It has been a little more than one week since we crossed the finish line on the beach in Swakopmund. It was epic! I hope everyone is recovering well.

This was the 3rd RTP race that I have finished, and this one was especially tough because of the heat and soft sand. I think Namib ’24 was harder than Gobi ’23 and Atacama ’23. My pack weighed 7 kg not including what I was wearing, a little less than 10% my body weight. I was surprised because after all my careful calculations I thought the pack would weigh 6.5 kg. Regardless, my pack never really felt like a burden. Lower pack weights make a big difference in getting through these races. However, Makoto showed us that you can start with a 16.5 kg pack with all your luxuries and still finish.

Makoto finishes the Namib Race.

I was suprised by Swakopmund. It is a very nice beach town that is easy to walk around. There are nice restaurants and cafes. We found Gebauer Biltong, a small shop that specializes in biltong that was very tasty.

The bus ride south to Camp 1 was about an hour. Then we were ferried by pickup truck across the sand to the camp. Some people decided to walk from the bus but it was a bit of a trek. Camp was right next to a dune that provided a great view of the ocean and sunset.

Stage 1 was immediately different than the other RTP races I have done because we were on soft sand which is very hard to move through. Fortunately, the weather was cool because we were near the ocean. The roads between the salt pans were more runnable and then we turned inland. I remember seeing flamingos flying overhead. Everyone made it to Camp 2. A great start for the race.

Running along the Namibian beach at the beginning of Stage 1.

Stage 2 is when things got real. It became very hot. There was a very large dune that loomed ahead. Going up the dune was tough, but I have learned to go up these slowly. It was great fun to run down the dune floating in deep, soft sand. Not a grain of sand got through my RL gaiters. There were trucks with water about halfway between the checkpoints. This became essential because we were leaning on our hydration so much.

Approaching the dune.

Along the ridge of the dune.

Looking up from the bottom of the dune.

Stages 3 and 4 are a blur to me except that I remember it was very hot. I had one bottle with Infinit or Skratch and the other bottle with water. I sipped on my sports drink every 10 mins (easy math) but I was supplementing with the water. At each checkpoint I was chugging water, probably ~400 ml. At some checkpoints I had a Drip Drop. I mixed it with one cup of water and drank it all down in one shot. I also took one or two Salt Stick tablets. When I left each checkpoint I felt fully rehydrated and ready to go. This worked well. Although I was very hot, I never felt off. Stage 4 started up a single-track rocky path which was a lot of fun. At the top, there was a great view and very different terrain. At camp we discovered that we could use the cardboard boxes that held the water bottles as a mat on the sand. Such a luxury to rest on cardboard! Speaking of luxuries, a big thank you to the gentleman how constantly stocked the porta-potties with toilet paper and kept them spotless.

Stage 5, the Long March, was checkpoint to checkpoint with varied terrain. It was cooler in the morning and relatively flat with packed sand to run on. Then we turned into a headwind making it difficult to move forward. CP2 to CP3 is probably memorable to many of us because it got very hot and the trek uphill Rossing Mountain seemed endless. Finally, cresting the hill we came to CP3. At CP3 we had Coke, rocket fuel. Scrambling down the path through the rocks, I slipped and was headed for a faceplant but fortunately, landed well. Incredibly, Thiago was right there to document this.

A slip, heading for a faceplant.

Out onto the plains, the sun started to go down and the temperature began to drop. I got to CP5 right at sunset. I usually don’t hang around at CP5. I just stay long enough to get myself together and move on. I mix up 400 ml of Peronin (400 calories), a nutrition for extreme activities recommended by Reinhold Hugo. It enters your system very efficiently without having to digest it.  That carried me to the finish.

We needed our headlamps to follow the poles with reflective tape. I was enjoying my bright headlamp when suddenly it went dim. No problem, I took out my second headlamp. Later, my second headlamp went dim. Damn! There was just enough light to navigate the reflective markers. Somewhere along a long road I heard Alexia yell that I had missed a hard left turn. That was the first time I almost got lost. Finally, I got to CP7. I got to the first reflective marker, then went straight and saw nothing. I went back to the marker and scanned with my weak headlamp and still nothing. Grumble. I waited there and shortly Manuel came with a very bright headlamp. Together we found the marker to the right at the top of a hill. He was slowed by blisters but was still quite fast. Then Kathrin and Andre caught up with us. The three of them moved forward. Then my headlamp completely died, and I started walking in the dark. Of course, this will not work to stay on course. I could still see Manuel, Kathrin, and Andre ahead. My other headlamp still had a little bit of light for me to see the ground and markers but I knew it would not last so I scurried as fast as I could to catch the trio and stayed in their halo until the finish at camp. Kathrin was setting the pace and was relentless. Later I learned she had twisted her ankle coming down the rocks. She was incredibly tough. We got to Camp around 1 am. I need to reassess my headlamps.

