Now is certain. Tomorrow is not.

At races you get to meet really lovely people; and more so during small-field staged races where you spend days together. And very often it is the people that make these races more than the race, location and scenery.

In March 2013 I had the most wonderful opportunity to run in the five-day Namib Desert Challenge for a second time, having run the inaugural event a few years before.

One of the guys that I spent a lot of time with was Dave Gunner, who was out here from the UK with his brother Paul to participate. We ran all of stages 3, 4 and 5 together and as such he is pictured in many of my photographs -  a fine model to showcase the route and scenery and terrain of the race.

It it with sadness that I heard today of his passing from a few weeks ago.

Dave fell ill just after June last year and was diagnosed with leukaemia. He had a bone marrow transplant, which went ok but in January he got a lung infection. He passed away on 7 February 2015; his heart, which was under too much stress, had had enough (information on his health from a family member via a common running friend).

Dave's company and conversation on those long, long stretches at NDC made the race all the more enjoyable and memorable. Reading my daily blog posts and looking at the included photographs is a fresh reminder of the good - but tough - days we spent traversing the Soussousvlei area. We were well-suited running companions.

With 'English Dave' at the end of Stage 4 on top of Dune 45.

The passing of a fit and healthy running friend whose route through life has been cheated out of so many hundreds of kilometres is ever a reminder that for all of us that tomorrow is never a certainty.

Now is.

Stage 5 - Dead Vlei and only a few kilometres from the end. Photo by Hannisze.

Article on Namib Desert Challenge in Do It Now

I indirectly wrote this article on the Namib Desert Challenge, which I ran at the end of March 2013. It's in DoItNow magazine (May 2013 issue) and the article is available online. The article was compiled by Sarah Kobal from my daily stage posts. The magnificent photos were taken by Hannisze. 

You can read the article online - I just love the digital magazine look. Super layout.

6th Namib Desert Challenge - October THIS year

I mentioned during the event of talk about a time-frame shift for the running of the Namib Desert Challenge. The organisers, Kinetic Events, want to move the event later in the year. 

The dates for the 6th edition of this event are confirmed and they've been announced as the 28 October to 1 November 2013. You can expect conditions similar to what we had (hot, hot, hot - I don't really think there's any other option out here!) and an excellent event offering.

Registration is open and they're offering an early bird discount of 5% to those who register before the end of April (that's this month). 

If you're not in for this year, keep in mind that the event will be run next year - and thereafter - at a similar time - late October-ish.

The event website is www.namibdesertchallenge.com. You'll find the race itinerary and registration details all there.

One of my favourite photos from the race by Hannisze (see the fabulous albums on Facebook). This was from the final stage and these are the front runners. They ran most of the way together, which was really sweet. Here they jumped for Hannisze and she caught it beautifully with all of them in the air. What a winner! It really conveys the spirit of this superb event.

Namib Desert Challenge: Post-race contemplations

Home sweet (and cool) home. Now that the unpacking and washing is done I'm settling into customary post-race blues. That's the problem with a most wonderful week away with a most excellent group of like-minded people and nothing to worry about but running, eating and sleeping. Well, there's no better way to deal with post-race blues than to seek new adventures.

The second wave of runners waiting for the start of the final stage on Friday morning. Photo by Hannisze.

I thought I'd jot down a couple of notes - thoughts whirling around in my mind.

Desert gaiters
When you run in sand, you do need a shoe covering to prevent sand getting in. Desert sand is not the same as beach sand; it is fine and dry and it sneaks in through any and every gap in your shoe - the top, the mesh, the tongue. A desert gaiter is a shoe covering that is attached to the upper of the shoe and it covers your foot from the ankle to the sole.

You need to plan ahead as it is best to have velcro sewn around the base of the upper (the gaiter has velcro around its base). Glue is definitely not a good idea, especially for multi-day events as it wiggles into any little gap and lifts the glue. Any shoe repair shop will be able to do the stitching.

Desert gaiters are not that easy to find. Make your own or order online. Be sure to order the correct size (there are usually two or three sizes available). Too small gaiters will not fit properly and they'll pull up the front of your shoe creating toenail issues. There are a few options available.

Shooting the breeze with Christine (in pink) after Stage 3. We were looking up at the most beautiful blue sky, streaked with interesting clouds, through the branches and leaves of a shady Camel Thorn tree. These blue gaiters covered with fish were my super-dooper gaiters for this race. Photo by Hannisze.

Obviously I think that my Desert Gaiters are the best. The current version is my third evolution of the design, tweaked after three years of the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge and my first run at Namib Desert Challenge in 2009. They're made from lycra, they come in two sizes and we make them up in your preference of colour and print - whatever fabric we can get our hands on.

Training
I am definitely not a good example for what training to do in preparation for this event... especially when I tell you that my longest run pre-race was a 15km in January... I generally average 40-55km/week. Although I had a comfortable race and I came out the other side with no stiffness on any day (I think my massage ritual helps with this) and good feet, more training and longer runs would have seen me being able to run faster, harder and longer. I've been running regularly for 20 years plus many long and multi-day races plus a mix of other disciplines every week so I really, really do not recommend doing what I do.

