It is with mixed emotions that i'm writing  this blog.

Huge elation that i've finished another desert ultra, having pushed myself mentally and physically over some of the harshest terrain in the Gobi, and met some amazing people.  From the front runners to the back, the commaraderie was incredible around camp and out on the course.

Deep sadness that Nick, a fellow competitor, died on Saturday. He collapsed during the last stage of day 4, in the slot canyons.  The docs tried everything they could and he was taken to hospital in Urumqi, but unfortunately he paid the ultimate sacrifice.  We all enter these events knowing that there is an element of danger but never expect it to end like this.  My thoughts and prayers are with Nick's family and friends.

A huge thank you to my tent mates, all the doctors, volunteers and to everyone i hobbled a stage with - i wouldn't have finished without you. Don't forget, what's said in the desert, stays in the desert!

Thank you to everyone at home for all the emails and comments - a huge morale boost during the week, and also for your very generous donations to Macmillan Cancer Support.  The total raised is just under #22,000, which is fantastic.

I'm now going to have a couple of weeks off and have my knees scanned before the trainers go back on.

My fellow Grand Slammers, see you in Cairo in just over 12 weeks time!!

(i'll put photos up on my website when i'm back home www.4desertchallenge.com)

Wow that was epic and as i'm writing this (5pm on Friday) there are still 10 people out on the course......33 hours later! As we were all trying to eat as much breakfast yesterday morning as possible, at about 4.45am, we were told the race start had been delayed by a couple of hours to 8am.  Morale was rather low anyway, as there had been quite a few people taken very ill out on the course on Wednesday afternoon, so the delay didn't help.
 
The first couple of stages went well  - muggy, warm but luckily with clouds in the sky.  By the time we hit the 55km marker, the full heat of the Gobi was out. We had the option of stopping and sleeping at the 7th checkpoint, but i just spent 15 mins there, had a bite to eat and kicked on. The last 7km of the course were rolling sanddunes, which were brutal, especially with both knees strapped. Thanks to a combination of painkillers and the ipod (ACDC, Supertramp & The Killers were needed) i  crossed the finishing line in 72nd place, out of 164. My knees are killing me but otherwise i'm feeling good.
 
Tomorrow we have the final 22km stage to the finishing line, before a much needed bath and a VERY large V&T@
 
Thank you very much for all your emails, hugely appreciated.

Today was hell!

 

We were woken up at 2.45 this morning so that we had time to eat breakfast (usually at that time of the morning I'm in VQ!) before leaving for a 90 mins bus ride to the start of todays stage, which started at 6am ......beside a vineyard.....talk about temptation!! The first section was pretty average, along a track and river bed.  The next couple of sections were brutal. Endless sand dunes followed by a never ending canyon.  Just to make things worse, it was up to about 45c today.  Luckily I was with James and Hugh for most of it, all of us nursing injuries, and we kept each other going.  If I hadn't been with them, I think that I would still be up on top of one of the sand dunes having a 'moment' now!l

 

Camp tonight is in an old Budhist temple at the foot of the Flaming Mountains, which is stunning.

 

Luckily I'm typing this with my sense of humour still intact (only just though) as we have the BIG one tomorrow......98km in one go.  Slightly dreading it as we are heading down into the Turpan Basin which is known locally as the oven, AGH!

 

Thank you very much for all your messages and Wimbledon updates.....who's in the Semi's?  I'm afraid that I won't be updating this again until Friday morning as tomorrow evening I imagine I will still be crawling in the desert.

 

Ma, Moo & V - the sunsets are belly rubbingly good!  Roll on the Sanctuary xx

 

Clare - my tan lines for your wedding are going to be something else!

Sorry about yesterdays blog, i was rather tired and hadn't taken my pain killers!
 
After sups last night, Jennifer and Sevan, who are following all the races this year and making the 'Desert Runners' movie,  did a photo shoot with a couple of us who are going for the Grand Slam this year. It was hysterical, we were all trying not to laugh while pretending to look serious!!  Can't wait to see the photos.
 
Today was very painful, and there were a couple of moments had!  We had 6 river crossings in the first 10km.....combined with ankle crunching rocks.  The next stage lulled you into a false sense of security before the final killer stage.  Endless hills which were hideous with the strapped up knees. i spent most of the day with Ben (my twin) and James (another brit).  Between us we would have won a 4 legged race, but we were all in pain, so had our heads down and hobbled on!
 
Tonights camp is in Peach Village.  We are all sleeping on 'day beds' scattered around the little village.  I dread to think what the locals think of us......they bow to say hello but when we have a rucksack on our back, it is rather difficult to bow back elegantly!
 
As i'm writing this (4.30pm) it is baking hot and there are still people out on the course.  Tomorrows stage is about 38km and is starting at 6am.  It is rated difficult in the course notes, so fingers crossed they haven't underplayed it once again.
 
