It's 3:17pm here in theAtacama desert and I've just started to recover from what was a very unexpected strong 11th place first stage performance. I thought I went out of the gates fairly controlled and approached the stage with a 'hare' mentality but the spasms in my shoulder muscles and headache are giving me a different read on how I actually went after the stage.
From our camp tucked amongst a massive canyon at 10,640 feet we descended for the first 10.5km through fairly hard packed gravel and stony terrain. Eric LaHaie and Ryan Sandes went out like bullets and left the race for third place for someone amongst the rest of the 158 strong race field. I tried hard to resist the urge to keep up with the next pack of runners but somehow I started overtaking quite a few competitors even though I pulled back hard on any uphill climbs and shortened my stride on the flats. Bizarrely, slow and steady was 'winning' the race.
I hooked up with Rowley Aird from Hong Kong at about the 5km mark and we made nice time to checkpoint 1 and learned that we were only 20 minutes off the leaders and running in 8th and 9th respectively. Rowley is an incredible experienced runner who I've seen tear up the Sahara and Namibian Deserts so I just stuck on his hip for the next 10km as well.
Across a very narrow ridge and then up a huge incline we were greeted with the most awe inspiring vista of wide valley hemmed in by the Andes Mountains and the impressive volcano of Licancabur. If anyone knows about my TDS 106km disaster in France last year then they know that descents trashed my quads so I pulled way back coming off the ridge and Rowley went on ahead.
Across the valley I got into a good rhythm and then the course tucked us into narrow, narrow dried river bed canyon and the sun decided to come out.
Through checkpoint 2 and on towards checkpoint 3 the terrain headed on a slight uphill grade choc full of ankle grabbing rocks and boulders. I kicked more rocks than I'd care to remember but the Salomon Speed Cross 2 shoes that I'm wearing seemed to cushion the blows and on I went.
I ran out of a steam a bit by mile 20 but despite the 100+ heat and salt crusted on my forehead I had a decent finish of 4:30:15 good for an 11th place mark. I've got a few nasty blisters on my heels but all in all I feel good and am enjoying Camp 2 and looking forward to Stage 2.
All the best to everyone at home! Thank you for your incredible emails and keep them coming!
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