finish, which left me covered in mud!
I reconnected with Jon Williamson whom I first met at RTP in Sri Lanka. Jon is now one of the course setters, so I was semi cursing him trying to scale that mountain.
Mongolia is stunning. We have the most spectacular camping sites.
Lovely to make new friends and to connect with all the old ones from all our previous races.
Tomorrow is a long one 45 km, so we will be in at camp a bit later and might not blog
Comments: Total (2) comments
Sharon Grosse
Posted On: 19 Jun 2023 10:13 am
Great to see you at the front of things. Well done on stage 2 completion, looked hot.
Matt Reynolds
Posted On: 19 Jun 2023 09:52 am
Nice! Good to see you 'walking' the course yesterday and today, doing really well!
15 June 2023 11:11 am (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time: Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London
Super excited! I arrived after midnight last night. Many competitors are arriving today and tomorrow and I am looking forward to meeting all these new and old inspiring friends. It's been a tough few months of training and recovering from Covid when I was supposed to peak in my training. However, I am here, in one piece and I can't wait to enjoy this beautiful countryside. A fellow passenger on my flight last night told me that he thought Mongolia was the most beautiful country he had ever had the pleasure of visiting, so I am really looking forward to enjoying this race.
Off to explore my surrounds and hopefully catching up with some fellow competitors for dinner tonight ????
Comments: Total (3) comments
Suan Koh
Posted On: 19 Jun 2023 12:20 pm
Hi Lara,
I’m sure it will be an amazing feeling at the end when you will finally complete all the 4Desert Races! Ganbatte 💪🏼
Congratulations! 🎉
But I’m sure you will go for more! :)
Keep up the good work!
Suan
Jen Vangorder
Posted On: 18 Jun 2023 11:13 pm
Wishing you all the best on your adventure run. Keep moving forward and don’t forget to enjoy your surroundings. Go Lara!
Samantha Fanshawe
Posted On: 16 Jun 2023 07:22 pm
So glad that you've made it to the Mongolia safely. That is quite the statement from your fellow passenger. It is a beautiful country, I hope you feel the same about it once you get out to the steppe.
Comments: Total (5) comments
Carla Botha
Posted On: 25 Jun 2023 06:04 am
Rajah T
Posted On: 24 Jun 2023 11:49 am
Elke Slinger
Posted On: 22 Jun 2023 02:09 pm
Lourens Roets
Posted On: 22 Jun 2023 11:43 am
Karen Neubrandt
Posted On: 22 Jun 2023 09:18 am