OH MY GOD I SEE LAND!! In 2 and half hours we are out of the roughest seas I’ve ever encountered, and I’m from a sailing village! The Drake passage crossing is finally going to be a memory! Although Out on the Port side its grey angry sky, and out of the starboard windows its sunny.  I feel the the port side is coming our way and its going to lash down on us in some major heavy way just to give us all a final kick . As I type this which has only been 4 minutes the ship is being hit hard. Plates and knives flying, people lurching this way and that! Everyone one is hanging onto their glasses with white knuckled hands.  What a passage this has been. I keep thinking how my brother and uncle Ant would enjoy this. As for Daddy I’m not sure? But Daddy this desert was for you, so, its only right that it should end on the highest of seas for you. I think you can see me now and I’m smiling and laughing . No seasickness for me just to make you proud. I have thought about you loads on this trip, it must be the W’anchors in me! I MISS YOU  EVERY DAY, but thankyou whoever was responsible up there for giving him to me as my father, HE WAS THE GREATEST. XXXXXXXXXXXX

Sitting here at the cybertent/table with nothing to write about. This scalpomol patch that we are all wearing to prevent seasickness gives you a sick brain! I can not for the life of me think of anything to write! We have been rolling around continuously on the drake passage for 3 days. We have one more day to go and then im flinging myself off this ship onto dry land, ill be the first off the gang plank! The days consist of 8am breakfast, chat to the other  competitors for an hour, get bored, go downstairs to the cabin, fling yourself on the bed and hope you don’t roll off every other minute, reading is difficult as the patch makes your eyesight blurry, try to watch a movie on your computer, laugh at the absurdity of it all, pray that land comes quickly as we all have cabin/boat fever, take a shower wthout breaking your neck as you fly around the bathroom, back up the stairs hanging on for dear life for lunch, another meal of stodge, white mushed up carbs you don’t need because you have done nothing to warrant the big feed, chat  then back down the stairs, lie on bed, stare at the walls, look out the window for more albatross, petrels and prions, turning into a darn twitcher, tea – more whitebread and plastic cheese, then lie on bed,other competitors come into the cabin and go, movie either down in the dungeon conference room where everyone who goes down there falls asleep and misses what everthere is showing in there, back to room, dinner then sleep. I HAVE TO GET OFF THIS BOAT SOON OTHERWISE ………………………………….!
Omg Sam gash has just given me the best news, they re-did my times and im ahead of the people I knew I had run faster than.  THANKYOU SAM FANSHAWE FOR LISTENING.

We are in some serious swirling waves right now which makes for a lot of laughs amongst those of us who are not sick in our cabins! You have to time it right when you have a cup of tea in one hand and the other hand free for grabbing onto what ever thereis to steady you! It maybe apart of a persons anatomy too. Just had the best breakfast, carrot, sulatana and bran muffins and a prune yoghurt! Yup you guessed it I’m a little bunged up!
I’m sitting at the table right now typing away and hearing something quite shocking.  Apparently all of our blogs are read and if they are negative about stuff that have happened on our race they get pulled,?! so if you have not got my last blogs about  being pissed off about the scoring I’ll tell you later in a place I can have freedom of speech!
The ship is being tossed about so much right now it must be a force 8/9  ? But spiritis are high and the sun is shining so even if its rougher today the sun  makes a huge difference!
A lot of the competitors got howling drunk the other night and went to sleep at 5am after they made lucy Rivers do an announcement over the tanoy, luckyly the announcement went out only on the dining deck and there was no one there trying to sleep! Hence most of those competiors slept all day.
They had terrible sea sickness but we know it was pure indulgence!
Right now its resembles an old peoples home!  I gotta go because the computers are going to be updated so ill write in again in the afternoon!