Runners like Marius, at the top of the field, runs 200km a week and spends a lot of time too on core strength. Asa, who had a superb run, clocked around 1300km since the start of the year (I think it was) and he also spent time running up and down a small sandy dune to build strength and prepare for the sandy stages. Excellent for building leg strength. He says that he thinks he only walked about 2km in total! Christine, who lives in Toronto, heads up to a cottage over weekends and she does a lot of long running. She gained bit by bit on me every stage - about 30 mins a day - ended up exactly 2hrs ahead of me overall. It does pay to put in the time and distance.

If you're a newbie, work your way through running programmes. Start with 5km and 10km programmes, move on to 15km, 21km and marathon. You just can't go wrong with a solid base. And later add in some trail for better proprioception and foot-ankle strength. But, don't rush your training. Take your time and get strong steadily or you'll spend more time at your physio than on the road.

Food & drink
This year delicious dinners were provided every night. We only had to pack in our own breakfasts, lunches and snacks for the run. The waterpoints really were superb and while I didn't eat much of the cookies and fruit provided there, I did drink loads of the electrolyte mix and iced tea. And to think that I only tried the iced tea on Day 2; I really missed out on Day 1!

For breakfast I went for FutureLife with added protein powder. I'm not going to be eating this again for some time... During the day I popped a couple of gels and ate some of my snacks, like cornnuts and roasted nuts, dried mango and home-dried banana. In the afternoons I ate my two-minute noodles with tuna. And then it was dinner time with veg soups, salads, pasta or rice.

In terms of volume of fluids we were all drinking a lot. I was almost flattening my water reservoir by the time I reached each waterpoint. That's around 1.5l. Plus, I'd leave the waterpoint having consumed about 750ml there and then. And then we'd all be drinking more in the afternoons after running. That's a lot of liquid. By the end of the week I was feeling quite puffy. Heat, salts, fluids... all contributing factors.

Here's an interesting one... On the 4th and 5th days I was peeing frequently, even out on the course. On the long day I made three stops during the stage! Definitely nothing wrong with my kidneys. On Saturday, post-race, I wasn't drinking much as we were on the bus for hours yet I had to go on the bus (there was a loo onboard), when we stopped in Windhoek and again at the airport not long after we arrived and again before boarding. I probably hadn't consumed more than 1-litre that day. And this continued all through yesterday. The good news is that my body is no longer stock-piling fluids, I'm not as puffy and I'm no longer bouncing up every half-hour to go to the loo.

Travel
It's easy to get to Windhoek with regular flights from Jo'burg and Cape Town on SAA, Kulula (British Airways) and Air Namibia. Transport by bus to Sossusvlei was provided and organised by the event - it's a 4h30 trip, mostly on a good quality dirt road. If you've got the dosh, you can fly into and out of Sossusvlei by charter.

Bye bye
I always get a bit sad to see my running buddies depart. To some we say goodbye at Sossusvlei if they're staying on; others go different ways at the Windhoek airport as they board other flights; and some are off when we land in Jo'burg.

Events like this present an opportunity for the coming together of people with more than just running in common. It's what burns in our hearts that is more unifying.

I'm fortunate in that I've been in this adventure / ultra / multi-day game for a long time and the people I hang around with the most are much like me. Running three back-to-back marathons plus an ultra plus a 'short' 24km stage to top it off - over challenging terrain and under extreme heat conditions - is not considered 'crazy' or really out there. Rather, I'm sent off with a wave and well -wishing text messages saying, "Enjoy the race". And they can relate to what I'm going through because they've done similar events - in some or other form. So, when I get home, I merge back into a similar environment surrounded by similar people.

But this isn't the same for all the participants. Many stick out like a sore thumb among friends (and families). I think it is far harder for them to re-integrate after such an experience, one that can literally be life changing.

[Not quite a year after I started adventure racing I deregistered from my Masters studies and turned my back on seven years. I have experienced first-hand the life-changing effect that hard, challenging, multiday events can have.]

Thank goodness for Facebook and being able to easily connect with the people with whom you have shared the experience.

What's next?
This was probably the most common question flying around camp. Some of the runners have got some good events lined up over the next year.

On the racing side I don't have much planned. I'm organising Metrogaine Jo'burg for 11 April; then I'm writing for Expedition Africa in early May (not racing because of being away shortly afterwards); and then I'm off to Argentina in mid-June to mid-July for intensive Spanish lessons -  an adventure dream I've had for almost eight years now.

Participating in races will be taking a back seat for a bit and with a number of projects that I had on the go from the beginning of the year to shortly before the race - Forest Run being a big one -  now out of the way, I'll focus a bit more on running training (I heard recently about a speed session group on Tuesdays near home) and aerial disciplines (another class in the pipeline).

