OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD! I have never ever in my entire life felt more pain, more steely reserve, more determination, more stamina, more love for my team mates, more negative battling with the posotive thoughts just to get one foot in front of the other! And whats more its the longest distance have ever covered let alone with a 10kg backpack weighing down on the sore that have formed on my two shoulders from the rubbing of where the pack moved either when i was trying to run or just slurringly walking. The sore on my back, my feet seem to just explode in my shoes  after only the 2nd stage and all i had in my head was keep going Lucy, Keep going all your blog friends comments are behind you just keep going for them. Thankyou all of you. My husbins your messages are lovely considering everyone can read them.
The second stage i thought i couldnt go on as my ITband kept twanging but a stretch and deep heat (in the desert i want ice!) got me going again in a sort of hobbled flow. 4th checkpoint has always been my battle as its normally been the last stage and for some reason i rock on the first 3 everyday and then the 4th i fall apart and just want to crawl so i was conscience of this all along to keep going to 4th checkpoint, there would be a spectacular view of our first village and maybe a shop(FOOD, NOT CLOTHES!) and the we would go ahead with stage 6 in our minds where we could refuel or sleep, which i had made clear to my team was my barrier from last time that i had to experience the long haul, hang in there and go the whole distance without stopping until we finished. Anyway got to checkpoint 6 and literally had an outerbody experience, body started twitching and shaking, everyone flung on jackets on me to stop me getting cold and force fed me practically. The volunteers here especially Carly from last race in Namibia were fantastic but at this checkpoing i lucked out with checkpoint Carly and belles. Sissel held kool and didnt faff me and calmed me and belles and carly did food and clothes and wierd it was but it was gone as fast as it came the minute i had a pkt of noodle in my stomach, thankfully not a spice one otherwise i would have hurled there and then. Then we were off moving. It was dark by then but i had to keep from getting overheated and over cold. From Vomiting or the other. All i had to concentrate onn was to empy my mind think posotive and just breath and enjoy the peace, the most spectatularly clear sky ive ever seen and the moon lit our way. Eric la hau, another wonderful volunteer put down the glow sticks for all the competiors who were carrying on in the dark to get a time and it was like eric was showing us the way home, and my team were bringing me in. I had the most powerful up surge of emotions from feeling normal again and not ill on end of stage 5 to middle of 6 and then end of six all i can remember is seeing camp well in the distance but the sand dunes and the depth my feet were sinking in and out with the weight of me and my pack were making me very quiet. My team mates were all quiet and queitly getting worried whether we would make it i think but not one of us gave in and we finally got home3 minutes short of midnight. We raised our joined hands with the little energy we could and hugged each other quietly. we got our times clocked in and silently made for our tent where we were all very quiet and silently just slowly windng down. My sleeping bag was very damp from my backpack leaking water so i had a worrying 2 hrs trying to get warm, my hip bones were so painful to sleep on and even move and my legs were on lead fire. My feet felt like they were having a disco with all the throbbing and they started to become so red hot i had to do something. Very gingerly i got out of my ruck sack and tent and just had to sit outside on my own and stop myself from crying with pain and just gazing at the sky looking for shooting stars. I simply did not know what to do but everyone was in the same pain and just dealing so i had to too. There was no proper medics as they were out on the course picking people up so i just had to suck it up. Then the greates, Sissel woke up and came outside and we quietly went to the campfire and just talked to 3 others who were just trying to make conversation to fill the mind with something other than pain. We had a cuppa soup which was form our rationed food until we hit the hotel in two days time and i went back to tent to take another sleeping pill as 4hrs had passed snce last one which hadnt worked and popped a co-adamol. I gingerly took off my socks and sterelised my feet as best i could with wet wipes and then used my compulsory syring to drain the blisters myself.  I was soo focused that it was the therapy i needed and after i had tidied that up i feel asleep for a much needed 3hrs.  Now its 10hrs after we have finished and we are still clappng in the last of the fnishers, its hot and  just want to get into clean clothes, have a bath, have some decent fruit and vedgetables and be with all of the people  love but not after i have a marathon sleep.I am off now to try and find some shade, remeinise and feel happy i have achieved this goal of mine, I feel very floaty, tired but happy even thou the body doesnt! We have one more night in this campsaite waiting for the last then we are in a long bus ride again tomorrow where wer jog 1km towards the pyramids for posterity, im walking! I m now off to scrounge some food bought by some local villages in who apparently have crisps and coca cola altho apparently if Mary finds it shell add on an hr penalty..........I have a great amount of respect for her and The Racng the planet team they have done a magnificent job this event has been breathtaking in every way. Thankyou and Thank you. ..................I just need to sleep again. night night xxxxxx
Oh by the way the village had a young boy yielding a machete on section 4-5 that had our adrenalin raised for a few moments but thats another story along with the children taking the flags that were leading us out to another section.

