Today (Friday) is a recovery day and the camp site is moaning, groaning, laughing and resting.  The medical tent was busy this morning with feet work, stomach, etc. I stumbled upon the opening of the medical tent, which was a bonus.  The whole medical staff did a terrfic job all week.   We are settled down in a farming town and it's a hot, overcast day.  We had donkeys, cows and camels all week.
 
Tomorrow (Saturday) we have 12-14k stage into a small town, followed by pizza and soda, and a 1 hr bus ride to Kashgar - our hotel rooms and our first shower in a week.  You can't imagine!  We have an awards dinner tomorrow night.
 
Retracing My Steps
 
This wee has been extraordinary on many levels.  The event has been grueling and hot.  Many have suffered one ailment or another.  My feet are doing fine, by and large.  After shaking off the significant stomach problem on Tuesday morning, the week has unfolded as I had hoped.  A struggle, but a terrific opportunity to test myself, spend a week with solid citizens from all over the world and meet China in a different way. 
 
To experience China for the first time, esp. this western city of Kashgar, has been rich.  The villagers we came across as we ran through there villages were both hospitble and somewhat bemused by this spectacle of people trudging through their dirt roads.  The Gobi Desert is both beautiful and unforgivable.  One interesting aspect of this event was the presence of the Chinese military who often set of a tent or two on the outskirts of our camp.
 
The Long Day found us going up over a couple ranges and then a slog through the floor of the desert itself at times feeling like a microwave oven, other times a convection oven.  Since Beijing time is the time for the whole country, the sun went down at around 11pm each night.  This was a help last night as I got in at 12:30am.  One line from the poet Rumi kept popping in my head yesterday:  Sometimes the road home is home.
 
The Leader Board
 
As you can see by reading the finishing times, there are many world class athletes in the field.  It's been a lot of fun being in their presence. What these athletes do what they do is hard to fathom.  American Dean Karnazes is a long-time ultra endurance runner and preceded this Gobi experience with a 700 mile run.  He offered timely enthusiasm as I shook off my stomach issues.  He's a class act.
 
The most impressive group is those who tend to come in later in the day because they have been out on the course longer with little time to recover and they have to do it all over again the next morning.  The team from Microsoft's Unlimted Potential, Orlando, Debby and William, were terrific.  These events showcase courage and tenacity before our eyes, as we watch one heroic effort after another.  All who competed reflected these virtues.
 
Thank You
 
While I have been out of contact for a week or so, both charites I was raising money for actually did - Malta House (for at risk women and children), in Norwalk, Conn., USA, raised some $15,000; and, Magis Americas (to buy computers for Jesuit elementary and secondary schools in Latin America and the Carribean), New York City, also was successful.
 
Many family and friends sent emails which were greatly appreciated more than you'll know.  Thank you.
 
The Racing The Planet founder, Mary Gadams, and race director Zac, put together a terrifc week and volunteer staff.  Thank you.
 
My tentmates were better than ever as we took on our second race together.  They made the week a lot of fun.  Robyn Metcalfe, with whom I ran the Atacama Race last year, was onboard this year as a volunteer and also cheering on  her kids, Max and Julia.  Robyn was a real support and help this week.  Both Julia and Max were outstanding.
 
Nestle Pure Life, Nestle Waters North America, Greenwich, Conn., USA
 
There is no place where water is most efficiently used than in the desert.  Running in the Gobi Desert for a week brings home in a concrete way the need for good water, good hydration and healthy living.  Nestle Waters is an excellent eco-friendly company driven by world class products and people. I am incredibly grateful for the sponsorship that made this event a reality.  I look forward to thanking the key executives when I return.
 
So often on these trips my thoughts turn to home and Wendy, who I love, miss and can't wait to see.  Her support has been pivotal.  Of course, I look forward to seeing our dog, Duke.  I can't wait to get home.
 
In gratitude for all,
 
Tom
 

The Long Day - and boy it was

 

Arrived at camp moments ago, approx. 12:30am, after the start of the long began 8:30am yeterday.  Completed the long day - a 50 mile trek through the Gobi Desert .  Feet hammered, exhausted.  I wanted to post all of you that today is successfully completed.  Tomorrow is an off day, with those still on course must be in by Noon.  My nutrition and hydration worked out well today, thank goodness.

 

I'll come back again with a more colorful report tomorrow.

 

Thanks for all.

 

Tom

 

Today was a long day in the office, but I crossed the finised line at 5:40pm, after starting at 8am.  We left camp at 9,000+feet above sea level and climbed to 10k through an extraordinary canyon having to climb some 6 ladders.  It was beautiful. Heaven's Gate is an opening in the mountain that allows us to look through it to the other horizons. 

 

The altitude was difficult to manage.  We came right back down to begin 7 ridges, up and down like mountain goats.  We descended to a rugged dry water bed that was just unrelenting on the feet.  It hardly let up.  It was a long day in the office.

 

The temperature was in the mid-90s (I believe).  I made my first visit to the med tent to have some blisters managed.

 

My hydration and electrolyte mix has been moderated and things have stabilized.  We lost one of our tent mates who was ill throughout. We'll see him at the finish line.

 

Tomorrow is the 50 mile stage and everyone is getting prepared for this stage.  This is the whole week right in this one day.  Once finished Friday is a rest day and we run into town on Saturday.

 

Odds & Ends

 

I'm not able to respond to your emails or comments on the blog the way the cyber tent is set up.  Emails are put into a spreadsheet by name and I get to review them.  Naturally, there is a timing lag between communications.  I hope that explains why I haven't sent our personal responses.

 

Tonight we are having a cultural performance at camp by local musicians.  Tomorrow we get on a bus at 6am in order to be taken to the starting line, which race begins at 8am.  In the Atacama Desert Race I got back to camp at 1:07am and this stage is supposed to be 50 miles, longer than the Atacama.  Therefore, I'll get into camp at 3am-ish - a guess.

 

I hope all is well with everyone at home.  Naturally, I'm able to think of all you each day.

 

Best,

 

Tom

 

Today's course included passing thru villages, wheat fields, mud, water, rivers, and then the last 10-12 miles was travelling thru a dry riverbead over rock and sand with the last 5 miles going uphill.  It was brutal, just brutal.  I think my time was 7:45 minutes. I travelled with tentmate, Martyn Bird, a hotshot military officer in the U.K., for the first 8-10 miles, then we got separated.