THANK YOU all for the messages, quite emotional reading them all.

Guys i did it, Stage 4 and 5 complete. It was so hard I didnt have a clue what i was getting myself into. Stage 4 started with climbing Heavens Gate which was really high, only good thing we got to take the pack off for the climb. Then it was a day of technical climbing which is so not my forte. I spent the whole day with James, and Tristan and Colin, it was team work all the way. We eventually finished until 9pm.

Stage 5 and 76k ... tired legs and shoulders but it was mostly flat (I only fell down one mountain edge and hinged myself on thorn bush :) ) so despite the knees and blisters we just plodded on .... after 7 checkpoints (i will have nightmares about pink flags and checkpoints) we eventually made it to camp at 330am.

I wont go on you probably know more about the race than me if youve read the updates ... I cant wait to read them myself when I get home, and see the photos, unfortunately ive hardly taken any photos, focusing on moving and placing my feet in the right place was as much as I could do!

Sorry I dont have time to respond to all messages, i look forward to catching up with everyone when I get home.

Pip as always youre a star keeping me updated xx

Today we are chilling in the camp before the final 15 k tomorrow, I will be so happy to take that medal :) We are starving today ... no food other than energy bars and freeze dried and I think I am done with eating either. During the race I kept thinking about the swimming pool, white wine, fruit - it is incredibly dry and dirty out here ! Dad I think a bbq may be in order for Monday evening. The camp here is beautiful ... I am looking forward to resting and catching up with my fellow competitors, 7 out 10 in our tent completed.

For a more descriptive blog about the course read James update!

I have said I am never ever doing this again, and I wont, everyone here says Yeah yeah give a couple of weeks youll change your mind, I am looking forward to proving them wrong!

love to all ... cant wait to catch up .. xxxx

Hi Guys

Stage 3 – COMPLETED.

Strange day, it was tough, rocky canyons up and down and up and down and guess what, as you reach the top you see the next down ! urghhh … then up hill to 2500m, so the altitude took my breath and made us feel queasy. Finally we made it into camp with 45 mins to spare from the cut off time. Phew.

Lots of stretching and recovery drinks and feel ok. A marathon a day is one thing but climbing up and down over and over is something else – my training wasn’t for this.

Got back to camp and found out a couple of people dropped out on the course and were picked.. leaves a sad feeling .. another couple also dropped out due to injury.

More good news is that the course director called me aside to say she remembered I mentioned at the drinks in Singapore suffering from vertigo and she wanted to let me know tomorrow there is 20k up and down canyons and we walk across the tops which are only a foot width apart, if you take wrong step you will hurt yourself, yippee. And we climb Heavens Gate which should be amazing, if I can make it there.

At the moment I am thinking if I complete tomorrow and get to stage 5 I should get that medal.. unless something unexpected happens, if I get to the 80k ill finish it somehow. Then the 15k on Saturday is merely a hop skip and a jump! Fingers crossed guys.

Ciara - I am going to save it and show you as I think that will be more enjoyable, for me.

Dad - no internet connection here so the messages get put on an excel spreadsheet and driven here, apologies for the delay and panic. Glad all is ok.

Michael – today as I was plodding along I thought “I’m not writing today, all I have to say is ouch” but after the recoverite things start to feel doable again. You mentioned each day being icing on cake, I feel its thinly iced so far, I want to covered with icing though and get that medal.

Pip – the body is hurting more, but you are right in a strange way I am getting used to it. Xx

Mum – glad you celebrated, next time I see you lets celebrate again and hopefully also me finishing this race.

Sam – ive got compeed Mummy! You always have good advice, its normally ‘drink water’ on a fuzzy day ;)

Jon – the jokes ran out today, so much so we reverted to ‘eye spy’ .. hill .. mountain… canyon .. sand .. hill .. mountain .. canyon.. you get it .. you’ve given me an idea of entertainment for tomorrow.. ill tell the jokes! They will be good ;0

Gerry – touch wood the blisters from Stage 1 havent got any worse, they are taped and behaving .. the knee warms up and then just squeals if I land on it hard, medication and walking poles help.

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE MESSAGES .. I really appreciate them, responses are in order of messages rec’d.

