As I sit here in the comfort of normality it seems hard to think of what I’ve done as being real. It’s still not really hit home that I’ve done it. Watching the highlight DVD at the awards ceremony it seemed like I was watching a documentary, not something that I took part in myself (maybe because it did seem like a documentary on Ryan!)

So, I’ve done it. 250 km, and I managed it. It wasn’t exactly easy, but now more and more it feels worth it. The human body is an amazing machine, how it copes with whatever you throw at it, and it adapts and keeps going.

The last stage was simple in comparison to what we’d all completed the day before, none the less it was nice to finish at the pyramids and even better to finish alongside my tent mates for at least one of the days.

I must say a huge thank you to my tent mates. I know I didn’t come across as the most sociable person during the race; this was mainly down to the fact that I couldn’t eat anything, so talking was a hardship. I am forever grateful for the great friends that I made with my tent. We got on so well that we all agreed we should do another event together. We each put an event into a bowl and the last to be picked out would be the one we’d attempt next. It turns out it was probably the hardest one that was picked: 430 miles self supported, in 13 days, in the Arctic Circle – The Yukon Ultra! Roll on Feb 2013!

So, this being my first ultra I have some advice and reviews of some of the equipment that I used. The following is only my personal view and is only from my experience in the Sahara , others may have different ideas. I hope that this might help future competitors in the same way that past blogs and other competitors helped me.

Training:
It true that you can never do enough training. However it’s key to remember not to get disheartened when you get injured. And it’s pretty much a guarantee that at some point when training for an ultra, you’re going to get injured. I think every competitor went into the race with, if not an injury, then a niggle. For me it was Plantar Fasciitis initially. I used a Muller arch support when the pain was too bad, both during training and after. I was then hit by ITB, this effects a lot of long distance runners and the only cure is rest, however you can help prevent it with good stretching of the glutes and of the knee joint itself. The key to training is to start early and build up the mileage slowly, easier said than done. When you get an injury think about cross discipline training, deep water running, cycling, swimming. One thing that I can’t say enough about is yoga. Each session is basically an hour of stretching; it’s great for preventing injury and will be something I’ll certainly keep at now I’ve finished this race. To help with the heat training bikram, or hot yoga is the best.

Equipment: 
            Trainers – I used the PT 03 desert trainers. These were a last minute decision as I was going to use my Asics, but I found they let too much sand in. The PT03 were great. I have heard that they got bad reviews in the Atacama, but for the Sahara , with the soft fine sand, they were great. They didn’t stop me getting blisters, but then I’m one of those people who will get blisters no matter what. The gaiters they came with were great in that they worked well to start with. I super glued them to the shoe as well as using the Velcro tabs that they come with. However as they are a gortex gaiter they didn’t allow my legs to breath and I ended up with a bad heat rash on my legs. On day 4 the zip on the left gaiter broke and so it was rendered pretty much useless after that. I also had a pair of Raidlight ankle gaiters, however these are rubbish. I used them in training and they barely did anything. Those who used them on the course were cursing them, they didn’t stop the sand, and the band round the bottom of many of them fell apart.  

             Rucksack – I used the Inov8 30 L pack, which has the integrated 2 L water bladder round the waist. This was a great rucksack and a good design. When working properly it was very comfortable and the fact that the water was round the waist meant that it helped stabilise the bag. The negative was that the chest strap is poorly designed, it easily pulls off the band that it is clipped to which is very difficult to put back on without plyers and even then it weakens it. The water bladder was great initially, but leaked on day two, and then pretty much fell apart by day 6. I will be writing to the makers, but if you get it make sure you have a spare bladder or some from for repair tape/glue.

            Hat – I used the sea to summit legionaries hat, worked great, does exactly as it is supposed to.

            Sleeping bag – I used a Snugpac Softie Elite 3, a sleeping bag I’d already got to save me buying a new one. This was as light as others and very much adequate. The temperature at night didn’t go down low and I feel I could have slept in just a sleeping bag liner and still be warm enough (apart from the nights I didn’t sleep in the tent)

Food and Nutrition: 
            Expedition Foods – Well my view of all the foods I had are going to be marred. I could barely keep anything down me. However I should have spent more time tasting these before I left. They were expensive and so I didn’t try them before going out and just bought a selection thinking that would be good enough. Never buy the fish pie, it was pretty much universally decided that no one in their right mind would have eaten the fish pie! The Spag bol however was lovely, by far the nicest of the lot. The hot cereal start goes in the same category as the fish pie, terrible. In fact the breakfasts in general were pretty horrid and most people came with evening meals as their breakfasts. The shepherds pie and beef casserole were nice enough for what they are.

            Energy Bars – I had cliff bars and mule bars. Both nice enough in training, but horrid on the event. So much of food is linked with morale; in future I would have a lot more ‘normal’ things. Crushed crisps was a good favourite with other competitors, along with pork scratching, peanuts and jerky. All of these would have been a great thing to have at checkpoints, great for energy, high in salt, and a good morale boost to look forward to.