That said, I'm cruising various websites, keeping an eye on what is on. I have a race in mind that I'd like to do much later in the year. For this one I'll really need to tune in my focus on running - I'll definitely need to do runs longer than 15km in preparation for this one, especially if I want to do well and feel great. For sure, squeezing in more running between other odd activities and circus classes is possible but ultimately something will have to give - for a few months at least. We'll see what the months bring...

Keep an eye on www.namibdesertchallenge.com for details on the September running of this superb event. Absolutely superb photos by Hannisze are on the NDC Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/NamibDesertChallenge/photos_albums.

Namib Desert Challenge: Stage 5

It’s done! The 5^th and final stage of the 5^th annual Namib Desert Challenge.

On paper it is a comparatively short 28 kilometres but the reality is that you can’t just blitz it or think that you’ll nail it in three hours and be done. No. No.

This morning we set off in two waves from the base of Dune 45, where we finished yesterday. It was the slower 10 runners first and then the faster 11 runners 30-minutes later.

The first 15km of the stage are actually quite cruel. It must be about 13-14km across a flat, stony plain that runs at the base of big dunes. The tricky part here is not the terrain underfoot. Because it is some of the most pleasant of the race; firm but not hard and littered with little stones that don’t prod your soles. The tricky part is the perspective. We run heading for a point in the distance but with the huge dunes and the open expanse you just can’t tell how far away anything it. You just run and run and run and never seem to get anywhere. It plays with your mind.

From the start I was running with Dave and Dave. Joe shot off like a horse bolting for home. We caught him going into the first pan. He was hammered. We invited him to join us. He shook his head. We convinced him and he started to jog again with us.

Looking back from where we'd come - this was just the first pan before the first dune ascent. We came from FAR, FAR away to the right.

Joe, Botswana Dave, English Dave and me.

The route then gets more interesting with a dune climb. After the long, straight flat your legs feel it and your heart rate climbs – quickly. We took photos quickly before heading down into the pan and through into Hidden Vlei and the first waterpoint.

Waterpoint 1 in the Hidden Vlei. Dave made a great 'model' during the stages when we were together.

Ice-cold rehydration solution and iced tea saw us off again, following a jeep track etched into the hard-baked mud pan. English Dave and I inched ahead of Botswana Dave and Joe; we grew the gap to the finish.

Approaching Big Daddy. We aimed for that low saddle (not really that low - see next pic) and then up the spine to the top, top, top there in the distance.

From the pan we were into some sand and another crunchy pan before starting the ascent up Big Daddy – one helluva big dune. The first part – getting on to the ridge – is really the trickiest because it becomes a case of one-step-up-slide-two-back near the top of the lee slope. Dave and I stood there for a moment to catch our breath again, while watching Joe and Dave approach.

From the low saddle while we caught our breath. Joe and Dave below - approaching.

And then up, following the ridge. Fortunately many runners had been up before us and it is far easier to step in the grooves made by those ahead than to blaze your own trail. We passed Laura and Ivan, the Americans from Colorado and continued up and up and up. It really is a spectacular dune.

Up, up, up. That isn't the summit. This is still the first part of the spine.

We ripped the downhill, sliding through the sand. It could be a good 300-400m from top to bottom, dropping us into Dead Vlei. 

The descent. That white patch is the sun-baked crunchy, mud surface (dried, cracked mud like elephant skin) of Dead Vlei.

There’s nothing in the main part of the pan. Dead. Towards the open end there are dead trees. Everything dead. Except us! As there was excess water, the happy helpers poured it over our heads and in the breeze we were invigorated.

Deadvlei.

It’s really nice that it is only about 2.5km from the end of the pan to the finish. OK, so there’s some thick soft sand to deal with before the warm welcome from Terry, Nel and the other runners.

It has been a really good five days of running. For us everything had felt very smooth in terms of the running of the event and how well we’ve been looked after. I know that behind the scenes things can be crazy dealing with crises but in chatting to Nel he said how smooth it has been on their side too; marking the trails, the daily bus transport, the wonderful dinner spread and the small team of volunteers who make it all happen.

I also really want to commend the staff from Sossusvlei Lodge who have setup and manned many of the water stations. In next to no time they learned all our names and warmly welcomed us into each aid station. They handed us cup after cup of Leopard Piss and iced tea and assisted in pouring water into our backpacks. The kept slices of fruit on hand and trays of cookies at the ready. And always a word of encouragement or a smile as we headed out again.

My room for tonight at Sossusvlei Lodge. Lovely!

A bed! Gonna sleep well tonight ;)

With a small field of runners we’ve been a happily family of running comrades. A really good people and I’ve had friendly running companions in the form of Tony, Joe, English Dave and Botswana Dave at various points on the stages.

