MDS Experience in pictures - Day 3

DAY 3 38km Cut Off 11 hours
The organisers distributed emails in the morning before we had breakfast. It was fantastic to read the thoughts and best wishes from people at home, and from various places around the world. Just what the spirit needed to start another long day.

The sand storms from day 2 had left the marks on the face, and so had a bit of toothpaste!!



Often there wasn't a lot to do while you were waiting for the start, after the tents were taken down. So chilling out was a good option.



The friends you made during the event were totally priceless. Here is Zoe and Nicky from England, loads of fun, always smiling and I would spend some more time with Zoe in the sand dunes later in the day.



On the way to the start line for day 3. Just another 38km to go today, and I felt quite weak at the start line, even though I managed to polish off all my breakfast, yes more cold porridge!



At the start line with running legend, Tristan Miller. 52 marathons in 52 weeks all over the world in 2010, and now in the Sahara Desert for the MDS. There is no stopping this man!



My feet were again troubling me, and I knew that running was less pain than walking, and I got to the end faster. But feeling so weak, meant I had to walk. On the plus side the scenery was great, even if it was quite sandy.



So I did what you had to do in that situation... I ate. In fact I ate about half my days food ration in the first hour and I felt much better. And I was still ahead of quite a few on the way to the first checkpoint, which was 12.5 km into the stage.



Even on day 3, everyone was still excited when the helicopter flew low and sideways over the course.



The surface was tough going on sore feet



And then we came across a steep sandy rise



I guessed the view was going to be good at the top, given how many people had stopped to gaze out over the valley below. This is what they saw...



The next bit of the day was both wonderful and awful. Leaving checkpoint 1, I was feeling pretty awful. I was dawdling along with sore feet, and basically being passed by everyone.

Then, my superstar WITH a cape came along and gave me some support and encouragement. It was Zoe from England, who I had chatted to a number of times on prior days. I am not sure how long we walked together, but I hooked into her pace and we just went for kilometre after kilometre. We had a great discussion about life, the universe and sand dunes ..... and this is Zoe climbing one of the many sand dunes on the day.



There is no doubt that without Zoe, I would have been much slower on day 3. And then, all of a sudden, I was much slower. Out of no where, one step was fine, and with the next step there was massive pain in my left little toe, and we were only about 500m from checkpoint two. So I told Zoe she had to push on, no point making her slower just for me, and I stopped at the checkpoint to see what the hell had happened.

Turned out I had ripped half the toe nail off my left little toe, and had that attended to and some blisters re-treated as well.



Conditions in the medical tent weren't ideal however, as you can see from the layer of sand inside the tent!



I wasn't the only person getting treatment out on the course - poor Rebecca from England looked like she was having some serious treatment... and wasn't enjoying it at all!!





Eventually I managed to leave the medical tent, and about 20 minutes later the painkillers I got kicked in and I could walk ok again.

But by now most people were well ahead, so there were just a few specks in the desert in view behind me.



At checkpoint 3, I had plenty of time left to meet the cut off, but a rather large rocky ridge behind me... that I had a dreadful fear we might have to climb over!



And sure enough, it was up and over this rocky ridge. Of course, there was no path at all. You had to pick your way through the rocks. My feet did not appreciate this at all, and I was very slow, letter many people go past me, including all the people in this photograph!



At times it appeared like you were the only person out there climbing these rocks!



It was a fair climb to the top....





And eventually, I made it to the top. It was a hard climb, feet were really sore on the rocks, and a bit of sweat on the arms!



The event had some terrific tv coverage, and there was even a crew at the top of the ridge!



A final view back down the rocky ridge



Before heading over the other side, and heading off towards the finish line for the day



The sand goggles I bought turned out to be really useful, in fact they were actually motor cycle goggles. After 3 days in the desert, and two at the pre race camp in the desert, it was definitely time for a wash!!!



In the late afternoon sunshine



Sadly I never did see any scorpians or snakes out in the desert, but I did manage to find a few wild camels cruising the sand dunes.



Finally, my very very sore feet got me within sight of the finish line. The painkiller I got way back at checkpoint 2 didnt last all the way to the finish line.



Finally after 9 hours 25, I got myself to the finish line.





My feet were a mess and really sore. I had two bandages on the left foot, and three on the right. On the plus side, I managed to get some warm food for dinner thanks to Katherine, and that was so enjoyable after a few nights of cold freeze dried food.

