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Namib Race Blogs 2012
5
PostsNamib Race (2012) blog posts from Ron Schwebel
03 November 2012 12:19 pm (GMT+08:00) Beijing, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Urumqi
The long stage was conqured in fine style by our Team. Not a flash time, but after the previous stages, and excellant performance.
Greg set the pace with his strong march. He did not wilt at all, even in the hot part of the day.
The stage was mainly flat. There were a few large dunes, but again plenty of shifty ground.
The rest of the team were strong, except I had one leg where I felt I had about half normal energy.
I got over that and felt quite fresh in the latter stages.
The finish was a mini race against time.
For the last few legs, many hours, we speculated on getting hime before midnight.
The actual finish time was 11:59:59 pm. Never in doubt!
We are all trying to pass the time today. Not much to do, and it's too hot anyway.
We have all pulled up well, so it's 3 down, Antartica to go.
Tomorrow it's only a short group run around the Giza pyramids.
They will be great to see.
The monotony of the dessert scenery was broken today. We ran through the Valley of the Whales. The main feature is a series of fossil specimens in an open air museum. About 1.5km long, you can leave the main path to see the fossils laid out on the ground. An extra bonus was the shop at the entrance, where we were able to buy cold drinks and snacks.
Thanks for the emails and blogs comments,
Signing off from the Sahara,
Ron
01 November 2012 01:04 am (GMT+08:00) Beijing, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Urumqi
Today was a little shorter and easier, I thought.
We started under cloud cover. There was no wind and surprising humidity.
We were sweating straight from the start.
As the day went on the wind picked up. At times it was quite comfortable at other times hot again when the sun came out and the wind dropped.
We had plenty of the usual soft sand, but about 10k to go we had some firmer ground to cover.
It was so much easier to run on that, but unfortunately Greg was not able to run at that stage.
Greg struggled again and finished with nausea.
I don't know how he will get through tomorrow, as extra 50km.
I hope for some easier terrain.
His pack will be lighter, and we are planning an even steadier start.
It's going to be 20 hours, give or take a few hours.
Today, 38.5km. 7:42. Around 70th.
Comments: Total (3) comments
Dianne Aitken
Posted On: 02 Nov 2012 12:18 am
Gee Ron - great effort - it sounds like torture but as usual you're upbeat. Sounds like Greg is being knocked about badly hope you all hold out for the big day ahead
Jamie Schwebel
Posted On: 01 Nov 2012 07:18 am
Go dad!
Hope that you get thru the hard day!!
I also hope there are more pools and harder sand!
Good luck!
Sandy Suckling
Posted On: 01 Nov 2012 04:39 am
Hi Ron, thinking of you all... I remember those sanddunes and intense heat...The long day awaits you but basically then it is all over you all just need to hang in there...cold drinks and real food await you at the end and victory is yours.. go team
31 October 2012 02:43 am (GMT+08:00) Beijing, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Urumqi
Short Version - see Stage 2
Long Version.
Same as Stage 2 except.
For the most part a bit cooler. Much cooler until 30km, where we turned a corner in the valley, the wind changed and it was 10 deg hotter after that..
At CP 3, there was a pool, which was very refreshing. It took 4km to get back to feeling the heat.
Our perfomance was better today, down by 40 minutes for the same distance.
More varied scenery, not just sand to the horizon, but some great rocky features and cliff faces
Tomorrow, a shorter, and hopefullly easier stage.
Then we brace ourselves for the long Day. 86.7km.
That's going to be a long day.....and half the night.
The nights here are very pleasant, around 15/17 deg. It's amazing how quickly it cools off - and hets up in the day.
42km today, 8:09 Hours, 46th place.
Comments: Total (2) comments
Dennis Wylie
Posted On: 31 Oct 2012 09:40 am
Enjoying a nice cool beer, a Pilsener Urquell actually (tops!!) and naturally, thinking of you not having one. Good to see you are still on it. Worried when you didn't blog after stage 2 for a while that you might have a problem. Looks like you are ok tho. Hope Greg holds up. Lucky its cool at night. That must help. Similar placing to before but I guess the comps the same. Teraar!