im soo sooo tired, blisters and fatigue setting in. dt yes im getting your blogs here but not able to go into my own blog site which is wierd. but got yours today and i sooo needed to hear from you. i got slightly over exited this afternhoon at cuddling you late in the race that sissel had to tell me to slow down! kirst your best sister in law for filling me in on family i couldnt want for more. tell mum from me, poo poo! had a good nights sleep lastnight and hoping to get to bed asap tonight as we are moving tomorrow morning at 4 instead of 8/9am. im just asking you all to do some posotive thinking big time for me tomorrow as im really scared of flaking out on our last day. effectively thats tomorrow for me as its meant to be 85-90k in one go and then the next time its 1km left to run into the pyramids. im going to tend to my blisters now which ive been dreading all day so ive still got my shoes on. looking across at another guy whose got tape all over his nips, very strange goings on out here int eh desert. i have to say this course if breathtaking when i have the head for looking up and taking it in around me. most of the time iim following footprints, head down, concentratingon hydrating and eating. i was having a cup of coffee thismorningin with the girls at breakfast thismorning just doing friendly banter and this guy was rubbing vaseline on his balls under his tights, but still we all didnt notice until into the race we all said out of a race like this that would just be not acceptable where as here you are sooo zoned out its wierd. i have to say the drums as you come into each final check point are great and the sight of camp tonight could not have come sooner. i am sorry to all about not putting caps in after fullstops but i am just too tired. i miss you all and love you for sending me in your messages ploease please think of us tomorrow and i cant wait to be home ............ pop, there goes one of my blisters time to go treat. stinks tell hatts to comment in here instead of my personal blogs site. xxxxxxxxx

Bloody blisters but not on a par with Nambia. started the day out right me and belles had a load of our minds. alway good start. started downs off with dunes. ok. then long flat 11k and not too much breeze so all trying to keep our minds light. belles quieter today as i think shes suffering with a nerve muscle. I alway feel strong first 3 and then the last one before home loose it a bit. sissel powers us in on last leg otherwise u following me and we would still be out there. its interesting to see where our different strengths are. mine i think is not dwelling on down talk and just looking forward to somethinng upbeat. belles is humour and sissel is keeping us consistent and on the move. i had a bit of a paddy with sissel at the end which i communicated to her and weve cuddled so hopefully its all out and we can move on. the camera guy was on us today and i did a moonie. now its on film and i just hoping it doesnt get to you tube. waiting for christy and jeffa. i so love having them on this race. christy is so fantastically upbeat and jeffa is such a lovely person. quiet and dignified an inspiration. just looking at frank fumichs tattoo IF HE GETS YOU THROUGH IT, HE WILL BRING YOU TO IT. husbins naughty minx wish i was there to hear the volume in the restaurant. kirst kisses to the doggies. big kiss to you and all at creeksea and it means a lot that you are daily updating. thankyou. we passed an oasis today which mary said we could wash our hair in but by the time it came up at checkpoint 3 we didnt even look at it, silly really as we wont be seeing more of those i dont think and i aint coming back to find it!  zac we miss you. and everyone one from namibia. ive got to go and tend to my feet now and this time tomorrow well be half way, i cant wait. the next day is the big one so we gotta stay hydrated and try and fuel up. on average we burning 3500 cals a day but we running out of food a bit so off i am to lay the blisters on thick and hopefully people wll feel sorry and say here have some food! if only they were related to the tang family as theres always food around. vic and ed where are my messages from you guys and where are my gummy bears. xxxxxxxxx

HI FANS OF TEAM GOOD SPORT! WHAT  aday. we hit then sand dunes on last stage and they were sooo sooo beaufiful we loved it. we spent a good deal of time taking photos of each other so we had to make up time by running a good part to the finish. Heavenly breeze at end and it feels cooler thisevening which is great as it took a long time to kool down last night so much so that after sissel knocked us out with her sleaping pill we had no idea how when we wok in the morning we were inside out sleeping bags! maybe the lads all rolled us inside of our bags as we stink! minging stinks! got a little bit of chafing today so went large with the glide! ummmmmmmm. dt, husband where is my love message today as got yours yesterday about king lear but nuffing today so nothing to impress wiv! I miss you all my family, my friends my husband my dogs, my baths and not in that order! Rachel who you following today, sssshhh u cant tell! you will love this when you do a rtp. sorry you didnt make it with me this time. moods all good in team gs and we still love each other. Blisters are beginning but only small so relieved. im looking around the cybertent and we all look like mongs. Its 4.47 now so only an hour and ten till bed time so got to go and eat my expedition food, chicken karma. Korma, sorry! 12 hrs sleep lastnight and it makes a difference. keep on blogging me all and hi kirsty thankyou and keep them coming. is mummy back yet? tell her i love her and give a cuddle to the girls, little willow and hannah! someone tell hattie to get her arse in the blog. sorry repeating myself, im off. xxxxxxxxxx