Sitting here with Sam Fanshawe trying to sort out my results, its been a complete shambles, I  know for a fact, I am way ahead of Maria luisa and she seem to be above me on the places, that is so not right as I have lapped her many times on ALL days?.  I now dont care, I have finished this race and I suppose that should be all that matters, but it doesn’t?. On top of it all  we are doing no sight seeing of Antarctica. Shame I have come half way across the world, and not seen the place.To sum this visit up:  not seen much of it and a shite result!
Im so ready to come home now as we have seen nothing of Antarctica, I know it’s a race but my head has been down trying to keep going and now the time that I can look up the results are wrong and we are not even going to be able to see much of this powerful place because the captain apparently says we have to beat a storm.  I am left with a  flat feeling  about the whole of this trip.
We left Dorian bay and Wienke island about 12 hours ago now and we are now in the middle of the Drake Passage again with our sea patches on and on our way to our homes.
I am so looking forward to seeing my lovely husband whom I know is disappointed with the results, but I have just learnt  to accept that finishing is the only thing I can take away with me from this harsh land. The daily races are a complete head f..k as most days I just kept saying to myself just pull out and get back on the boat, this is mind numbing and I am not enjoying this, bu,t finish I did, so I know my mind is strong ad anything I put my mind to, I will finsh. I have the best husband, the most wonderful family and great friends. My life is already a wonderful dream and I am very lucky in every respect. I have so much to look forward to and I am in the best of health. Most people in the world can not even dream of half of what I have so Thankyou husband for giving me such a wonderful life, and Im over grumbling. I AM ONE LUCKY PERSON. THANKYOU.

I got bacIk yesterday and the most important thing for me as to tidy up my stuff, keep the room tidy, have a hot shower and lie on my bed. I think im my mothers daughter! For those of you that know her you will know what im talking about! I went to sleep last night without eating dinner I figured it was best to just get some sleep in before another day of motoring! Went to bed extremely dejecected lastnight. My laps have been royally f..ked up and sitting here talking to Phil Tye who has just confirmed his laps have been misdone too.  He says I was the same as him as we were conscious of seeing each other as we passed every lap as I was jaqueline and Lucy R-B who was walking with a bad knee and I have lapped her 7 timees to see thismorning that im behind her by one lap in the results. I have no problem with just getting a finish in but its very disheartening when you have been going all day and the thing out there that keeps you going is to lap this person or that as it spurs you on on these circuits. Its all mind games and I am aware what my mind was telling me yesterday even if the imcompetent officials don’t. It has totally put me in a mad mind set today so lets hope after breakfast I turn my mind around.
On another level we have sailed for the past 12 hours and we are at another place, outside are massive icebergs and grey dark skies. It’s a beautiful stark landscape and very unwelcoming. Its so harsh here but quite beautiful. So at least im in the most amazing place and able to experience this. I am looking forward to going to a whaling station later and fingers crossed we get to see whales and more wildlife. Its only clicking in where I am and once the race is finished I will be able to enjoy my surroundings as I am just focusing on keeping well and muscles functioning and my knees holding up until this race is finished and then I can relax and enjoy being here.

WHAT A HEAD F..K DAY.
 
I just walked non stop for 11 and half hours. The only thing that kept me going was getting it finished and getting back to my cabin and cleaned up and warm.
It was an excrutiating course of boredom as it was 2 and half km loups the only thing was we kept each other busy smiling at each other or waving or saying hi as we kept passing each other which helped. I had a minor break down after doing a load of loops that i had counted which was 19 and the organisers had i am sure missed me on stages as they said i had only done 10. I  Checked with Helen and Jaqueline and they confirmed with me that i was spot on. Oh well i really dont care. All i Know is i finished today and i hope to finish what they chuck at us tomorrow and now im tired. Im just going to sleep as we now have 12 hours of crossing apparently a rough sea and im too tired to care about anything. I long now to be off this ship and with my family, friends, husband and dogs and not in that order. Darling Husband im pleased your not here as i think i would cry im so tired and had enough. My knees are bad, so are my hips but im sure everyone feels the same. I just want to step back into my life NOW!
The things that will keep me going to the finish is my life ahead of me, the fact that im doing this for Parkinsons, this trip has cost a fortune, Im very very lucky to be in the Antarctica experiencing this and other great explorers before me have gone through way harsher times than me a million times over, so suck it up Lucy and be so thankful for everything in i have in my life and finsish this race and be happy and take care of others who are feeling the pain too.
xxxxxx

