Stage 5 complete, came in 65th, my best ranking yet, which moved me up to 72nd overall, with just a 15k/6mi to go!

As an ultrarunner doing an 80k while hard was much easier mentally than Stage 4 which was the most physically tough portion, Stage 5 was more mental for me as I spent many hours alone doing the Epler Shuffle alone out there.  My Checkpoint prep process continued to do well for me in and out quickly, Manley you will see an improvement over my Old Goat 50mi times, at the overnight Checkpoint nobody stopped to sleep, I quickly made up a meal and ate it on the move.  I did finally get my obligatory blisters yesterday but they are minor compared to some of the feet I see all bandaged up around camp.

Stage 5's run within constant view of those mountains was beautiful, coming across a green pasture and a brick and mud farmhouse was amazing.  Another unique sighting was a tree farm in the middle of the rocky plain and a compound which included multistory buildings, in total no more than 5 structures, why would someone build it there, who knows!

I set my sights yesterday morning to finish before it got dark, around 11pm, but the extra hour it took for the bus ride made it more of a challenge, we started at 10am.  The finish line is preceeded by a green pasture with cow trails marked by pink flags, I turned up the speed to my fastest run I could managed, focusing on my breathing and pushing it with all I had left, mission accomplished, so finishing at 10:48 was just as darkness began to creep across camp...On of the locals was riding his motor scooter into the town where camp is and offered me a ride, there was NO WAY I would hop on the back but it was surely a nice gesture!

The camp site is beautiful, out the back side of our tent is a stark white mountain which words cannot describe, can't wait to upload photos when I get back.

All the comments on blogs and emails really helps!

Now for the commercial portion of my posting, if you could stop by http://www.aurashouse.com and donate a little, even just $5, it will help us get closer to funding the University of Arkansas at Litte Rock's dental clinic supplies for next year!

Thanks,

Mike

ps Howard/Jack - Mary says hi.

Wow, so many blog postings received today, thank you everyone!  To keep my time on the PC down I will respond in one big note :)

Stage 4 was the tougest day even though it was cut short.  But first Shipton's Arch was fantastic looking through it down through an opening as high as the empire state buildng is incredible, I took a video as a photo wouldn't do it justice.  The climb up to the arch I was cooking and also down as I knew my time on the up across and down ALL the ridgelines was going to suck as I'm not a fast uphill climber, especially with 70% inclines and a pack that just doesn't seem to get lighter.

The western part of China we are going through is the quarry for many new highways which are being built amazing all the construction.  I had a great time running running down the very rocky riverbeds, from sand to rocks the size of bowling balls, the ankle is such an incredible part of the human body and my training has helped me roll out of a twist with the proper leg movement.  We ran some incredibly narrow goat trails with steep drop offs on both sides I just loved those single tracks, so the dangerous running went well, then came a small uphill and I managed to fall going uphill!  I'm ok one small scratch on the knee and lost sun glasses, oh I forgot to mention at stage 2 I broke one of my poles so I'm running pole free also...anyway back to my fall, somehow both toes of my shoes decided they wanted to attach to a nice sharp rock and ALL forward progress ceased, I broke my fall with my hands but they were not out front enough so my chin and cheek kissed some nice rocks with an easy but registered jolt...no scratches on the face, I rolled out of the fall and just had to laugh!  Two  other minor falls on some downhills, never step on the green top of a grass clump, you slide off, I went into a split and threw myself onto my back and rolled out of it...the second one was minor...If you are afraid of heights, steep downhills, and rocky riverbeds this race is not for you.....

I now have a new for respect for goats and their shepherds!  While running those hills you could see the goats and hear them laughing at us....

Mid day is always tough and I slow down to eat and had some beautiful butterflies visit me and keep me smiling, Jennifer tell Maria thanks for sending them, I needed them at that time...

Towards the end today we had some fun water crossings, these rivers are wide and many channels so when you go through them they just keep coming....the deepest was up to my knees.  So the rest of the run was in wet shoes, so hopefully they will dry before tomorrows long run!

