When I got back to my tent after writing the last post, I could see on everyones faces they knew I had just concluded my last stage. My walk to our desert home was in full view of all the competitors and each agonizing step was met with

I guess many of you will have seen the vast deterioratiion in my performance today. I dont know where I came and I dont care. The docs wroked on my feet for an hour last night and they have gone from red mush to an Egyptian Mummys feet. I went to bed but was up in the early hours to be sick (not the first time and a lot of us have been so) which wasnt so bad as the cool desert sand and cloudless star filled sky replace the normal tiled floor of a bathroom.
 
I had been warned to take it easier today as my knee would not take it and I would be out for Thursday. They neednt have worried, I could hardly get my feet in my shoes so i moved as fast as I could. By CP1 I was convincing the medical staff that someone who had finished every day in the Top 40 was still ok even if he was 90th. Downhill was very painful (consistent with patella I am told Jim?) and the knee started to lock. I sneaked in some Voltaren even though they dont like us taking it on the course and it helped. By CP2 and with 20km covered I was in trouble with my feet though and in particular 2 large blisters on the soles. I didnt want to take my shoes off as I had struggled to get them on in the first place.Trish, a fellow competitor from Singapore offered to stay with me and we managed to make some progress but painfully slow I dont know what we did the last 13km in but I think it was more than 4hrs 30. and mainly due to Trish driving the press. On arrival at camp it was clear I was in trouble and now I await the news whether I will be shipped out tomorrow. Frankly, I am speechless and will need a little time to compose mself if that is the case. I have ran 150km in 4 days with a pack and despite today, I have been in the top 30% throughout. It is one more day! admittedly the long one but surely I could take my time. 'sure' they say but if you cant get your feet in your shoes and your knee continues to deteriorate.
 
Not happy, very upset.

I need to keep this short guys so I can go get some food.
 
Three of our tent have now withdrawn with the Singaporean Doctor falling to heatstroke on Stage 2 and Dave from Ireland deciding it was not for him. last night we had a sandstorm which came through the tents. All our kit and ourselves got covered by the fine Sahara sand and it is uncomfortable. We get 4.5 litres of water to last from when we finish (around 1pm) until when we finish the first CP on the following day stage. Nobody wastes water on anything but drinking!
 
Stage 3 was to be the second most difficult with 41km of sand dunes. The start to CP 1 saw the now normal dash but my knee can't keep the pace so I have to let them move on until it warms up. My feet were getting worse but  I had popped, taped and cleaned before I set off. At CP 1 I was 62nd but knew my steady Eddy would keep me in the game. The next 2 CP's were hardcore dunes and I had to dig deeper than ever to keep going and keep my pace. At CP 4 my feet were a mess but I decided with no medical there I would push on. I knew I was around 40th place and I am now seeing the chance of the Top 50 so I keep pushing along. The scenery is stunning, absolutely breathtaking and I hope they are they putting pictures up. However, the heat is intense and constant and we are always out at midday in the full desert heat. The last leg never seemed to end and I could see I was being caught up. It hurt to step and I willed my self long with my natural competitive instinct and reached the end in 7hrs 30 mins or so and 37th for the stage which still amazes me.
 
I have blisters on both heals, the sole of my left foot and other places. I am now going to let them dry out and the see the medical team. I have to get my feet ready for Thursday. I think they are going to be my biggest issue
 
Sandy, every time I feel sorry for myself, I think of the challenges Z faces every day. Thanks for all the emails and updates. Please call Mum and Dad and tell them all is ok. Love you
 
Thanks to everyone else who emails. It is a massive lift to read the support.

As I was falling asleep at 7.30 last night, there were some runners still heading in. Stuart had not managed to recover from his run and was in the medical tent with an iv drip in his arm. That combined with a sprained ankle means he will play no part.
 
I woke this morning at 4.30am, packed, ate and fixed my feet. The start was 6.30 and the stage was described as difficult with a flat 10km and the 25km on sand in the dunes. 2km into stage 1 and I knew my knee was a mess. I was struggling to keep going and cruised until CP1 in around 64th place. Once there I popped the pills and got on with it as others took more time. A sand hill was ahead and as Michelle will tell you, I love the hills and I started gaining as soon as we hit them. Into CP2 and I was 55th for the stage but a quick transistion and I was off again into some of the most breath taking scenery I have ever seen. All I could see was sand for 50 km in each way, with no living thing in site, no plants, no birds.
 
