It is actually starting to look like I’ll get myself to the finish line, and even though it was always more about the journey, that brings a lot of satisfaction. I’m especially happy for all the newfound friends who have struggled so hard to be here at last camp. They’ve gone through blisters, sore feet, tired legs and backs. We who are still here have been lucky enough to be able to keep struggling and to continue pushing. It’s a very happy group of people who are now relaxing under clear skies just beside a beautiful lake in northwestern China. Yesterday was a massive challenge though. They call it the long day, and it was. I pretty early joined forces with Dan again and we had a pleasant journey together for the first few hours. It started out flat and then a gradual climb began that eventually took us up to 2800 meters. We could definitely feel the air getting thinner and energy faded a bit. Once we got to the top temperature dropped from 35 to just above zero. The winds had picked up and we took shelter in a tent for a short while, put our feet up to get the blood flowing, put on our warm gear and headed out again for a pretty good descend of something like 1000 meters. That took us to a beautiful camp by a river were we could have some warm food and rest our legs again. I looked at my watch and it read 22.00 – we had been out for just about twelve hours and still had some 35 km to go. Some people decided to sleep and continue in the morning but it was a beautiful, kind of warm, evening with some scattered clouds and a bright half-moon and so we decided to get going. It ended up being one of the best sections of the whole race. For the first part of it, that is. It changed just before checkpoint five where we started climbing again. Someone said that it would be a nice gradual climb and “nothing like yesterday”. But I don’t know. The game really changes when you haven’t slept for nearly 20 hours and the wind-chill kicks in at near zero temperatures… you’re sleep deprived, energy deprived and cold. When your joints hurt and when the soles of your feet burn like on hot sand. I can tell you that you don’t want to be climbing a hill for four hours in those conditions. But somehow you do. And very few of us could probably have done it alone. Me and Dan got back to camp around 6.30 in the morning, just when the sun was starting to come up. We had then been on our feet for more than 20 hours and it was a small miracle to be able to crawl inside the tent, pull the sleeping bag over your head and just sleep.

I wouldn’t do it again. I wouldn’t want to miss it for the world.
Hope to see everyone soon! Tomorrow is a short 14 km, a hot shower, celebrations at the hotel in Bole and then I’m leaving for Beijing on Sunday. Anyone who’s keen on pizza should show up in Gothenburg anytime from Monday evening J
Take care /M

We're back where it all started, at the hotel in Bole. The race ended yesterday with a short 14 km stage. I would almost call it a walk in the park. It was a bit chilly but the view of the lake was amazing and we also got to se Chema and the other top guys fly by since we were given a head start allowing everybody to get there at roughly the same time. The feeling of getting there together was fantastic. It's time to check out from the hotel, but checking out from the Gobi march is going to take a while.

So I’ve just been walking for 12 hours in the desert under a scorching sun. Great way to spend a Wednesday! I’m heading off to the doctor’s office now before he close – just wanted you to know that I’m feeling well and happy about today’s accomplishment! The stage was absolutely brutal with some huge climbs. As u probably can see from the finishing times there’s a group walking it so I’m in good company. We’re struggling together and that’s awesome. Seeing some of my tent mates coming across the finish line just nothing with the widest smiles is nothing short of amazing! I’ll take it step by step tomorrow – cut off times are very forgiving on the long one. We’re even able to get some sleep if we feel like it.
I’m off
See u

This race turned on its head again. The weather went from 35 and sunny to 5 and downpour and I went from walking to limping. The right knee was worse today and I only got through thanks to painkillers. It rained a bit in the morning and once we hit the highlands it started to rain/hail quite bad – lucky I had that poncho David! It was that, down jacket, rain jacket, gloves and hat. But after an hour or so it cleared and we had beautiful weather for the rest of the day. Joined forces with Dan (AUS) and Derek (IRL) for the last bit. We were all quite happy that todays stage was cut short to 25 km due to dangerous conditions (heavy snow) further up the mountains. On the other hand, they’re adding it to tomorrow and we’re looking at around 50 km beginning with a big climb. I’m thinking that it will be a bit of a make or break day for me. I can probably get through it if the knee doesn’t get worse and then I’m hoping that the long day on Thursday should be ok to.
We’re sleeping in a Mongolian village tonight, in little round tents that even have pillows. Oh the luxury. Getting away from the comforts of everyday life is one reason I wanted to do this. Being out like this is really sheds some light on whats important in life and how comfortable life’s most of us lead. Most of all it’s those little this that gain newfound appreciation: a cup of coffee at the press of a button, fresh water in a clean glass, fresh bed sheets. Yes, and a cold beer too Marcus.
Hopefully the roof of our hut/tent is waterproof cause it’s starting to rain heavily again. Tomorrow is probably going look a bit like today. Will the stage even be cut short again? will we get higher or will the knee deep snow stop us? I’m crawling back into the sleeping bag with hot water bottles that are doing miracles for the knee and wish for the best.