Hope to write tomorrow having completed the dreaded Stage 4.

xx

Hi, stage2 complete. Felt much better than yesterday out on the track but crashed when I got in.  knee not so good, painkillers will get me through tomorrow then stage 4 is really tough so ill contemplate that this time tomorrow. Yesterday I think we drank too much water and it made me feel really strange .. today ok though.

The 39 k today was split into 4 stages, stage 1 was good, stage 2 was tough up and down and up and down, I took a few down hills on my bottom, stage 3 was through a long flat plain which looked like Mars, then stage 4 long down a road, which my knee only permitted me to get down backwards, good I love in Singapore and have seen this done before. Then we came down past a village on into camp, so nice to get here, it was hot, someone said 38 but the wind hides it.

I didn’t get a message from Dad or Pip .. id love to hear the boys and Dad are ok if someone can update me.. please do I need to get sleep out here.

Ciara would you like to know the toenail situation .. if so ill let you know tomorrow ;0

The homestay wasn’t as peaceful as expected, I think the 4 of us ended up in a room we shouldn’t haven’t been in and the villagers kept coming in the room. Im happy to be back in tent tonight, who would imagine I would ever say that.

My chanel no 5 body powder is my savior .. no shower out here.

Hi to everyone and thank you for the messages. Dad PLEASE message me ..

Finally I have had to rethink the idea of the boys doing this with me next time, maybe this is my turn and next is theirs, ill be a volunteer and make sure they are ok.

As I said yesterday no exclamation marks here – so to provide the emotion im good

Hope to write tomorrow after completing stage 3.

Hayley xx

Hello,

Stage 1- complete.. WHOOP

Pretty amazing day ill try and summarise quickly as there are a lot of people waiting to write.

We got up at 6am and it was freezing .. that was after a night in a tent with 8 men and 1 one lovely lady called Wendy. Despite some of the blokes being rather noisy I got some sleep and set off on stage 1. Started off go through a village where we made a pact to wave and smile at all villagers, it is amazing what a smile can do their faces brightened up .. I even got my photo taken with granddad.

Then we went on to see some amazing scenery through the mountains and round a reservoir followed by a water crossing, or 2, and then a long walk into the finish line. As you will see if you have read the stage updates we are sleeping in a village tonight, id been a bit weary however there is a lot of space and the villagers are friendly. Oh guess what’s in the bathroom … I promise not mention the bathroom again … but a COW .. yep mooo mooo.

That’s the fun part, on the flip side it was tougher than expected, I am glad james and I are doing it together, it would be even harder alone. The terrain was rocky and hard on the feet and ankles. It is hot. My bag is heavy. I’ve probably spent more time than anyone else in the medical tent since we got back, doesn’t bode well .. nothing serious, re-taped by right knee, me and the right leg still aren’t on speaking terms, and 3 blisters to burst and tape – I never get blisters … well I do here.

I thought of loads of things to write while walking and forgot it all now.

There are minimal punctuation keys on the keyboard so apologies for blend grammer.

Mum –HAPPY BIRTHDAY, hope you’re having some bubbles with the girls, I’m sure Dad will celebrate with you when he gets home.

Pip – thank you for the messages, keep them up, love bella xx

Dad keep me posted all is ok back at the ranch.

Ciara – the tigers eyes are travelling well, and ipod came out today.

Gerry – did you curse me mentioning ‘foot care’ .. hee hee only joking.

Last but most special, Theo, Sebastian and Henry.. Mummy is thinking of you always, Sebastian and Henry, if I do this again it will be with you, Theo you will be there also of course, always in our hearts xxxx

Bye guys, hopefully I can write tomorrow having completed stage 4 and will be able to read messages.

Hayley xx

No message have made it to camp today so if you have responded to yesterdays blog thank you and ill ready it as soon as I can, hopefully tomorrow.

Hi Everyone!

Thank you for the messages so far they were great to read when we eventually arrived at camp.

Its been so much fun already and the drive to camp was beautiful. The breif says day 1 and day 2 are easy / moderate and after that it gets more difficult. Everyone in my tent apart from 1 are first timers so I dont feel alone :)

Dad, big love, hope you and the boys enjoy some QT this week, remind them next time they are coming with me, this is just the recce!

I better go queue here for the laptop ...

Hope to write tomorrow having successfully completed Stage 1, woo hoo.

Oh and my pack is 11kg before water, might have to trim it down ..

lots of love xx