While I realise that that is tempting fate as we still have 10 kilomters to go, it does generally feel like the end of the race around Camp - it is nearly 11pm and it does not resemble a ghost town.  By this time I have normally been in bed for more than three hours and had three toilet visits.  However this time last night was not quite like that unfortunately, I was walking through the end of the salt flats towards the overnight checkpoint where I wolfed down beef stroganoff and noodles (freeze dried food has never tasted so good) and then had an hour or so snooze before getting through the last 20 ish kilometers before the real heat of the day.  This 20 kilometers included five and half of dunes.  Many of you already know, as the results have been posted, but I did get through them and have conquered the Long March and thank goodness I did as half of my messages say congratulations despite not having seen that I did actually complete it.  Sadistically I think I quite enjoyed the sand dunes - although this might have something to do with my sooper dooper poles (still love 'em although have offered to someone in more need than myself for tomorrow) or the Panadol / Gu / Clif Shot (all loaded with Caffeine) mix ... or maybe it was my great walking partners who I spent nearly the entire day with - Colin from Cornwall and Mike with the unmissable bright yellow t-shirt.  It was a great combination and we did it!  Oh and did I mention that my feet are nearly as pretty as when they started (which is not very but beats those surrounding me).  Hats off to everyone who made it, started it or simply started the event.  There were some tough people on the course who really showed strength of character as well as physical strength.  A particular mention is worthwhile for the Chinese competitor who started in Team China and was the last to hobble across the finishline and also to "Uncle" from Tent 7 (Manchu) and his senior citizens group who made it through despite being deserted by his nephew (but not without detailed instructions being left with the volunteers at each checkpoint for him and it doesn't matter anyway as he is from the other side of the family).   Also to all those aiming to complete the 4 Deserts Grand Slam this year who are just about to tick one more off the list - it wasn't easy for all of them but they have all got through the Long March.
 
I'm heading to bed before 20km and then pizza and cold drinks.   What a great course - both stunning (which caused me to burst into song with the Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music due to the uncanny resemblance to Austria) and the ugliest, most depressing place on earth yesterday in the salt flats where there is no greenery at all for miles and miles.  Plus vineyards, dunes, villages and tracks.  Breakfast is still unresolved but I was able to get something down each morning.  Socks and sunglasses were returned and the niggling calf muscle has disappeared. 
 
Thank you all again for messages and comments.  I am not going to answer any questions / comments here but really, really great to hear from so many friends including past and future competitors and staff.  Of course I remember who you are Alex.
 

My feet are big.  No, I haven't put my foot in anything, other than my shoes, but my feet have swollen as per the plan.   The clown shoes (two sizes too big) now fit perfectly with my two pairs of socks and no longer hurt because I have to tie the laces tighter than usual to stop the toes reaching the end (or maybe because of the Panadol).  On the plus side I have no blisters yet .... no doubt that will change tomorrow.  Oh and I found my other sock (thank goodness as my other option was to wait for wifey's hand knitted sock being sent by a carrier Pigeon which has never left Pigeon Street in the UK) and my sunglasses were in the lost and found. 
 
It's been a long day, not so much on the course but what with a 2:45 wake up call this morning and the hot afternoon preventing sleep now it is getting longer and longer.  However, not as long as it is for the last few legengs who are still out there.  I hope that they have taken lots of rests and have lots of water, but they are also in good company with the doctors out patrolling the course.  The course today was another great one, once we got past the first section.  We went into canyons steadily uphill and then quite steeply down - I say quite steeply as everything is relative now.  It was a bit like being on Mars as I walked the entire course with my new buddy from Cornwall but who used to live just down the road from my parents house in London.  The highlight was when I glimpsed paradise - our Camp for the night which is a museum.  I have laid my bed beside an old Buddhist canoe and below a hanging curtain.  There is a film about this.  The funniest thing is that there were some visitors to the museum this afternoon.  They got more than they bargained for.
 
So, Stage 5 is tomorrow.  Am I looking forward to it?  Let me think about that ..... no!  It is nearly the same distance in one go as we have done so far.  No more needs to be said.  I will be starting slowly, getting slower and taking lots and lots and lots of breaks.  There is news of mandatory stops tomorrow - bring them on I say.  
 