             Salt and Electrolytes – I used endurolite capsules, these do the job fine, but it would have been better to use the salt sticks as you have to take less of these (one an hour instead of two an hour) And every little counts when it comes to weight. I also used Nuun, these are great especially to put in the little bits of left over hot water I had at the end of the day, makes it easier to swallow the warm left over water and helps give you the electrolytes you’ve lost during the day.  

            Gels and Energy Tabs – I used Lucozade energy gels, these were a good boost, and are easy on the stomach, so even when I couldn’t eat anything I was able to have one gel a day which helped get me through it. I also had the Lucozade energy tablets, because they pretty much dissolve right away in your mouth they also helped me when I couldn’t eat, and being easy on the stomach means you don’t have to spend time digesting them.  

Extras – If I was doing this again I’d have a big supply of anti nausea tablets, the medical tent had some, but I’d have preferred to be able to support myself with them, they also gave me Tums which would have been good to have more of.

Blogs and other competitors: 
A great way to get information on the event is to speak to other competitors. If you’re reading this as someone who’s looking to do an event then please do not hesitate to contact me through my website http://extremechallenge.weebly.com/ or via here. The friends you make out there are the family you have out there, they get you through it and so making contact before you all meet is invaluable. There are always competitors at the events who have done a desert before and can lend advice, get in touch with them early and start asking questions, get to know them and it will make meeting them like meeting old friends right from the start. The learning curve on these events is VERY steep indeed.

 

The experience of the Sahara Race 2010 is one that will live with me for the rest of my life. It was hard, I think my blog during the race shows that, but it was so worth while too. It’s not going to be easy, have no illusions about that. But if you want a challenge and want to push yourself and see what you are capable of, then I would certainly advise signing up to this amazing experience. I know, once the rose tinted glasses come on, I’ll be signing up to do more – for now I’ve the Yukon ultra to look forward to – Tent 14 all the way!  

Thank you to those who have sponsored me, to those who have been there for me, who have spurred me on. For those who helped me when I was down, for those who pushed me on, for those to pushed me to go out training when it was raining yet again. Thank you so much. Sahara Race 2010 – Done.  

Mile after endless mile, kilometer after kilometer, through the morning, into the afternoon, through the evening and pushing on till morn. Through beautiful mountains, huge sand dunes, over hard rock and soft sand, 60 miles - Welcome to the Long Stage!!
 
Well, by the fact that I'm typing this blog and not lying in some Egyptian hospital, you can be safe in the knowledge that I've done it. I've run/walked the longest single distance I've ever done, by about 20 miles more than I've ever gone before. This is going to be a massive understatment, but it was hard, seriously hard, but so so worth it. I've done it!
 
So, let me take you back about 36 hours. We all set off at the usual time, 0630, with the front runners setting an impressive pace. I don't know how they do it, day after day. To be honest I can.t actually remember the first checkpoint. All I know is that I only managed to stomach half a portion of noodles before heading out for the longest run of my life to date. Not exactly ideal. By checkpoint 2 I was seriously starting to question my sanity. Here I was having not eaten properly for days, doing 60 miles in the Sahara. As I sat in the shade at checkpoint 2, I toyed with the idea of stopping, I played it over in my mind as I struggled to have my 'luxuary' a handful of peanuts. Thankfully although reminding me of beer in the pub that I long so desperately for (actually just ice water would have been amazing) the peanuts did their job and I throw my pack on once again and cracked on.
 
I can't say I was enjoying the prospect of pushing on, but I knew that I'd only be angry at myself if I didn't. I've always lived with the view that you should have no regrets in life - I didn't want this to be my first!
 
The scenary from checkpoint 2 to checkpoint 3 was impressive enough to make me forget the distance, as we passed through the open air musium - The Valley of the Whales. Going past 4 billion year old skelatons of whales and amazing mushroom like rock formations. It looked amazing and soon enough I was at checkpoint 3, I opted for music to get me to checkpoint 4 as it was a mainly flat valley with not a lot to see. Once again each distance was about 6 miles on average. Checkpoint 4 was halfway up a classic sanddune amazing views from it. My music was doing me well until about half way to checkpoint 5, where once again my body rejected what I'd put in it, over and over again. I was bent double, tears streaming from my face - thankfully noone around. I calmed my breathing, managed some water. Stood back up. The sun was setting, finally the flags for the next checkpoint. I crawlled up the hill to checkpoint 5, and lay flat out, exhausted. At my limit. Thank you to the medic at this checkpoint. She gave me another tablet for my vomiting. Still no positive reaction 20 mins later, she gave me a couple of tums, and still another 20 mins later having still not been able to force any water in me she took me aside and gave me some 'medical' coke. Having been running these races for a while they have found that coke is a good anti nausea drink. As I sat their looking at the sunset I finished it off and i must say i did feel remarkably better. I was like magjic. I gave mysef another 20 mins, some more lucozade tablets and stood back up to carry on.
 
