Well that is what 50 miles feels like in a desert!!! Nothing will ever top that for a pyhisical challenge. We started at 8 am thankfully with cloud cover. The plan for most people was to get to the third check point before the thermometer hit 50 degrees. This meant cracking the first 10 km leg fast. It was mini dunes and hard sun baked crust. This was the Turpan bassin the second lowest place on Earth. Hot, flat and featureless it was a case of grinding it out as quickly as the body could endure. I managed to do the 30kms to check point 3 by 2.30. The last 10 were in the ranging sun as the cloud had gone. On arrival at this disused village I found the usual check point scene of people on their backs feet raised, trainers off trying to gain some respite from the heat. I had planned to plough on as I had this unrealistic view of getting the 50miles cracked ASAP. However, quite rightly, everyone with any sense said to wait for at least an hour for the sun to lose some heat. Otherwise we would be enduring the same issues as the day before. The temp on my thermometer had once again surpassed 50. So after 1 hour of rest off we went. The scenary was disused industrial, not what we had expected. Disused car parts and the odd local looking bemused. The next 10.1 km was reminiscent of the day before but not quite so bad. I developed a blister half way through. Immediate action was to extract blister kit from day sack, select needle, burst, tape up and continue. I had now become quite adept at this procedure. At this point every time you stop and then restart you have to wake up your feet. This looks like you are treading on egg shells until your feet once more become numb and you can no longer feel them and therefore you can stride out. During this stage one guys trainers fell to pieces. He borrowed someones flip flops and then continued for the next 15 km wearing those. Imagine 15km in flip flops!!!!!! The ground had mostly been tracks and then we went across country. Broken ground at this stage really challenges the feet. Any rock or hard earth can soundly dig into the blister area requiring a quick squeak of pain. 6km of this (including a snake, scorpion and camel spider) and then another blissful check point. Same drill - shoes off elevate the feet, think about how much this is hurting and how mad we are to have actually paid for this lunacy. Every check point now resembles a rather desperate retreat from a battle. Each checkpoint has a doctor and there are various people with bandages, tape and weeping blisters. Next stage along a track past melon fields as the sun sets. Bliss as the sun disappears and the temp gradually cools - but of course not much below 35. Now quite humid as we are walking through irrigated fileds. Check point 7 is the place where there is hot water so that I can heat up my dinner of spag bol. Well that is what it says on the packet. It tastes more like tomatoey grit. It is now 10pm so on the road for 14 hours. During the day we snack on biltong and energy bars, p nuts and crisps. We now have 25 kms left. Dinner spot is actually rather beautiful being in the grounds of an old mud fort. Would have been fun to look around but any extra movement is not required. We head off into the dark with head torches follwoing glow sticks that mark the route. The next 25 km consist of a beam of light and a patch of illuminated ground as the head is down just trying to get through. Conversation is the only thing that you have to keep the mind off the distance. We ranged from religion, night clubs in London, aliens, the rights and wrongs of Afghanistan etc. The final two check points 15 kms are done in silence each person just trying to deal with their own difficulties. And then finaly at 4.15 in the morning you are there. A little reception committee and then a bowl of water to soak off the blister tape. My blisters hurt but are not that bad. My legs and joints are then agony for 4 hours preventing me from sleeping. Annoying as when I finally go to sleep the sun is up and the tent is super heated. I wake bathed in sweat to come and type this. It is now 1230 in the pm 28 and a half hours after the start. The back markers are still coming in! The front marker came in in 10 hours thirty. Amazing! Today is rest day before a paltry 10km leg tomorrow. Then it is all over. Thanks for emails. This is the last blog as I have run out of credit. See you in the uk!

Today was the dune day. It was only 23 miles and it took 11 hours and 10 mins. I think that should say it all when it comes to how difficult it was. My thermometeter went past 50 and there were no numbers after that! It is probably not very accuarate but even if it is 5 degrees out it was hot.
The dunes were beautiful and fortunately in shade. However, we had to get up at 3 am to jump on buses to get to them. None of us slept well last night (35 degrees at night). The dunes were the best bit. after that we were in the Turpan basin a rather ugly and desolate wasteland.
I have never seen so many people suffering. I saw people vomiting from dehydration at midday but still fin ishing the course at 8pm all those hours later. One of the professional athletes had blood blister below her nails. She drove a needle through her toe in order to continue. People with tapped arms because they have worn the skin away on their packs and others with tampons up their noses due to nose bleeds. Nuts! (by the way none of that has happened to me.)
Unfortunately team Sandhurst had to split today due to different speeds of walking. It has been hard for three different guys to walk at the same rate. If you are the one stopping and starting or the one at the back it becomes quite difficult. The tactic worked as we all finished within about 40 mins of each other. The plan tomorrow is to start together and see how things go.
It is probably be a little over dramatic to say that I have never senn so many people push themselves to the point of exhaustion. The finish area is strewn with people cramping and just at the end of the limits. Despite this most of them will get up tomorrow and give the 50 miles a go.
Today was really tough. But we are all still in it and looking to get through to the end.
I have not seen any messages today as the team have not down loaded them. So hopefully I will see them on Friday when I have made it to the end of the double day.
Speedy