Kristen Stokes
Posted On: 31 Oct 2012 09:01 am
Amazing stuff, 10 years ago could you ever have imagined where you are now? And a pool in the desert! Would've been like seeing a mirage. All the best. Kristen, friend of Lea's
31 October 2012 01:28 am (GMT+08:00) Beijing, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Urumqi
The main features of today, for Born 2 Run were-
Lots of sand again.
More softer sand and many more dunes than for stage one.
It was even hotter. Uo to 46 in the sun and 38 in the pack.
The stage was 4km+ longer.
There was much more elevation change with long sections of uphill.
Greg was more fatigued, although he was able to keep hydrated and avoid nausea until after the finish.
The heat is affecting him more than us, as he has a very high sweat rate.
This added up to a very long day. We started steadily with Greg was pacing himself to be sure of a finish.
Each section seemed more difficult amd was hotter than the previous, so our time blew out.
Unless Greg finds something extra, which is not unknown in Multiday events, we are in for another long day tomorrow.
The scenery was sand all around, except for some rocky outcrops and a large dry river valley we skirted, from 100m above, and then crossed. That piece of scenery was amazing.
From geography classes, I think I recognised a Mesa and a Butte. The butte was a bit of a messa, but the Messa was a beaut.
Our 42.1km took 8:40...Ouch.
Comments: Total (0) comments
29 October 2012 12:19 pm (GMT+08:00) Beijing, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Urumqi
We had a long 20 hour flight to Cairo, but were fortunate that for the first leg the plane was 1/3 full and so we all had plenty of room to stretch out. We checked into the huge and luxurios J W Marriot resort just outside of Cairo at 7 pm Friday. That meant no time to check out the facilities. It was dinner, sleep and the all the next morning on the checkin process.
Following gear check, we drove for 4 hours to Camp 1, next to a lake. We arrived at sunset and had an early night.
After getting up and doing the repack the bag routine, we were treated to some local traditional singers to mark the start of the race.
It was nice and cool to start, so we ran well up to CP2. The terrain was varying soft and hard packed sand. A few small, but difficult dunes gave us a taste of what will probably lie ahead.
By CP2 it was starting to get quite warm. And not long after HOT.
In the stage to CP3, soft sand became more prominent and we were climbing for most of the leg. Combined with the heat, our pace slowed.
At around 25km, our leader Greg, who was going very well, quite quickly dropped pace to a walk, and the a slow walk. He was now suffering from lack of energy due to a recent cold infection and the heat. He was affected by nausea and dehydration for the rest of the stage.
Post race, he struggled to take fluids or food, but after some medical treatment and rest he seems back to his usual self.
Tomorrow will be a real test for Greg as Stage 2 is longer and tougher.
The rest of the team fared well, apart from minor issues of chafing for Matt and a pack repair for Roger.
I was being pushed quite hard early to keep up, but as we slowed felt quite comfortable. I thought I drank plenty of fluids, but was quite dehydrated at the stage finish. This was revelaed by how much water I drank after finishing.
So, 37kms today, in a bit over 6 hours. Temps were reported at 36, but the effect of being in the sun plus the reflected heat made the apparent temps much higher.
The weather seems to be very consustent here, so I expect that every day will be the same.
Tomorrow will be interesting, 41kms, and more of the softer sand than today.
Comments: Total (2) comments
Dennis Wylie
Posted On: 30 Oct 2012 10:36 am
Don't know if you are out of range but I can only see stage 1 blog ATM. Hope it is all going well. It must be like being in one of thoose movies we've all seen of someone lost in the desert, stumbling, needing water etc. Its a life experience so enjoy! Dennis
colin suckling
Posted On: 29 Oct 2012 09:13 am
Hey Ron, great work, sound like a no rest start. Hard to achieve, once you get more useed of the consitant weather things will flow. Bloody sand dunes. great work today and looking forward to hearing the stories. Cheers Colin
Comments: Total (5) comments
Alina B
Posted On: 07 Nov 2012 04:09 am
Belinda King
Posted On: 06 Nov 2012 11:20 am
Jamie Schwebel
Posted On: 05 Nov 2012 12:45 am
Emily Stedman
Posted On: 04 Nov 2012 10:18 am
Kristen Stokes
Posted On: 04 Nov 2012 12:42 am