As I type this I’m sitting in a circle with the other runners, under the shade of the Camel Thorn tree at the Sossusvlei Lodge, enjoying refreshments. I think there’s award and such at 18h30 and then afterwards a dinner. We’re looking forward to a late night of chatting and chilling with new friends. We’ll climb aboard the bus at 7am in the morning to head back to Windhoek.

It has indeed been a wonderful treat for me to return to this race. I ran in the inaugural event in February 2009 and now I’ve run their 5^th event. Both events are united by good organisation and wonderful warmth and hospitality. If you’re looking for an away race that is very sufficiently challenging but that doesn’t require you to lug kilograms on your back each day, then I can highly recommend that you put this one on your bucket list. It is not easy out here but it is very doable and the whole experience is one that you will treasure. Terry and Nel and your team – thank you and well done. An event to be most proud of.

Namib Desert Challenge: Stage 4

That’s the big one done. 55 long kilometres in the bag today.

We started on the road just inside the gate of the Sossus Nakluft Park, heading towards the Sesriem Canyon. This wasn’t in the long route four years ago so I was looking forward to seeing this popular tourist site. It was well worth running to – quite extraordinary especially when you consider that this canyon does indeed get flooded. Last year the course was diverted big time as the canyon was flooded and rivers on other sections were gushing. Nel, our camp manager and route marker, says that he has photos from last year, which I really want to see because it just seems so inconceivable that this dry, harsh landscape could ever be flooded.

Sesriem Canyon. That's Joe ahead of me (I could catch him today!). Lovely shade.

The first waterpoint came up really soon. We think about 7km instead of 9.5km. It was in the canyon and a whole bunch of us were all together. I decided to take out the inner soles from my shoes to make more space, which worked really well. I’ll tell you more about this a bit later.

We got on to some hard pack and just ran, ran, ran across a vast, open area. This was very much the theme from today with many vast, open stretches.

By about halfway through the section from WP1 to WP2 I found myself at the back of the field. Two wee stops and one little-piggy-needs-attention stop had me chasing runners ahead. It’s amazing how much time it can take to reel people in. They may be moving slower overall than me but not substantially slower so catching takes time. I caught up with Lucy and then Deon and then John before the waterpoint where I found the father-and-daughter pair of Mike and Jennifer as well as English Dave and Botswana Dave.

I loaded up on liquids before hitting the dreaded tar section. 14km of tar from WP2 to WP3. We actually stuck to the side of the road, which was far more pleasant. By this time I’d caught English Dave (the same Dave from yesterday) and we made good time with my run-walk game. We ended up sticking together for the rest of the stage.

WP3 was very much the entrance to the duned area. Sossusvlei is like a funnel – broad at the mouth with dunes on either side many kilometres apart. And they close in further down. We kept to the right on a track that was mostly firm underfoot. 

Me, on the track to WP4.

Long track to WP4, which was at the base of the dune you can see in the distance to the right (or maybe a dune past this one?)

Getting closer to WP4. The band of trees on the right... they line the riverbed of the main stream feeding into Sosussusvlei.

Thank goodness for the warm breeze that was far more cooling than no breeze would have been. We moved well through to WP4 – the last waterpoint of the stage (at about 44km).

Howz this? A mini red sand dune across the original track - the route to WP4. The path diverts to the left of the photo.

From here we definitely slumped. We ran a few little bits but overall just walked the last 10-odd kilometres to the finish, which was hard work. We still, fortunately, had the wind but we were going straight into it. Better than no wind but a push from the back would have been a treat. 

On our way to the finish, shortly after leaving WP4.

It must have taken us 90 minutes to reach the finish, at the base of Dune 45. We ascended the dune – a definite highlight – and enjoyed looking back at where we’d come from earlier in the day. Vast!

Me with English Dave on top of Dune 45. A stage well done!

WP 4 was at the furthermost dune on the end of the row on the left. Yes, far in the distance. We're helluva high up. That was just the last 10-11km! If you follow the footprints on the dune you'll see a black dot to the left (tree) and to the right there's just a fleck - that's a regular-sized bus!

Argi took the stage win. Marius was second, Stephan third, Paul in fourth and Asa in 5^th. Christine was first lady again, with me in second (but probably a good half hour – or more – behind her).

We’ve only got a short, 28km stage tomorrow.

The shoe thing...

OK, so I’m wearing my regular trail shoes – my third pair of this exact same model and I've been wearing these shoes for more than a decade - through many, many versions. When I put them on about two weeks ago I thought they were a little tight – but brushed that off as the shoes being relatively new.

Here’s my theory... For almost a year I’ve been running in both minimalist road and trail shoes. For about the last two months I’ve had a sneaky suspicion that my feet are a half-size bigger; but I wasn’t sure, especially as I mostly wear my older trails shoes if I’m not wearing the lean-and-mean ones – and they’re on their last legs.

So, my piggies have been feeling a little squished. Not overly so but enough that my little piggies have made triangle toes – something I’ve avoided for a good few years. And now I have proof that shoes that are a little squishy cause triangle toes!

