Note from TigerMeg:
Not sure when to expect the next post from Stephen. His estimate of around 15 hours for the long Stage 4 would see him finish late Thursday morning (Sydney time). Then presumably things like rest, food and recovery would take priority over lining up for email time!
Will post as soon as I hear anything. Keep running Stephen!
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Stage 3 - A 'petit adventure'
First up, Happy 80th birthday to my Dad, the long one tomorrow is for you! It should have been 80k!
46C today in the shade, but took it easy and had my best stage in terms of finishing full of running and feeling fine. Blisters were not too much of a problem, and food went well. Rooming with Andrew & Damon is priceless, the info and tricks they have are superb.
Had a little adventure today. At about 22k we went back into the dunes and the bearing given was 288, but all the footsteps went off at about 250, so me being me, I charged off into the dunes on the correct bearing and spent the next hour totally alone in a sea of dunes. Came across camels and their berber who pointed me in the direction I was going, and up and over the next dune was the checkpoint. Ok, so I came at it from the wrong side, but hey, it was great!
Ran strongly from there, either a slightly lighter pack, perhaps 8kg, or excitement of the off course experience. A great booster for that little stage tomorrow.
The email here is batched up on a CD, then sent into town for sending, hence the delay. Emails typically arrive at about 7pm.
Results are being done with a DAG system [same as used by Striders]!!!! so my time yesterday was really 5:24ish. No prob, today was 6:07ish.
Thanks for all the emails, they are a highlight. If I list them I will miss someone, so I have kept them (despite the extra weight ;-) & will drop you a note when I get back.
Latest report was for 49C at CP2, so it is a tad warm, but the humidity is down around 10 per cent which helps. Water is the key element here. We have a tag a around our neck which is punched for every 1.5 litres given, and you must manage the water you have. Extra water above allocation costs a 1 hr penalty per 1.5 litres. So far no prob for me, although deciding to carry an extra litre from the last checkpoint to the finish is a tough decision!
No email tomorrow - expect 15hrs.
46C today in the shade, but took it easy and had my best stage in terms of finishing full of running and feeling fine. Blisters were not too much of a problem, and food went well. Rooming with Andrew & Damon is priceless, the info and tricks they have are superb.
Had a little adventure today. At about 22k we went back into the dunes and the bearing given was 288, but all the footsteps went off at about 250, so me being me, I charged off into the dunes on the correct bearing and spent the next hour totally alone in a sea of dunes. Came across camels and their berber who pointed me in the direction I was going, and up and over the next dune was the checkpoint. Ok, so I came at it from the wrong side, but hey, it was great!
Ran strongly from there, either a slightly lighter pack, perhaps 8kg, or excitement of the off course experience. A great booster for that little stage tomorrow.
The email here is batched up on a CD, then sent into town for sending, hence the delay. Emails typically arrive at about 7pm.
Results are being done with a DAG system [same as used by Striders]!!!! so my time yesterday was really 5:24ish. No prob, today was 6:07ish.
Thanks for all the emails, they are a highlight. If I list them I will miss someone, so I have kept them (despite the extra weight ;-) & will drop you a note when I get back.
Latest report was for 49C at CP2, so it is a tad warm, but the humidity is down around 10 per cent which helps. Water is the key element here. We have a tag a around our neck which is punched for every 1.5 litres given, and you must manage the water you have. Extra water above allocation costs a 1 hr penalty per 1.5 litres. So far no prob for me, although deciding to carry an extra litre from the last checkpoint to the finish is a tough decision!
No email tomorrow - expect 15hrs.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Stage 2 - A bit more!
I decided to line up for another go. Not much else happening here. Our team, Westrac is 8th, and my time today was 30 mins faster than I thought - much happier now! Food is going ok, I am a bit behind as I seem to be able to only eat before it gets really hot, then I am on fluids only. Should have got more flavours.
Blistered toes are not too bad, I am still draining them. I suspect it was salt buildup after only a basic rinse last night. They got a serious wash tonight.
Toilets are the classic trench warfare, but not a lot of flies, so pretty good. Cooking in the sun in cut down water bottles works a treat, but I am having a problem stomaching too many nuts.
We had a hot air balloon this morning, and wild camels on course, plus lots of small lizards.
Oh yes, todays temp revised to 46C at CP 3, more of the same tomorrow with more dunes.
Blistered toes are not too bad, I am still draining them. I suspect it was salt buildup after only a basic rinse last night. They got a serious wash tonight.
Toilets are the classic trench warfare, but not a lot of flies, so pretty good. Cooking in the sun in cut down water bottles works a treat, but I am having a problem stomaching too many nuts.
We had a hot air balloon this morning, and wild camels on course, plus lots of small lizards.
Oh yes, todays temp revised to 46C at CP 3, more of the same tomorrow with more dunes.