From now on the sun was down, it I decided to go without torch so i coulld really enjoy the ambiance. It was amazing, thankfully the heat was down and the wind was strong. I was racing, I pushed on, running down the hills, music blaring. I was a different man. At checkpoint 6 there was hot water to rehydrate my rations. I only managed a couple of spoon fulls, but it was enough to keep me going - more than I'd had in a while. And on I went, passing competitor after competitor. I was making good time now the sun was down - turns out I'm not good in heat. Each checkpoint i gave myself a little treat, a handful of peanuts, or a recovery drink. I was in my element. The last 6 miles we had a steep decent and I managed to jarr my knee inflaming my ITB once again, but I was too close to care. Rounding the corner I head the familiar sound of camp, I was there, I was so close. As I rounded the last corner I broke into a sprint, leaping across the line. Done!
 
So tomorrow we have about 2 km round the pyiramids, a lap of honour almost. I'm sorry I've rushed the end of this blog, but they are about to take the laptops to upload the blogs.
 
Thank you all soooooo soooo much for your comments and emails. I'll reply fully when back in Cario (or UK). Thank you so much to you all. I've done it - 60 miles in 21 hrs 17 mins! YAY
 
Thank you ALL.

Dizzying exhaustion, shivering fever - amazing scenery,huge boulders - this must be Stage 4.
 
Well, very much a day of two halves today. Same time for the start, 0630, and we heading out into the desert once again. However, the change today was that there was no wind. Not good, no wind! I needed to make some serious distance before the sun heats up, or I was going to flake. I caught up with Sam and sped along to the second checkpoint with him. Talking with someone certainly helps the time go by. However as the sun raised higher, I was feeling worse. Worse than I've felt yet on this course. Sam spurred me on to the second checkpoint, at which point with the sun high overhead (at only 1030) I decided that a rest was probably wise. I let Sam go on and as I lay with my pack off I started to shiver! Shiver in this heat? That can't be normal, can it? I've only eaten about 600 calories in the last 24 hours, nothing else has been able to stay down.
 
Last night I foolishly tried to eat the freeze dried fish pie - let me give you some advise - NEVER try it. Especially when feeling ill! So with that out the question and with my rule of supporting myself, I had little else to eat, not that I would have been able to keep it down. This morning I thought maybe plain noodles would be bland enough to stay down. Well I managed half a portion at least. Not nearly enough, I do feel like I've lost a fair amount of weight doing this already.
 
So, where did I leave it, I was resting at checkpoint 2, unfortunatly I needed to vomit once again, and was seen doing so by the medical staff. They gave me a tablet for my nausea, and they wanted to keep me at the checkpoint longer as they wouldn't release me until they were confident I'd make the 6 miles to the next checkpoint. In hindsight that made a world of difference - they know their stuff! So after an hour and a half at that checkpoint I pushed on, mp3 player on hand to push me along. And what's that? The next checkpoint, already? It was, it came so quick, I was feeling a different person. So at the next checkpoint I only waited about 10 mins before going on.
 
The last stretch was such a slog though, hill over hill over hill until finally rounding the corner and there is it, the stage finish line! WOW thank goodness.
 
So, today was better than it could have been. Lying at that checkpoint unable to move, shivering, feeling sick, I thought it was over. I was close to opening your letter Hels! Thankfully it still wasn't needed. So now we have the Long Stage ahead. I don't know what will happen, but at least it's the last slog, I'll give my all and push as much as I can. I've probably about 24hrs of walking/running ahead of me - 24hrs and 100 km!!!
 
Once again my tent mates have been great, each evening when I come in, clap and congratulate me for finishing, regardless how long it's taken me. Ryan is still doing fantastic in 2nd place. This is his first ultra and although clearly well prepared physically, is very much a novice when it comes to what to carry and what to eat. Unlike other front runners he has luxuary items, a camera an even a bottle of beer! Great stuff.
 
Sam Gash is running her third of these races and in a matter of weeks will be running the last desert. Aiming to be the youngest and first female to complete the 4 deserts in one year - an amazing achievement already. So much so that she has a number of film crew following her about, being a tent mate I may have some cameo parts. Also in the tent is Mahnus (I'm sure that's spelt wrong) and Burnsy, two irish lads who recently cycled from Cape Town to Ireland (similar to George), this is also their first race and equally are finding the learning curve on nutrition very steep, but fair play they are coming in in the top 20 consitantly. As is Malcom, the chap I shared a hotel room with back at the start, who thankfully gave me a fair amount of advice to help set me up on this race. Then there's Sam Wilson, the chap I managed one practice walk with before my knee injury. He's solidly pushing on strong, providing plenty of support to myself. Then we have Trish and Jane, Trish is suffering from the same as me and little Jane is doing sterling work trotting along, happy as always regardless as what the course throws at her.
 
Thank you all so much for your comments. Mike, thanks for the quote, stiring stuff, only regret not having a pen and paper to be able to write that down and take it with me. Cheers Ian you missed 5 miles off, but I'll let you off! Kelly, thank you so much for your support and you too Helen. I can't express how amazing it is to read such message of support when i get in each day, as I'm sure you can imagine it's a pretty emotional few days! Thanks for your comment Adam, are you slowly turning French now you spend to much time out there?
 