OH MY GOD I JUST REMEMBERED THAT I HATE WALKING IN THE SAND!
took a sleeping pill lastnight and the hangover was inteesting when half hour to lift off wandering round like a mong, rucksack weighing a ton and my breakjfast not going down! Well here i am sitting in the cybertent, not a blister in sight feeling little stiff but no pain. Heavenly compared to Namibia. looking for some superglue to stick my fingers together in a crossed shape as i would adore this feeling every day. first stage we ran most and that was 9k,, second stage, sofft sand so walked most and same on third stage. The last stage, fourth, i hated! Belles started out feeling opposite to me and hated first 3 stages and loved last so hopefullly well be in snyc tomorrow. Frank Fumich in tent with his lads 2hrs before us but they are fit fit fit! The desert is beautiful unlike namib< there are huge crust of white rock formations apparentlysalt? Need big dave here to intellectualise us as this place is mind blowingly beautiful. The breeze has kept up most of the day which was perfect. I hope this is normal for everyday. Sissel motoring along all four stages. we are all in good spitits so far. Now waiting to greet christy and jeffa. i miss lucy and frank marriot who were there everyday for as at the finish. crowd this time interested. volutneers brilliant and just posotive every check point.  got to sort out my snacks and food now for tomorrow and even though its 4.30 the sun is going down and i dont want to be left in the dark to do that. aly keep your blogs coming and forget about jordan updates, yuck! stinks hows the bnp! i cant wait to cuddle you sadly this time i wont be ponky like the finish line of namib> xxxxxxxxxxxx off to use the wet wipes and clear myself up. x

1st morning!
15hr bus drive yesterday and team good spirit were having major sugar rushes and manages to get strained muscles? Sissel on flying good norwegian form, almost loony bin calling! Belles applying makeup even in the dark! Me just handing out food because obviously i had bought loads of everything! Luxury of luxury we were able to use loo in bus unlike namibia so felt like i was at the aman instead of te roadside motel! slept like a log as sissel gave me a pill altho awake now for the first morning i still feel under deep sleep mode! Instant coffee just doesnt wake u up  properly! havent done biggies yet as its a cardboard box to balance over and being so tired i would probably fall in, glad i dont ave to empty tem! sorry very british to talk of this! strange strange tent mates! more of that later> christy sitting next to me furiously typ9ing away too before our generator goes off! great same medical team faces ere again except emma> emma where are uuuuuuuu> Its a bright hot morning already and fingers crossed to over heating! run out of sun cream already so will nick or borrow later as my water bottles already been knicked by someone. hi to everyone i love u more while im here, emotions heightened! keep on commenting on my blogs or just e mail me loads. hi creeksea. husbins, look after nick and simon they very lonely without there wives like you....... not! beave boys! and jaq furniss your my inspiration. x
off to biggie hole

WHY????? I dont know how it happened but, i thoroughly enjoyed Racing the Planet Namibia, as it was my first ever marathon, let alone endurance race! BUT when finished, with no toe nails intact, put in a wheel chair because of septic feet for 3 days on my return to London (altho between you and me it was slightly over dramatic of the doctor, but i loved all the attention!) I swore that was it! I wouldn't become another cliche of being hooked. You know everyone said to me, with a knowing glance.......... once bitten etc! I thought madness to do it again. In fact not thought but knew? But something happened..... Probably major memory relapse but, here I am 7 weeks to go and only suddenly realising after i have had to take out a huge settlement to pay for me and my whole team (twas the only way they would agree to such madness thinking i wouldnt go ahead and book!) But here I am terrified of the realisation we are set again and doing THE SAHARA!. And so are they, Annabelle and Sissel, the greatest team mates a girl could EVER ask for. Ready to train hard again? Wierdly I dont have the dedication i had for Namibia but if I dont start now its going to be too late and Im not ready to let my team down for sloathfullness. So here goes. Looking forward to meeting all of you Sahara lot. I met some of the best people i've met in a long time, on the Namibia trip, so here to all of us who have undertaken to do the Sahara, heres to our training, our teams, our will power and our charities. And above all, all the support we get from all the Racing the Planet team. Your all wonderful and look forward to seeing you all soon. Altho a little less of the medical tent team this trip i am hoping! God bless our health. OVER AND OUT FOR NOW.

Desperately trying to steer clear of flu and apparent tummy bugs. Just arrived from home hong kong yesterday to home London and its freezing here. Had last 5 days of no exercise due to pulled hamstrings doing the hills of hong kong too rigoursly but today went to the gym in London and alls still ok so heres hoping they will hold up in the desert. So looking forward to weighing in the backpacks in Cairo because by then hopefully i will have it all sorted and itll be way lighter than it is now! Cant wait to see all the RTP familiar staff faces and to meeting new competitors. Packing the earplugs because i'm sure there will be a few snorers in my tent with the percentage of boys to girls, although one of my team mates does snore, we have it on video from Namibia!