Pretty well everything that could go wrong went wrong yesterday. The elite group of 16 runners set off 3 hours after the main bunch at 9 am, so we lost a lot of the coolness of the morning, but so be it. As i got to the end of the first of 10 stages i realised that i had no electrolytes, they had fallen out of my front pack. Now to everyone not in the know the idea of running 92km without them is like certain death. You need to replace the salts and minerals you sweat out or else you will fatigue, cramp and not be able to walk let alone run... as luck would have it at CP2 a couple of back marker Brits gave me enough between them to last me the distance - thank god, its amazing how these things can play on ones mind in the desert, staring down the barrel of the longest run of the week... then, as i set out of CP2 my frontpack snapped but i managed to bodge it togethere to last the distance, but then at cp3 (30km in) my right knee just gave out after i stopped for water and tried to set off again... i was cursing my luck as i felt really strong and didnt want to be sticken with bad luck as opposed to failing through giving my all. i loaded up on ibuporfen and after about 10mins i was able to hoble off and find a rythym... i wasnt going to be defeated so all i could was put one foot in front of the other and get to the end. 
 
Todays tactics were the same as the last couple of days, run hard to halfway (50km!) and hold on.... then there was still the small matter of a marathon to run! But my body and mind amazed me and i was able to push hard all the way to the end.  I finished 4th today in a time of just over 11hours and i am so proud to finish with only 3 people ahead of me on the long stage - again beyond any ambitions i had before i got here.
 
So, i have no idea where i am overall but i think im the first Brit home - woo hoo!
 
Funny but i felt so broken when i finished last night i had no joy or satisfaction to be done... even now, the morning after i still feel so exhausted and shattered. The last few kms last night were horrible beyond belief, the most gruelling thing i have ever done by far, but all we have to do now is a token 1km under the pyramids tomorrow morning. So Im effectivly finished. Maybe that will sink in more later.....
 
Thanks for all your support guys - it means so much to get your messages of encouragment!!
 
See you back at home
 

Dont know if you got the blog yestereday as i didnt put my name in the subject oops! if you did then youre up to speed but if not then i really cant be bothered to write it up again! it very hot in the cyber tent and the keyboard is tiny....
 
So, day 4. To be honest i was very apprehensive about the stage, more nervous than i have be all week. I think its been 3 hard days, the mercury tipped 50 yesterday and was officially the hottest stage in the 4 deserts history (!) and it was uncharted territory for me as i have never run 4 long days on the trot (not that ive spent 3 days running through the sahara before). So i decided to follow a tactic from yesterday and go as hard as i could up until the half way mark (12 miles) to make use of the cooler (?) part of the day - and then hang on! Again, i felt strong and got another place on yesterday with a 5th place finish! Honestly im over the moon to get that achievement, it is beyond my wildest dreams and the long hard training days have paid off pretty well. 
 
So, tomorrow promises to be a load of fun. Just under 55miles, running through the hottest part of the day and way into the night! Its hard to know how to approach the stage off the back of 4 marathons in 4 days. But also it will all be over tomorrow - well actually in the small hours of friday morning to be precise. so wish me luck!!
 
Love to all - thanks for the messages.
 
Gareth do some work
Daley - pull yourself together man, well be back in a few days
Dad - no Wilkins so far - but lets get a keg when we see you in Nov
Danush - thanks for your amazing messages - they really cheer me up and make it all a lot easier - really!
Cuba - behave and dont pee on the ru    g

Wow!

 

What a stage - on paper it was the easiest so far in terms of terraine and under foot, but what a scorcher!

If yesterdays dunes provided the scenary you think of when you imgaine the sahara, the heat today lived up to expecation!! It was so hot I could feel the sand burning no joke....Very hard stage but I finished eitther 5th or 6th not sure yet and within an hour of the stage winner so pretty stoked. I feel surprisingly strong, the training has given me a great base and today was the first stage I could attack, as the last two we started as a team and I ran as hard as I could.

 

More later - getting quite scared about the long one!!

 

Oh and don;t fear Ben and Daddy is safe and well and loving every min, I think, well maybe not every single one!

 

Love to all

 

x

Ok...
 
Stage 1 complete..... and so far so good!
Hell of a stage, beautiful, stunning, brutal and were promised more of the same to come.
 
Its been a little surreal since we arrived in Cairo, first off, I think I was expecting to stay the night before in some fleabitten hotel but actually we were housed in some massive (Thai themed) and quite lavish hotel. (looking forwards to the knees up next sat). This seemed a million miles from the Sahara and the yourney down to the desert felt like a million miles away as well - I think it took over 12.5 miles after an unscheduled stop to fix a broken coach. So we got to camp after midnight and some super noodels
I was off to bed. Then before we knew it after a quick sleep, we were on the start line, a quick briefing and to much cheering we were off..
 
Paul, Webbo and I set off at a good clip hitting CP1 in about an hour and felling good and half way at about 2hrs 10mins
(about 10.5 miles)... but the heat of the day and the deeper sand of the last two stages took there toll. The scenary to start was exactly what you;d imagine in the Sahara, sand (lots of it), and bright blue skies with a burning sun. The temperature hit 44 today (and maybe 50 tomorrow) but a light breeze made it a bit more bearable. stage 2 and 3 were just breathtaking beyod belief, we entered the White Deset where huge strange rock sculptures dominate the skyline in all directions, it really is what all this is about and I tried to enjoy the experience as much as is humanly possible. The early pace ensured the average speed came down, but this should be good for the lesgs later on in the week.
 
So we finished 24 on the day (from 120) and second in the team event... starting to get quite competetive now....
 
More anon - feel surprisingly good and cant wait to see you all, but gonna enjoy my time whilst Im lucky enough to be here!!!!
 
 
 

Quite excited by the final bit of prep tonight.... Pack and repack and try to be ruthless in terms of what I really need. Then for the weight in... 

Interesting the 'glory leg' is now only a km or so... means that the event is now short and sweet - It's all about the big stage!! Clearly that means we staring down the barrel of a 100ker! Nice.