Well it is all done and dusted now and I am now back in HK and feeling a little surreal that this event ever took place.  Sorry for not blogging for the past couple of days - it has been harder to get on-line since getting off the race - goes to show how well the whole cyber tent process actually works.

Overall I finished placed better than I ever would have expected before I started finishing in 45th postion and 7th in my age category.  I had finished the first 4 days in 30th place but the injury bug cut that back.  I am exstatic about that placing.

The final 9.1km was through the streets of Kashgar and was the slowest 9km of my life but really was not worried about that.  It was a very neat experience as much of it really was run up and down narrow pathways of the old city with people going about their daily lives - many oblivious to the mad foreigners running past them with backpacks and others not know what we were doing but cheering us on anyway.

Getting off the bus at the hotel, something unexpected happened - my right knee seized up and has been swollen and painful ever since.  It was unexpected as up until that point I had no indication of a problem with it.  In hind-sight I believe that favouring shin splints on my left leg for the final 72km led to an overuse strain on my right leg.  I will get it checked out over the next few days and see what physio I need to do to get it all sorted.  For now I am limping around HK between my recovering blisters and knee but none of it will keep me back for long.

Saturday afternoon and evening seemed to be a process of non-stop eating.  Several of us went to a local restaurant at around 5pm and had a 3 hour feast of local noodles dishes and leg of lamb.  We finished just in-time to head over to the central town square where our awards banquet was held - another big food spread was had.  I am sure that we all gained back a couple of the pounds that we had lost while racing.

We had a few hours on Sunday morning before our flight to Urumqi and so Peter, Neal, and I hobbled around (Peter was not hobbling as he somehow came away with on  a few blisters) the famous Kashgar Sunday market which has been taking place as a major silk road activity for a couple thousand years.  It was a very dynamic, multicultural, and interesting experience.

Our flights then took us to Urumqi where we had to overnight followed by a 5 hour flight to Guangzhou and a 3 hour drive to HK.  It was great to get home and be welcomed by Christopher and Jericho.

Karla arrived home 30mins after me fresh from her Lasik surgery and is now feeling good.  Brayden was escorting her as her (as he calls it) "seeing eye dog" ;-)

Over the next week some of the others and I will be consolidating our pictures.  I will also spend some time reflecting on the race so that I can extract some of my thoughts, perspectives and learnings in a final blog.  

Until then, thanks to all for following my race, for the words of encouragment along the way, and for the contributions to the charities we have been supporting.
Todd

Well the camel's back is now broken.  It was an extremly painful day - one that very much became mind over body.  By km 15 my heels looked like raw bacon and I had shin splints in my left leg.  I stopped at the 20km checkpoint to get my heels some attention.  Unfortunately I was passed by alot of people while I was getting this done but I figured that I need to get it sorted or I would slow down even more than I already had.  When I left the checkpoint I was placed in the mid 80's so had alot of ground to make up eventually finished 56th.  The day was a series of partial bursts of energy but the blister and shin splint pain never let me get back to my pace of previous days.  Although the terrain was not very hilly (there were only a few ridges to go up and over), it was a brutal day of crossing endless rock plains and even more dry riverbeds full of rocks - trying to cross km after km of rocks (at least 60km worth) is really not good for either blisters or shin splints!
 
As I said, mind over body (or pain) is what kept me going and I attribute that to still finishing in just over 15hours.  The result dropped me out of the overall standings from the 30's to 46th which is still much better than I ever dreamed of coming into this race so continue to be very happy - although not sure that I will setting any speed records tomorrow ;-)
 
As I sit here typing at 12:40 pm on Friday (more than 12 hours after I finished) the drums are going off at the finish line as the final racer comes across the finish line - one of my tent mates, Ming a Dr. from Malaysia.  My hat off to him and the others who have just come in - they have amazing fortitude.
 
So lets describe today's race:  We started off with apx 6km across a barren plain and then up and over the steepest ridge in the race decending into a river bed (rocks) to the 2nd checkpoint at the 20km mark (where I got the blister attention).  The next section was a combination of barren plains (rocks) and rock based dirt roads.  Following that was another rock plain followed by some ridges down to another rock plain.  We then got the luxury of apx 2km of ashphalt road before heading into apx 20 more km barren rock plains and dry river beds.  The final 10km was on a dirt road in the dark so it was just a slow slog into the finish line.
 