Before signing off I have to say that my tent mates are fantastic.  Such a mixture and so perfect.
 
Again, thank you, thank you for all my messages.  It makes such a difference.
 
Rob - if I could I would do an Irish jig across the finish line as you did.
Anna - you'd be so disappointed by a photo of my feet right now but tomorrow I'll get one for you.  It'll put you off your porridge ... even as papier mache.
Byrne - your turn next.  I dare you.
Andy - not sure about next time, but would be fantastic if you were here now.  
Kelly - just for you I'll tell you about breakfast.  This morning was a Clif Bar and it was perfect, even at 5am.  Not sure it would work everyday but this morning it was good.  Back to noodles tomorrow.
 

Today started very slowly going through the riverbed and the six or so very refreshing river crossings.  Went for a strange strategy of taking my insoles out and only wearing one pair of shoes - not because I lost my other sock ... the elite entry in our tent had kindly hung it out to dry from yesterday above my eye sight (reminded me of an Easter egg hunt when I was younger).  My feet were fine and was ready to change into dry clean socks and re-insert the insoles at checkpoint 1, but as we were kindly welcomed by a river crossing just before the checkpoint my new dry socks did not remain so for long.  My favourite comment of the race so far came from this checkpoint "you're feet are wet" .... must work on that staff training.  We then had a long flat stage which I should have shuffled but didn't as my calf reminded me it ws there.  However just before the last official checkpoint, which came very quickly in time but felt like forever, I popped a panadol and started on the Gu Chomps.  Due to an overdose of the the latter I ran the last section, even up hill.  It felt good, but I do think it is going to hurt tomorrow.   The weather was perfect - overcast with a splash of rain, however this meant I didn't need my hat or sunglasses (and had my jacket on until the first checkpoint).  The bad news for today is that I think my sunglasses from the back of my pack.  I am particularly gutted  as they were another present and I love them - one day I will learn my lesson not to buy anything expensive for the desert.  I hope they have the same fate as my sock from yesterday.  On the topic of expensive things for deserts, the poles are amazing, I am 200% converted.
 
We are now staying at Peach Village inside the local homes which is very cool.  Although we have an early checkout tomorrow - 4am I believe.  I keep trying to convince myself that I will be glad for it when it does heat up.    I can't sign off without talking about breakfast - this morning I had noodles and was looking forward to them, but even they were a struggle.  I have decided that it is not the food, it is the time in the morning.  Tomorrow I am going to have a Clif Bar as I am not eating them on the course.
 
Thank you again for all the messages.  I can't mention everyone here as my bed is calling but do have a few questions and comments:
 
Ash and Mat - which way did I surprise you?  Or shouldn't I ask?
Carlos - I'm about to go to the kitchen to cook up your recipe, but you missed one step - add boiling water. 
Hully - it appears I have a lot of weakness in this body of mine.
Seiji and Don - enough about cigarettes and cigars!
Ryan - I did take one orange from Camp 1 but it seems to have got lost along the way.  Now we are in Peach Village with peaches everywhere, but it is the forbidden fruit and I wouldn't dare break those ....
Andy - hope you're well.  Something other than sports scores is also welcome.  xxx

A third of the camp was in mourning this morning although there are no German's to riot against.  Apart from that it was another great day and another stage over.  Took it easy until I saw how many places I had dropped from yesterday so got my head down to get to camp - how ridiculous am I competing for 88th place!  Although it does mean double luck in China.  Bit of a niggle in my calf but nothing that a panadol wasn't able to temporarily fix.  We had our first water crossing today which I ploughed on through and loved the cold water on my feet and calf.  The bad news is that I may have lost a sock which was laying out to dry - when you only have one pair of oversocks that's not good news but I'lll work something out. Thank you again to all those who sent me comments and messages.  Keep them coming. 
 