A killer hill had e catch another 2 places and I was on the plateau with a smile on my face. The pills had kicked in and my knee was ok. I could feel I had issues building on my feet but I felt good and I could see I was going to finish. I got to CP3 and once again, with little time taken i got a jump on a number though I did not know my position. The final 5km was all hiils and dunes and absolutely brutal. I set two guys about a km in front as my final targets. My feet were stinging but I was feeling like much better than the day before. My steady strategy combined with a better use of electrolytes has me in a better place. Up a huge sand bank to the finish I passed my last target and with the drums of the tribesman in my ears, I crossed with a smile. Position for the day 40 again! What are the odds! That leaves me 39th for the race so far. I spent an hour on my feet and have now eaten. I will rest some more and then have some more food.
 
Sandy, thank god I have those photos. They inspire me and I get to bore my tent. Tell the kids I miss them and love them.Show them Valley of the Whales on Google Maps.I miss you very much and have had plenty of time to work out where we can go on that trip in 3 weeks.
Michi, the hills paid off but they are brutal. They go on for miles but digging in and getting done seems the only sensible thing
Aaron, good effort for a middle age bloke, Sahara next for you.
Rachael, well done< great perormance
 
Tomorrow is a 41km and in the dunes again. I am getting myself ready for a hard day but I feel more confident I can get through. That is in no small part to all the fantastic emails I have received.

Stage 1 done and I am unbelievably sitting in 40th place out of 156 Let's not excited though, I think I pushed too hard but let me get to that.
 
Saturday we spent all morning on race check in before we finally got on to the buses to take the 3 hr drive to the start line. sat up front which was a big mistake as despite having been to countries all over the world, driving in Cairo is absolutely mad! We did drive past the Giza pyramids though and I look at them in all their splendour, imagining what it will be like to see them at the finish.
 
On arrival sun had gone down but the site looked fantastic with 20 tents arranged in an arc around a fire. The stars were out and their was a light breeze. Tent 10 is home to Stuart, myself, 2 Singaporeans, 1 brit, 1 Irishman and 1 Canadian. All are a good crowd and we settled around the fire for dinner, in my case freeze dried spaghetti bolognaise. As soon as we were done, I headed to bed at 7.30pm to the sounds of the desert drums. All I could I think of was the Rowan Atkinson Barclaycard advert, where he lights the rug on the Twrag (sic) bonfire.
 
I slept well, I was up at 4.30am and it was beautiful. I hadn't even got my bag out, electing to sleep on the top of my mat. By 5am we were all getting ready, grabbing breakfast and packing kit. After a quick briefing,we headed to the start and with a roar, 156 people set off on a a journey they will never forget. The first 10km was all soft stand and it was tough, by the time we came to the first sand dune we were al getting split up. I got to CP 1 and felt ok. My knee is  buggered, I know that with help from physician, Chris White (he who believes that Heineken is a valid isotonic) I am taking some decent stuff that should get me through. Heading to CP2 and I pushed it up a level and spent the time tagging with Trish, a Singaporean who clearly is a tough competitor. The heat was rising and I was feeling it. We were well over 42 degrees and there was not a whisper to keep it down. I drank sensibly and kept to my program of ensuring I had drank 1.5 litres with electrolytes and food on the hour. I got to CP2, loaded with water and headed straight out. Many were taking a break but I chose to drive on and headed into the midday sun. I got hammered! The sun cooked me (yes Sandy, I am wearing and my desert hat. I struggled along the endless sand, with nothing but the horizon in front of me. I thought of family, I thought of Everton (loving the performance from my boys) and anything that would get me away from listening to my footsteps. CP 3 was in a gully and I could see I was clear by 500m of my next competitor. I arrived and requested additional water and put 1.5litre inside me immediately. I filled my bottles and headed straight out with 31km done and 7.5km to complete. Heat wa at 45 degrees on my watch and I started to struggle come 34kms. I saw a hill we had to climb and when I got up I ran along the ridge looking out on miles and miles of desert. I could see a depression as could the US guy ahead of me and we both (as it turned out) assumed it would be after that. I felt crap, I knew the signs and my lack of balance made me make errors and my knee was paying the price. As we crested the depression we did indeed see the camp but many km's away on the horizon. It was too much for the US guy, he collapsed to the floor and vomited. I pressed on but in 1km time I went the same way and was sick. The water is boiling that you drink and not easy to get down. I looked to the finish and chose to press and for the next 45 mins I made my way slowly but still with one eye behind me.
 