I now fully understand the need for the current recovery day!  I could not imagine running the last leg today and not sure I can imagine running it tomorrow either ;-)
 
24hrs from now I will be done racing which will come as a welcome relief.  It has been an experience of a life time.  An experience that crosses all areas of emotions and physical feeling.  I feel honored to have been able to experience something that few people will ever experience physically, emotionally, and geographically.
 
I look forward to sending my next blog from Kashgar at the end of the race.  The last few kms will be a run through the old city of Kashgar which is being knocked down later this year.  Very neat and sad to see this 2000 year old area for the very last time so feel blessed to be part of this.
 
Please think of Karla today as she is having Lasik on her eyes so will be having an uncomfortable day.
 
Signing off to do some major foot repair right now.
Todd

Every night's camp has been in stunning locations and this one is no exception.
 
Well the day started out pretty slow for me.  Right out of the shoot we were climbing up a mountain pass to a gorge that leads to Heaven's Gate (google it - very neat).  My stomach was not right and my blisters were painful with each step so I was not moving very quickly.  After decending Heaven's Gate we then entered into an 8km section of going up and over several steep foothill like ridges - painful cilmbing with the blisters but I made ok time on the downhill parts.  After 3 previous days of racing the legs are a little low on gas going uphill as well and the knees are starting to feel tired.  Once we got out of the ridges, we were into a river bed going uphill - again with nothing to step on but loose gravel and baseball size rocks.  Then over another ridge and into a decending dry river bed with the same characteristics.  Not sure I ever want to see another dry river bed in my life!  From checkpoint 15 to camp was apparently 13km but if that was 13km, it was the longest 13km I have ever experienced..  Cross a river, some dry plains, some wet plains, a village, a couple more villages, a graveyard...  As I came into the finish line I was expecting that with my slow pace today I would be placed somewhere around 60th or 70th as a lot of people reached Heavens Gate before I did.  I guess I must have passed more people than I thought during the rest of the stage as to my amazement I placed 32nd today.  Really not quite sure how that happened but very pleased with the result.
 
Evidently tomorrow morning we will be getting up at 4:45am to have breakfast and break camp and then at 6:45am will be taking a two hour bus ride to the start of the 78.7km stage.  This is the longest stage so will be mentally the most challenging and with the number of blisters I now have, it will also be the most painful.  It is expected that some competitors will not finish the stage until the following day - I don't plan to be in that category but will definately be racing in the dark with my headlamp.  The following day is a rest day given the fact that some competitors will still be on the course for part of it. 
 
Thanks again for the messages your are sending - I received several today from a couple of days ago so I guess there is a time lage in when they are getting to us.  I can't wait until this is over and our communication is a little more personal but until then this is a great alternative
 
When I will blog next really depends on when I finish the next stage but it certainly won't be at the same time as today.
 
Jeircho, Brayden, Christopher and Karla I am really missing you.  Jericho I hope that you had a great time at your Grade 8 Graduation Party.  Honey, I may not be blogging before you go for your Lasik on Friday but know that I will be praying for you.
 
Till the camel"s back is broken.
Todd

It was a fun but certainly challenging day today.  The day was overcast and cooler - if you consider 30 degrees cooler.  However,it was the most challenging stage so far.  We started through an area similar in geology to the badlands of Alberta (where I lost a little time dealing with a blister problem on heal).  We then moved on to a farmland area with lots of stream, river, and mud bog crossings - yes in the desert. Needless to say we had very wet and muddy feet - when i arrived in camp my feet looked like they were stewed!  However running through those conditions were alot of fun - reminded me of running cross country in High School and I think that the great High School coaching I got gave me a technical advantage over some others who were not quite sure how to approach those conditions ;-)   We then went up a river valley - think Red Deer River going into the Drumheller area but without the water.  8km's up (continuous inclide) the riverbed walking on small gravel where every step was inefficeint with your feet sliding backward - it was very grueling but awsome scenery.  We then had  9km "unending" climb up a dirt road to camp at an elevation of 2500mtrs - apparently we now have 25% less oxygen than where I have been training at sea level in Hong Kong.
 
