Just a quick update. Must be short as we are on time alotments for using the computer. Was fortunate to be one of 9 to finish the long Stage 5 yesterday. 8 legs on the day and 75km. 4 hrs of steady climbing before a 1 hour vertical climb to CP 4 and the half-point. Caught in an ice storm half-way up to the summit. By the time I removed my pack and put on my wind jacket, my hands had frozen. It took ~15-20 minutes to get my pack rebuckled and move on. Almost pulled myself for hypothermia, but pressed on passed the summit. Bone crushing downhill for ~1.5 hrs, but made up some lost time. 2 legs remained. Brutal climb out of an incredibly beautiful alpine valley for the second summit of the day. Very cold conditions, but manageable. Too cold to eat or drink much for 2^nd half of the stage and developed a sour stomach at the 50km mark. Summited to CP 7 and cruised the straight downhill 8.5km that remained to cross the finish line. Thankful to have made it. Because of the brutal conditions and the hazard to health, the directors shut the course down and removed the remaining competitors from the mountain. I was shipped from the finish line to a yurt village at the base of the valley lake. Took several hours to feel human again and to warm up. Feeling fair today. Trying to stay loose for tomorrow’s burst.

One short stage to go in the morning, then hot food and a shower...and case of wine or three. I’m overwhelmed to have been fortunate enough to be one of the few that have made it this far. There has been some disappointment, but it’s a learning process and my inexperience in alpine racing cost me. Still, I’m proud to have raced with so many strong and experienced runners, runners who are far better than I will ever be, and to learn from them. Took a few spills and the camera gave up the ghost, but I will hopefully soon post some good photos.

Thanks again for all the support and messages! See everyone soon!

Felt good but quite sore at the start of the day, having had some wicked cramping over Stage 2. When the muscle stays in contracture as long as it did, I knew this would be an issue. However, after a km or 2 everything smoothed out and it was business as usual. We started under very cool and windy conditions, which made for a very pleasant warm-up. There are many race strategies playing out towards the front of the pack, but I know my body and I knew that today would be the day that weeds out many competitors. My goal for today was simply to push within my limits and pay no attention to the others around me. Each runner excels at different aspects of racing: some good at road stretches, others proficient at uphill climbs, and still others can charge far harder than I on the downhills. To try and stay alongside someone else is silly. The race is long enough to even everyone out in the end.

Stage 3 was just under 40km and over another 4 legs. The first section featured some very steep but short climbs as we ascended out of the valley we had camped in the previous night. This was run mostly through pasture, so is took an effort to avoid the yard bombs that had been left by the local farm-life. The climbs were such that they required speed hiking, which I’ve realized is not a forte of mine. Leg 2 was completely douche-grade dirt/rock  Jeep track, by that I mean the terrain is at a constant climb that is not steep enough to walk, but leaves you shattered after climbing for hours. As point of fact, the entire race thus far has been a steady climb with almost no descent. Brutal.

Leg 3 was the killer for today, and I knew that going into it, so I made sure to have something left in the tank for it. After leaving CP 2, we ascended into high alpine forest. Crossing several questionably constructed suspension bridges and a few sections of vertical stairs, we arrived at possibly the most brutal climb I’ve ever been presented. I don’t know the elevation gain over distance, but the grade required scrambling on hands and feet for around an hour to reach the peak. Not training in this sort of terrain is a major disadvantage for me. I overtook the 2^nd position, but then gave back 3 spots on the climb. ¾’s of the way up I snagged a random shard of wood to act as a support pole. This was a particularly beautiful section of the course, despite its difficulty. A really amazing alpine gorge with evergreens, snow-capped peaks, rushing whitewater. Pretty awesome stuff. It felt quite good to reach the top…but what goes up must come down. The descent was possibly more brutal on the legs than the ascent. After around 6km of hairpin chicaning down the slope, I reached the CP 3 and could spot the finish line laying across the wide outstretched valley.