Sarah and Barrie, thanks very much and I willllll, I'm looking forward to being back in Cardiff that's for sure - I can ply you with my own alcohol this time!!! Mum, I've blogged each night, so there should be a blog message from me each day - unless it's not uploaded correctly, hope you get this one and hope all's well at home.
 
Once again, thank you all, next blog the worst will be over! Thank goodness, see you in 100 km!
 
Ed

Energy sapping, leg jellifying, deep soft sand. Mile after mile of soft soft sand. Blistering sun overhead. Oh hard rock I could kiss you, as I curse your cousin soft sand. Horizon after horizon of dunes, simply dunes - this is stage 3 of the Sahara Race 2010!
 
My goodness, I'm not feeling well. I made a promise to myself to be self sufficient on this (excluding official medical and water). I'm regretting having made that bed having tried to tuck into slopping dehydrated fish pie, WHAT was I thinking when I bought that? Others are swapping and throwing food away, but I'm going to have to lie in the bed that I've made.
 
So, yet again I woke at 0415 as my tent and I prepared for the morning ahead. I was still feeling nauseous and so I could only stomach an energy bar - and that was forced down. So at 0630 we set off into the desert, I was feeling ok. I learnt my lesson yesterday and know that it's myself I'm racing against. I took it slow today, enjoying the scenery, taking photos, a bimble almost rather than pushing myself too hard. The stage was split into 5 legs, all about 6 miles apart. To the first checkpoint I was doing ok, however this soon changed and I was going downhill (certainly not literally) from checkpoint 2.
 
It's amazing scenery but, certainly towards the end of the day, it's very much lost on me. When getting the top off my water tube is becoming hard and I'm struggling to drink, the view isn't really what I'm thinking of! The heat was unrelenting again today, and in the low valleys of the dunes there was no wind, it was sapping the energy from me, so hard to keep going. There's just no way you can drink enough, my mouth is so dry, always thirsty.
 
I've been unable to eat anything today other than dissolvable energy tablets. Thank goodness Sam gave me a few packs of them before we left the hotel. I tried eating other things, energy bars, and they just kept coming back up. However it was when drinking water became a struggle to keep down that I got a little worried. I decided to take some time out at checkpoint 4, with another 6 miles to go before the end, I needed a rest, and to let the heat of the sun pass. I mean, what silliness is this when I was leaving checkpoint 3 at 12pm. Admittedly there's no alternative, but still I was always taught to stay out of the sun between 11 and 3pm! And yet here I am trying to run, with a 12kg pack, in the desert! Foolish, but at least we're all being foolish together.
 
So, having taken about 30 mins at checkpoint 4 I felt well enough (and frustrated enough) to push on the last 6 miles. I set myself a target for home - 1630hrs, I was giving myself a generous 2 hours to get back. I decided that to ensure that I didn't cheat myself by being too lazy to drink, I kept the top off the water tube to make it easier. Taking electrolyte tablets was out of the question, each time I've tried today they've not stayed down. Thank goodness I have the dissolvable ones too.
 
So en route back to the camp I heard waterfalls, thought it was raining, heard a goat and saw a little man no taller than my ankle dancing on a rock. Ok so it's conceivable that the goat was real, however the man turned out to be a marker flag!
 
None the less, I made it. It was a struggle. I'm not reacting well to the heat. The actual distance isn't so bad, it's just how I am in the heat. This would be great if it was cooler, less sand and well, not in a desert! No, but seriously it's BECAUSE it's hard that I'm doing it, if it was easy it wouldn't appeal to me. Not that it appeals to me much at the moment.
 
Cheers for your training update George, you want to take it easy after pushing yourself that much, head to the Bricklayers for a rest I think! Cheers Hol and Grace for your concern and for your parents' too. I do very much appreciate them. Thanks Vicky for your thoughts and comments too, always great to get them.
 
So, 3 stages down, 3 to go. Stage 6 doesn't really count, it's only about 3 miles max. So really once tomorrow's done it's only the long stage to go. And a lot of that will be a night. Ok it's going to be a LONG way, but my pack will be lighter and it's going to be cooler. The knees are still holding out - just. They are on the edge of going I think. But then last night I didn't stretch enough as I was feeling too ill to move really.
 
On the up side I've been to the medical tent, they gave me a couple of little white tablets to settle my stomach, so hopefully tomorrow will be better. I'm going to take it slow again tomorrow, it's a shorter distance and not on dunes. It's a runners stage apparently - but I won't be running (well maybe the down hills).
 
Words can't express how hot it is. I don't know what the actual temperature is, but whatever it is, it's having its toll on me and my body. Thank goodness I've a few days off when I've finished. Sightseeing in Cairo's becoming less and less tempting - room service and pool anyone?! I think that sounds MUCH better.
 
Thanks again for your thoughts, stage 4 here we come....

Sand in front, sand behind, sand in my shoes, sand on my skin, sand in my food. Yellow sand, golden sand, black sand and even white sand. This is stage 2 of the Sahara 2010 race.
 