The mud houses of the shepherders are out in the middle of nowhere and the villagers sit on the side of the road and watch as the crazy international team runs through their village, I wonder what they think seeing us pass through in our strange gear!

With all those hill climbs and river bed runs I think my first run will be an easy one!

I'm not sure how well I did today as they had to cut it short as a bridge they built over the river for us wasn't safe so we arrived at a point and they bussed us to Camp....so that very fast spot sequence was NOT me running, I shut it down while in the bus.  Since my strategy is to reel them in on the last section my plan was cut short today, but I did reel in at least 8 runners after all those hills, it feels great to pass them after they passed me on those hills!

Mike

So after a little food and water I’m back at the CyberTent, read the comments and emails.

Tony – Only little fast scurrying lizards, someone else saw a snake, that is it for wildlife. Pack weighed in at 10kilos or around 22lbs at start.

H’ard – Lots of stretching, legs up, food as soon as I get in, and drinking drinking drinking. Shoulders are the morning challenge but using Tylenol to cut the pain a little, but it wont take it all away.  Got your message on cal loading.

Jack – Made a push today to hopefully move up 10 or so spots to mid pack, and tomorrow with all the ladders not sure how I will approach that have to go read the stage 4 description and come up with a plan.  No real blisters so far so sock and hydropel is working but as I push it I’m thinking I will start to get some, a few sore spots on my right foot.

Linda – Thanks for the emails, tell Willie and Freddie I’m doing well.

Lindsey – Thanks for the note, Stage 3 was sure a fun one, tomorrow we go to see the Shipton’s Arch and climb a series of 12 ladders but we get to drop our packs before we head up.

Nancy – Thanks!

Jennifer – Lots of fist size rocks and dry river beds.

Dani – Will keep pushing it

Helene – Running my own race, plan was to increase position at each stage as the non ultrarunners wear out.  Legs are feeling great!  Hmmm a corvette might exchange for a few stage races ;)  Can you post something on the Phi Psi FB page, thanks.  Can’t remember the date, but did you sign me up for that 100K?

Marilyn & David, Shawn –Thanks or following.

Stage 4 is setup as a hard stage, Stage 3 wasn’t a piece of cake today all uphill and have mastered my speed walking and walk run!  I think I will move up close to middle of the pack with Stage 3 numbers.  Worked to a 145 heart rate today except for lunch.  Today we are up a lot higher and we have cloud cover at camp so it will be a colder night, going to make the early morning bathroom trek a fun one!  A few drops of rain as I sit here now, uh oh!

Well need to hand this over to someone else, thanks everyone, I am staying safe…

Mike

So I moved up from 110/160 to 94/160, so I pushed it today and when the results come out at the end of the night I think I should be in the 80's, however tomorrow is supposed to be a HARD day, so lots of stretching and extra sleep tonight! 

Today was a run through the village we camped near, a rocky run across the side of a big hill, did I say LOTS of rocks, then some even bigger undulating hills, twice the size of yesterday, so I slowed down and had lunch, yummy instant mashed potatoes, we then ended up in a dry river bed mid day with the sun beating down, followed by lots of dirt road, today was ALL UPHILL. No stomach or dehydration issues, I'm really happy so far!

I haven't read the postings yet the only open pc was a write only, so for those who wrote thanks!

My first run when I get home is NOT going to be a technical rocky one!!!

Mike

I have no reason to go to Mars now because todays course simulated the martian landscape, red soil, lots of little ups and downs, followed by some great undulating larger hills, I think the Course Creator is a Sadist, we were directed across many 50ft canyons, fun runs on the downhill but I am not the best at uphill.  After we headed across an open plain with LOTS of rocks with some beautiful mountains in the background.  Then we had a winding uphill on a newly paved road, our American dollars hard at work building infrastructure in western China opening up this area to expansion.  This asphalt road is very new, miles and miles or baking road winding downhill to our final camp.  I HATE ROAD, got a little  behind on my solid food during the downhill grind but corrected it and had a good finish time today, I think I will move up bsaed on  todays performance!  I had  enough in the tank at the end to increase my pace and sprinted in to pass another competitor, so I think my legs are doing great, still managing shoulder pain but no stomach issues and nutrition is just right :). 