I was debating whether to take out the inner soles from the start, but it didn’t feel right. By waterpoint 1 it was a good move. My piggies like their space. The only thing... taking out the inner sole turned my shoes into a minimalist shoe feel. 45-odd kilometres in minimalist shoes over sandy and, often, rocky terrain... Yes, my feet are feeling quite tired this evening.

Overall there are some runners with not great feet but for the most part they’re still standing, still walking and mostly still running. We’re all doing pretty ok.

The other thing for this post...

My 40:30 run-walk strategy. It rocks! Dave was running with me from waterpoint 2 and certainly for a good 30km we used this a lot. Provided you start walking earlier than later then you’ve got the strength and energy to walk strongly and then kick it up a notch to run with good speed for 40 paces. The key really is in keeping the runs to the 40 paces. You’ll feel like you can do more – and you should feel that way – but the point is that you don’t want your heart rate to climb nor your legs to feel tired. The short 30 pace walk is about recovery so that you can pick up the pace again. AdventureLisa’s 40:30 run-walk strategy. You read it here first. Ba-ba-ba-boom. *grin*

Finally, I’ve been told by the runners not to tell you about the fabulous showers at the camp, which we look forward to after the stages to get rid of the grit and grim. Nor should I tell you about the three course meal spread brought to the campsite by the Sossusvlei Lodge staff for our dinners. They don’t want me to tell you or you’ll think they’re having this cushy holiday with a bit of running each morning. So, I won’t say another word... ;)

That’s it for tonight. It is about 20h15 as I type this line and I’m the only one around now. The other runners are in their tents or nearly in their tents. These days are tough and hot so by 20h30 our eyes can barely stay open. Having a good 9-10hrs to sleep and rest is a treat – and we need very minute.

Night. 

Namib Desert Challenge: Stage 3

Third stage, done. We’re over halfway now, which is a nice thought.

Let’s see... The start of today’s stage was different to that of four years ago. I remember starting at the top of a valley... today we were on a jeep track heading into a valley. At first glace the track looked all cool with decent terrain underfoot most of the way. Except that it was slightly up; so slight that most of you wouldn’t term it up, but we feel it now. I probably ran for about 25 minutes before my first walk... yesterday it was an hour-odd, as was the day before.

I hooked up with Joe, my companion from the last stretch yesterday, and we did the run-walk thing together. With many bushes around we’d run from bush to bush. Joe got into the groove too, calling “Bush to bush” or “Bush to tree”. It’s quite fun and we make steady progress.

And then, up ahead, we saw our Greek Champion, Argi, running towards us! He said he’d run all the way to the buildings at the end of the road (and top of the valley) and hadn’t seen any signs. He’d turned around but on his way back to us he didn’t see the following trio of Marius, Stephan and Asa so he knew they must have turned off somewhere.

Within a few minutes a bunch of us had collected. Out came the phones to get hold of Terry. By this time we were moving forward again as none of us had noticed a track leading off. Terry said that about 500m before the buildings there was a sign pointing to a track on our right. Within a short distance we noticed some stones across the road. Argi had just left our group and was about 50m ahead. I looked to the side and found the pink direction arrow face down, the stick to which it was attached broken in half. We whistled for Argi and brought him back to us and the track we were to take.

I thought the stick looked a bit gnawed buy discounted it, thinking instead that maybe a car had driven over the sign, breaking the stick. Terry and Nel went to check it out and seems the consensus is that something like a h.y.a.e.n.a. gave the arrow a gnaw. Nel said he found another arrow ahead of the runners that was AWOL. Perhaps hyaenas like pink?

The track we turned on to I enjoyed, because it was gently downhill. And, Argi was running with us for a bit. I’d said to him last night that he should start three hours after us so that he can not only enjoy the heat of the day but also so that we can see him in action. He just laughed.

We hit waterpoint 1 after about 15km and I downed some Leopard Piss and iced tea. I’d been feeling hungry so I also munched some salted crackers from my backpack and a plum and two cookies from the waterpoint. Needless to say, I waddled off and had to walk for a bit to let all the liquid and munchies descent. I’d taken a bit too much onboard. Joe and Dave left the waterpoint just ahead and they were gaining ground quickly as I was walking and they were running. The other Dave (English one) was just ahead of them.

The one thing about knowing people are just ahead of you is that it becomes a game and focus to catch them. I started to feel human again after about 4km and so I started the chase.

I first caught English Dave. He’d been walking for a while and I overtook him. Behind me I think he hopped on to my run-walk game because he got to the waterpoint no more than a minute after. 

English Dave with stone arrow

We’d gained ground on Dave and Joe – they were leaving waterpoint 2 as we approached. This section had been on a fairly decent track – some sand but mostly rocky. Small rocks. You’ve got to watch every foot step but it is way nicer than thick, energy-sapping sand.

English Dave and I stuck together after waterpoint 2. He liked my run-walk game and he was good company.

