Stage 5 today was HOT! There were 5 river crossings so no way to avoid wet feet which isn’t ideal blister care – but it doesn’t matter now. Only 10km tomorrow which should feel great. Today was the most beautiful scenery of all the stages. We started on the flat so was a nice easy run, then we reached the valley through and up the hills. Gorgeous wild flowers everywhere. We passed lots of children who were playing in the river, and some who ran with me briefly and gave high fives. All the local Mongolians we have met have been so friendly and smiley – we have felt very welcomed.

Finished with a good time today – has been great being able to run without worrying about keeping some left in the tank for the following days. Was emotional crossing the finish line and thinking about this adventure drawing to a close. I’m so happy and grateful to be here feeling strong and healthy and pushing limits to see what I can achieve – it’s so much more than I ever realised I could do. So proud of everyone for finishing strong today – some with injuries and pain, but was amazing to see everyone’s determination and share in their achievements.

I’ve only got the dregs left for food tonight – more macadamia nuts anyone? Nevertheless, will be a great atmosphere in camp tonight and looking forward to the celebrations tomorrow. Thanks all, for taking the time to read my updates and follow my progress J I felt all the support during the runs and it spurred me on at tough times.

So the suffering really began with Day 3. I probably slept 10 hours last night but still felt tired today. Dodgy stomachs going round camp too. Started the course with a very steep and technical climb/ scramble which made me feel I would throw up my freeze dried breakfast. Then came the sand dunes which were slow and exhausting and totally screwed up my feet. The sun came out and it got hot and there were flies everywere- constantly going for my ear holes! Then there was a river crossing so the feet suffered some more. It was all pretty rough but a great feeling to finish and as always, experienced such kindness and encouragement from volunteers and other competitors. Some people are only just getting in now at 7pm which is such a long and tough day for them – but its so nice that everyone gathers round to cheer them over the line. Everyone just wants everyone to finish so it’s a lovely atmosphere. The course was also breathtaking today – camels and herds of wild horses. Some people saw snakes!

I am nervous for tomorrow – the Long March of around 75km. My feet are not pretty but I’m hoping they’ll last. No other injuries though which is great – just the usual muscle soreness which goes away somewhat after a few km warm up (apart from the dunes where my glutes were screaming!) Expecting it will be slow tomorrow but confident that I’ll do whatever it takes to finish. No blog tomorrow as I’ll be in too late. But rest day after tomorrow so will write then.

Day 2 was tough! I didn’t get great sleep last night due to rain, damp sleeping bag, and people snoring! We had a big day (45km and 1000m elevation) and the first half felt very sore and exhausting. There were some big hills and then it started pouring with rain and was very windy so got pretty cold and wet which was miserable since there was still 30k + to go. Luckily, the sun came out a bit and I had a second wind after some gels and electrolytes. The doctor at check point 4 kindly taped my feet to manage a few more blisters but nothing too awful just yet. It’s good to know second winds come along since it can get pretty scary when you feel so exhausted and there’s so much left to go. Was also great buddying up with a lovely south African lady as we finished the last section together – coming into the camp to a banging drum! Always a great sense of comradery!

We passed a Buddhist sacred rock and a few gers. Camp tonight is also gers (Mongolian yurts) which is so cool and also good as they’ll keep us properly dry! Had a little nap just now and some delicious salty noodles! Need to take it easy tomorrow as the long stage on Wednesday is now 75k or something so pretty nervous about how I’ll hold up for that. My shoulders and back are so so sore – at least I’m eating my way through some of the weight.

Thanks so much for your kind messages – I just had some happy tears, feeling very loved. Talk tomorrow! xxx

It’s been just over a year since I decided to take on this Gobi Desert challenge. Although the main event is yet to come, as I now enter my final tapered training weeks, it is empowering to reflect on the long journey of early morning training and weekend long runs that has now drawn to a close. I’m thrilled to have finished the bulk of the training uninjured (touch wood!), and proud of myself for committing to the challenge and making all the sacrifices that come with running up to 100 kilometers a week. Of course, there are all the niggling doubts and worries that my training could have been longer or faster, but I am now trying to focus on what I have achieved and have the confidence that I am tough enough to make the distance! Ultimately, the months of training have taught me that while I certainly won’t be the fastest out there, I won’t be giving up.

I have learnt a lot while preparing for this adventure. I’ve become more in tune with my body and differentiating between good and bad pain. I’ve learnt that eating ice-cream for breakfast is an especially high risk pre run strategy! After at least a dozen attempts at finding a comfortable running shoe, the perfect sock, or the right combination of tape and Vaseline, I now have to accept that there will be no way of avoiding blisters for me. But hopefully my training has at least prepared me for how to deal with them when they do arise, and how to grit my teeth and keep on running! I have cautiously tested out the freeze dried meals, learning that there are no safe options. Spaghetti Bolognese was palatable, but if I had tasted ‘Mexican Chicken’ after 42km of running in the desert, I would have surely burst into tears. None of them are particularly delicious, but I am hoping I’ve found the right combination of high calorie, salty, fatty, sugary, and carby meals and snacks to take me to the required calories. It’s certainly more fun looking round supermarkets for the highest caloric content of foods, and discarding all the low-fat ‘only 100 calories energy bars’ which seem like futile fuel for this event. I finally settled on the Raidlight 30l pack, after many trials and tribulations, and rubbed raw collar bones. I will hopefully be attaching some extra foam on the shoulder straps to make it a touch more comfortable. I think I now have all the compulsory kit, but the question remains whether it will all fit in the pack, and how much it will weigh. I’ve run with 7kg for a few of my long runs, but this is almost certainly an optimistic estimate of how much it will weigh on the day!

I am grateful to all my family and friends who have listened to me talk endlessly about training, injuries, and kit. My partner is definitely ready for the Gobi Desert to be finished with, and warns me that he might just take up a time-consuming hobby come August, leaving me with all the household chores for a change! It sure has taken up a lot of time and mental space, but I am confident this will all have been time well spent, when I’m out on the course, and eventually crossing that finish line! I’m really looking forward to meeting all the competitors and volunteers, and experience the beautiful landscapes and culture of Mongolia. I hope to continue this blog throughout the race, posting updates of my progress, so watch this space!