Overall my pace was a little slower today given the above but I am again very happy with both my time 6hrs 5mins and placing of 37th on the stage - Other than my blisters, I am very happy with the way my body is holding up.  My ankles are both stiff but feeling good and my bad knee is in good shape.  Neal and Peter set a blistering pace today. They placed in the mid teens because of some of the leaders getting lost but even without this they were tracking to be around 20th!
 
I have picked up a few more blisters today and the ones from yesterday are holding up as good as can be in a stewed condition - at least the air is very dry so they are staying reasonably dry once drained.  *Note to self and others- Bring elastikan tape for future races - however great a friend moleskin has always been, it just is not cut-out for these conditions.  Injini liner socks - the bamboo ones are great.
 
For those of you with access to the Calgary Herald, Norma Bastida, the Herald contributing reporter had a short interview with me today and is intending to have me as her feature racer in her next submission (probably in the nxt 24hrs) so please watch for it and grab me a copy.  Norma will also have the rough submission on her personal blog which is something like "Mexican Running Wild".  I will also likely be speaking on the day's video updates about the cybertent that is allowing me to write to you all.  There may also be a video out there with me singing Oh Canada as we went through a village - plug your ears!
 
At the elevation we are at the temperature is starting to drop quite quickly which I guess is why a fleece hat is on the mandatory kit list - it will be a cold sleep tonight.
 
Once again thank you for the great e-mails and blogs - there appears to be a delay in the uploads of my blog submissions and some of your comments so just keep checking as we write our blogs offline and the downloads only happen once a day.
 
Til tomorrow's blog here's praying that for my blisters.
 
Love to Karla and the boys.
Todd

Last night's camp was in another small village and the locals came out to entertain us again.  If you check on the Racing the Planet, apparently some video and photos have been uploaded.  You may even catch a glimpse of me dancing with some local children - what a neat experience - loved it. There may also be video of Peter Symonds and I each crossing the finish line on the first day.
 
I am also going to be interviwed on video later today which will likely uploaded to the website as well so watch for that.  I it so neat that we are in the middle of the desert and technology is allowing us to communicate.
 
Today's stage was 41.1km through some varying terrain including many ups and downs in a mars like red rock area, a dry river bed, 10+km crossing a rock field (very challenging as no where to step except in millions of base ball size rocks or dry thistle plants), a climb up to a ridge followed by a decent through a narrow sandstone canyon where it felt like we were in a furnace (it gets so hot in that canyon that there were actually naturally formed chunks of glass).  I am not sure what the temperature was in the canyon but definately in the 40's - right now at 6:10pm it is 36.9 degrees inside our tent so not easy to get some rest.  It was definately a hotter day with many more hills than the first day.
 
Physically it was a more challenging day today.  My legs felt like lead weights for the fist 10km and my pack felt like it had increased in weight even though I had reduced weight through food consumption.  Overall the day was a success to a level I never would have expected. I had a slightly slower pace but still finished the stage 35th in 6 hours 6mins.  It is hard to believe that I finished over 3 hours ago and there are still racers coming in - I can hear the finish line drum pounding welcoming them into camp.  I can't imagine being out in that heat for that long.  I guess I will get to experience in first hand on the 78.7km stage 5!
 
My friends Neal and Peter both had a great day finishing 30th and 32nd respectively.  They had a faster pace than me for the whole stage so I raced by myself all day which added to the mental challenge.  I had a few short conversations with other competitors as one of us passed the other which had a neat dynamic to the event - there are over countries represented so the mix of people to meat is great and interacting with them in camp has been fun.  I have gotten to know a great guy from Toronto who is doing this kind of race for the first time and finshed 12th today as well as a top finish yesterday.  Overall, we Canadians are doing pretty well.
 