The route gets interesting from waterpoint 2 as it winds first on a track and then across a riverbed (one big and a few smaller) and into some interesting rocky features. Here Dave and I caught Charles, who said that he’d run the first 25km and now was most definitely walking through to the finish. He’s dealing with some blisters, which were obviously giving him trouble. And then we caught Joe, just before the section where we head cross-country, as-the-crow-flies, to the third and final waterpoint, which we could see about 4.5km away in the distance.

Photo opportunity just before we caught Charles and Joe.

Most of the morning had been relatively mild. And by mild I’m talking about 32C. It’s mild compared to 42C, which we’ve been experiencing. Asking around the table this evening most reckon that they probably drank about 6 litres today vs 8 litres yesterday.

The three of us trekked over dry, grassy tussocks and rocky ground to the waterpoint just in time to see Dave (from yesterday) leaving. 

Grassy, rocky ground. More grassy and rocky in most sections except where I took this photo...

More Leopard’s Piss and iced tea and we were off, knowing we only had 6km to the finish.

Leaving WP3. Only 6km to go... (turned out to be about 4.5km). Yay!

Run, walk, run, walk, run, walk and we were there! We really did well over this last section. Great feeling. I forgot to stop my timer but I think we covered the 44km distance in about 6h30.

My companions- Joe (blue) and English Dave (orange).

Later I chatted to Marius who said, “As Argi so kindly missed the turn and ran extra distance, I won the stage”. He ran about 4hrs. It’s a nice one for him regardless as he has run so well each day, coming in second to fleet-footed Argi. “I was looking over my shoulder the whole time,” he says, “just wondering when Argi was going to catch me.”

Second was Asa, then Argi and then Stephan. Argi was obviously frustrated when we met up with him but he chased hard and is in good spirits.

A few thoughts on management and maintenance at this stage of the race, where we’ve covered about 135km in three of the five stages.

Staged racing is very much about taking care of yourself from day 1. If you don’t drink enough, eat enough or take care of your feet and body then you’ll feel it later on. Maybe not that day or the next but it will get you. Simple.

There are blistered feet around and injured toenails. I haven’t really been keeping an eye on people to see what they’re doing. I just hope that they’re doing something. A big mistake is waiting until the end of a stage to deal with blisters that develop before the first waterpoint. Management is within the run as much as at the end of the day’s stage.

I’ve got a couple of management habits, developed over many years.

During the stage I’ll deal with any blisters as best as possible. Yesterday my little piggy toe on the left started to feel a bit off. I haven’t had a blister under it for ages but it usually results when the little toe makes a triangle shape, which it had been doing. So, I drained the small blister and put a bandaid around it, aiming to prevent it getting worse. Also, when it is hot like this I like to powder my feet quickly at the waterpoints. Just baby powder. It acts as an anti-perspirant keeping the skin dry (reducing moisture) and it also acts as a lubricant – providing a smooth barrier for skin to slide easily over skin (preventing friction). I haven’t had to deal with much more than this.

Then, when I get back to camp I shower, being sure to scrub my feet clean – between the toes too, which is where fine sand loves to settle. Then I check out my feet, remove tape, massage them (stimulate circulation) and also massage my legs with arnica oil.

In checking out my feet this afternoon I noticed a slight blister under the big toenail on my left foot. I hadn’t even felt it but this is a nasty that has the potential to be incredibly painful on the long stage tomorrow. I drilled into the base of the toenail using a syringe needle, which is bevelled at the bottom. Before you grimace at the thought of the pain, know that it isn’t sore at all because the needle only goes through the nail (no nerves) and doesn’t touch the nailbed (nerves) because the nail is essentially floating on the fluid-filled blister. Relief is immediate as the fluid empties. There are two types of toenail blisters, this is one of them. I’ll save you from the details of the second – for now. I’ll add some tape in the morning to secure the toenail and limit movement.

While I’m massaging my legs I’m eating my noodles and drinking more electrolyte solution.

Then I spend the rest of the time sitting with my feet on a chair. Prive #1 would be to lie in my tent with my feet elevated but it is too hot.

Before I go to sleep I drain any blisters, massage again – feet and legs, have another glug of electrolyte solution, pop two myprodol and pull on compression socks. Then I sleep with my feet elevated.

Ah, the other thing is chaffing. I often chafe on my back, under my sports bra. On day 1 I taped the spot where it rubs under the closure. Yesterday I added another piece of tape under where the straps criss-cross. Today my backpack was rubbing my lower back. Not quite a chafe. I kept moving my pack so it wasn’t sitting in the same spot. Christine says she had the same today. Certainly a result of salty, gritty clothing and a wiggling dirty, sandy, sweaty backpack.

Tomorrow is the BIG day. 55km. I heard this evening that we’ve got a 15-20km section on the tar road (or just next to the tar road, which will be cooler) leading in to the finish. Arrrggghhh! That sounds long and hot!

Till then...