I knew on day 1 when the blisters came under the balls of both feet, that I was only going to be 50/50 to complete the event. So here we are, at the end of day 3 having covered 109km, and my feet are really sore. Only 141km to go... oh dear.

The highlight of the day though was the support I got out on the course from Zoe. Without her assistance, I would have been much slower and more time on my feet was not what I needed.

To Zoe... thank you.



The adventure continues with an 82km stage on day 4...

MDS Experience in pictures - Day 2

I can see why they call this the World's Toughest Footrace. After a tough day out in the desert, all you really want is a good nights rest and recovery. Well that didnt quite happen. The wind blew hard all night, covering everything inside the tent with a nice layer of sand. Then, during the night, one of our two central posts fell down the tent was shaking too much.

The first time it clocked Ed on the side of the head, the next time it hit me on the leg. Needless to say after that sleep was a bit of a challenge as you never knew if you were going to get a large lump of wood smashing down on you.

Of course, the other 6 people in the tent didnt have the luxury of this experience as they weren't sleeping in the middle of the tent. So Ed and I decided it was important to share this experience, so in the middle of the night we got up and belted them around the head with the post as well... just so they could share the experience of course!! Ok, that may not have actually happened.

Before the tent was dragged down by the berbers at 7am, one of the guys in the tent (Ed) did a terrific job of taping up my feet. Most of the taping was done by the doctors yesterday but there were a couple of spots that they wanted to be done in the morning. Due to a lack of flexibility I needed someone to do it for me, and Ed volunteered and did a terrific job. It was important to get this done before the tent was taken down, not that it provided much protection from the flying sand, but it did provide some.

The morning was pretty savage, while our tent half fell down a couple of times, at least it was better than this one.



And when the sand blew, it really impacted the visibility



There was a whole lot less excitement and festivities on the morning of day 2 as we sat in the dirt, covered in sand, eating our breakfast waiting for the day's stage to commence.



Unfortunately on the morning of day 2, one of the guys from Melbourne, Paul Gladwell, became unwell. He was unable to keep down food during the night, and was shivering and freezing cold in the morning. Event doctors were called over and he was given an IV, but didnt recover quickly enough and so was pulled out of the race.





And while Paul looked pretty crook at the time, the good news is that not long after he was bundled off in the 4WD's, he was as right as rain. It was just a shame the race wasn't delayed a few hours, he would have been fine to start.



DAY 2 38km 10 hour cut off
Nonetheless, its a brutal event and the race goes on. The start had the same music and low flying helicopters, but in the sand storm, people were less excited.

Despite the stage being 5km longer than yesterday, the cut off was the same on the basis that the terrain was easier.



Out on the course I ran into Sarah again, from Scotland. We finished close together on day 1, and would again finish close together on day 2, although we would go at our own pace all day.



I found that my feet were ok to run / trot, but hurt when I walked. So I did the only logical thing, I ran as much as possible. I made it to the first checkpoint (11.3 km) in under 2 hours, which was very pleasing.

But when the sand dunes came, you had to walk. Going up the dunes was like walking up stairs, with everyone following each others footsteps.



When the sand blew, the conditions were fairly brutal. But at least it wasn't 50 degrees, and all you had to go was keep putting one foot in front of the other and make your way to the next check point.



There were lots of long, open stony plains during the event. If you're tired and you came over a ride and see one of these, it can be a bit soul destroying. But if you're feeling ok, you can trot across the terrain ok. For me, day 2 was a day of trotting. Walking on this surface really hurt my feet, with blisters under the balls of both feet, and today, forming on the inside of both heels.



Looking like a desert racer, with the buff pulled up over the head to keep the sand out of the ears, and to keep the hat on the head in the sandy wind.



Everyone has a satellite dish in Morocco, even in the middle of the Sahara Desert!



Admiring the local scenery!





The salt flats were fantastic to run on. Smooth and soft under foot and the feet didnt hurt too badly trotting across them. I made up quite a few positions over this part of the course, not that that was very important. I just wanted to get to the end and in the least pain as possible with the feet!



At the stage 2 finish line, the 38km was completed in 6 hours 55, a much better day than yesterday.



It wasn't the warmest desert day so my freeze dried dinner didnt cook in the heat like I had hoped! Cold freeze dried food is not the most appetizing of dinners!

Happily the wind died down after dinner and sleep came a little easier tonight, without the tent crashing down on top of us!!!