We are staying in a wheat field next to an irrigation system and a MAJOR aquaduct bring water from the snowcapped mountains down into this village allowing agriculture to flourish, much like the California aquaduct system.  RTP bought the wheat crop and had it chopped down early so we are stay on a wheat farm.

Tomorrow is a gradual climb followed by a steeper climb so i will have to dig deep!

Thanks for all the postings they came through today, Helene, Dad, Dave, Chris, Crista, Jennifer, Tony, Rick, Shawn! Thank you Helene for posting to FB, miss you and the girls, Love you!  I guess crashing with the photographer helped out.  I may also be in an Aussie video, hopefully I wont get edited out...

Well need to give this pc up to someone else now, the line builds up each day....will post again tomorrow.

Oh to my running friends this is an amazing and you should really think about doing one. 

Mike

Stage 1 Complete!  Due to the recent rains in the area our course was shortened a little, but overall my time was better than I planned, I came in around 1:30pm. 

Todays run began by heading out the way we came in which in general was down hill after a short climb, loved those downhills, however I need to do a better job tomorrow adjusting my pack to the terrain, it was on tight too long and a shoulder massage would be wonderful right now!  Once we left the village area we were at, it was a steady uphill climb most of the day with a cooling headwind, much of the area looked like the wild west in 1700, a dirt road, a single wire for electricity, I was waiting for the Indians to come riding in on horseback, but alas no such distraction!  The village is right in the middle of a desolate area but has water and electricity!  We are staying in a village home which is a large open room with 3 walls a roof and a rug and some curtains between areas.

We didn't get a satellite download yesterday or today so I havent seen any emails or blog comments...and I have no web access so I hope we are getting in some donations while I'm out here enjoying the beautiful scenery!

More tomorrow.....

Arrived at Camp 1 to a welcome reception from the local villagers.  The bus ride was an adventure in itself, who knew busses could four wheel drive!  Love those sharp dropoffs around tight mountain corners.  Our accomodations consist of a lovely olive green canvas military tent with a black tarp to shield our eyes from the engaging rocks.  All that said, the view is beautiful, we sit on an open plain with green foothills leading up to a tall craggly brown ridgeline. In front of our camp is a plain created by the flowing river backdropped by a sheer rock faced mountain.  The flowing river irrigates fields and brings life to this otherwise rocky valley.  Tonight we have a nice cool breeze...   Shawn and Dave thanks for the blog comments!

Mike

My training is now in full swing and will be increasing.  The past two weekends have been packed with running.  Two weekends ago a two day 40mile 20lb pack run in Joshua Tree National Park with 4 experienced Racing the Planet alumni was great training and information exchange on the little things that you learn about how to pack your bag.  I’m going to have to pick up the pace packing in the morning!  This past weekend a Saturday 3400ft 15lb pack climb up to 6600ft out and back, followed by a Sunday local 50K race, the Simi Valley Bandit Ultra.  These are leading up to a 2 day 2 moon 100miler in early March, then my final race, Leona Divide 50miler which I will do with my pack loaded…If I’m not ready after this I’m not sure how I could have been…

I am raising funds for University of Arkansas at Little Rock dental clinic supporting 400 children.  The funds are raised through Aura’s House where I am a partner and Children International.  More information can be found here.  For every dollar raised up to the first $1000 I will match it and so will my employer so we have a good head start!

I look forward to meeting the other competitors both from your blogs and as we come into Kashgar.  I will be in Beijing on June 6-7^th to see some sights and adjust to the timezone, so if you are doing the same send me an email.