Completed a very difficult long stage of about 54 miles/86kms last night at a little after 8pm.  It was a very hilly day, much more so that really any days in the past races.  The first 2.5 sections were fairly enjoyable as we went into a deep canyon and the running was decent as the temps were cool and the high canyon walls made it even cooler for most of it.  The surface was a bit of a challenge as there were lots of rocks and boulders of all sizes so had to be pretty focused and cautious about footing.  I had strained my ankle/Achilles a bit on stage 4 and it was precarious throughout trying to keep sure footing and not further hurt a foot or ankle or fall on my face.  I was able to run all this through and then missed a turn up out of the first canyon and had to go back a bit.  Into cp 3 we had basically a steep rocky climb where you had to walk and I was with 8 or 10 others at this point.  After cp3 we continued through another canyon and I was mainly running with my tent mate from Finland who I ran with a lot this week and who is quite strong.  We ran the 4^th section together and when we went into the 5^th section it is on an old Turkish road used in the old days and it was 10kms of straight walking uphill.  Impossible to run this even if fresh I think.  My tent mate did slowly pull away at this point thanks to a restroom break and my need to remove some tape from my toe that was causing problems.  Also, he was stronger today.  I knew I would not see him again.  From this point I was basically along for a long way.  After cp5 I was feeling reasonable as we continued on the Turkish road and it became more runnable with a balance of uphill, downhill and flat.  Continued past some Bedouins and a small farm with a large, loud windmill and into cp6 still feeling solid and in a state where I could do a decent run/walk balance.  I think it was about 3:30pm at this time about 7.5hours into the race.  Had more uphill walking starting the 7^th section so it was challenging.  There were occasional spots where you could run, but it is really better at this point to keep a rhythm one way or another.  It was about this time that I was surprised to see a Japanese runner who had been well ahead of me all week.  He was sitting on the road appearing to have given up.  One of the race vehicles was coming fortunately and he did end up dropping from the race.  Apparently he hadn’t really been eating all day and just didn’t feel he could continue.  Into the 8^th section I was running for a bit but then it took us through a small cluster of houses and a past a bunch of teenagers who were very interested.  Two were riding a donkey and talking to me basically asking for food, money, or my sunglasses.  At this point in the day I am really in no mood as I really just want to keep moving.  They continued to laugh and clearly be mocking me (I guess we look a little silly in our running stuff).  We did have some more steep quicker climbs along this section and through the “suburbs” of Petra.  It was beginning to dark around this time, 6pm-ish, so had to stop to get my lights out and access my jacket and gloves.  Unfortunately one of my lights had apparently run out of batteries even though I had checked it in the morning.  This was frustrating as I knew my extra batteries were at the bottom of the pack.  Took me way longer than I cared for to get all situated.  Took 10 or 15 mins probably.  Then continued to the last checkpoint (cp8) in the dark.  At this point the terrain was again runnable and I felt up to it, but was tough to see and I didn’t want to fall or injure myself at this late point.  Two Danish gentlemen then passed me which was frustrating, but they were clearly stronger at that point  and I had to let them go.  We then went into the small town of Little Petra which meant more teenagers ready to mock us (and apparently even threw rocks at some).  Took some time to weave through LP and headed out on a road out of town.  At this point I’m thinking it is just another 2 or 3 kms and I think I can see camp below.  Unfortunately this was one of the most difficult parts of the day as I had to scale down very rocky and steep terrain, again in the dark so can barely see.  Must have rolled ankles and nearly fallen at least a dozen times until finally reaching the finish line.

As the day progressed I was hoping to beat 12hours,  thanks to the last 2 kms I ended up coming in at 12 hours 13 minutes just after 8pm.  I was in 6^th position for the day again so was very pleased with that.  I don’t know the final results yet, but that may move me into the top 10.  My tent mate surprised everyone and came in 2^nd for the day… I think he passed the overall race leader from Jordan for the day.  I believe he will likely win our age group and I will be 2^nd or 3^rd with another American in the mix who I ran with much throughout the week.

People are still finishing up and it is almost 2pm (30 hours on course).  I am amazed that they can keep going.  Camp is nice enough today, but a little windy.  Temps are about perfect really.  Tomorrow we run the last 5.6 kms into the ancient city of Petra and finish at the Treasury from Indian Jones and the Last Crusade.  My understanding is that everyone will just receive the same time so no competition tomorrow, just enjoy it.  Can’t wait for a shower, a nap, and whatever food I can get my hands on.

Thanks for following…Cheers!