I didn't come away scott free from injury today.  My baby toe blister has now taken over 80% of my toe and I have a thread through it to act as a wick to continuously drain the fluid - never heard of that one before but the Dr's here are pretty impressive including 3 military Dr's and a current flight surgeon for NASA to am inclined to trust there methods ;-),  I have also had wholes drilled in two toe nails for blisters under them, and have a small blister forming under another toe.  There would be very few in the race who don't have blister at this stage - the environment is just so unforgiving.
 
I have been emotionally overwhelmed by the blogs comments and e-mails that I have received.  The encouragement is greatly appreciated so thanks for sending them and keep sending them - they are such a welcome sight when I finish each stage. 
 
Karla, Jericho, Christopher, and Brayden, I really miss you.  I can't wait for 2019.  It is the year that Neal's on Luke, Peter's son Dylan, and Chrisopher all hit 18 and be eligible to participate in the race and Jericho and Brayden will already be eligble so Neal, Peter and I have planned that all of our families will have a Gobi Race reunion with all of our kids and hopefully our wives participating ;-)  We'll have to see how receptive Karla, Kim, and Suhui are to our grand plan!
 
Til Tomorrow, Best Wishes and Love to All,
Todd 

What a great first day of Racing.  Inceadible scenery, met some geat people from all over the world, and did better than I have ever would have expected!
 
Saturday check-in and equipment check went well.  I didn't quite get down to the 8kg pack weight I was looking for but did get down to 8.5kg.  I did have one of the lighter packs and learnt a few tips to reduce weight further next time.  After the check we were bused 3 hours into the desert to small Ugyur village and what a reception we got.  The whole village came out to greet us and put on a two hour long opening ceremony performance.  The race is a big event for this part of China with several officials flying in for the opening.
 
We got to bed in the group tents at around 11:30pm but morning came quickly.  It was a two hour process of getting kit ready, filling up on calories, and having a course briefing.  The medical team, volunteers, and oganizers have all been great - a very challenging event for them to coordinate.
 
Originally the first stage was planned to be 38km but it was changed and it ended up being 42.5km.  I had in my mind that if i could complete the 38km course in 6 hours i would be doing very well so to finish 42.5km in 6hours 3mins and to place 36th on the stage was much faster and a much higher placing than I ever could have imagined.  I survived the day with only one minor injury - a small blister on the end of my baby toe so faired well and am feeling very good physically right now.  Lets hope I can keep that up ;-)  Peter was a great race mate today.  We have always run at a simlar speed and today was no exception we ran almost the whole day together and Peter finished just a couple of placings behind me. 
 
Tomorrow is a 41km stage with a few more up and down some mountain ridges including what are evidently some spectacular red rock areas.
 
For those of you in Calgary, there is a Calgary based ultrarunner here who writes for the Herald.  She is submitting daily articles to the Herald from the race so please watch out for these.  There was probably an article already yesterday.  I would appreciate it if someone can save the articles for me.
 
Overall this has been a great experience across some stunning and some baren landscapes - I can't wait to see what tomorrow holds!
 
Thanks to all for the support and lots of Love to my family - I miss you all.  Brayden - thanks for your great words of encouragement about how well I would do on the first day.  Christopher thanks fro training with me in your Crocks.  Jericho I hope that you had a great time at your athletics competition in Bangkok - wish i could have been there with you.  Karla I love you and miss you.  Next time your should join the medical support team ;-)
 
Til Tomorrow, I hope that you all have a great day - I certainly have.
 