Just spotted ! my  first icebergs! So exited but deflated because I managed to feel good and positive even tho my ITB is playing havoc. Yesterday i listedned to Sir Ranulph Fiennes and this morning i listened to nuffing as there wasnt enough time!
aNNOUNCEMENT just been made we are now setting off from King Geoge island even tho its stormy to get to Deception island where we will start running at 5am and the organisers are hoping to get in a long day tomorrow there as they couldnt do today! Ijust want the long day out the way and under my hat or belt and then i can feel relaxed. Rach i willl run for pup. Marie keep bloggin u r hysterical. Kirst thannks for the warm images of a hot beach. Heelen u would love this place wish u and fungster were here. Hatts, Trace, Tracy, Nikki, Rutty, soph and Tani keep bloggin and keep vibing that my legs wont be too painful and write in loads more. Mumma where u gone? VT tell Ed hes naughty! Chris hows the training of little Tang going? Husbins i am doing this race to make you proud because i really feel you really are proud of me doing this and i love you for that. Thankyou all of you for being in my life im one lucky girl to have so many good friends, family and husbins. Thankyou.
Sorry so boring but if i dont run and get this milage out of the way i can relax. xxxxxx

That was a classic 2nd day.  A non starter at 3.45 then overslept on the 6 oclock bfast, panick in room 218 tripping over everything, getting outside just in time, then ran like a demon aware of positive thought so ignoring my right knee, only to be told all back on the boat to escape this storm that has just come up on us and is raging outside. How lovely this boat is, its so much better than any tent ! Altho I have just been told to go and see the doctor NOW as my cheeks have gone black? Sorry ill be back later hopefully wth some non worrying news. I MISS YOU ALL KEEP WRITING. And my lady in waiting , aly, is crap,un-employable! Shortly to be pushed overboard!

No frostbite on cheeks most probably dye from my sunglasses made in China!
We have a waiting game on our hands, after stiting at the Mary/Alistair table for lunch we hurried back into our cabins  in order to stretch ad get in dry clothes before race commences all over again! But that was meant to start at 3.30 it is now 3.55pm and we all have no idea including Ryan Sands, leader. So im going back down to cabin to check on gear all over again and check the girls next door have managed to drink at least a bottle of water to dilute there bottle of wine, I think they thought that was it for the day! Either that or its just a south African way to deal with the waiting etc! My knees and hips are seizing up, paramol here we come. xxxxxxxxxxxx

Absolutely knackerI ed!  I think it was 45k today in what felt like walking through a farmyard! Thick gunky mud and slushy snow and in some places I walked across a mini  pondand found myself nearly waist deep in water! Freezing cold water! The first lap I was walking running all the way saying to myself I could just quit and go and lie on my bed and watch movies. But it got less that way on the 2nd and I got my audio book out  and finished my ranulph fienes book. Which weirdly mention Mary Gadams as I was going past her. The wind chill got up a places making it roughly a -5. I sweated a lot but couldn’t bear to change into something dry so I just kept going.  3rd lap wasbetter but my right knee began to scream. I plugged into another audio book, the monk who sold his Ferrari and it was all about positive thinking  so I tried so hard not to dwel l on the pain and put my head down . The first hour I felt sick so I think it may be due to taking 3 electrolytes which I didn’t need. But I did keep getting cramps so I just don’t know. Maybe tomorrow I will take less. The feeling coming back on the boat I cant explain, it was like arriving in heaven to the hot shower. I thinkthis made a difference to me not quitting. The thought  just getting back to a hot shower and bed and cleaning up helped my brain. I don’t know how im going to play it tomorrow as it all depends on my knee. I did bring poles which I used the first loop but they broke, I did fill my bladder but it leaked? So its not been a great day but I have finished and that’s all that counts. The last lap Aly came out to join me but she managed only half and couldn’t keep up because she had her camera bag around her waist which weighed too much and not the right gear so she got too hot. So really its all about the right kit and the right gear but most of all  it is just the mind that keeps you going. I hear that two men pulled out today both with frost bite to their toes. My feet were in goretex shoes but when I went deep into the cold slush on the path the water stayed  in the shoe, scaring me a bit because I didn’t know whether I should get new socks on immediately or not? Passed 3 men on the course and t they said it was not a worry as my feet would have tobe submerged for 12 hours so I just kept going!  I am sorry today is so boring buy my brain is fried and im absolutely shattered. Its now 10.30 and we are only just sitting down to dinner?! And we are up and ready tomorrow leaving the boat at 5am and doing the same course so im not too inspired! The e mails from yesterday or your blog comments have not been updated apparently so im sorry if im not commenting on them but I cant read them today. It will be something to keep me going through tomorrow altho im praying for really bad weather so we don’t have to go out!! Im getting too old for this! xxxxxxxxxx

