Stepane
118 LaPorte Stephane France 29 Male 6:37:31 5:32:12 6:58:40 9:11:08 7:29:54 1:21:37 37:11:02 25
Lu
159
Wong Louise A. Hong Kong 27 Female 8:28:48 7:35:12 9:53:00 11:10:24 11:20:25 1:45:44 50:13:33 50
Don
80 Cheung Don C.T. Hong Kong 26 Male 10:26:59 7:13:03 10:53:59 16:58:21 10:34:49 1:54:23 58:01:34 63
Joc
81 Chow Jocelyn E.C. Hong Kong 24 Female 10:28:22 7:13:20 10:56:42 16:58:21 12:18:50 6:50:00 64:45:35 67
the live update page news flash is that everyone has finished!
this is the direct url to the video of Stephane in stage 5 RUNNING
click here for Stephane_stage5!
or try these if it didn’t work
http://www.bluent.us/rtp/2006/video/default_display.php?id=57
if that doesn’t take you in go to the video index: http://www.bluent.us/rtp/2006/video/index.php
and Don
Today was Day 6, 51.5km, the last long day. Tomorrow will be a sprint to the finish line (for some) and is only 12km.Today was longer to make up for the “long day” being not quite as long as planned, due to the crazy sand storms. We’ve started to have staggered starts, the top 25 or 44 runners starting a couple of hours after the walkers. That meant that today we piled onto a bus to the start at 5am, only to wait for the second bus load of people in the freezing cold. We made a big pile of people, squashed on top of each other, to try to keep warm. After unpiling ourselves, we climbed a massive mountain, I believe it was the famous Tian Shan, to find a mystical temple, shrouded in the mist and snow, at the top. A long winding road down, lots of sheep being herded – they’re very cute, the lambs still small - babbling brooks.
Past the first checkpoint, the real desert scorcher started, a long winding path through parched lands. Strange big cricket bugs making lots of noise, seeming to kill each and then climb onto each other to feed off the dead bodies. Odd. After crossing a stream, through some old abandoned adobe villages, we entered slot canyons, perhaps otherwise known as potholes? Amazing climbing through a frying 40C canyon, to escape for a grueling 8km final climb to the campsite.
I haven’t been racing to win but I have enjoyed the whole experience. My Achilles heels are hugely expanded, making my ankles like watermelons but I only got my first blister today. All good. So much more to tell than in these emails. Can’t wait for a shower and some non-dehydrated food tomorrow. See you all soon xxx
#118- Stephane is 27th : total time 28:19:31 (hours:minutes:seconds!)
#159 - Louise is 52nd: total time 37:07:24
#80 - Don is 66th: total time 45:32:212
#81 - Jocelyn is 67th: total time 45:36:45
Day 4 was the “Long Day” – it was supposed to be an 80km day, likely to go on through the night and ending with 12km of sand dunes. I had this nightmare vision of being stuck, alone, being buried in the sand dunes in the middle of the night. So, I powered through the day like a machine, hardly stopping at the checkpoints, just wanting to get it over with and as much distance as possible before nightfall. A lot of the other competitors had slowed down due to injury – I feel unbelievably lucky that I do not yet have any blisters due to serious defensive foot taping – however, I have burst my Achilles tendons which are so swollen and being treated with regular doses of anti-inflammatory pills. It got worse during the day but the drugs are doing wonders.
The course was cut to 57km due to excessive sand storms – the dunes were amazing but hard with the “one step forward two steps back” technique. But I powered through the day to arrive before daylight, ecstatic to have arrived. Our tent is great, the camaraderie is awesome, although looks like a battle field with bodies strewn everywhere. Today is a rest day, as people were still arriving in the morning. We’re in a bizarre yurt campsite with the dunes blowing like crazy behind us.
Day 6 will be longer than expected to compensate – I’m not too happy about that. But nearly there – only around 70 km left. I think I might get a badge printed “I survived the Gobi – give me some respect”.
Day 3 was a tough day and I felt too angry and sad at the end of the day to communicate with the outside world. The boys in the tent made me roar like a lion in order to expel some of my rage. There is a lot of self-questioning going on in this race – why, why, why?
Day 3 started out beautiful, rolling hills, almost alpine. We thought that after the flat slog of day 2, Day 3 would be a day for the Hongkies, who’d trained in the hills. The first 13 km were great, magical and I also did some yodeling, next 10 km also fun, we passed by lots of farms and people – it made me think of the pastoral scenes lauded in the classical poetry of Virgil. But the last 13 km (which was actually 16) were soul destroying – rolling hills and dales for miles and miles. You saw another hill and thought “just over the next one and I’ll see the camp” but you didn’t. Even the local Uyghurs were offering me a lift on their motorbikes and damn did I feel a fool not accepting. I did think, even the local peasants are using motorpowered vehicles to get around these vast distances, why am I walking (and walking and walking)? Anyway, I got picked up by a fellow competitor who dragged me into the finish line. All I wanted to do was sleep.
photo of joc #81 (possibly don at her right shoulder.. hat looks likes the one in his pack)on day 4
the results after day 3:
i’m adding registration numbers so that if you are viewing the photo gallery and you see the racer’s number and not a face you’ll have a better chance of recognising our ‘guys’.
Stephane (registration #118) is at position 25!
Louise is (registration #159) is at position 63!
Don is (registration #80) is at position 72!
Jocelyn is (registration #81) is at position 73!
correction: Out of 91 original competitors… now…down to 77 after stage4
click on the link below for the leaderboard.. it lists elapsed time for each marcher as well.
http://www.racingtheplanet.com/gobimarch/live/2006/leaderboard.pdf
the photo gallery is amazing the mountains of sand on day/stage 4 are awesome.
amazing ‘guys’!
Click here to see Jocelyn & Louise - Video - Stage1
or….The direct link to their videos is here:
http://www.bluent.us/rtp/2006/video/default_display.php?id=39
If that didn’t let you in go to: http://www.racingtheplanet.com/gobimarch/live/2006/index.asp
scroll to the bottom, click on videos.. they are number 4… interviewed after the first day.
Click on the leaderboard while you’re on the main page…
http://www.racingtheplanet.com/gobimarch/live/2006/leaderboard.pdf
Day 2: another 37km. Woke up feeling alright, dirty, disheveled, a bit stiff but at least no blisters. Some of the babies that I have seen on people’s feet over the last few days has made me forget my moaning pretty quickly. But, after yesterday’s funny funny day, sinking into the mud, I really thought today would be easier. The race day briefing sheet anticipated the longest and shortest times as less than yesterday, but I think they were just adjusting for the miscalculations of yesterday.
Today was long and flat. I found it very disheartening as to be honest, it was just quite soul destroying. I started to experience a weird pain at the bottom of my shin, I think due to the repetitive motion of just walking and walking and walking and walking. The scenery was beautiful, with snow-capped mountains in the background behind the mountains, but there was sand and scree at the beginning, making taking the steps difficult. I arrived in around 8 hours, same as yesterday but much disheartened. Nearly got my head down on the course for a quick a kip an hour before the end, as I just couldn’t take it anymore. But luckily 2 US army officers picked me up and engaged in a heated discussion of US, Venezuelan, Chinese and HK politics which made me forget my pain until the end. Thank goodness.
Looking forward to tomorrow – it’s a bit longer, but there are some hills so I’m looking forward to a bit of variety. Love you all
x