Not long after the sun was up, 0630, the competitors still in the race (we've sadly had about 8 pull up) lined up at the next start line and were off, another strong wind, and a currently low sun. I was feeling good, until - 5 mins into the race and my water bladder goes, I have water pouring from my backpack, all down my back and onto my shorts. We've still about 6 miles to go until my next water stop. I throw my bag onto the ground and save what little I have. Thankfully the hole is in such a way that if I fold the bladder a certain way, I can still use it, only it means I cut the capacity down. So with only about 0.5 L left for this leg of the stage I power on, feeling I need to make up the ground not only because of the lack of water, but also as this is the 'moderate' stage with the rest being 'difficult'. I arrive at the first checkpoint in great time, ahead of some of my tent mates.
 
Foolishly this gives me the silly idea of keeping going at this pace. Sam and I power it out together from checkpoint 2 through to the 3rd. The scenery is spectacular, very much in the Sahara now. Dunes and sand every way you look. Ahead there's a large hill with a huge cliff face looming up before us, and a dune as our route up onto the plateau. It's only 1030 but the sun is directly overhead, beating down, the heat is extreme. No chance for shade as we reach the top of the plateau, thank goodness once again for the wind or I'd be in trouble. As we reach toward checkpoint 3 I'm feeling a little weak and tell Sam to go on as I need a break in the shade.
 
30 mins later, with Holly's meal replacement bar in me I crack on, this time with music for company. Unfortunately I get taken away with the amazing scenery, running out of the checkpoint and jumping down the dunes. Once at the bottom the tunes take over and Queen blaring out 'Don't Stop me Now' sends me into a silly speed. I'm overtaking a fair amount of competitors and I get it into my head that I might even catch Sam up at this rate.
 
I might be able to see the campsite but in the valley it soon goes, all I can see is the biggest sand dune I've ever seen, maybe it was how tied I was getting, but it was massive, words can't describe how huge it was. However with my music going I pushed on, wanting to over take the next person (ignoring my rule that I'm only competing with myself). Sure enough it catches up with me and I have the 'pleasure' of meal replacement bar twice!!
 
Knowing I'll have lost a fair amount I try to get an electrolyte pill down me, this gets stuck in my throat and comes back up too, so now I can add the V to the D I've been having since the start. I started to feel rather light headed at this point, I knew it was the onset of heat exposure, but I'm not far from camp now, just over that last dune. No, it's a hidden summit, over the next dune, no still not. Finally the last slope up to the finish line. Jerusalem comes on on my music, I stand up tall, dig in and manage to overtake a fellow competitor on the last slope up. That's it though, I'm spent. I fall, light headed, into the tent, silent and feeling feverish. My wonderful tent mates check how I am, get me water and I know would help me more if I need it.
 
I lay for about 2 hours, not wanting to move before finally I've perked up enough to get on here and blog. I'm drinking plenty of water, I'm doing the right thing electrolyte wise, it's just the lack of acclimatisation to this heat. Drinking water during the race doesn't replenish enough, I have to make sure I drink plenty here in camp to sort myself for the next day.
 
So, what have I learnt today? Don't let music and the beauty of this place take control of me. I'm going to make sure I have a slow day tomorrow. It's a hard balance to get, wanting to get into camp in time to have a decent rest, and wanting to rest enough during the race to be able to do the next day.
 
Before coming out here, many people said, 'why?'. It can tell you THAT thought came into my head a LOT today. It was so easy to say back at home, 'for the challenge' or 'why not?'. That doesn't really cut it out here. Thank goodness I've done this for charity, THAT is my reason out here, that's what's getting me through it.
 
Yet more will have dropped out today, I am so thankful each day I finish that it's not me. Just one mess up can cost people the race, be it being underprepared, but mainly something you can't control, the effect of the heat, coming down with something. Still, for me, that's day two completed. They say (like the old man at the top of Malham cove on the Pennine Way) that if you reach the end of stage 3, you'll go the distance.
 
So far may be hard, but I've not even completed the distance I have to do in 24hrs on the long stage yet! My Uncle Jeremy's old adage of, 'drink before your thirsty, eat before you're hungry (put clothes on before you get cold)' is very much being used - well the first two anyway.
 
Although I'm really impressed with the PT03 trainers I'm using, I still have blisters. However the gaiters are doing their job of stopping the sand coming in, but unfortunately are causing me to have a terrible heat rash up my legs. I only really have one serious blister, it's a rather large blood blister on the outside of my right foot, and now it's become a blister on a blister - fun.
 
Thank you for your comments and emails, sorry this is an impersonal reply to them, but I only get 6 blogs for the entire event. Mum, thank you for pressing the fund raising your end and for your thoughts. Holly and Grace, thank you for your kind thoughts too - we're going out for a slap up meal when I get back! Ste your comment's a bit mental, but tickled me none the less. What black t-shirt? I'm wearing a white top (although it looks more brown now!). Mike, cheers for keeping in touch, I long for that rain! How I'd just love to stand in the rain right now (I think anyone would want me too as well, the amount I stink!)
 
Keep an eye on the breaking news, I may have had a quote put on today, and one of the media guys took photos of me jumping down the dunes (ok maybe THAT's why I was pushing myself at that point - serves me right for being a show off!)
 
