Now that the dust has settled!

Came back to a maelstrom of things at work and wanted to let my experience at MdS settle and gain some perspective. So thanks to all for your patience. I am going to spend the next few posts on the race and the experience and try to communicate if possible the amazing "foot print" that this adventure left on me.

I met some of the most amazing people in a country that is almost impossible to describe.  The harshness of the environment and the landscape were, at times overwhelming. In complete juxtaposition to this starkness was the hospitality and friendliness of the  Moroccan people. I can't begin to describe how hard this race was, nor the graciousness of the Moroccan people I met but I will try over the next few posts.

I also met athletes in my fellow competitors that I know will be life long friends. We laughed so hard at times I had tears in my eyes and my sides hurt... We also shed equally hard the tears of emotion and physical effort laid bare by what we collectively experienced, each at such a personal level.
I can't wait to share my experience ...

Home again home again jiggity jig

Three days of travel....in the same clothes (thank you Air France for loosing my bag) and I am back in Chico. I am "assured" that my suitcase is going to be on todays flight from Paris to SFO but I find myself taking a pragmatic attitude about it.

 As soon as I get settled here at work I will upload some pics and final race information. My head is still swirling a bit. I can't actually believe I finished this damn thing and as many of you have surmised, at several points I wasn't sure I would.  I am still hobbling a bit, feet still "knackered." Thank you again for all the encouragement, the support and the well wishes. It truly made the difference. :-)

Run Happy
Ed

Altered Expectations

The long stage is over and for anyone who has been following on the race site you no doubt see that it was anything but a running stage for me. Taking just under 22 hours, I elected to run through the night and not sleep at any of the check points. I use running loosely as with the terrain and my blistered feet it was anything but a run except for between CP 4-5 when I actually felt awesome under the 2AM African sky. Short lived however and while I started out from the last check point with 10K to go at dark chasing the laser they shoot up for us,I arrived well after sun up. I managed a run in but like others had an emotional finish of this VERY hard stage. A couple of hours in the medical tent for my feet which are in the words of my Aussie tent mates "knackered"... tomorrow will prove interesting running to say the least but I am determined to finish. ed

Tough and Thanks

First, thank you everyone who has sent e-mails. It means more than you can imagine. Stage 3 was very tough and very emotional. Lots of sand, sun, and blisters. I have more bandages on my feet than you can imagine. Tomorrow starts the long stage and I am nervous. Thanks everyone!

Windblown

Stage 2 began with the wind howling into the bivouac in the middle of the night. very little sleep and the main tent poles fell on me twice. Today the route (33K) was rocky, More dunes and very difficult to run. Made tougher by 30-40 mph winds all day,blowing sand and blisters multiplying like rabbits.. tough tough day. :-/

Wake Up Call

Stage one is done but was very hard. They opened the race with a 33K run through the Mazouga Dunes,including a trek through Erg Chebbi. In plain terms: a nine mile warm up and then 9 miles through the dunes...it was very hot, very steep and felt like one step forward for two back. After the dunes we had 4 miles across flat volcanic type basalt fields. It took me 8 hours....longest 23 miles ever! I am generally ok. -Ed