I forget his name, but one unfortunate competitor got hit by an electric bike and bruised/fractured his collar bone. He was wearing a sling in camp the next day. Random events beyond your control can take you out of the race.

The rest day started with the arrival of the final competitors before 9 am (~25 hrs after the start). Many of us came out to cheer them to the finish. It was a very emotional finish for the Long March. The rest of the day was for recovery, stories, and finding shade.

Finding shade, cardboard mats, and tilted stools as back rests.

Final camp, rest day.

Stage 6 started in 3 waves. The bottom group of competitors started at 8:30 am, the middle group at 9:00 am, and the top group at 9:30 am. The finish on the beach was wonderful.

The biologist in me had fun. I got to see the Welwitschia plants. There were 3 in a row, supposedly up to 1000 years old. I was fascinated by the desert plants, trying to figure out how they survived in such an extreme environment. There were lizards, insects, some birds, poop from mammals that I never saw. We did hear calls that we were told were baboons. Kian found a chameleon among the rocks near camp. Of course, I had to hold it.

 Kian with the Namibian chameleon.

A few more thoughts: My general nutrition, hydration/electrolyte plan was like the Gobi March and Atacama Crossing but each race is a bit different. Mostly, I relied on Infinit and Skratch drinks. Fritos and candied pecans were my snacks. Because of the heat and soft sand, I didn’t run much. So, I was on course longer than anticipated, taxing my electrolytes especially because it was so hot. Fortunately, I had Salt Stick tablets as a supplement.

As in Atacama ’23, I used RL gaiters. I had Velcro glued and sewn onto my shoes. Not a grain of sand got in except some very fine dirt. They worked well. Another benefit of the gaiters was that my feet and socks were not filthy at the end of each stage.

Thank you to all the volunteers and local support staff. Everyone was so wonderful and supportive, always encouraging us. I called the volunteers at the checkpoints “Angels of the Desert”. We could not have succeeded without them.

Our wonderful volunteers, media, and medical staff.

The 3Rs from Houston, Richard, Rafiq, and Royce.

It was an honor to meet and race with all the competitors. Malcolm, Patty, SJ, Juliet and Sam were the best tent mates.

Tent #1. Richard, Sam, SJ, Juliet, Malcolm, and Patty.

It was wonderful to race with friends from the Gobi March and Atacama Crossing, including Fer, Kristof, Ivan, Rafiq, Royce, Kristina, Bob, Keith, Mark, Zach, Dean, Clay, Cillian, and RJ.

Gobi, Atacama (Tent 6), and now Namib finishers, Richard, Fer, and Kristof.

Team Korea – Yoyo, J, and Noh with Royce. Team Korea had the coolest looking hats.

On the Long March after CP3, Clifton was there on the rocks pulling each of us up that one steep part. I hope everyone saw his heartfelt video.

Clifton

Congratulations to everyone who made it to the start line and began the race and to all who finished. It is a big achievement. It is almost impossible to describe this experience to friends back home. There is so much to tell. It is only us who competed who really know what we experienced during this awesome race.

On this last day before I depart for Namibia, there are many thoughts and emotions running through my mind. I have trained consistently. No injuries. I have all my required equipment and double checked that they work. I’m bringing duplicates of some items in case anyone has forgotten something. My pack is as light as it reasonably can be. I’ve got my pretested nutrition/hydration/electrolyte plan. This is the behavior of someone whose first RTP attempt resulted in a DNF. All we must do now is get to Swakopmund on time.

Remember don’t hand carry your knife/multitool and hiking poles on your flights. Put them in your checked luggage or they could be confiscated. I feel a little naughty bringing large bags of white powder, a box of small plastic bags for repackaging, and an electronic scale. How much should I hand carry and how much should I trust having my checked luggage make it all the way to Walvis Bay? Sometimes you just have to have faith.

I’m looking forward to stepping up to the start line again. One foot in front of the other, pink flag to pink flag, checkpoint to checkpoint, and the sound of the drums at camp. Hydrate consistently with electrolytes and take in those carbs/calories. Before you know it, you will be in camp. Don’t forget to look around at the incredible scenery we will be experiencing. The checkpoints are great places to stop, hydrate, and pull yourself together. The volunteers do an outstanding job taking care of us.

I’m looking forward to seeing friends from Gobi and Atacama and meeting new ones. Have an epic race!

It is time to check and recheck that you have all the required equipment and nutrition. I’ve got everything neatly arranged in one room ready for packing. Don’t freak out if you forget something or it gets confiscated in transit. Many of us bring duplicates/backups. If you get to Swakopmund and realize you forgot something, just put out the word (WhatsApp) and I’m sure someone will have what you need.