Thank you all for your support. I can't express just how great it is in an evening to come into the cyber tent and read messages from you. It is SUCH a morale boost. This is only going to get harder! Tomorrow it longer, and BIG dunes apparently. And ever looming is the 60 mile day! 60 miles? What's that in a distance I can relate to from Cardiff or Creaton?
 
Hope all's well with you. I'm much better after a rest, time for stretching now.
 
Ed

As the sun burns high over the baked yellow earth, the snake of competitors winds and curves it's way over dune and round hills on the shore of the lake. Welcome to stage 1 of the Sahara 2010 race.
 
At just before 0700 this morning, about 150 competitors lined up at the start, as the count down was sounded, the cheers crescendoed, "3, 2, 1, Go" we were off, some at almost a sprint. For myself, a light jog. The air was cool as the sun was still coming up, with a strong wind blowing into us, it was good conditions to start in. It still didn't really sink in what was happening as we all settled out into our own paces. For me, that was a brisk walk. It's hard for me not to be competitive, but I have to remember that although in a 'race' was are all in our own individual races. I am being competitive, but only with myself. Wanting to get to the next checkpoint within the next hour, just to that next flag and then I'll rest. It's all about breaking it down.
 
As I settled into my rhythm I soon found out a strategy. Every hour on the hour I'd take a salt capsule (to stop me cramping/fainting), I then cover my lips and nose in a thick white paste to stop me burning. Every checkpoint I re-suncream all over and eat an energy bar. So, at just gone 1hr 45 I reached my first checkpoint, I was going to be happy with a 3mph speed - I'm in this for the distance, not some speedy time, only to have to drop out.
 
I can't tell you how amazing it is to see the checkpoint, knowing that with that comes water and some time in the shade. Even 5 mins in the shade while I refill my water makes such a difference. There is just no escaping the sun anywhere else on the course. It's just so hot, I can't explain how hot it is. Thank goodness we had a strong wind for the majority of the way, or I would have really suffered.
 
The last 7 km were hard, we could pretty much see the camp the whole way, and yet it wasn't moving, it was still exactly where it was when I first saw it....Of course, slowly but surely the distance WAS going down, and eventually I was yards from the stage 1 finish line, and, damn it I'm being film coming in and I wasn't running! If only I'd seen THAT, I'd have been sprinting, well...maybe not. I'm sure it won't make the final cut though.
 
For those of you who are looking at the photos and videos that I believe are being put up on the racing the planet website, I'm bib number 86, keep an eye out for me!
 
So, not a speedy day (my tent mate Ryan came in 2nd today!!), in fact all the tent got in before me, but like I said, this is a personal journey for me, I want to get to the end, not get any specific time (notice I have to keep reminding myself that!). It's funny, every time I've done a challenge before I've been doing it with someone else, John, Carlie, work, this time I only have myself for company. Sure there are other competitors but you'll only spend a short time with someone before they carry on or you overtake. It is probably good for me, but it's also going to be a lot harder too. Having to push yourself when you're down. Pushing yourself when all you want to do is stop. Thankfully, I'm not at that stage (yet).
 
So, just before 1500 I came over the finish line, 93rd not a bad result. As I type this there are still others to come in, 2 hours after I finished. However, today was the 'moderate' day, tomorrow and the next are all dunes and all 'difficult' oh and longer distance. That should be fun!
 
There's a good atmosphere in the camp, and especially in my tent. In an event like this, egos are left behind, fast or slow, we're all in it together, we're all going to get through it.
 
That's 24 miles done, only 131 miles to go - maybe I shouldn't have typed that, that's hit it home how little I've done so far!
 
Please do keep in touch.
 
Ed

As I sit here, in 30 degree heat at gone 2000hrs, a lake on one side of the camp, miles and miles of desert the other side. We are in our first camp, the start line for the Sahara 2010 race is up and under spotlight, behind me I can here the locals entertaining the competitors round the camp fire with traditional music - its a festive atmosphere, hiding the reality of the event that faces us all, the sheer enormity was evident simply on the route out, and we are not even in the desert proper yet.
 
Let me take you back a bit first. So my last blog mentioned about not wanting to start the race without all my kit, well....first kit check in location and suddenly it dawns on me, where is my compeed? Where;s my medical kit? Wheres my spare batteries? My goodness, wheres my hat? ...oh my goodness, oh my goodness, I;ve left it behind, why oh why did I change luggage bags last mintue?
 
Thankfully disaster was avoided thanks to my housemate Holly and fellow competitor Sam, veteran of the Gobi, whod not left the UK and thankfully had spares of everything! So, with that sorted I felt far more confident.
 
It was lovely to start to get to meet everyone, my tent is rather a sociable tent, most of us have been emailing each other before and so it felt like we knew each other once we met anyway. Today has been a lot of waiting around, queue after queue of checking and sorting, making sure we have all the kit, sorting our insurance, medical details, tents, etc etc. And now here I am in the desert, sweating before Ive even begun!
 