The final stretch to camp was deceptive. It’s virtually impossible to judge distance over huge flat expanses. I knew it was somewhere in the 7km range, so I gave myself 30 minutes to put my head down and get the day behind me. After crossing countless rock culverts and being scratched by the local poisonous ferns, I rolled through the day’s finish feeling quite good. I was very pleased with today. I did not give-up much overall time, though I drop in position. However, the race is only half over and there is a lot of work left to do. I’m hoping that holding back a bit today will allow me to press harder tomorrow. The trick is knowing how much to reserve and when to spend it.

Tomorrow should be a bit longer than today, but not as technically difficult. The pack is lighter and I’m hoping to move even easier as we close in on the long day to come on Thursday. Thanks for all the messages!! They keep me going. Sending much love to everyone from The Gobi. Hoping to continue to improve and press hard towards the final finish line.

Stage 2 began under cloudy and rather cool conditions. Having climbed to a much higher elevation over Stage 1, I felt some slight effect of the altitude and the air was notably drier. I’d gotten a good night’s sleep and was feeling ready to get started. Course briefing today was quite special, as I received my bright yellow “LEADER” bib along with Stefano. It was quite an honor and surely one of the highlights of any RTP race for me. Just to be able to wear the bib was a great feeling!

The stages 4 legs were rated as moderate, easy, easy, easy….but it was far from that. The entirety of the stage was a steady uphill climb which absolutely murdered the legs. Shooting off the line with the others, 4-5 of us pressed hard over the first leg to gain separation and test each other. Leg 1 was run over “Gobi terrain”, dirt plains with small patches of grass and strewn with golf ball to grapefruit-sized rock. I was pressing harder than I would have liked early in a stage, but felt I did not need to let off the gas, as this would be a fast stage.

Stefano and I arrived at CP 2 within seconds of each other and agreed to press together. However, 15 or so minutes into the leg I started to have fairly violent leg cramping, due to my lack of water intake. The weather was deceptive, feeling cooler than it actually was and with the added UV at elevation. I made the decision to pull back and let Stefano continue on, as I felt that to push too hard would mean catastrophe for the stage and could possibly ruin me for the remainder of the week.

With him in sight, I plodded along the dirt Jeep track towards CP 3 and arrived 1 minute 30 seconds behind. Increasing cramping, tiredness and more incline culminated in my decision to strategically walk the steeper bits. My legs were almost completely seized-up at this point, maybe the most I’ve ever experienced. However, I could see no other runners in the distance behind me, so I felt it wise to conserve as much as I could, having already relinquished the first position.

The final leg was a brutal and relentless gradual climb along the dirt track. I had lost view of Stefano at this point, but no matter, at least I was moving forward. Many locals came out along the course to see me and the others…I can only guess at what level of stupidity they must think we are all at. It is very interesting though. Since the Xinjiang province is almost completely closed to foreigners, this is the first time that many residents of the area have ever seen a Westerner in person. They look at us very curiously, as we probably look rather odd to them with our long noses! Prior to setting-out from Bole, I was stopped 20-30 times for pictures with the locals. I was especially popular with the female under 12 group, apparently. My one moment of celebrity.

I was fortunate to roll into Camp 3 in the second position, having given roughly 11 minutes up to the leader. The highlight of finishing was the ice-cold bath I was able to take in the high alpine river that flows next to the camp. Absolutely freezing, but great for recovery. I learned that trick from my good friend Anne-Marie (who is very much missed on this race!!). But don’t worry AM, you are with us in spirit since our tent is named after you!! Hahahaha!! Tomorrow will be a very difficult day I think, not just because of the physical troubles I had today, but also because tomorrow will most likely be the toughest of the first 4 stages. The legs are rated as difficult, moderate, very difficult, and easy. We’ll soon see. Today is done, now I will focus on recovery. I’ll deal with Stage 3 tomorrow!

I’ve only received a few messages because of the delay and the time difference, but thank you all for sending the words of encouragement and the many prayers I know you are offering up for me. I need all of them!!