It is exciting to hear that nearly half of the participants are doing their first RTP race. My biggest tip for first timers ….. get that pack weight down as much as possible! My second biggest tip, have a nutrition/hydration/electrolyte plan for when you are on the course each day. Have fun! We will be in the middle of the Namib Desert! How cool is that?

Send your friends the link to follow your progress (suffering) each day. They will track you with great interest. Tell them that they can send you messages during the race through RTP. Receiving these messages from friends and family is great for the spirit. You will leave the Cyber Tent with a smile.

Get ready for a great adventure!

Wow, it is now about 4 weeks before we all make our way to Swakopmund, Namibia. Well, at some point, I am going to remember how to pronounce Swakopmund. I think it is finally starting to stick. I can tell by the chatter from the WhatsApp group that people are getting excited. First timers may be getting anxious about the unknown even after watching RTP videos over and over again. It is nice to see the veterans providing information and tips. Btw, check out Jeff Pelletier’s 2021 Namib Race report (https://jeffpelletier.com/racing-the-planet-namibia-ultra) and his wonderful 9-part video series about the Namib Race (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9zH676KAK0).

Last year I did my first ultramarathon race, a 50K at the Pistol Ultra in Alcoa, Tennessee. I used it as a rehearsal for the Gobi March, carrying my pack weighted with 6 kg. It was an important practice and I learned that I needed to be more consistent with my hydration and nutrition. What I discovered about ultras at that race was that there is a lot of walking. For the great majority of us it is more about finishing than being fast. Holding back a bit during Stage 1 is probably helpful for the rest of the week.

I already have my freeze-dried food for the race, but Stowaway Gourmet just announced two new dishes, Rogan Josh (lamb) and Kimchi Jjigae (pork belly). I couldn’t resist and will try them. I have pretested all my food to pick the ones I really like and sit well in my stomach, so that I look forward to them when I finish each stage. Nutrition is so important but each person is different.

In this last month before the race, there is still plenty of time to get some good training accomplished, equipment tested, and hydration/nutrition figured out. I look forward to hearing Sam say each morning “Good morning everybody!” which signals the beginning of each day.

Having a solid reason or motivation for attempting these types of races is important because when things get tough (and they can get tough) and you are struggling on course, a strong motivation for attempting the race will help get you through difficult times.

My first attempt at an RTP race was the 2022 Atacama Crossing but I had to withdraw at CP3 during Stage 2 because I was exhausted (pack too heavy, improper nutrition and electrolytes) and would not make the cut off in time. I thought I had a strong motivation to attempt the race but now I realize that my motivation was more of a curiosity than a determination to finish such a race. I had not trained properly to handle the logistics of such a complex race.

My motivation for the 2023 Gobi March was to prove to myself, knowing that I had trained properly (lots of rehearsal with a weighted pack) with the guidance of a coach who understood my goals, that I should be able to finish this type of race. If not, then maybe I had gotten too old for these types of races. Well, I finished! It wasn’t a walk in the park but the only time I struggled a bit was climbing up one of the steep sand dunes which was more of an annoyance. I was literally climbing up on my hands and knees.

My motivation for Atacama 2023 was knowing that I should be able to finish this race (having finished the Gobi March) and I didn’t want to fail and have to come back a third time! I finished! Another motivation that spurred me on was that if I finished Atacama 2023 I would qualify for the Last Desert, Antartica. In retrospect, I might come back to do the Atacama Crossing again because it was really fun and challenging. Doing the Long March in the Atacama Desert lit by a full moon was incredible.

My motivation for the 2024 Namib Race is join the 4 Deserts Club!

So, do some reflection and figure out your motivation to complete the Namib Race! Make it a strong motivation that will drive you forward in the Namib Desert when things are going well but also when they get tough.

I think it was late summer in 2019 when I came across a YouTube video for the Atacama Crossing by Racing the Planet. I was captivated. Although I had completed multiple marathons and Ironman triathlons, I had never considered doing an ultra-distance race let alone one for a whole week in the desert, sleeping in tents and eating freeze-dried food. I wondered if I could complete such a race. It seemed at the edge of my abilities. However, I was encouraged learning that there were checkpoints every ~10K. I could wrap my head around 10K. It was exactly the challenge I was seeking. Little did I know I was taking the first steps into a great adventure.

I wanted to do the 2019 Atacama Crossing but I didn’t think I had enough time to train for the September race. However, I was too excited to wait for Atacama 2020, so I registered and started training for the Namib Race scheduled for April 2020. But then of course the pandemic began and the race was postponed.

Fast forward to February 2024 and I am registered for the Namib Race. It recently hit me that it has been four years since I first considered doing this race. Last year, I was able to complete the Gobi March and Atacama Crossing. Now, here we all are training for the 2024 Namib Race. I know it will be a great experience!