Huzzah!!!
 
Crossed the finish line from the long day 5.07am this morning, so just over 22.5 hours for the 95 km. It's now 12.30pm and the last competitors are still coming in, and it's so hot I am so very very glad I made it in before sunrise. Still haven't slept so hot, tired, and so incredibly dirty ( I think I have gained 5kg just from the weight of sand covering me!) but so very very pleased that apart from a quick 2km tomorrow, this race is over!
 
Yesterday was long. They put quite stringent cutoffs on the first two checkpoints to get everyone through as quickly as possible, so everyone hoiked it the first 18 or so kilometers so lots came through together. I walked the first stage by myself but about halfway through the second fell in with my tentmate Mika. I was trying to keep a fairly consistent 4.5 - 5km/hr and we seemed matched in pace so we stuck together for the next stage and eventually all the way to the very end. We tried to stick to 15 minute breaks only and then keep up a consistent pace in between. Our longest stop was at the 6th checkpoint where they had hot water so we stayed an hour and had a hot meal and some sustenance and then kept moving.
 
The early hours  of the morning were toughest, Mika's feet had a number of blisters that were quite painful, and the terrain, while finally reasonably flat was not always easy to walk on - soft sand alternated with rocks and the occasionally blessedly smooth gravel. But when you have been on your feet that long and they are already swollen and tender every little stone you stand on and every twist of your foot on the soft sand is agony. But he kept up with what felt like a manic pace so we could get finished as soon as possible and I was very glad of the company in the darkness.
 
Given the heat, the flies, the long line for the computers and my lack of sleep, the rest of this will be brief and I will write a bit more once I am home.But Quickly:
 
Support
Thank you so much to everyone who wrote to both Fergus and myself. I am overwhelmed by the love and support and just to say thank you feels inadequate. But if that thank you could contain all the gratitude you can imagine, then thank you so very very much.
A big thanks to Fergus also who lent me his shoes, made my evening meals when I was too exhausted to move and who never stopped cheering me on or let me think I wouldn't finish this.
 
Best long day bit
There's a couple - the view from the dune on Hell Mountain, just awesome. The sunset from the plateau at check point 5. Check pont 8 with it's glow sticks chilled music and volunteer staff who were so laid back it felt like a shack in the carribean. And of course Mika's company that fuelled the dertmination to finish.
 
Worst bit
Nothing new here - Blisters, heat rash, sand, rocks and steep hills. Par for the course though and that which doesn't kill you....
 
So that' it for now. Am very excited about running around the pyramids tomorrow, seeing Fergus' parents at the finish line and finally getting that looong awaitied shower and enjoying the conundrum of whether the first thing I do after the shower is get some sleep in a lovely clean bed, or head to the pool...
 
HUZZAH!
Kate

Another day done! Hard to believe that there is just one more day, albeit a very long one to go. I am trying not to think about tomorrow in case it gets overwhelming, but I was talking to a lovely competitor just before who has done a few of these and he said he really likes the long stage, because he just takes his time and really enjoys the day... At this point it's hard to get past the body pain and think that I can go that distance tomorrow (94km) and enjoy it into the bargain, but it's a nice way of thinking about it because now, it's all that's left.
 
Anyhoo, onto the round up from today.
 
Terrain was much nicer today. Started out with some spectacular dunes and some steep downhills as well as uphills - glad to hear you are checking out the photos, since I've not been very good at describing the Sahara. (We have no idea what photos are being posted so I am not sure yet if I should be regretting the pink shorts.) It really is so spectacular and I have to keep looking around and kicking myself that I really am in th Sahara Desert.
 
I couldn't stomach my dinner last night so started today feeling very low on energy. I walked the first two stages with one of my tentmates Jenny who had to pull out yesterday due to a strained back, but she manage to walk the first 21 or so km today and it was nice to have some company before she stopped at the second checkpoint. I got through the 3rd section strongly, but faltered a bit on the last stretch just through lack of energy. You couldn't see camp from the course so it was difficult to judge how far was left, which is when it becomes a mental game. Thinking that camp is just over the next rise and then getting there with no camp in sight, but you can see it's at least 10 minutes to the next rise, and then the same thing happens when you get to the next rise, gets quite demoralising. But that's when you stay strong and I knew how long I had been walking and my rough pace so I could focus on the time rather than if camp was over the next rise. I finished in just under 9 hours today and feel better physically than when I finished yesterday.
 
