Day 3 (Atacama Crossing)

Day 3

08-Mar-2011 Atacama Crossing (Chile) 2011

Hi All Once again a huge thank you for all the emails and blog comments of support and wishes - very much appreciated and it is a huge help. Please please keep them coming. I have just (I finished stage 6 hours ago) found the energy to type a blog - please tolerate poor spelling, grammer and lack of capitals from now on. i'm done, utterly utterly spent. today was unbearably tough. having said that, other than the first 5km or so of stage 1 i sailed (ran unitterupted) straight through to CP3 (approx 30km). arrived at checkpoint in 3 rd place but found the final stage very tough. i slipped a couple of places and finished joint 4th or 5th not sure really. i think you guys prob know better than i do. anyway, i guess i'm holding my race position but i have expended an awful lot. we just going to have to take it step by step tomorrow - yeah right! apparently 40-45 degs on course, no wind, plenty of sand, salt crudge, waist high reeds, dunes, rocks etc etc - yuk! i'd give anything for a run along the thames tomorrow in rain and cold. this is what it is all about though, this is why i am here. i am finding myself becoming very competitive and the desire to hold and improve on race position is building. there are a few guys (experienced obviously) who seem to be building in strength and slowly moving up the field hunting down the leaders -fair play to them, great patience, discipline and the experience of past hurt i guess. I'm just a novice running with my heart rather than head. yet again camp is stunning, backdrop of the andes and the sun is currently setting. the back markers are just getting home - a 12 hour day. hats off and huge respect to them. i'm cooked and need to put my feet back together. love to all.