Shorter but harder!

At last I have Derek's day 2 blog based on how long they take to arrive next update likely to be Thursday.

Hard to believe but day 2 was 27 miles and harder than yesterday. So much is dictated by the terrain and near after 5 kg there was a climb of 500m. Not much you would think but at altitude higher than we have back home, with temperatures higher than back home and a 24 LB pack on my back – it was a good test. My hill training came in handy but the key is keeping m...y body temperature down or you can be in big trouble. There isn’t much shelter from the sun so this also dictates when you can run. It might be flat in places, and there were plenty of them but if you keep running then tomorrow might be an issue. And today is all about tomorrow.

I met a wonderful American guy called Andy and we stayed together the whole day which made it easier. The scenery once again was stunning making the pain in my shoulders slightly easier (along with the pain killers).
When I got back to the finish you are greeted by people cheering and a cow bell sounding. I rehydrated and went straight to the medical tent to get a couple of blisters seen to. The amazing thing is after 8 hours 30 mins unofficial time I know I’ll feel great in the morning because all I do now is put my feet up, rest, rehydrate and eat. Tomorrow is the big challenge. 53 Miles and I’m unsure how I will tackle it. Much will depend on how I feel. This is like no other race in that it’s as much about survival. The conditions are brutal. I won’t be sending a blog for a few days now as I’ll be having fun in the sand! Thanks for your messages of support.