Namib Desert Challenge: Stage 2

This second stage is probably the hardest of the five because it is so open and exposed from the beginning. Not to say that you are not pummelled by the sun and the elements on the other stages but what makes this one tough is the... the expanse. Big, long, open sections.

There’s a big queue of cars at the gate to the Sossusvlei Park in the morning; tourists waiting for the gates to open at 7am. We hopped on the bus at 07h15 and got through easily after the rush.

Today’s 42km section started from the base of the Elim dune -  a massive dune classified as ‘living’ for the grasses growing on it. The jeep track from the start took us on a slight uphill for kilometres – running through a grassy plain. This later start (around 07h45 vs 07h00 yesterday) meant that it already felt warm when we set off. No sign of yesterday’s slight nip.

After an up does indeed come a down – a lovely long stretch of good running. It feels great to get in as much distance as possible in the morning before the sun eats you alive but it was certainly still two hours to the first water point at around 15km. I took this photo about three kilometres before the waterpoint – I did say the area was open and exposed!

An open section to waterpoint 1.

At the waterpoint I loaded up on this nasty home-made electrolyte solution. Tony calls it ‘Leopard’s Piss’. It does go down well and we’re all doing well on it. Today I had to block my nose to drink down the whole cup... I chased it with a refreshing cup of iced tea. In fact, at every waterpoint now I’m enjoying the iced tea (and Leopard’s Piss – sometimes two cups!). Makes a nice change from water. I'm not sure what it in it other than salt and some sugar. There are definitely other ingredients.

From waterpoint 1 we headed across a flat, open grassy plain and then across a pan. A lot of nothingness. Hot already. The next waterpoint was only about 9km from the first so we hit it quickly. By this stage Joe and Dave. They’d been hunting me down for kilometres (I’d left the waterpoint a bit before them). They were running non-stop while I was doing my walk-run thing. I run faster than them but they catch me up when I’m walking.

An arrow pointing to WP2.

We hit the waterpoint together and loaded up on more fluids before heading out. I tried to pull out time on them on the dunes – very sandy track winding mostly up, up, up - and while I made a gap it was only a few minutes so we saw each other at the third and final waterpoint. 

View after leaving waterpoint 2, which is at the bottom of the hill and to the left.

This was a sneaky waterpoint because you see it from a distance away but it takes a good chunk of time – certainly 45mins – to get to it. Goodness!

I left only just before the guys and after two or three kays they caught me and passed. I kept them in my sights and found it fun to do the chasing instead of being the chased. It turned out well because the lads started lagging as the temperatures soared. I was feeling quite the same but was really ready to kick this stage in the butt. So I hauled them in and invited the guys to join in my ‘game’ so we could crack the stage together.

My game was to run for 40 paces and to walk for 30 paces. Although these numbers look odd to you, they have an orienteering background for me. In pacing distances I cover 100m in 40 paces and the same distance, walking, in 60 paces. So, each run-walk set is essentially 150m. That’s a nice was to tick off the distance.

It was great having Joe and Dave’s company and we really cooked those last few kilometres. What has been great is that over the last nine-kilometres or so there has been Terry or Nel driving around to keep an eye on us – with water on board. So we’ve been able to top up on liquids. And we did. With temperatures kicking at over 42C, we were packing away volumes of fluids today. I estimate that I drank about 6 litres of water from by reservoir and then three big cups (maybe 300ml each) at each water point. And then I topped up with more water from Nel and I also downed about 500ml from a bottle from Terry – about 1km from the finish. And then more at the finish.

We were greeted with a warm welcome at the finish and as we’d just missed the bus shuttle back to came, we took advantage of icy refreshments, cookies, orange slices and a comfortable mattress under a gnarled Camel Thorn tree.  Lovely just to lie there and shoot the breeze with my running companions.

With my companions from the last couple of kays. Joe on the chair and Dave to my right.

We’ve been back at camp for a while now – showered and fed and watered. All the runners are in.

There are been a few drop outs – mostly with flare-ups of recent/existing injuries. They’ve all made really good decisions not to continue and we’ve seen them out on the route assisting at water points of cheering us on from vehicles. A lovely vibe from the runners.

Dinner last night was superb. They bring it over from the Lodge. We’ll be in for another treat tonight and tomorrow and the next night... Totally spoilt with soups, salads, veggies, braai stuff and dessert. Yes, dessert too!

Ah... a correction from yesterday... Canadian Caroline is Canadian Christine! Not sure how/where I got it in my mind that her name was ‘Caroline’. I’m with the programme now.

At the front of the race is still Argi. He ran the stage in 3h28. Marius was second again - about 20-30 minutes behind. He says he had an easier run today as he knows Argi is so out of range that there really is no need to chase him so Marius can rather focus on his own run as Argi runs off into the distance. He’s really quite something. Third was Asa, who caught the German runner, Stephan. (Stephan was third yesterday, not Asa).

