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The Gobi March

Final Position

Friday, June 2nd, 2006

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Thursday, June 1st, 2006
Today was absolutely exhausting. We started off by climbing 6 kms uphill. At the very top of the mountain there was a Buddhist temple. From there it was a 17km downhill stretch which was fantastic. This is where I tend to excel. I blew down that hill and was in first place for women at that point.

From there we approached a village, but were detoured down into a fast moving stream. I followed the stream along for a bit, looking for a decent crossing where I wouldn’t get my feet wet. I ended up finding some poles to walk across, but I got my foot caught in some barbed wire. I thought I was going for a swim for sure, but luckily I righted myself in time.

From there we entered a canyon which was very beautiful, it actually reminded me of the area around Moab, U.S.A. It was very hot in the canyon, and competitors were running out of water. Some people were dehydrating. It was a very technical route. A lot of scrambling and climbing, all of it uphill.

The final stage of the race involved following a dirt road uphill. It seemed to go on forever. The road wound its way out of the mountains and hills into an open plain. Just when I was ready to curl up on the side of the road in a fetal position, I saw the camp. I could barely summon up the energy to run into camp. Once across the finish line I had to be helped to my tent. It took me about a half hour to recover from that stage, which was 54km long.

I now have a ton of blisters, and my left calf muscle feels pulled. But tomorrow is the final day, and it is just a 10 or 12 km stretch…we haven’t got the official word yet. All of us are just thinking about getting across the finish line to the buffet which awaits us there. There is going to be a huge spread with lots of food and beer. How can life get any better…having a picnic in the middle of the Gobi Desert after completing a 250 km race.

Wednesday, May 31st, 2006
The long stage was easier than I expected. Part of the reason is that it was shorter than the stated 80kms. We only had to do 60kms, which was a nice surprise. But the shorter distance was due to the fact that the weather was terrible. There were raging sand storms that were so bad, it would rip the tents right out of the ground.

The day started off by going over some beautiful terrain that was covered by sage brush and crocus. From now on, whenever I smell sage, I will think of the Gobi Desert. We then passed through a very old village that was home to a variety of very large dogs. I think most of them were either rabid, or satanic, because it looked like they were out for blood. My blood. It was actually very nerve wracking, because you felt like at any moment you were going to be attacked.

The latter part of the day we ran toward the mountains, and the weather changed dramatically. The temperatures dropped, and the clouds dropped to cover the peaks. It felt like it was going to snow! We passed by a huge reservoir and then crossed the dam over it. That was very cool.

The day ended by going through some huge sand dunes. What was good was that there had been a rain storm, and the sand was still wet and packed. This makes it much easier to climb up. We summited the highest dune and there was a huge red flag on the top with a Chinese dragon on it. From there it was a steep downhill which led straight into camp.

It was great to be home. Today is a rest day and everyone is licking their wounds. My eye ended up getting scratched by sand in the storm, so right now I have an eye patch on. Other than that I just have 4 toenails that are coming off, but that is pretty standard fare. I have just taped them down to prevent them from coming off.

Tomorrow we have a 50km run and then it is home free. The last day will be a quick 10 km and the race will be over. I will let you know what tomorrow brings.

By the way, I got an email that told me the Oilers are in the Stanley Cup…yahoo. There are even hockey fans in the Gobi Desert!

Tuesday, May 30th, 2006
Today can only be described as the most beautiful day of racing I have ever experienced…and also the toughest. The day began with some very steep hills that led us up into the mountains. Heading up into the mountains was fantastic. We passed through a pine forest…and the ground was soft with needles and pine cones. We also passed some old clay and stone houses where families came out to cheer us on. There were also herds of horses, cows, and sheep. At one point I thought I was going to be chased by a bull and I could just see the headlines…local runner gored by bull in China.

We reached a height of 28 hundred meters…and we reveled in the sight of snow. It is so hard to believe that there can be snow in a desert. But you knew it was desert because the air is so dry. After cresting the highest peak, we raced downhill for a long stretch. It was a relief to use different muscles in the legs.

The day ended with endless rolling hills. It really stretched the nerves because every time you came to the top of a hill, you expected to see the camp, and it just never appeared. We ran for hours along some dusty flats. You could see dust devils whirling along the plains. But finally, the 39km stage ended with the welcome sight of the tents, and the beating of Chinese drums.

Tonight we are resting up, preparing for the long stage tomorrow. We will start early in order to finish the 80km by early to late evening. It is going to be a very long day. But I know I will be ready to go, and be able to put out a great effort to keep in good standing in the race placing.

Monday, May 29th, 2006
Day Two was an easy day. We started at 8 AM. The course was very fast. We were basically running on flat land that was just a bit gravelly. There were also tufts of grass to trip over. What was really amazing was the sight of so many animals on the course. There were herds of goats, along with lots of horses. The horses were magnificent. At the sight of the oncoming runners, they galloped away and up a very steep rocky hill. I have never seen anything like it. They were almost like mountain goats.

I had a good day. I have only a few problems. A blister has developed on the arch of my right foot, and I think I have ripped the big toenail off my left foot. It is bleeding right now, so I am off to see the doctor after I send this email.

Today we completed 36 kilometers…and tomorrow we are looking at running almost 40 kilometers. We are heading to higher ground, so it is going to get colder. What is so amazing about the Gobi desert is that off in the distance you can see snow capped mountains. Hopefully we will just stick to running in the sand…I get enough of the snow in Canada!

Sunday, May 28th, 2006
The Gobi Desert is a welcome change from the Sahara. I have competed in 8 consecutive races through the Sahara totalling 1000 miles, and I have to confess I was getting a bit bored. The Gobi is absolutely beautiful.

The race began with a huge ceremony comprised of local people dressed in traditional costumes. There were dancing girls, a drum and symbol performance and little children performing a traditional ritual. There were also Mongolian tribesmen mounted on horses and bactrian camels.

The course was wicked. It began with a steep climb and descent. Then things got interesting. There were 17 kilometers of salt flats. Runners sank to their knees in muck and brine. People were losing their shoes and poles. I personally enjoyed the experience. What a nice change to try and race through marshland. But others were cursing the mud.

The day ended with rolling hills that ranged in colors from green to red to yellow. It was a tiring day. This stage was 35 Kilometers, but I feel great and I'm looking forward to the challenges in store for tomorrow.

The stories were flying last night about peoples experiences in the salt flats…and just like fish stories, they got bigger with each telling. I was completely filthy, and unfortunately, I do not have a change of clothing. So I am still filthy today.