STOP PRESS have just received from mummy, hurrah!  clever lillbert. Rach keep goig wth the diet and well done.
Helen willy u would love this. tell claudia shes in my bad books not writing in!! Im so exited about tomorrow i have to go to sleep or try as we only got a little couple of hours left now until we next get up and this is for the big one.
Just had dinner at the captain mary and alistairs table. fab food and a good laugh. lets hope we are all in high spirits this time tomorrow.............................................

someone tell my mum and kirsty that i have recieved nothing from them?  Im sure they have sent but they are doing it wrong probably?Marie i think u said mum was typing away from her i phon but to what address as i aint recieved nothing?

Writing this whilst we are in the middle of the drake passage and its living upto its name, a reall real swell!On my  2nd day at sea and 3rd night and we' have been told we  hit land, king George Island'  tonight ETA 12 midnight!! I personally cant wait to see icebergs and land of somesort!  The boat is rocking maddly i think gale force 8 and it hasnt effected me a bit so im again going to come back from these races having put on weight!! Husbins i am galad you didnt come in respect of weather as lots are suffering and with my scalmopol ptch on i dont think i could look after you as it seriously make s you sleepy!  Which is why this blog is dead dull! like my brain!
Husbins I getting your comments and e mails and i say keep it coming. Have you left for HK yet? Charlotte pray like mad im going to finish this race. Its all so new and i dont feel calm! The weather is seriiously on the turn with winds gusting more and more and greyer skies. We had a briefing just after lunchto say that we will be woken up this coming morning at 3.45am and the race will start and finish at 9pm! They want us to do as many miles as we can in 15hours. I am just nervouse that the back pack has enought clothese in to keep me warm and that my kit im planning on wearing isnt wrong by either wearing to much and sweating or wearing too few a layers?
The fasties like Ryan Sands with probably cover 5 times as much as me in distance tomorrow and day after but we have to just keep going until the cut off time at 9pm..  Also been told its the same get up time the next day for the same amount of hours! 
We were givnen alecture by the RTP organisers and the RULES: no random peeing or pooing on the course otherwise disqualification, u must wait until you find the hut to do that in, which should be no further than 5km apart, ha, what if im bursting? I cant go that far on a full bladder?..........But i will have to! Dont litter the course with wrappers, Penguins have right of way(no joking) , you must let them infront of you and not disturb them, so i cant put one in my back pack to bring home or i can t put a harness on it to toe me?  Stay on the course, there is also a 5km stretch that you have to walk, i think this is possible because it may be a dangerous area to run in?
There are Petrel birds and prions and Albatross birds flying aroud the boat at the moment and they are truly wow. We had a lecutre on the birds yesterday for an hr and barely managed to stay awake, and then another lecture in the afternoon about whales. But themost imformative was the richard Attenborough called life in a freezer. Apparently when we see icebergs only 1/5 is what we see poking above water. The albatross has a wing span of 3.75metres. The kreel that all the wildlife feed upon, if you gathered all the kreel in the world together and all human beings together, the kreel wiould weigh more.
Food is great on board, cooked breakfast to start, then 3 course lunches and dinners! False sense of security as to what is coming tomorrow! Although i love my spag boll freeze dried! And the chicken korma! Doing a race like this having a boat, a bed, a shower and all these luxuries is im not sure as lovely as just having to pack all your stuff into one backpack, this way you havetoo much choice for what to take as gear and getting there is becoming a bit too long as i just want to get out there and start! Also stop press its snowing and getting much colder!!
Anyway looking around the room some people are playing backgammon, some cards and some reading. Its got a great atmosphere on this boat and weh ave an excellent bunch of competitors who are all bonding. But its the waiting we all hate.And the 100 mile day tomorrow is worrying us all as none of us here has done 100miles in one go? The course tomorrow will take us on a figure of 8 track so thats going to be boring going round and round so the head has to be in the right place to conquer that boredom. its a 15k track so thats a lot of times around the same track! Also dont know whether to start off fast or slow as if slow it will go on forever and if fast may burn out too fast! dilemmas dilammas!!
There is a penguin lecture on board now but it is in a place called the paradise room which is right down in the belly of the boat so i might give that a miss and go watch more attenborough, hes a genious. Or go up to the captains bridge and see things from up there?There is a gyn on board which made us laugh as no one has used it! Altho me, sam gash and jaq did try it out for 10 mins just because we were bored!
The hotel we stayed in in Ushuaia was amaxing and if anyone goes to Ush stay at the cauqunes. The swimming pool was heaven and great massages, miss not being able to go for a swim now but might feeze my t..s off!
I dont think i will have time to blog tomorrow as its an early start and a late finish but i will give it a shot but until i come back on line, keep writing, i seem to have recieved only 2 new messages since yesterday andthat was Husbins and Char de kley. They have just said they havent uploaded them yet so keep going!
Aly has been the best person to bring along and we laugh so much its been just the ticket. so thanks Pete for lending her to me.
Looking out the window as we type the white horses are getting bigger its quite amazing to watch. Beautiful, desolate sea..
Sorry today has been so borig but not much to report apart from mundane life aboard. And btw i did write a hilarious blog when i found Aly and myself had no luggage when we arrived in USHuaia but it never got posted but you can imagine it was a very scary and nerve making feeling.
SO SO ANXIOUS ABOUT TOMORROW THAT I WILL BE WARM ENOUGH AND BE ABLE TO FINISH SO JUST PRAY FOR ME HARD BIG TIME TOMORROW AS I AINT COMING BACK HERE TO TRY AGAIN! tHEY SAY THAT ANTARCTICA RTP TRIPS THIS MAY BE THE LAST AND  ALL I WANT IS TO FINISH SO PLEASE POSOTIVE VIBES STARTING NOW. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