I don’t know any other positions, not even my own other than second lady. I don’t know how far off Christine I was yesterday nor today. She’s a solid, steady runner and most certainly faster than me at a run. Once she’s ahead of me I just can’t close down the distance and instead I have glimpses of her in the distance.

Namib Desert Challenge: Stage 1

Three letters. We knew it would be. H.O.T. Actually, the morning from the 07h00 start was perfect for running. Cool. From 09h00 it was quite warm. From 10h00 it turned quite very warm. From 11h00 it was getting seriously warm and from 12h00 is has be absolutely frikkin’ cookin’. At about 13h00 my wristwatch read 36C. Personally I think my body temperature was cooling the reading from reality. It’s always different to knowing that it is going to be hot to experiencing the heat. Yes, quite different.

This first stage started into the sunrise. Slight mist across the grassy plain. 

I was running with good company in the form of Caroline, a runner from Canada. We stayed together for about an hour until I made a pitstop – I couldn’t catch her after that although I could see her in the distance. She has a really smooth, easy and relaxed style.

From the plain we headed up and over one of the mountains here on a quad bike / 4x4 track. Luckily the shade was on our side but fast disappearing.

Something I’d forgotten about was the elegant water points. They’re set up by the Soussusvlei Lodge and manned by Lodge staff, who are so friendly and helpful. They help to fill your bladders, offer water and this crazy salty electrolyte solution and a very delicious iced tea. I’ve taken a shine to the latter solution. There are also orange and apple slides, cookies and bananas. I just keep to the ‘nanas.

That's Joe in front and I think that's Dave in the orange top and I'm not sure how the other guy is...

Not long after the first water point we hit a sandy river bed. We’d been told this wasn’t a desert gaiter stage today. It certainly was! We’re actually chatting about it now in the shade of the dining tent in camp. We must have been through a good 10km plus today of sand. We’re all going to wear sand gaiters every day from now on, even if they say it isn’t a sandy day. Maybe not as sandy as the desert stages, but still sandy. This is going to be a running joke and we’re setting up people every evening, during briefing, to ask Terry whether the next day is a ‘gaiter day’.

After plodding through a sandy section, Tony and Deon came past me. Both trip-trapping through the sandy - trotting like ponies. I'm a lazy bum when it comes to sand and I settle into a walk usually but I thought I'd up the pace and run the sections. GREAT decision! Although I know it is easier, often, than walking, it's usually that little extra effort required to run that I slack on. But, what you lose on the slide you gain on the roundabout and this is the case of running through sand. I did really well with it today (pretty chuffed) and so I'll aim to keep up the momentum tomorrow.

The second water station is where I discovered the iced tea. A great taste change.

And then a long slight uphill jeep track. Up, up, up. Tony and Deon left the water station before me so I had people to chase. 

Tony still ahead of me in the distance. Not for long though with my cunning run-walk strategy.

I caught Tony not far from the top and we both overtook Deon at the bottom of the mountain. At the top, Tony and I took photos before ambling down.

Tony - he's a climber, Seven Summitter, skied across Greenland last year... we have much to talk about this week.

This long open road to the finish I recalled from previous – and not with any fondness. I think it helped knowing what I was going into. I rocked it for the first couple of kays and really, really felt it on the last three kays, which were cooking. Tony and I had been with each other for a while and then he began to feel the heat so we parted ways. He recovered well and came in 10 or 15 minutes behind me at the finish. I think I ran just under 6hrs.

Today’s winner, Argi (Argyrios with a long Greek surname starting with a ‘P’), is a Greek chap living in England. Totally made for running. I think he had a third place at Atacama Crossing (seven-days, staged) and when he ran Marathon des Sables in 2006, his first staged ultra trail race – coming from a ski mountaineering background – he placed 35th. Nice pedigree. He ran a 3h20 stage. Elegant.

As I type this it is 17h50 and my wristwatch, in the shade (off my wrist) reads 36C.

We’re in for a cooker tomorrow. I remember it being quite a flat and open stage. Nowhere to hide...

Of interest... there will be another running of this event in September and thereafter the race will annually be in September instead of March. Conditions will be similar though – still hot. Hahahaha.

We’re got a good mix of runners with some South Africans, some runners from Botswana, an ex-SA who lives in Malawi, an English lass (Lucy was here last year too), the Canadian Caroline, the other English guy Charles and American couple from Colorado and a dad-and-daughter from Arkansas. Ages probably range from late 20s to late 50s. A really nice group of people. I think there are about 29 runners.

There were more runners last year and this too is reason for the race moving to Sept. Terry said they had so many enquiries and a bunch of other runners who paid the deposit but asked to move it to this year as the is Argus and Two Oceans and then Comrades coming up. September should prove to be a really good time for this event. It’s a good one.

Till tomorrow.

[QUICK UPDATE] - second today was Marius - from Cape Town. And third was Asa. He's the ex-SA living in Malawi. Turns out he's a year ahead of me in school and he went to Jeppe Boys, a school up the road from me (I have many friends who went to Jeppe - small world).