Mike

Finished stage 4 with a good day overall.  Today’s stage was a few kms longer and we had some significant steady climbs on the 2^nd and 3^rd sections.  We ran past some excellent rock formations including a cool arch but couldn’t really enjoy too much.  I think the photographer got shots there though.  My camera is not working again so it is probably time to upgrade that thing.  The climb up to checkpoint 2 was difficult and in heavy sand, but after cp2 I found the running pretty good with a slow decline and runnable surface.  I was in a pack of about 6 or 7 guys at this point which is unusually large.  I was apparently feeling stronger than the others as I pulled away and was feeling quite good.  Even when we reached the next long climb I continued to run quite strong.  After cp3 we had to climb through a water viaduct as there was a busy road and it was too low for me to get through with my pack so had to drag it and duck for about 20 meters.  It was frustrating but could be worse.  The next part of the course was difficult running as it was completely off track and a little difficult to find the flags as there was nobody in sight in front of me.  However, the last 7 or 8 kms were pretty good running and I was surprised to still be feeling strong.  So finished today much stronger than expected.  Came in about 4:07 and in 6^th position for the day.  A bit of a surprise to be that high, but as always there were plenty of guys not too far behind.

Camp tonight is a bit more open than the past so we should have the sun longer in the evening which is nice.  No sign of rain which is good too, though I might not mind a little tomorrow during the long stage.  I’m trying to mentally prepare for the long stage tomorrow which is about 54 miles and is longer than I have ever covered in the past.  I hope to run as much as possible until the hottest/sunniest part of the day and see what I can manage from there.  As usual I’m not really sure what to expect for a time but hopefully not too late into the evening.  I’m sure some folks will take 24 hours + and will be moving into the next morning.  I don’t know how they do that.  Many people don’t arrive to camp until after 6pm on these normal days and then have to turn around and do it again.  This includes the Japanese runner who is wearing cow costume (or whatever it is) that I posted on Facebook prior to the race.  That is insane, but apparently not the first time he has done something like this in that suit.

So the next blog probably will not be until Friday sometime as it is unlikely I will be in early enough and I am not sure they will have the computers up anyway on Thursday.

Cheers until next time!

Mike

Completed stage 3 in decent time.  It really feels like the desert now.  The sun is beating down hard although the temps are not really that hot so that is good.  Started the stage running up through a canyon and even had to do some scrambling to get through so everyone was in a bit of a hurry so not to get stuck behind a slow mover.  The rest of the first two sections were good and pretty good for running.  Even running through some canyons with the early morning light was beautiful.  We finally left Wadi Rum which is the desert we had been in and into another… cant remember the name.  There was more variety today as we went through a small village and saw a few more people.  Saw one gentleman walking through the desert, dressed all in black including his leather jacket.  He looked out of place.  He asked if I had any whiskey.  I know he asked another runner for cigarettes.  Strange things out there.  We have seen a fair number of camels around, and even a few skeletons yesterday.  Today we ran across some salt flats that were almost like concrete.  I didn’t mind too much as it is an easier surface to run than much of the sand.  The last section was a tough stretch as it always seems to be and the sun was really picking up.  It is nice to finish before the real heat kicks in.  I finished in about 4:05 and in 11^th for the day so was pretty happy.  I think there is a large bunch of us that are within 10 or 15 minutes so it can swing pretty easily.

The camps have been very cool the last two nights as we are surrounded by worn rock all around.  It really reminds me of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade… as it should.  We have had no rain since the 2^nd night so that has been nice.  Even had a little more room in the tent last night although the material they use can be soaked with sand so we had a steady rain of sand on us all night.  We have a bunch of runners from Spain next to our tent and two in our tent, but they talk too fast for me to try and understand.  One of them is the guy in 2^nd place and I had a little chat with him today… some in English and some in Spanish.  I believe he is a 2 time Olympian runner.

Hoping to get through 1 more “normal” day tomorrow and not worry about the long day until I have to.  Stage 4 is a little longer than the last 2 days, but still manageable.

Cheers!

Mike

So we have had so much rain that there were no blogs after stage 1.  We had rain steadily on and off from the time we arrived on sat night until going to bed on sun night.  The tents are not intended for dealing with and we got pretty wet overnight on sat. 

Stage 1 – it went pretty well overall as the terrain was quite runnable and even with occasional showers it was still decent running weather for the time I was on the course.  Basically ran through beautiful rock formations throughout the desert.  It is great scenary as always, but can be hard to really enjoy while suffering through a stage.  The last section of the stage seemed to drag on and they chose to hide camp 2 so we didn’t really know where it was until the last minute.  Anyway, finished in about 4.5 hours at position 14 I think.  Pretty happy with that and now blister issues or any other issues really.  Some of the leaders cut a significant portion of the course and we expect some penalties.  It won’t impact the position of the main leaders, but will effect some folks.  Unfortunately it rained most of the afternoon after the stage which mde drying clothes and relaxing very difficult.  I didn’t even have my tent for several hours and we have 8 ppl in a ten that is maybe for 5 or 6 people.  Cant really move at all so no good nights of sleep yet.

State 2 – Similar overall to stage 1, but much more climbing and more softer sand.  No big climbs,but steady altitude gain.  The first 2 sections were draining and I had a bit of a bonk on the second section and had to walk for a while and eat to get back to normal.  Felt better on the 3^rd section and powered through the 4^th.  They took us through a very narrow crevice towards the end and I think some people struggled and may have needed to remove their packs.  Finished pretty strong with a slightly slower time.  I think position 16 today.  Today was much warmer and nice and sunny.  Not too hot though.  So getting stuff dry finally and relaxing.  Gone pretty well so far and hopefully will continue for the week.