what a day at sea! Force 6-7 boat no stabalizers so rock and roll baby!  These scalpomol sea sick tabs are amazing we all feel like we are on E, and  quite a lot of wierd giggling on them, so maybe i may be taking thse on dry land........... Last night after boarding, unoacking, the back pack check, then dinner at 10pm and i was off to sleep. There is mention that RTP will set the first day and a 100 miles to get the distance out the way, so may be out in antarctica for a bit longer! Loving the rolling motion of this ship its really soporific! Eat, sleep, lecture on board, eat, sleep another lecture, yesou get the pattern. Basically its a croooze snooze at the moment and it certainly has sunk in what im abot to do in 2 days when we get to deception or king george island. Im in serious denial!
just about to have lunch not much to report until i actuallydo something so no real news but to acknowledge your e mails and blog comments, Hagrid thats disgusting tell her to wash, Trace so many congratulations can i be old maid?, Kevin at goop thankyouand love to gwyn cant wait to get to a place i can see her glee, helen i cant wait for that hike in warmer climes, olly wast mylovely nephew keep writing, sicily bean sweet, lucca del bono u munchkin, ali chou - touched, nikki white, get our mid of honour outfilts sorted and happy birthday to the old man, madds i sm so coming with you to hot yoga when i get back i too miss our giggles in there and want to see josh, alice ruggs, sweaty hugs welcome, alice tang, your a poet and i love it keep going new one per day, rachel, my sleeping bag is so comfy, husband your bark is bigger than your wave and i miss you, so pleased u didnt come as its waving big time, and saw abercrombie ship pass us it lookslike it has stablizers unlike this one!, emma ferguson high street ken is beckoning, louise d thanks my banoonies have frozen off yet!, marie - fat bird will bring a food parcel to CH if you get those lazy peeps that live there who call themselfs family to write in!, pangy - beij with wintour blimey thatsbraver than antarctica!, Ta ta - looki9ng forward to christmas day! Hatts wash those bits, rach colb did u read what Husb said about you,get your lard arse out here!?, chris owne i bet u vix wont do hyde park before i get back! - photo evidence please!!Karen at matt robs- activation in progress, vix - get to that cardiolates then your running round hyde park, Rob j, get smelly pete to write in, if he has time!!Dirty hog u would love this trip loads of sweaty girlsin 2 days time!
Right nothing to report as on boat for another 30 hours then we get turfed off, bloody nervouse about the 100 miler after my longest day was 70 I never felt pain like it so im not sure how to do the 100 miler?
Thanks everyone and husbins be good and squeeze the doggles! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

My massive missive about having lost my luggage on arriving at Ushuaia that i posted yesterday has gone but let me tell you it wasnt nice! Everyone in RTP, the competitors were supportive and said they would lend things but at the final hour my luggage has been found and I can board the boat but it has been a hairy unstable time until they were found. I dont wish this on anyone but Thanks Aly, Fernando and Roxanna for your help. And Mark Johnson.