The tribesman were playing drums as I crossed but I didn't care. I needed rest and water which I got immediately. One blister which I will deal with tonight, a nights rest and a few kit changes will see me good. I am well ahead of were I expected to be but I think my pace today was less than sensible so I will knock it down a level and save myself for the long run where time can be made up. We have another tough 40km tomorrow on the dunes so I will be in bed by 7.30pm again though tonight I am sleeping under the stars, no need for tents!
 
Sandy, Zara, Conor, I love you and miss you very much. You are in my thoughts and power me on.
Michi, it is hotter than hell but we did the preparation. We should have done it in A SAUNA.
John M, you cheered me with the Everton news
Jackie, I was dreaming of stella all day
John W, tell me it get better
 
To everyone who sends me mails, thanks so much. When you arrive back in camp broken, they make you smile and lift your spirits.

It is 3-35am and I am wide awake due to a mix of jet lag and the noise from the extravagant Egyptian wedding taking place in the function room opposite. This is the last night I will sleep in a bed until 9th October so I had hoped it would be a more comprehensive sleep. I arrived at Singapore airport last night and checked all my luggage in apart from a small hand carry. I summised the risk of a luggage loss was low, though I was consciously aware that if I was wrong then my race was over. After a brief lounge visit I headed to the gate to find a number of competitors were on the same flight, easily identifiable due to the patches on our shirts. However, these guys were all in compression tights, running shoes, drinking their isotonic drinks and nursing their back packs. I was carrying my ipad, nursing an isotonic Heineken (Chris White training tip) and wearing my A&F board shorts with hiking boots. I could be safe they would not think I was one of them! An uneventful flight, on which I slept throughout, ended at 5am in Cairo. As soon as the doors were opened I was off like a hare to get through passport control and customs. Years on the road told me that there would be limited rooms available for early check in and there were at least 10 people looking to get one. On arrival at the hotel I was greeted with the news it was full but a few well placed smiles and I got one. My theory proved correct as when I came down 30 mins later, my fellow competitors were having fruitless conversations with the receptionists. There are over 150 competitors so it isn't hard to find yourself sharing the lift or walking past one. Everyone is very nice and cheerful, all aware that Saturday night we will be in the desert under canvas together. I spent my day going through my kit again, checking everything was secure, squeezing air out of bags and establishing the best position for each item. We have a manadatory list of kit which includes headlights (x2) compass, first aid, 14000 calories of food, clothing etc and it needs to all get in the equivalent of a day pack. I have found this a challege but I do now believe I have got pretty good at it and will make a good quartermaster/packer for the pole team. Saturday we have a competitor briefing followed by a gear check. We then board the buses for the 2-3 hour journey to our first camp site before the start which is 8am Sunday morning. With all this in mind, I did not fight jet lag at 7-30pm and fell asleep. At 1-30am I could hear a loud banging on the door and found I had a room mate. I had assumed that would not be the case as I had one double bed but they wheeled in a single bed and it was done. Stuart is a Brit who has spent the last 22 years in HK. He has two of these races under his belt already so is very relaxed at what is ahead. Clearly someone who will be at the front of the pack, he has a top 20 finish to his name from Gobi earlier this year. Stuart will also be in my tent so we enjoyed an hour or so introductions upon which he went to sleep and I find myself wide awake writing this. I have just had a message from wife Sandy who has just finished a 5km road race in 25 mins. That is pretty excellent when she has not ran in 3 months and has not been 100% for a few weeks now. Well done honey!!!!! Right, let's see if I can get a few more hours.

I worked hard in training for Sahara, I even grew to enjoy it, well as much as you can enjoy lugging your pack for 10hrs each weekend but with Michelle

I was supposed to be out for a 4hr with full pack today and I was up at 6am consuming oatmeal and filling my bottles. On Wednesday I had fallen and banged my knee. Nothing structural, full flexibility, but sore. I managed a 10km on Thursday but decided, for once in my life, to be sensible and rest on Friday so that I could do my two 4 hr runs with pack at the weekend. Michelle arrived and we headed down Windsor Park Rd towards Macritchie but within 50 metres I knew it wasn't wise. My knee was sore and I couldn't possibly see how 4hrs with 10kg on my back was going to be helpful or make it improve. I took the decision to have another rest and try again tomorrow. I am not worried, I know it is nothing bad. I also know i have done enough training that if I had to rest until the event then I would still be able to compete (loose term when your aim is to just complete) so not an issue. The bigger issue for me will be time as this weeks sees chaos commence with family arriving in town on Tuesday, my birthday on Wednesday, the White Collar Boxing on Friday and my party on Saturday. My Young Lions did not cover themselves with pride this week and their suspension means I can at least have the following Monday free. I need to get my two four hour runs in by Tuesday and then I can revert to the shorter distances for the remainder. Final kit was purchased last night and I think I am pretty much there now. Some work on nutrition left and a new pair of running shoes to be purchased on Monday to break in but I am comfortable I am close to ready in all areas.