Day three done and dusted. Today was a mere 27 miles. We started off with three river crossings. We lost a lot of time here as we chose to take shoes and socks off to keep feet dry. The thought of doing 27 miles with wet feet did not appeal. All the uber fit people just cracked on through. As soon as we had got out of the river valley (after 7kms of walking on rocks and shingle - not fun) we then enjoyed a 10km hill. At this poit we caught a few of those who had not taken off their socks but really the damage had been done and we did not catch our normal travel companions. The best news was that at the top of the hill we were down hill for the rest of the day (apart from the few hills right at the end of the day). Sadly the time today was quite slow. This meant that we will still going at it when the temperature hit 45  degrees on my little compass/thermometer. Funnily enough it did not feel that hot. There was a good strong wind. 45 degrees in Afghanistan was a lot worse. THe route today was stunning. We have now moved out of the more Alpine terrain into the desert. The change of vegetation etc made for great photos. Tonight we are not in tents but have all been adopted by a local family. I think adopted is probably the wrong term as invaded would be more appropriate. There s lovely stream running through the village which we are allowed to dip our feet in but not wash. And why would you want to wash your t shirt before the end? It needs to have the well worn look as you finish.  I am in pretty good condition Only a couple of minor blisters. Legs and everything else seem to be working fine. Even the dodgy groin that I was worried about before I left.The medics here are doing a roaring trade. When I see the state of some peoples feet I feel very lucky. The guys and girls who are winning the event are amzazing. They are running marathons in four hours with kit in the heat. Some of them are doing this with blood blisters that pop and then reform ready to pop again.
Thank you for all your emails and blogs.
Bugs - nice work on the hen night. A butler in the buff with 4 dogs in the house. He is a brave man!!! Look forward to seeing the chest of drawers. Sorry to have missed the summer with the hottest day already behind us. Lots of love xxx
Andy - Your satnav skills would have been very useful. Thanks for following us.
M and D - Thanks for the news. Keep is up.
Tomorrow is going to be interesting. We are up at three. Buses at four to drive us for three hours to the start of the next 23 miles leg. It is going to be proper desert as we are starting with sand dunes. Each leg has a rating from easy to difficult. Tomorrows leg is simple difficult as opposed to some which might be difficult/moderate. I imagine it will be about 45 degrees pretty early. However, feeling strong so all should be fine..
Thanks for following and keeping me up to date.
Speedy

Dear All
The end of day two! It was a much shorter day today as the waether has turned in the mountains we are currently running/walking. It was a surprise to all of us to find our camp site shrouded in mist. I had to get up for a pee at 4am and could not find the pit! En route I found a man wandering around in the mist trying to find his tent. He was completely disorientated. So we got up at 6am but did not start until 12. The route was shortened to only 12 miles which team Sandhurst knocked off in two hours thirty minutes. We finished ahead of our main rivals for first place in the team event by about 4 minutes. However, they are probably still ahead of us by at least 15 minutes. We are hoping to catch up with them over the next few days. We started the whoole event with a desire just to finish. However, the overly competitive nature of Army officers means that we are now wanting to win the team event.That is not as grand a desire as it might sounds as there are only three teams!!
We are all in fairly good condition. I have blister tape on most of my toes as a precaution although both my little toes have blisters. Also I stubbed my big toe on a rock yesterday while wearing flip flops. This meant a big chunk of skin being detached from the toe. Luckily a bit of tape seems to have sorted it out.
Mild chaffing in various regions continuous to be a challenge. Amazing how much vaseline one can manoeuvre around ones body when on the move!
There continues to be a snoring issue in the tent. One Korean seems determined to keep us all awake. Tempers may fray especially as you lie there at night wanting to sleep and all you can hear is another human's impression of a freight train.
Diet of freeze dried rations is not too bad. Currenly enjoying chilli con carne. Lunch of biltong, crisps and energy bars is doing the job too.
In summary we are not setting the World alight with our efforts but we are doing ok.
xxx

Dear All
The end of day one. Feet in reasonable nick. Only a few blisters that to be honest I had not noticed until I took off my shoes. Today was a mere 21 miles and yet it took 7 and a quarter hours. Mind you that placed us in the middle of the pack roughly. Considering that as I type there are still competitors coming in after 11 hours and 15 minutes we are quite pleased. The sceneary is glorious. Much to my amazement we are 2000metres up. I was not expecting that. So as well as the heat at about late 20s degrees centigrade we are also contending with the altitiude. There are beautiful mountains and foot hills
The competitors are a huge mix from all over the World. The best runners did today's stage in just over 4 hours. They carry very little - about 6.5 kilos compared to my 12. They seem to have very little food and of course all the best gear that is light. We are trying to lighten ours as we go along.
Tomorrow is 25 miles. The sand dune day is day 4 so a little more exhaustion to go before then.

Looking forward to the start. Months of running around London is coming to an end! Trying to work out what to pack!