Stage 2 - Active Recovery
42C & a gentle tailwind - not a good combination. At least it is over. Some dunes, some stony patches, and far too much very dry mud flats. I ran (if you call 7:30/km running) to checkpoint 2, but at that point we heard the temp and looked across the shimmering flats. Time to walk. End result, a long day in the sun, but still about double the winners time, so all good.
Many thanks for the emails, they arrived last night. I was the envy of the tent with a pageful of messages. They are superb, it certainly lifts the spirits.
Gaiter disaster averted. Scammed some needle & thread from the amazingly prepared Andrew Cohen and it was sweet. Unfortunately, I still copped some blisters on a couple of toes, so tomorrow is looking like a loooong day, although not as far as the next day.
We have a 1000 char limit on these emails, and with a 45 min wait in the sun, one must be concise!
Hey, Damon wants to join Striders. 16th yesterday!
Many thanks for the emails, they arrived last night. I was the envy of the tent with a pageful of messages. They are superb, it certainly lifts the spirits.
Gaiter disaster averted. Scammed some needle & thread from the amazingly prepared Andrew Cohen and it was sweet. Unfortunately, I still copped some blisters on a couple of toes, so tomorrow is looking like a loooong day, although not as far as the next day.
We have a 1000 char limit on these emails, and with a 45 min wait in the sun, one must be concise!
Hey, Damon wants to join Striders. 16th yesterday!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Surviving Stage 1
Got there. Started with 14k in the dunes, then too much across the salt flats, then just to be nasty, another couple of km in yet more dunes. I feel ok. very sore shoulders - 10kg will do it ever time! Damn french keyboard. Magnificent views, classic Sahara, but those dunes will haunt me for a while. No blisters, but my left shoe has thrown a gaiter, so it may get ugly later on. No more dunes for a few days - well, not that big anyway.
Awoke to a sand storm, wind has been relentless, and sand in everything. Not too hot, perhaps high 30s today. My dinner is cooking in the sun back at the tent.
Tent has 4 Aussies, a Canadian, and 2 yanks. 2 ladies - Aussie Fleur, Damon Goerkes better half, and Canadian Mary, currently in her 3rd or 4th midlife crisis and turning 50 in Nov.
Rude awaking this morn, the Berber tent guys drop the tents at 6am no matter if you out or not, and then it is still 3:30 to the start - in the sandstorm!
Note from TigerMeg:
Results show Stephen finished Stage 1 in 4Hrs49'57", in 179th position. Send him a message via the official MdS website (link on right)!
Awoke to a sand storm, wind has been relentless, and sand in everything. Not too hot, perhaps high 30s today. My dinner is cooking in the sun back at the tent.
Tent has 4 Aussies, a Canadian, and 2 yanks. 2 ladies - Aussie Fleur, Damon Goerkes better half, and Canadian Mary, currently in her 3rd or 4th midlife crisis and turning 50 in Nov.
Rude awaking this morn, the Berber tent guys drop the tents at 6am no matter if you out or not, and then it is still 3:30 to the start - in the sandstorm!
Note from TigerMeg:
Results show Stephen finished Stage 1 in 4Hrs49'57", in 179th position. Send him a message via the official MdS website (link on right)!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
4.5 hrs to Start
Final SMS from Stephen this morning, before handing in the phone.
Stage distances are:
Day 1 - 31.6km
Day 2 - 38.0km
Day 3 - 40.5km
Day 4 - 75.5km
Day 5 - Rest (?!)
Day 6 - 42.2km
Day 7 - 17.5km
Total: 245.3km
Start time is 0900 local time (8pm Sunday, Sydney time).
Stage distances are:
Day 1 - 31.6km
Day 2 - 38.0km
Day 3 - 40.5km
Day 4 - 75.5km
Day 5 - Rest (?!)
Day 6 - 42.2km
Day 7 - 17.5km
Total: 245.3km
Start time is 0900 local time (8pm Sunday, Sydney time).
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Ready, Set...
Brief phone call from Stephen last night - lots of waiting around happening, looking forward to actually getting underway.
Text message this morning saying he has made it to Bivouac 1, and has mobile phone coverage! Call costs are prohibitive though - both outgoing and to receive inbound calls (SMS isn't too bad). The phone has to be handed in at check-in today.
Warm and dusty, good tent mates.
I think (hope) the nerves are settling, and he is getting focused.
The email to competitors bit should be up and running very soon (may be already), via the official MdS site - link on right.
TigerMeg
Text message this morning saying he has made it to Bivouac 1, and has mobile phone coverage! Call costs are prohibitive though - both outgoing and to receive inbound calls (SMS isn't too bad). The phone has to be handed in at check-in today.
Warm and dusty, good tent mates.
I think (hope) the nerves are settling, and he is getting focused.
The email to competitors bit should be up and running very soon (may be already), via the official MdS site - link on right.
TigerMeg
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