All progressing well at the moment, training has been going great and last weekend saw a 5hrs 30 mins and 2hrs 50min on the Sat and Sun. I am now struggling excessively and I am not having any problems accepting that I am now getting close to being able to take this challenge on. 15 hours running a week does take its toll on your body though but I am now at the stage when I get up in the morning I am not feeling the soreness as much. Sure, I am in no doubt i have been training but that is as likely to be the cross training as anything else. The great part of this training is you can consume everything. You can't possibly run around Singapore in 92 degrees plus with a pack and consume enough calories. Therefore, within reason, diet is not really a consideration. I am now on a new backpack, the OMM 25L and It seems to be perfect. The Raid one I used previously was ok but a little short for someone my size. Running with the OMM has been comfortable and I think I have the right one now. My major concern at present is hydration. I am running through a minimum of 2 litres an hour and closer to three. Now I know Singapore is one of the harshest climates for endurance with all the heat and humidity but I can't see Sahara being that much easier. I will be carrying similar quantities of water in the Sahara so I hope the check points are not too far spaced out as I feel a massive difference in my performance if I don't keep adequate hydration. This weekend will see me complete a 4hr on Sat and Sun with pack. Accompanied by my invaluable training partner Michelle, we will work our way around the trails at Macritichie in Singapore. This place is where most people do their distance training and I am sure that my fellow competitors from Singapore are running there with me (or maybe from the other 4 Deserts events) as I see some serious packs and distance being covered so don't be shy guys, say hi!

Welcome one and all to my ramblings, as I pick my way through the final jungle of preparation for this Sahara race. I do blog, I am not totally late to this process but I normally write on my blog at www.ordinarybloke.com which I will dual blog to for the duration of this race. First of all, let me explain why I am doing this. It will not go unnoticed that I am 40 in less than 4 weeks time. That, to some, will explain everything but actually you would be wrong. I am not yet another example of a male, hitting middle age who can't let go......well actually I am, very much so but that is not my reason for the Sahara. Perversely, I am attempting the Sahara as preparation for the North Pole, how stupid is that ! Well it's true. In April next year, myself and two team mates (Georgie and Tom) will race against other teams in an unsupported 650km race to the magnetic North Pole. Tom and Georgie have slightly more endurance experience than I, having done marathons, triathlons and half Iron Man etc so I though sod it, let's see how I handle the endurance side over 7 days and that will be a good base. Sounds bloody simple when you write it but bugger me this has been laborious. I am fortunate that my position allows me a lot of flexibility when it comes to when I can train but god did not give me 95kgs of muscle (yeah maybe the odd kg, nay 80kg of fat) so that I could become an endurance athlete. My frame was built for the rugby pitch, boxing ring and anything involving power and short bursts so this has taken some discipline. However, as the weeks have gone by, the mileage is creeping up and this weekend, after doing a 5hr run around MacRitchie in Singapore on the Saturday, it was almost comical that I looked on the 2hr run on Sunday as moderate but that is where I am at ladies and gentleman. Vince Lombardi famously said "The good Lord gave you a body that can stand most anything. It's your mind you have to convince.'' Old VInce knew a few things about sport and getting the best from people and he wasn't wrong here either. It really is a mind game, you can do it, you just have believe it. Wow, listen to me, suddenly I am the sports psychologist when 7 days ago I could convince myself that I was complete doughnut for signing up and that was about it. This week has seen me make my kit purchases......AGAIN. I got my gear in April when I signed up but along the way I have managed to either lose it on a small expedition in Australia or find out that my usual strategy of choosing the most expensive was not ideal. A few conversations with past competitors (thanks John Warren and Chris White) and I think I have I can safely say I am 80% of the way there. Right, enough of my drudgery, I am on a dual run day, 10km in the morning and 10km in the evening and that evening slot is approaching so I will be you farewell and look forward to sharing more of my preparation soon.