Overall today was much harder ground and flatter, crossing big long stretches of plain which were incredibly hot buteasier on the legs than yesterday. Morale was good today and there were far less people stopping for long periods of time at each checkpoint everyone just keen to get finished and in to camp to rest up for tomorrow.
 
Well hopefully the next time I write will be on my rest day after 30hours or so of walking. I am also focussing on the final couple of km which will be run around the pyramids. What a way to finish the race.. and I WILL finish....
 
Ok, so I am off to eat again, have learnt my lesson from yesterday and will need all the fuel I can get tomorrow. Thanks again for all the emails and blog replies. It's seriously such a great boost to know you're cheering me on.
 
So there won't be anything tomorrow as I will be walking, but will hopefully be able to post something on Friday.
Cheers
Kate

Oh My. Oh. My. oh myohmyohmyohmy.
I spend a good deal of time walking and thinking of all the things I should write about. This place is spectacular. The dunes, the rocks, the amazing blue sky, the gorgeous sunsets, the sky at night that reminds you how very very small you are.
But I can't be bothered, because oh. my. I. am. shattered.
Today was insane. I started off poorly, I had maybe two hours sleep last night and all I could think of with each step was that I wanted to curl up and sleep. But it was nice and cool at 6.30 and with the sun at our backs, by the second stage I had managed to get into some kind of rhythm. But crap it was hard. It was just dunes and sand and dunes and sand and dunes and sand. And then some more dunes and sand. And then, just because we don't like surprises, more dunes and sand.
They kindly split up the first two stages into three shorter ones which was great just so we could get more water on board, so the sections today were about 3 x 8km then 2x9.5km. I thought it would take me about 12 hours today, I pulled my calf muscle yesterday, so was walking a bit lopsided today and that sand and my calves were not on very good terms as it was.
About halfway through we swung around and with the midday and afternoon sun in our faces and that wind that hasn't let up for days, it was tough going. And then they put the last checkpoint before the final section ON A HILL. That's just sadistic.
But I managed to get through in 9hrs 40 mins (according to my watch, I don't know what the official time is) and Fergus said that I came through checkpoint 1 in about 90th (I deliberately started at the back of the pack) but came in to camp some where around mid 60's, so it's nice to know I was pretty consistent and moved slowly up the pack.
But I really hurt so that's all I am going to write because these little stools we sit on in the cybertent just add to the general hurtiness. There's no reason my butt should hurt, for once I really haven't been sitting around on it the last couple of days, but it does hurt. Everything does.
So that's it. Well except to say that tomorrow should be a little 'easier' than today, apparently a harder surface and flatter ground. Here's hopin'!
Cheers
Kate

It;s so very hard to try and describe this race. The closest i can think of is as follows: think of a place that is about 40km from where you live. now think of a beach with soft powdery sand that burns your calves as you walk over it to your towel/deckchair. now think that deckchair is 40km away. Add the hottest weather you can imagine and throw in a headwind that whips sand into your face and tries to blow you backwards orsideways as you try and go forward. Then add some sand dunes and off you go. then do that again tomorrow, then the next day and again the next day, and on the 5th day do it not once, but 2.5 times. That's kind of what this is like.
 
So, Day two.
First the bad news... am gutted that Fergus had to pull out today. He went so well yesterday but the heat was insane - it hit 49degC and really beat everyone about. You can read his blog for the details, but he was very unwell when he woke up this morning. He decided to start the race and we walked together for the first 10km where he pulled out at the first checkpoint. it was very sad to leave him there and carry on alone, but knowing he was in good, safe hands was a relief and it would have been beyond stupid for him to carry on.
 