See u all soon

This just turned into a whole new ballgame. Felt ok waking up this morning and had the usual breakfast, i.e. milk powder and cereal followed by an energy bar just after start. Eating that during the first few kilometres as I’m walking and trying to get warm and little bit less sore. Then when trying to run there’s a familiar pain in my right knee. This is not the one I’ve been having issues with – left one is good (great job Amy!). Shin starts hurting too (alltsa framsidan pa vadbenet, dar man alltid fick problem pa varen och grustraningen, glommer namnet – vad heter det?). Put together this means that I can’t run anymore). So I’m spending more time on my blistered feet and thinking about where this is going to take after a couple of more days. Well, at this point it’s really unclear if I’ll get through tomorrow at all. But hey, this place is a bit like a warzone where everybody’s hurting, but soldiering on. And when I got back to tent no 1 as saw my friends from Ireland and Australia stumble in a couple of hours later, then that was really encouraging. If they can be out walking wounded for 10 hours then I can sure try. We’ll see how it goes. But it’s a big climb tomorrow and it will sure be tough. But I’m tired of the open plains with meter deep ditches that you have to constantly climb. Another one of those today and on top of that little rocks and boulders that you were tripping over with every step. That’s a country made for blisters and I’ve now got them on four of my toes plus one heel. Its now seven in the evening over here and im going to the medical tent before they close to have my feet looked at. After that I’m having a cappuccino before I go to sleep and pray that the rain stops.
Thanks for all your comments, its nice to know that you’re out here with meJ
Take care
M

So no storm yesterday after all but tent mates provided some thunder… think I got about four hours of sleep if I add up the bits and pieces. But that’s fine, we woke up at about 5.30, had a breakfast of cereals and then at 8 we were off. Some running and some walking. Its now a quarter to seven and the last finishers are dropping in to camp after 48 K in the desert. My eight hours in the sun felt.. oh I don’t know what to tell you about the whole experience… started off really good and I was encouraged that the knee/hip seemed to be holding up. Kept a good running/walking pace of about 6-7 km/h, slowed down after the first checkpoint and was running mostly downhills and some flats. Came to some wide open plains after third checkpoint and legs was really starting to get sore, wanted to run but it didn’t seem like a good idea. Great opportunity to think about stuff! As sore as I was that was probably one of the happiest and most encouraging bit and pieces. Then one of my toes started hurting. Or did it? Kept at it for a while and started to sink a bit. Finally I stopped, took off the pack, sat down on the side of the “road”, took off the shoe, socks and had a look. Luckily nothing bad was going. Taped it up and kept going. It will probably blister tomorrow though (and ad to the two I already got). Fixing the toe got me in a good mood and I finished strong from thereon and in. came back as no four in our tent and secured one of the sought after corner spots. The Italian guy in the top left corner had a really good day and did it in just over five hours I think. It might be a different day for him tomorrow though – his pack has broken, and the soles of his shoes are starting to come off. Anything can really happen out here. My broken headlamp feels like a minor issue.Second highlight of the day must be when I could lie down on the air mattress and eat one of my 21 pieces of Salt och Blandat. Already looking forward to having three more tomorrow! Please think of me when you go down Seven/Eleven.

See U

So here we are, first camp. But not the intended camp – there’s bad weather on the horizon and so we had to seek shelter from possible thunderstorms.  Back-up is a bunch of abandoned miners barracks about 45 minutes outside Bole. If the storm is anything like what we had last night, that’s probably a good idea even if it means that tomorrows first leg is slightly longer. We’re now doing 47 K and there’s a climb of about 900 meters. I’ll take that over wet equipment any day. Race starts at eight and I’m looking forward to it. Legs feel ok, toes are taped, hip is a bit worrying, and I got my first blister before running a meter. That’s about as ok as I can hope my body will be during this week I guess. Wu wei.

