Sahara Long March is brutal! It’s complete different to the long march in Gobi Desert. Gobi is long, flat road, drain up your energy, but here in Sahara, I call it brutal! I know the drop out race for first 4 days wasn’t high, but this long day, really sets a complete different standard to all runners. First, we have 20km run across a canyon. The canyon is a beauty. Follow is an endless uphill of 10km + 10km + 10km + 10km until we finished almost all high mountains in Jordan. But what fatal is that most of the trail were not descent hiking trail, terrain with loose rocks, dirt track, cliff side. If’s you miss any steps, you might either twist your ankle or slip fall and get hurt, so it’s hard to keep up our usual speed (plus it’s dark). The last 26km before reaching camp is a very long drive way, that’s really hurt our legs, plus a final 2km extreme horrible loose rocks downhill… some runners said they took more than an hour to finish that final 2km downhill.

We start at 8am on Friday morning, Shun yin and me return to campsite around 8am today. This 24 hours walk is a real challenge to us. Shun Yin’s knees, thighs and ankles were all hurt, so as my ankles. I need to pop blisters on my toes midway, and pop again when I back in campsite. My biggest blister is big like the size of my last baby toe, when it’s pop, it burst like tap water… But anyway, the point is, it’s worth, all the pain, suffering, sweat, is worth, because we completed the long day, and return to camp safe! I have more stories to share about the unprecedent long march, more will tell when our media team finish editing the clips.

Honey, thanks for your chocolate, I save them all for the last 10km of the long march. They taste fantastic, gave me energy to survive and complete this exceptional challenge. Walker, thanks for your support, and I like your NGU soup of course.

Looking forward to see you all tomorrow in Petra!

Sky, thanks for your message to daddy, it means a lot to me because I need to walk around 8 hours in the desert everyday. Yes, the tent here is not waterproof nor windproof. Quite sad, and it’s very cold in the night time too. But my boy, that’s life, not everything will happen as you expected, we all have to learn adaptation and problem solving. During my run today, I met a European runner, and we chat, he keep complaining the race, the tent (you know what) and the food (not what he expected) and the heat on the road… very soon, I walk away from him, he has too much “red thought” and it’s not fun and if he keep these thinking, he will keep upsetting himself but doing no good for himself at all.

I enjoy the first 2 stages of today very much, the scenery is stunning, walking under a stone arch in the desert, it’s one of the landmark in this race. The second landmark of the race is Petra, the finish point.

I taught Shun yin two things this morning, and it helps him a lot. I told him try to count his pace in his heart during the walk and keep his head down to a few steps ahead, don’t look too far too frequently, it will distract him from keeping his pace. Very soon, after half way on stage 1, I lost him from my sight, and I never see him again during the whole race today ;p I met him when I arrive Camp 5. He’s happy, he said when he’s counting pace in heart, he forgot about his pain :D

Kilias is enjoying his race too, unlike his previous experience in Atacama, which almost everyday he was the last guy return to camp, but here in Jordan, he enjoy the walk, good speed, no serious injury nor pain, he finish everyday walk in a pace he’s comfortable.

Both my ankles hurt today by checkpoint 3 and I have to stop and take some special pain killer. It works and I can return my normal speed on stage 4.

Francis, thanks for your support! Andes is doing great here! He’s first HK runner returning to camp everyday, I bet if you were here, you 2 will have a good competition. Agnes is fast too, her normal walking speed is faster than my running speed!!! (May be that’s why HK girls are so hard to chase :D)

Tomorrow is “The Day” also known as “The Long March”, we have to walk 86km tomorrow. We will start at 8am in the morning and I guess by the time I finish, it will be around 3-4am in midnight. Imagine, it’s near zero degree in midnight…it will be freezing. Hope my down jacket, wind breaker, and gloves can keep me warm in midnight.

Walking in the desert is the best way to practice meditation, basically I practice walking meditation when I walk by counting my breathe and pace, when I was eating (I eat when I was walking, I don’t stop) I practice eating meditation, every bite of food I ate, I count and try to chew them as long as I could inside my mouth, feel the food, feel the taste. So Jordan race to me, it’s also like a half meditation camp.