Thank you for all the emails and blog comments, a huge boost at the end of a long and tiring day.  Loving the weekend antics, very jealous.....roll on that HUGE vodka and tonic on Saturday night.
 
i'm in pain but still no tears!!

We woke up in camp this morning to hear that we had been thrashed by the Germans 4-1.  I'm not even a football fan and I'm still disappointed!! Luckily there are no German competitors out here otherwise they would have had a field day.
 
The first 15km today was tough, but luckily I did most of it with Bert (who was in the Atacama).  Up and down hills constantly and I have to confess that my knees didn't feel too good.  During the hills on the last stage yesterday, I think that I used my right knee too much (trying to compensate for my bad left knee) and I was feeling them both this morning.  At check point 1, I strapped both knees up, plugged the ipod in, and marched the next couple of stages. Luckily, where we are is incredible, absolutely stunning, which helps take the pain away!  The promised heat wave luckily hasn't arrived yet (rumour has it that its on its way!) and it was only about 35c today.
 
On the good side, I'm 14th out of the ladies, which is better than normal.....lets hope the pain killers work tomorrow.
 
Once again, thank you for the messages.  Please could someone send some Wimbledon updates.  Until tomorrow...
 

Camp 1 last night was stunning.  We were set amongst trees at the base of some snow covered mountains, and everyone was just getting ready to start at 9am this morning. The usual nerves, but there is a fantastic crew out here.  A mixture of old faces from Sahara 08 and Atacama this year, as well as lots of newbies. We had the usual medical briefing (we are only allowed 2 IV drips and then we are pulled from the race) and course briefing.........as always, it slightly understated the hills at the end of the course!
 
The first two stages went well and I managed to get to check point 2 in good time.  The next stage of 15km was a different story....very knee unfriendly!  We had a climb of 300m at a 70 degree angle...brutal. Some of the climbs down I rather wished I was on skis, or at least had something stronger to take than a couple of jelly babies and a gulp of warm water!
 
I spent the last 5km with 3 british guys and we crossed the finishing line together. We are all out here for different reasons.  Steve and Sam are just seeing how far they can push themselves. Tremaine and I are trying to complete the 4 Desert Grand Slam. He is doing it in memory of his wife and I'm here for Daddy.
 
Once again, I have a very cool tent - lots of banter and giggles which is key out here. Joe is lying 4th which is incredible.  Then it was Sam F, Lucy T and I and the others should be back very soon.  There is a couple in my tent on their honeymoon.........................?!?! Good on them, but I think I'd rather lie on a beach.
 
Thank you once again for all your messages, I'm loving the jokes, banter and abuse.  Please do keep them coming, this is going to be a long week.
 
(Ma, the sunglasses are fantastic, thank you very much xx)
 

Well, this is it. I'm all packed and ready to head out into the desert and the nerves have definitely kicked in. The usual 'why am i doing this' springs to mind......! We have all the medical and kit checks later before a 3 hour drive out to Gaoyachun (no idea how you pronounce that?!) in the Turpan Basin and camp site 1. Hopefully my pack will be about 8kg plus water. After torrential rain here yesterday, the sun is now firmly out and I imagine will remain with us all week. The Turpan Basin is known as 'the Oven' locally........AGH! Thank you for all your birthday messages. Last year i was watching The Killers live in Hyde Park and this year I'm clad in lycra in the middle of the desert........something has gone drastically wrong! At least there are 2 other competitors in the same boat - Ben T and Amanda C, so we will have to raise a bottle of water around the campfire tonight! I'll try and update this every evening and please do send lots of emails if possible, it really boosts morale. Next stop desert!

Having made it safely to Beijing, my flight to Urumqi has just been cancelled due to the weather,  which doesn't bode well for the next week! After a rather heated conversation, i'm on the first flight out tomorrow morning, all fingers crossed.

Off now to explore Beijing and meet up with a couple of the Atacama guys who are out here.

Thank you for all the good luck messages, roll on the finishing line on the 3rd!

I can't quite believe that this time next week i'll be en route to the first camp site in the middle of the Gobi desert! The last couple of weeks have been rather stressful, thanks to the Chinese Embassy in London refusing most of us our visas on the basis that we are heading to Urumqi. It might have something to do with the fact that the race is taking place over the first anniversary of the civil unrest there last year! I finally managed to get my visa on Tuesday after a mad dash to the Chinese Consulate in Edinburgh. I'm sure it will all be worth it...... All my kit is spread out everywhere but will be all packed and ready to go by the time i fly on Wednesday night! Until Urumqi.........the nerves have definitely started to kick in now.

Having had two weeks of much needed rest after the Atacama, i deceided yesterday that the gym sessions should start again.  It was rather a shock to the system but i'm sure that it'll start getting easier?!

I had my knee scanned last week and luckily i've only strained my LCL which isn't as bad as we thought out in Chile.  I'll have to make sure that i do lots of strengthening work to ensure its ready for the Gobi in 12 weeks time - agh!!

Looking forward to seeing you all out there.