On a bright note, we actually swapped shoes because mine were letting in so much sand I really didn't think i could finish today. But Fergus' shoes did the trick and i will be forever grateful that he had to pull out :-)
 
I found the 2nd and 3rd stages not too bad today. I walked most of the course alone after that and pulled out the ipod for the last 2 stages. the last stage was a killer. the sand dunes were ove 100m high and it took me about 1hr 15 mins to go almost 6 km - which I guess is not too bad but my lord my legs are hurting now.
 
Tomorrow will be about 6km longer than today and most of the course is rated 'difficult' which means more soft sand, dunes and given that the name of tomorrow's stage is 'Through the sand valley' not unexpected.
 
I have a couple of small blisters but nothing that will stop me walking. My main concern is a reaction to the sun and a heat rash which is leaving me covered in red spots and is particularly bad on my legs which have swelled up. Not muvh can be done about it, just antihistamines and hydrocortisone cream, but if it  starts to blister, a call will have tobe made about the wisdom of continuing. trying not to think that far ahead though and will deal with it when it comes. makes walking (more) uncomfortable though wit swollen legs.
 
Thank you so much for the emails, i really can't express how wonderful it is to get them. also glad to hear the pink shorts are working for spotting purposes :-)
 
Well off to try and get more food into me. it's so hot it's quite hard to keep up an appetite for food, but eat i must. The wind here is also unceasing, if you sit still for 5 minutes you're covered in sand so I am sure we have eaten our fair share of it too
 
Until tomorrow...
Cheers
Kate

So, end of first day... wow that was tough.
I don't think anyone in camp slept well last night so we were all raring to go at 5am just to get started. What follows is purely my experience, many people had a far better day and  am sure some suffered more. Two things really hit me today, the sand and the heat. Well duh,  we are in the desert. But the ferocity of the heat really drained me, it's absolutely relentless, and combined with powder soft sand that filled my shoes and meant I couldn't get a rhythm going I really had moments of doubt out there today. I stopped for 20 minutes at the last checkpoint just because I was so shattered and it took an hour and a half to get through the last 7.5 odd km. Really really tough.
 
But having been in camp for a while now and stretched, eaten and re-hydrated I'm feeling much better about the world. The first couple of days we are actually going around a huge lake, the blue waters of which teased with every glance. We haven't been 'forbidden' to swim in the lake but given no one knows what may be lurking in it, it has been suggested we don't. So tomorrow will be more of the same, except harder I believe - we had a few stretches of harder packed sand today, and I think they will be few and far between tomorrow with far more dunes. I was tempted today to take my shoes off and walk in socks, simply because the amount of sand in my shoe meant there was no room for my feet and hence a couple of blisters - so that may yet happen tomorrow...
 
I have given up any pretence of trying to keep to the 5km/hr pace, although I did manage that today, but I have a feeling tomorrow will be much slower. We start at 6am tomorrow though so early bed tonight and up at 4am to eat and get organised.
 
Fergus is well, I think he came in 9th today which is just brilliant and he's looking quite strong and very chirpy. A nice morale booster!
Well more tomorrow...
 
cheers
kate

Hello!
Here at camp after a 3.5 hour bus ride from Cairo, race starts at 7am tomorrow, so everyone's getting in their last meal and getting themselves ready for an early wake up call tomorrow. It's hot and more humid than expected - sill in the low 30s at almost 7.30pm.
The hotel was lovely and looking forward to getting back to the pool... but it's beautiful out here and I am very excited about starting tomorrow.
Everyone is just lovely - friendly, happy and full of good natured and well intentioned advice...
 
I am feeling well, although still suffering from the after effects of the allergic reaction which means I'm still scratching and haven't slept properly for over a week and a half - but looking on the positive side, sleep patterns will be all over the place for the next week so I figure I have a head start on that one.
Think tonight will be tough, it's still quite hot and there are mozzies and sandfies so could be uncomfortable.
More tomorrow after the first day, looking forward to your emails!
Cheers
Kate