How do I feel? Well, it;s hard to say. I;ve been anticipating and preparing for this event for so long now, since before I went to Afghanistan over a year ago. Do I feel prepared? Again it;s hard to fully say to be perfectly honest it has not really sunk in where I am and what I;m about to do. Tomorrow is beside the lake here in the desert and just short of a marathon distance. The longest day, stage 5 looks like it;s going to be a killer - 59 miles!!! Stage 2 and 3 look like there are pretty much fully on dunes, soft sand!
 
Thanks very much Helen for your comment, there are two ways you can keep in touch during this race, either by commenting on this blog, or you can email me by using the 'email a competitor'  button on the multimedia tab.
 
As always Ill keep you up to date and you can sign up to the breaking news to keep up to date with whats going on as it happens. I cant tell you how wonderful it is to hear from you when Im out here and to know that i am doing this for two wonderful causes, that will help spur me on when things get hard.

Well, here I am and the first thing I noticed steping out of the airport was the heat, I arrived last night at about 10pm local time, and it was about 28 degrees. Something I wasn't expecting. Second thing to notice, well that would be the CRAZY driving of the Egyptians, my driver Memo, took me to the hotel, and I was very thankful it was him driving and not me. They don't use indicators, but simply use horns, and lights are only to be used when trying to push other drivers out the way. It was coming up to midnight by the time I got to the hotel and the place looked like rush hour. It's true that Cairo is a 24 hr city.

Well, today I set off to get my bearings around the city, I managed to get my self totally lost and in some pretty, well interesting places!!! I guess that's what happens when you try to find your way in a new city without a map!

The hotel is lovely, the pool over looks the pyramids, I thought it was going to be a one of those clever photos when I saw in on the net, but it's true, the bar and pool really do overlook the pyriamids. I'm miles away from the centre of Cairo, as I found out to my cost today when I tried walking to the centre! Not a wise idea to give myself blisters before I even start this race!

Thank you all once again for your donations, it's great to see them coming in. Tomorrow I'll be heading to the official hotel and meeting my fellow competitors. I'm really looking forward to getting stuck into it tomorrow. Soon enough it will be sunday, and we'll be starting! WOW

It's strange, having arrived in this city, I don't feel like I'm on holiday, I can't relax like I normally would be able to. I guess it's nerves. When I landed, waiting at the baggage claim department of the airport, I've never wanted to see my case as much as I did last night. I mean, imagine trying to run this thing without all the equipment. As suggested I was carrying most of it in my hand luggage, but inevitibly there was bits that I couldn't carry on.

I think it will be better tomorrow, once I start to see the other competitors, I'll feel better once I can be sure I have everything with me. I think tonight I'll be going through my stuff, packing and re packing. I'm sure I need more room, but then equally I wish I wasn't planning on carrying so much stuff, it's a difficult balance to make. I know as soon as we start and I start eating through the food, and therefore getting the weight down, I'll wish I'd carried more of this, or that. on the up side I head that we'll be sleeping every night on soft sand, so I won't need to think about a mat. Although does that mean that the course is predominately soft sand?!!!

You'll have to forgive me with the spelling mistake, and errors in this blog. I only have 30 mins before it cuts out and I want to try to get as much of my thoughts down as I can. But I'm pretty much typing as I'm thinking, so I would imagine that this blog is a bit hikkldy pickledy (I'm sure that's not how you spell that!)

Thanks again all.

It’s been a while since I last updated this, so here goes: 

Firstly a huge thanks to fellow competitor Samantha, who put me in touch with another competitor, Sam, who happens to be doing his training here in South Wales . It’s a shame we didn’t make the connection earlier, as it would have been good to have had a training partner to spur me on. As it was it took someone the other side of the world to introduce me to someone who’s only about 30 mins away! Well, that's the power of the internet. 

Unfortunately I’ve not been able to train as much as I’d like. As those who visit my training schedule on my personal website (http://extremechallenge.weebly.com/) will know. This is down to my knee again. 

On the up side, Sam and I did a good 24 miles the other weekend, some of which was on the soft sand at Merthyr Mawr. It wasn’t running, but was at a good brisk walking pace and has given me the confidence that I can cover the distance at least. Last weekend I was meant to be doing a marathon a day Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but the medical experts put pay to that. 

I’ve been undergoing Physiotherapy for my knee, including Ultra Sound and Electromagnetic therapy. However it was decided I should go and see an Orthopaedic Surgeon to check. The physiotherapist and surgeon both being ex professional athletes knew I wouldn’t be pulling out of the event, and therefore I’d need a quick fix to get me through it before looking more long term on my return from the sand. 

So, last Friday I had a Cortisone injection behind the ligament joining to the outside of my left knee, which meant I was unable to run over the weekend. It felt sore for a few days but on Monday I ran home from work (10 miles) without a huge amount of problems. And I mean run too! It still aches, and still hurts but the positive from this is each medical professional I spoke to has told me that, “ok it’s going to hurt, but I can’t see it causing you any long term damage”. So this means I’ll just have to grit my teeth, man up, and keep reminding myself of the old military saying, “Pain is only weakness leaving the body”.