I AM LIKE A JELLY IN A HIGH WIND WITH ANTICIPATION SO I WILL SIGN OFF NOW FROM TERRA FIRMA AS IM BOARDING THE BOAT NOW. ARGGGGHHHHHHHH! NERVES ARE AT A HIGH! I HAVE TO FINISH THIS RACE! PLEASE PRAY FOR MY GOOD HEALTH AND RELAXED MUSCLES AND A FOCUSED HEAD. THANKYOU XXXXXX

Went for a slippery run in the parks amidst rain, grey skirs, mud and chilly weather. Managed to not slip, and get back to home in time for lunch with Tang family after having had an already delicous lunch yesterday with Wastnages and Tangs. Love all this eating! Now all packed, just doing carry on and wondering what to wear on plane for 14hours of blissful sleep and no worrying about packing etc because i will just have to go with the flow and fingers crossed its all present and correct. Thankyou al my friends and family for supporting me through numersous ways and Anya, that comment lastnight we better keep secret!! haha! Rachel Colb I meant to send you a card to send Love etc but i forgot to buy card so thinking of you at this time. Mum i love you, you are so small but lovely. Dan and Kirst eat quick when you are with the tangs , Remember! Step children Ed and Vic and honorary Chris Thankyou for my birthday presents and Husband, 3 words. WALL EYE KNEE! ALWAYS even though you are very naughty! HERE WE GO!! AHHHHHHHH! ............ WOO HOO!Soph keep writing and I look forward to the ES piece on me, I know its in your good hands! Hatts be calm. xxxx

I ran today in temperatures that most in England thought mad, little did they know what temperatures i would be running in next week! The North sea blew a gale force directly into my face, with rain and freezing temperatures. The wind blew so much that as I was running there were times I was either running nowhere or I nearly got blown off the sea wall. I have heard that there has been 100mph winds blown on, i think, the last but one Antarctica race? Alll I know now is how important it is to get your kit right. Today was a fabulous experience in how dangerous it can be in extreme cold weather conditions. Today my gloves, trousers and hat were not waterproof. With the wind that blew on top of that rain, I felt cold to the bone and started not to function properly and after 7 miles of hard work running, getting nowhere, I turned back on a run that I normally would have covered double that easily. I last did that run over 2 months ago when it was a warm sunny day. A valuable lesson learnt. GET YOUR KIT RIGHT! THE COLD WEATHER IS FRIGHTENINGLY SPEEDY AT RENDERING YOU USELESS.

MY DONATION PAGE AND REASON WHY IS AS FOLLOWS:- http://www.justgiving.com/Lucy-Tang0

The last blog sounded so negative so i thought i had better add some positive bits about being in London and the UK! Its way more social! I have been able to spend loads of time with my old mates (most dont work here, unlike all of my friends in HK?), and of course being with my family, and my step children. I love you all and thankyou for being in my life. AND because my husband is a shooting freak (not something i like!) i get to spend more time seeing him! Ahhhhhhh!

My training has taken place in London instead of Hong Kong this time and there are some big disavantages i feel personally. I Have been running round the London Parks, doing a bit of gym work in my London gym (Matt Roberts) and swimming in the heavenly RAC pool. BUT it just doesnt feel enough. The reason being that here in London Its not like the glorious hilly terrain on offer everywhere around you in HK. All The trails being 95% hilly really tests your muscles, therefore giving a more punishing fitness day to day regime. As a result I dont feel confident with my levels of fitness and my knees and back are hurting because of the mostly road/pavement pounding. BUT theres not much I can do about it now! The other big difference about being based in the UK rather than home in HK has been the expense! Massage's are about 4 times the price! They are not even half as good and you have to make appointments in advance unlike HK. Everything is on your doorstep in HK for training and I miss my dogs! I'm therefore worried. All i hope for on this Antarctica RTP race is i get to the finish line. Oh and the Drake passage crossing is not too rough!