P.S. The blogs get uploaded at around 11pm HK time each night
 

We finally made it to Kashgar. It was a long day flying from Guangzhou to Urumqi and then having our connecting flight delayed by 7 hours. Although it meant getting to Kashgar late, it meant that we had a chance to do some exploring in a city none of us had ever been to before. We had a great feast of Muslim noodles in Urumqi and then when we got to Kashgar were able to find something similar at about midnight. Peter and I have just spent the last few hours shift our various powders (Perpetuem, GU20, and Recoverite into little single serve ziplock baggies and labeling them all so that we have complete sight of what we need to be consuming when over the next few days. Flying into Urumqi was great as we were able to see the wide range of terrain that we will be crossing. There was an exciting announcement from the event organizers this evening. The government is preparing to knock down the Kashgar old city (1200 yrs old) later this year for what they are explaining as earthquake risk reasons. What the organizers announced today is that the final stage of the race will include us running into Kashgar and through the labrynth of roads and alley ways of the old city. What a fantastic opportunity to experience something that is so old and yet will not exist in a few months time. Saturday starts off with a blister care workshop led by the medical team (one of who is a current flight surgeon with NASA), followed by the mandatory kit check and calorie count and then it is apx 3 hour bus ride out into the desert to the start line where we will sleep in the group tents and then start racing Sunday am. Some first impressions of Kashgar: -the people are a real melting pot with many looking like they are more closely related to the people from stans rather than China. -Kashgar being an Oasis on the cross roads is surrounded by vineyards and greener which is itself surrounded by desert. You can stand one foot in the desert and one foot in a vineyard - that is how dramatic the contrast is. -because China is all on one time zone yet there are several thousands km's between Kashgar in the west and the east coast of China, the sun sets very late here. I want to take this opportunity to thank Karla for the great support that she has been to me over the past several months as I have prepared for this race. There have been many hours on the trails of HK away from Karla and the our boys, Jericho, Brayden and Christopher. They have all been nothing but huge encouragers to me and i will really miss them over the next week. Thank you also to all of you who have expressed wishes through this blog, e-mail, and facebook. It is very likely that my next blog will be from camp so i sign-off with a high level of anticipation and excitement. I look forward to hearing from all of you. Todd

So we are only a few hours away from our departure from Hong Kong .  Peter Symonds, Neal Gemassmer, Wes Barnes and I are driving up to Guangzhou tonight and then catching our flight to Urumqi in the morning.  Unfortunately our connection in Urumqi to Kashgar seems to have been delayed and we will now enjoy a 7 hour lay over in the Urumqi airport!  So it looks like the adventure starts long before we get to the Gobi ;-)

The long range weather forecast for the race is looking good ranging from lows of 22 to highs of 36 (nothing in the 40s forecasted so far that is good) with chance of some thunder showers - thought we were going to a desert!

I have managed to get my pack down to the 8.5kg range (somehow Neal has managed 8kg so will be looking for some last pointers from him).  It is a very fine balance between ensuring you have enough calories in your pack vs the weight of the pack.  If the weight is too heavy because of food then it is a  because you

We really want to thank everyone that has contributed to our charities in , Room to Read Cambodia, and Cambodia Children's Surgical Centre.  We are confident that we will achive our goal of raising US $25,000 for them.

Next Blog will be from Kashar or Urumqi.
Todd

Well I spent a good part of the weekend. Packing, weighing, calorie counting, re-packing re-weighing.... and so far I can only seem to get down to 9kg even with cutting out almost all luxuries. Pretty much getting down to the mandatory kit list.  I have no idea how those guys in Namibia got down to the 6kg range! 

The great thing is that I am getting everything into my 24ltr GoLite pack.

A couple of points that I have found useful:
-Adding whey protein powder to oatmeal turns out to be quite a tasty, compact and reasonable calorie breakfast.  Can't remember whose blog I read it on but I know that the original idea came from Rob James.

Yikes in only two weeks this morning we will be starting the trek from Hong Kong to Kashgar.  The trip just to get us to the starting line will be a an adventure in itself as we drive up to Guangzhou to catch a flight to Urumqi and then another flight on to Kashgar.

Training has gone well but I never seem to get quite as many hours in each week as I plan.  Last weekend was a fun weekend to train with torential rain meaning 32km of training in mud, rain, and puddles - felt like I was a little kid again!

I have started to spreadsheet my race menu.  It is a good exercise as it is forcing me to think in complete detail about how I am going to sustain myself and is allowing me to identify a few gaps that I had not fully thought through yet.

This will be the last weekend of full on training before I start to taper.  Peter Symonds and I have a couple of good sessions planned.

If any of you have not spent time going through Rob James recent and archived blogs, I highly suggest that you do.  Rob is a wealth of information having had top finishes in the Atacama, Gobi, and Sahara races.