See u at camp 2

It's five in the morning and I'm waiting for the alarm to go off. Today is the day when I finally leave for north western China. It's a four hour flight to Urumqi, a long wait and then the final skip to Bole. Should be there around nine tonight. Looking forward to meeting everybody and also what the weather might bring - Beijing's been hit by a heat wave and if the Bortala region is anything like it, then we're in for a hot week in the desert! Hoping I can do at least one more post before we leave for first camp tomorrow night. See u there!

I arrived in Beijing at 6.30 yesterday morning and took a cab-ride with a guy called Lee. Nice kid, decent driver, awful navigator. It must have taken us two hours to get to the Hotel. I guess sightseeing was included. In his defense though, streets where crammed. "Very traffic" as Lee put it. The Kingrand Hotel is located only a short stroll from the forbidden city. Went there earlier and timed the lowering of the flag ceremony. Also took a couple of pictures with the local fan base - how I manage to be the only westerner on Tianmen square is beyond me. The cleaners were parading (yes of course) across the square when I left. They keep streets clean enough but someone should really do something about the air. The morning smog was horrible. Not a nice welcome and probably an even worse way to wake up every day. I quickly realized that I forgot my pollen meds (sorry Lina). It wasn't bad but wished I hadn't forgotten them. I clearly remember thinking about packing them. But thinking doesn't pack stuff and they're probably still in the bathroom back home. My tickets and passport could also have been in the bathroom. In Helsinki. I was at the gate waiting for boarding when I reached inside my backpack only to realize that they where gone. Tickets and passport gone. Plane leaving in 20 minutes. Panic. I turn my pack inside out, I scratch my head, I curse. They're gone. "Can Martin Kallervald please come to the duty free shop". They're calling my name and I run. Someone had found my tickets in the bathroom. Thank you Santa. The whole self sustained thing and carrying your own stuff in the race might be a challenge. Hopefully I should be able to run by myself, but I wouldn't count on it... Today is Tuesday and I've ticked off the Mausoleum of chairman Mao, the forbidden city and Beijing duck. Tomorrow is an early start to do the Great Wall. Maybe I should put my feet up and just rest and wait for the big day, but I'm trying to relax and just go with the flow. Which brings us back to the forbidden city: I was just about to go inside when I was approached by a guy who wanted to give me a personal tour. "200 RMB, 250 if you like it". I was a bit sceptic at first but then more like "what the heck, I've come this far and might as well walk with someone that might know a thing or two". So we did and it turns out he's got a PhD in Chinese history and only just finished touring 25 professors from Boston... Oh well... He then took me to meet the last emperors nephew who now does calligraphy - would you believe! I bought a piece (of course, it's the emperors nephew for crying out loud!) and it reads "Wu Wei" or something like: Go With The Flow.

I'm at the Gothenburg airport. The countdown on the Gobi March website reads 6 days to go. It said 300 when I got the outlandish idea to try and run an ultra in the Gobi dessert. Why is a valid question. I guess it's got something to do with living. Going after the things you want instead of just dreaming or fantasizing about them. Taking a chance, venturing in to unknown territories and maybe failing. But always learning. Gate 16B, time for boarding. See you in Beijing! Update @ Helsinki airport: When I started training back in August the idea was to gradually increase the load and to really pick it up in February . Things were going according to plan. Sure my legs had been sore from time to time, my left hip had been hurting and there definitely were days when I had been fatigued, but nothing out of the ordinary. Then there was this run in December, sometime between Christmas and New Years. Temperature had dropped well below zero and the icy streets were lined with snow-clad trees. I was on a short 8k run when I felt the left hip again. It was different this time, it got worse and suddenly I felt it in my knee too. I knew about runners knee, I knew about the IT band, I knew about snapping hip. I had been cautious and watchful, but still, there I was walking my way back home on an icy streets lined with snow-clad trees.Thanks Santa. The weeks and months that followed was a mix of rest, rehab training, needles and a mind trying to find ways around the situation, trying to believe that it could still work. I know now that It won't. Things are not going to play out the way I intended. Things rarely do, do they? It's going to be tougher, longer. But here I am. Almost at the starting line. I might not make it halfway, hey I might not make it past the first stage. If I reach the finish line, that's great. If I don't, that's great too. There's a pot of gold out there, just not always at the end of the rainbow.