Eric - you will always be the office hero (but maybe not after one of my tentmates has found you when she is back in HK).
Orange t-shirt lady - look forward to seeing which one you choose to storm next.
Natalia - I'm sharing a tent with Rohit and (his) Uncle.  We've been talking about you ....
Peter - of course I wouldn't in the tent ... although the thought might have crossed my mind
Caroline - if the rest was a piece of cake I would eat it!
Rebecca - the med tent is doing a great job and thankfully quite empty
Sawyers - thank you and I hope the orange pillow has at last found it's way back to you
Michael - neither did I
Don - it's early days
Peter - the beach in LA ... that's just not fair.
Andy - good update, so Hamilton keeps first place overall?
Trey - hope you're keeping the office together
Gunter - I am going
Nick A - give me names.
Ken - the G&T will taste sweeter with everyday that goes by
 
Tonight is supposed to be warmer than last night which is very welcome but there is a black cloud ominiously circling the Camp which might cool it down, but will hopefully also cool down tomorrow when the oven is expected to be turned up a notch.
 
Bring on Stage 3!

Stage 1 is now complete.  It was a pretty tough 32 km of non-stop hills - mainly uphill or "slide on your bottom" steep downhill.  Not exactly the rolling hills described but I know full well that one person's rolling hills is another person's Mount Everest so was just following the flags.  You would have thought I would like the hills being from HK but I felt the altitude pretty strongly - I believe we got up to 2000 meters but that is yet to be verified.  However it was absolutely beautiful and the temperature perfect.  Dave Annandale, the course director, did a fantastic job.  After a little lie down and my delicious strawberry and watermelon recovery drink I am now tucking into 800 calories of Chicken Korma and Rice and afraid that that is getting more attention from me than this blog.  While on the subject of food, I gagged my way through my oatmeal this morning rather than the planned granola with blueberry's using the logic that as it was so cold that I might appreciate the hot breakfast - my logic was clearly flawed even despite the addition of a fresh banana.  Next priority is sleep - last night was ok but not a great night sleepwise.  Apart from the fact that all we had done all day was eat and sit on a bus (and get on and off the bus as we manoevered round, over and through obstacles to Camp 1), it was also a tad nippy - the consensus is that it was 5 degrees Celsius but this is also yet to be confirmed, I thought it felt more like -5!  However I was secretly quite happy as I have been harrassed for the last six months about why we are asking people to bring a sleeping bag when it is usually so hot - now that that is proven it can warm up.
 
 
Thank you to all those sending me messages.  To answer some questions:
Brian - yes I am competing
Thank you Matt.  I am not going too fast, you'll see that on the results.  Am drinking (but wish it was G&T's), taking my electrolytes, spent an average of 30 seconds at each Checkpoint and have money stashed away.
Ash - good luck
Tash - choose your slot for which race to volunteer in, you would love the races. 
Seiji - I am aiming at the goal gate (I think)
Pam - I hope you enjoy following the race
Chris and Annie - don't worry I'm not over doing it, you can see this on the results.
 

So having packed everything up it seems to have come to about 9.2 kgs.  My next short term goal is to eat 0.5kgs before 7am on Sunday morning …. reckon I can manage that one.  Pretty happy, although very impressed (and a little bit gutted) that my room mate has way more luxuries than me (including 4 iPods, a few extra camera batteries and nearly enough medicine to overdose), as well as a bigger pack and hers weighs the same.    

 

Back to breakfast, my bug bare.  I have never seen so many bananas disappear as quickly as they did at breakfast this morning.  I would like to be a fly on the wall at the hotels food and beverage meeting today.  So breakfast day 1 is sorted – two bananas and some local Uyghur bread.

 

Back to my equipment.  I thought I’d note down what my best and worst items in my pack are and see if I feel the same way at the end.  I am very excited about my poles – super light, super cool and super expensive (but that’s what birthday’s are for – thank you to my mum and sister).  Even if I don’t use them it will be good mentally to know that they are there and they don’t weigh much more than my toothbrush.  Am also quite excited about my recovery drink although am not sure if it is the strawberry and watermelon flavor or the fact that it marks the end of a training session (or soon to be end of a stage). My prize food is Bee Heng pork from Singapore (although having gone all the way there to get it I found out you can buy it just down the road from my office).  It is pure fat and pure taste heaven.  I wonder how many will last beyond Stage 1.