Well, having had a sports massage and been suggested yoga, I finally let my housemate talk me into going, and I'm so glad I did. I can't believe I've been putting off doing it due to the stigma of going for so long. It's really relaxing yet hard work. And, I don't ache today...maybe there'll be a delayed ache tomorrow.

On the up side, during the whole workout I didn't feel my knee at all, even when lunging, so that's a bonus. Yesterday's was just normal yoga, on Monday I'm trying my hand at Hot (Bikram) yoga. My friend Ellie suggested it to me, but it seems (reading my fellow competitor's blogs) that there are a lot who are doing it. Great for our aches and pains, but also for the heat training.

This weekend I'm going to head out to the beach again, and try to get a bit further than last time down in Cornwall. Hopefully the fact that I know what my knee issue is, combined with the knowledge of stretches, should help me get up an ok distance.

I'm still well behind what I'd like to be running, so am still nervous mentally about the task ahead. My plan is to run/walk/crawl at least a marathon distance followed by a 10 miler on two consecutive days prior to the event. I had hoped to do a marathon followed by a marathon, but I think that would be hoping for too much at this stage. I don't want to arrive injured to the start line.

I know the key now, is to make sure that I'm mentally prepared for what is, a massive undertaking. It is going to be FAR from easy, but as long as I have the mental ability to push my body through, never giving up and focusing on the end, I'm sure I'll be able to do it. I know already that I will be doing it with a great set of people. Some, who like me, will be doing their first event like this, others who are veterans who are already providing great advice and tips. I certainly think it's going to be a great atmosphere there and an amazing experience.

They say, knowing what you have makes things easier to deal with. Well, in my case it seems to be true. Knowing I have problems with my ITB, a common problem for runners (as well as cyclists, jumpers, long distance walkers). Having had a deep tissue massage last night…well… I don’t feel better, as I’m aching today from it, but I feel better mentally. I feel that it’s not going to be something that will knock me out of this race…having read other blogs I’m starting to like the use of event instead of race!

 Thank you very much indeed to fellow competitor Samantha, for giving me tips and advice as well as messages of hope! I very much appreciate it. As the clock ticks by and it gets closer and closer, I am ever more excited, nervous, and apprehensive as to what I’ve let myself in for. I have never done anything quite like this before in my life, but wow what an experience it will be, what a place the Sahara is to be doing this!

 I’m off, this week, to my first ever Yoga session, I’ve heard it’ll be good for my aches and pains, and it’s also a bikram yoga session, so will help for my heat training too.

Well here it is, the pain in my left knee that plagued me for so long during my last challenge, back again! And just when I thought I was doing well too. Having run the 22 miler, then cycled to work I was returning home, running the 9.5 miles back to Cardiff and half way through that nagging pain, that soon turned to excruciating pain, was back!

It's just so frustrating, just when I thought that I'd got over the plantar fasciitis, this happens. It's one thing after another! Well, it's too far down the road to let it stop me, so I've been stretching and lunging, desperate to get my knee back on track again. Ice packs, rest, elevation, ibuprofen...anything I can think of to get back on the road to success again.

So, here's the way forward now, try walking to work as much as possible, at least that way I'll get the mileage in, even if I'm not doing it in the time I want, intersperse that with swimming and cycling and keep going to the gym. I'm also going to attempt yoga....yep I know, I'm going to yoga! Well, apparently it will help, and with so much time (not to mention money) invested in this extreme challenge of the Sahara, I'm not going to let anything stop me. I'm determined! Wish me luck!

Well its two months to go now and it’s starting to hit home that this is real. That I’m going to be running this ultra marathon very shortly. I don’t think it will truly hit me until I’m at the start line and the adrenaline is pumping. I attended a running workshop last night with some useful hints and tips for running. It’s strange, we all learn to run at such a young age, and never really think about learning it again. I realised I’d never actually thought about running before. I have simply done it. Maybe this is where my injuries have come from.

 

This week I’ll be getting the last of my equipment and starting to run with full kit in the training runs. I’ll also be buying my race shoes. That might seem a bit late, but with a suggested life of 400 miles, you can’t buy the trainers too soon or they’ll be ready for the bin before the race has started. My training plan tells me that I’ve about 400 miles to do before my taper to the event itself.

 

Am I nervous? Yes. Do I feel confident? Not yet, not fully. I’ll be happier once my training has got past the 20 miles mark. This is, after all, my first ultra marathon combined with my first marathon…and in fact my first official half marathon too. Before signing up to this, I’d only ever done a 10k as an official run!

 

Looking at previous results for this race, there’s a scary amount that don’t get through it! There’s a worry amount that have to pull up! I’m determined; those who know me know I’m stubborn. Lets just hope that people start to pull their wallets out their pockets and make this worth while for the charities I’m doing it for, as well as worth while for my own personal reasons.

 

Under two months to go – the final stages of preparation are here. 

PLEASE SPONSOR EDWARD MATTS HERE
www.justgiving.com/saharamarathon-H4H - Help for Heroes
www.justgiving.com/saharamarathon-MCCC - Marie Curie Cancer Care