Expect the same type of course tomorrow, but not sure of the weather.  Hope everyone is well.

-Mike

We are in camp 1 after a 2 hour ride into the desert.  We are nestled amongst cool rock formations in relatively firm sand.  It is cool at night and expect it to be chilly at night all week, but generally quite warm and sunny during the days.  They said we expect some rain in the next 24 hours, but nothing significant I think. 

I am ready to begin and just hope I am in reasonable condition.  It is early in the evening here and it almost feels like we have too much time.  Im sure it will be an early evening and hopefully a better nights sleep after little sleep last night.

Ill write more tomorrow.

mike

Hey Kids!

I don't know if this will end up any good, but I thought I would provide a few ideas and suggestions from my two RTP experiences as I am a little bored at work. I am not at all organized so this may be totally random.

Pre-Race-
1. Try to carry on everything race-critical that you can. I can't imagine anything worse than arriving w/o much of your equipment. I've met people at both races I did that had this issue and it is one of my biggest fears. By my calculations the only thing that you can't carry on (based on US rules anyway) is your multi-tool and probably gels if you use those. Otherwise I have been able to carry on everything.
2. Personally I like to have all my food/powders/etc organized and packaged exactly as I want them in the race prior to flying out. This does pose a concern to me because this means I am carrying a lot of little plastic bags with powders in them. So, in case some of this stuff is confiscated for some reason I try to pack, in the bag that I check, extra food and powders in their original containers. It's a headache and extra cash, but it makes me feel a little more secure that I won't have to run around buying food that I have not trained with if something is lost along the way.
3. I'm sure everyone has their travel booked, but I like to arrive no later than Thursday night before the race. I just like to have the Friday to relax (sleep in!), get to know the area a bit, and maybe go through that pack 1 more time.
4. Remember that your food for Sat night and Sunday morning will never need to be carried in your pack on course. So bring plenty of food and/or buy some "real" food to take with you from Petra to the first camp. A lot of people take pizza or something like that. I even saw some guys who took a couple of bottles of wine to camp 1 in Atacama.


On-Course-
1. Take it easy the first stage or two, whatever easy may mean to you. A lot of folks are able to go out faster/harder the first day especially, but fall back later in the week. Try not to get caught up in that. It's a long week.
2. I know that every resource you use will tell you this, but take care of those feet! In Iceland I basically forgot to clean up and take care of my feet after the first stage because I was cold and my feet felt fine. 2 minutes into stage 2 I could feel the blisters starting and by the time I stopped at cp1 I had 2 huge blisters I had to tend to for 30 mins. Keep 'em clean. Take care of any issues immediately. Be prepared for issues even if you have never had any.
3. Take time to thank and appreciate the staff and volunteers. They work long, hard, stressful hours. I think most folks do appreciate them, but thought I would mention it.
4. Everyone uses the leftover water bottles as bowls, cups, etc. There is really no need to carry a bowl or cup for the whole race when all you have to do is cut up an empty water bottle to serve this purpose. (Note that Sam has commented that you cannot count on the size of the bottles. For me any items too big for a cut up bottle will just be mixed in a freeze dried food package anyway.)

that's what I have for today. To be continued... (if I have time)...

I guess it becomes more difficult to post blogs for these races after doing a couple as I have not really been motivated and have felt too busy to do so. But I'll try to get a couple in before the race.

One of the reasons I signed up for this race, besides the chance to see Petra, was that I was feeling really good after completing Iceland and thought I would just take some quick down time from training and then pick it right back up again and been in great shape by Feb. But as seems to be standard practice for me now in training for these races I have had to deal with stress fractures in my left foot that put a giant hole in my planned training. Fortunately I have been feeling pretty good for over a month now and have been able to train reasonably well all things considered. As always, I would love to have another month or two to really get ready, but part of me is glad it is nearly here too.

Here's some other random thoughts...

Weather -
I feel like there is no way the weather can be as difficult as Iceland. It appears that the average temps, if we have them, will be just about perfect running weather in my opinion. Maybe a little cold at night and first thing in the morning, but I'll take that. I also don't think the "cold" there in Jordan will really compare with the cold here in Denver during the winter. I'm just hopeful that we avoid rain or too much wind. I know RTP wants us prepared for the worst, but I'm cautiously optimistic that it will be pretty good overall.

Equipment -
I like the fact that I feel like I have most of the standard equipment and have some familiarity with what I like and don't like. I also think I have learned from past mistakes with food and hopefully will have it mostly sorted for this race. However, it still seems like I am never done buying more stuff for the race, especially food. There is always something else to buy or to take care of (patches, dr appts, etc). One point of concern for me are gaiters. I hated the ones I used in Atacama and have not really been able to test anything else. I have a different pair, but I'm not sure how they will hold up.

ps - I noticed that, at the time of this posting, they are using an image of me (or my backside anyway) for the RacingThePlanet Store ad on the main page for the race. I'm happy that I don't look like a total knob.

Cheers until next time!
Mike