 

Worst possessions – any form of lycra.  There is lots and lots and lots of lycra in the lobby - way too much if you ask me and now I am joining the lycra band wagon.  I am not going for the all white lycra with a mesh front where it really matters (Nick A – because of you I have really, really bad visions right now), but I do have some lycra.  And I have even succumbed to compression.  I hope that my not very attractive grey lycra compression tights will remain firmly in the pack until bed time, but I am living in fear that I may be swayed by all the lycra surrounding me. Whenever I am tempted to put them on I will remember the comment made after seeing a photo of a competitor at the finish line with his medal having completed 250 kilometers of grueling desert – “mate, you’re wearing lycra cycling shorts!”

 

There is not a lot else to say about the rest of my possessions as they are all the mandatory ones other than toilet paper.  Spoon – check.  Headtorch x 2 – check.  Clown sized shoes with uniform lycra – check.  Although it is worth a comment that the place I found to sew the Velcro onto my shoes in Hong Kong had at least ten other trainers there going in for the same operation.  It’s good to know that RacingThePlanet is funding another business in Hong Kong.  Three pairs of socks – check (yes just three for seven days – mmm nice).  Bet you’re sorry there isn’t a scratch and smell function on the blogs.

 

So after my last shower, my last spray of deodorant and my last Branston pickle and cheese sandwich for seven days I’m off to the desert.

For months I have been counting down to the start of the Gobi March 2010 in emails I have been sending to competitors and yet still I can’t believe that there are now just two days to go! It feels little bit like when I was doing exams …. “if only I had one more month it would be fine”, but of course if I had one more month I would probably be in the same position. However I have put in the training and am pretty happy with my pack, now all I have to do is get started and get to the end. Not that there is any pressure of course. Not that many competitors who have seen me drive past them in an air-conditioned 4x4 vehicle are following. Not that anyone is saying “it should be easy for you as you have been to so many races “. Well I can tell you that watching people take part in the events does not make you fit enough to do them. For a while I was able to remain relatively low on the radar with only those studying the competitor list in detail and working out that there probably weren’t that many other Samantha Fanshawe’s so it was probably me. Then the recent Alumni Newsletter totally blew my cover and even if my name was Sally Smith there was no hiding. 

So here I am, after being at about ten races on the volunteer or management team, about to step up to the start line with my 9kg backpack, and I am really looking forward to it (but please don’t remind me I said that at checkpoint 7 on the Long March!). One thing that I have learned from watching others compete is that a very light pack seems to mean that the carrier is either cold or hungry at some stage along the 250 kilometers and I am not very good when suffering from either of these states so have opted to keep a few comforts and go with a 9kg pack. However that does mean that my pack is nearly 20% of my body weight! One thing I thought I had learned, but clearly did not, is that zip lock bags are vital when packing - I have already been begging / borrowing more. The other thing which I definitely did not learn is what to eat for breakfast. While I am very aware that it is very important to have a nutritious, calorific and (ideally) tasty meal before you start each stage I have struggled to find the solution. Porridge is not for me (I discovered the hard way) and hot toast with melting butter doesn’t seem to be an option so I have opted for a combination of granola with blueberries, flax seed oatmeal (it’s a bit like porridge but has a different name which seems to make it more palatable) and noodles (yes noodles for breakfast … I know that it isn’t right, but when in Rome and all that). If I had started my blog earlier, as I planned to, then I would have asked for suggestions but please don’t give me any good ones now that it is too late to change – either by email or in person along the course. However I am looking forward to my strawberry and watermelon recovery drink. 

Before I sign off from my first entry I would like to thank Mary for giving me the opportunity to take part while she is running the show and in advance to Riitta, Frances, Anthony and Alina for the smooth running of the day-to-day operations. I would also like to say thank you to Andy for making sure that my backpack wasn’t more like 40% of my body weight and sorry to my aunt Charlotte for not sending her a birthday message – Happy Birthday!