Miss you all,

Day 3 is awesome! I did my best record today, and I ran a lot in before today checkpoint 1 and 2… whereas the rest of the day, I mainly slow walking, hahaha. I left shun yin behind today because I want to do a bit of running, Kilias is taking good care and walking with him all day. His left knee still hurt, but nothing serious, his spirit is high and we all faith on him, trust he will finish this 7 days ultra-challenge.

Sky Walker, daddy start having blisters on both my feet today, very painful, probably because I run too fast during stage one and two today. But don’t worry, daddy has a “Never Give Up” spirit and know how to handle my “Red Thought”. Actually there is something really upset me today, Mom made me special chocolate for the race, I put them inside my backpack in a zip bag. I ate one each day so far and today when I was tire and want to have one of my “Special Energy Chocolate”… they all melted under the heat of the sun, OMG, my favourite chocolate all melted. But I decided to keep the “Hot Chocolate” inside my backpack, when I back in campsite, the cold night will solid my chocolate again ;D My feet were tire and my chocolate were melted, my “never give up” spirit come back again, I start thinking tricks to think something else instead of my feet pain, very soon my pain was gone and I enjoy the rest of the walk today. I’ll tell you when I meet you all what trick was that : D It’s a secret, it has something to do with you two my dear :D

Honey, night is cold here, you may consider to bring a pair of small gloves. Thanks for your chocolate, its really brighten me up everyday even it’s melted. When I see you, I’ll tell you my dream when I was in Camp 3 last night :D

Kilias is still good fit, so as Shun Yin, apart from knee pain, we are all doing good. We will walk together tomorrow, running alone is really boring ;p

Miss you all,

Ray  

Dear all,

Day 2 mission completed! Kilias is running fast, shun yin and me are walking behind. All runners from hk are doing well.

Day 1 is challenging, rain, big rain, rain with wind, rain with strong rain whole day. But you know what, the best part is not during race, the camp we stay overnight, its neither wind proof nor waterproof!!! Fortunately all our sleeping bags are warm enough even night in desert is freezing.

Day 2 is blessing, rain finally stopped, the sun change the game, everyone are happy, no more wet and cold.

Shun Yin starts a bit rough today, he run too fast in day 1 so his left knee is hurt, and couldn’t walk at normal speed all. After taken some special pain-killer, he regain his speed and we both enjoy the walk together today.

Sky and Walker, hope you can help daddy take care mommy when daddy is not home, I miss u both and I really looking forward to see wait  you both behind the finishing line waiting for me.

Honey, I miss you of course, and thanks for your extra sweet homemade chocolate, it is my daily highlight during the race. I love u and I’m looking forward to celebrate with you when I finish the race this Sunday. Don’t worry, hubby is doing fine, my food, gears, everything I prepared and brought here are just right and good fit for me. But do bring warm jacket with you, Jordan is colder than I expected.

Yesterday no internet tent due to heavy rain, so I cannot write, I’ll write home whenever I could.

Its 5:30pm here now, sky getting dark really quick and it’s become very cold. Chat later, looking forward to a sunny day 3 race.

Lots of love,

Dear all,

I’m here! Arrived start camp. It’s cold here, colder than I expected, I have to wear almost everything I bought here, long sleeves, down jacket, windbreaker, those were meant for the coldest time. Start camp is a tourist attraction, it’s a beautiful spot in middle of a desert, Wadi Rum. When I can upload my photos, you’ll understand.

Everybody are pretty exciting here, because of the coldness, the atmosphere, many racers are first time desert runner, like Shun Yin, everything here is new to him, I’m sure he will learn a lot in the coming 7 days. Me, return to desert, having a mix feeling, I know the terrain, the race condition, the rundown, but this time, I’m not running alone, I have 2 teammates, they are both fine, and I hope we will all enjoy this race together.

Time to dinner now, chat later.

Cheers,