As I follow up yesterday to a long slow hot day in the desert, I now sit back pool side at the hotel in Cairo. Almost exactly where I sat one week ago, I sit now, with the same people, deeper friendships developed and toes much worse for wear. Quick results note as I may not have reported yesterday, our ironman desert runner Mehmet Danis, took 3rd overall, AMAZING and Stefan, Ernie and Sophie came a close 2nd in overall teams. So as I left the cyber tent mid afternoon yesterday in a reflective mood, still pondering my performance in the race, sweltering energy sucking heat, I was unsure what the night would hold….another uncomfortable and cramped sleep, I longed for a real bed and looked forward to the Pyramids the next day, Pizza and Beer. The heat started to subside late afternoon, a cool wind blowing across the desert, a sign of changing times, in the case an ending to what was an amazing week. We gathered shortly before dusk and one of the …

As I write this I am still muddling through the mental reconciliation of what will be one of the highlights of my lifetime.  Its a mental battle, much different than out in the heat…highs and lows on the effort and choices laid out in the past 5 days.  Right now I can say I am at peace with my choices, time will tell.  In addition, I look around the cybertent  and see team mates from home and competitors from France, Germany, Hong Kong, England and Brazil. So where to begin? Lets start with something I know most of you were hoping to hear….I was on the start line for day 5!  It felt good to be there. The health meter had raised to a decent level and I was able to go.  That is all I was asking for.   Sadly, it would not last, but that is the least important part of this entry.  All our team mates were up at 5am and excited for the final day and a 7am start (remember the start …

Hi all from Half Moon Camp.  A much better day.  Nausea has slowly subsided and I took a full meal down for the first time in a couple days.  Spaghetti Bolognese, for the fourth diner this week.  Along with Porridge and Raisins in the morning (a former favorite, now gag!) we were recommended to treat food like medicine, don’t focus on choices, just taking in fuel.  I have focused on water intake call day today and am getting strength back.  My goal was to be in shape to start tomo mooring and I am ready to go, baring anything that has been spreading around camp…and unfortunately it has started.  Lots of Purell in use today! We hit some great dunes again this morning and camped under a rock with tons of fossils for the morning while camp was set up.  It’s amazing how the locals move quickly in the heat.  We were staying shaded in advance of the finish line being setup to welcome in the leaders.  Some amazing performances again with Mehmet continuing to …

A tough day to decide not to start this morning, but feeling nautious I felt it was the safer route to go and safe my energy for a further day. What it is taking some of our team mates to finish today is nothing short of unbelievable courage.  Some of them out in the heat for 8-10 hours…and other competitors literally coming in after dusk at 12 hours.  I was not prepared to be out there that long.  Again, I am awe inspired by the effort of everyone, man and women.  Its a balance of how much you can run in the morning when its “cool” until it soors to high 30’s and into the 40’s after 11am.  Most are out in the blazing heat (and I mean suffercating).  We took the approach me and non running team mates today of being the best supportive team mates we could be to team Canada and many from other countries.  After a crazy hour in the jeeps cruising dunes at 100km an hour with talented loal drivers, …

Where to start.  A day of highs and lows.  This was a tougher stage than the last and I was hoping to be fully recovered after last nights sleep, but I wasn’t.  I felt ok when the day started but as the heat rolled in I was zapped of energy.  We and much field were walking by 15km-20km in of a 41km day and we did not have the juice to run after that.  We walked, like Lawrence of Arabia in the desert, wandering nomads.  Sandy, Anne Marie and I spent some good time together, as well as Malcolm from New Zealand and some other characters along the way.  Also Mariska joined us for the last push.  We had been walking and running for 7 hours, when as a group, Mariska, Anne Marie and I…pulled out at km 27km.  We sat down at a rest point and figured if we could make another 14km, and figured we may make the 7pm cut off time and arrive in the dark.  We were sure to be in …

Two Words…Absolutely Punishing!! I was humbled beyond belief by the challenge and my competitors. Apparently the first day hammers everyone getting used to the heat.  It started at 30 Degrees this morning and hit a high at a couple points of 46 C!  People here are amazing and volunteer and medical staff are gems.   All 8 of my tent mates made it in today, which was great.  Between 6 and 8 hours were our times.   We had to walk for kms through some very soft sand on the last half and it was mentally crazy difficult.  I paired up with my teamate Allison and Daveed from France to pull through.  Buddy systems are crucial for moral and motivation, I need to do much more tomo. I have two big blisters and had to drain them in the med tent tonight, everyone has at least one and many have more.  The sand gets in your shoes easily.  I feel unprepared on some of these aspects  but our vets and med staff are teaching us. In addition, …

Hello from the desert.  Literally right in the middle, and nestled along a picturesque lake camp site.  We woke up early this morning for our race briefing, followed by bag weigh in, food and and electrolyte count and grabbed our race bib.  The guy who weighed my bag had to brace himself and I noticed on the sheet I had one of the heaviest bags!  29lbs without water!  lol.  Never fear my experienced team mates came to the rescue and helped me reduce weight by 4 lbs, taking out some carbs and using some tricks  (wrapping tape around pill tubes and ditching the rest) and taking out things I might use.  Many people who have run  before were targetting 8.5kg (just under 20lbs) opposed to my 12kg.  I learned some things along the way listetning to others, some taking out the sleeping pad completely and just putting the sleeping bag on the tent floor.  This time round (and no comittment to next time yet) I am sticking to what I think I need and have …

What is your suffer quotient? I was told 90% of the Sahara race would be a mental challenge. I can confirm that and then some. What would you be willing to do finish a 250km march through the desert (soft, hard packed, uphill/downhill and rocky sand) while wind hammers into your face? What are you willing to do, to achieve your own personal objectives? Would you run/walk from morning till night and get up the next day and do it all again…for a week. I had the opportunity to witness acts of relentless pursuit, digging deep, injuries, infections, mineral imbalance and watch people get up off the mat over and over again, in order to obtain something they clearly had COMMITTED everything too. I am humbled by the effort I saw and offer my greatest appreciation for what they accomplished. Nausea, deep discomfort, harsh back pain, bowel pain affecting athletic rhythm, extreme stiffness and deep muscle soreness, loss of weight, eating little, some throwing up and few that lost so much fluid, they were on …