Atacama Crossing 2014 - the most UNrunnable desert on earth (well, according to me)

This time my non-chalant attitude towards a race, bit me in the ass big time. I train a lot for a race, but I don't always give as much attention to the fine print as I should. For instance....the altitude in Atacama. How bad can it be....BAD, if you are not used to it and trained at sea level your whole life.

Let start at the beginning.

On Saturday, the 4th of October, it was competitor check-in at the event hotel in San Pedro de Atacama. There was a buzz of excitement in the air....nervous excitement on my behalf. I had no idea what to expect from this race and what the desert will throw at me. Normally the deserts treat me rather well....but the Atacama played by her own set of rules.
anyway, my backpack weighed 6.5kg....really! I did not believe that scale.

Check-in frenzy

my 6.5kg(debateable) pack

BOS pimped babe ready for check-in

Camp 1 - +- 3500 above sea level

The check in took quite a while, because all 164 had to go through the process of checking details, nutrition, medication, kit etc before we could hop on the bus to Camp one, in the middle of the sticks!

As always, all the nervousness disappears once you get to that first camp. First things first - look for tent 4 - Escalante - our home for the next 7 days. We were a really cool bunch in our tent - My desert family.
Timo - the german - wingman turned fiancé
Warren - the American - Timo and I met him in Namibia in 2011 during the Namib Desert Challenge and then ventured off to Egypt for the Sahara race Egypt in 2012
Marisa - the Italian - we met her at the Ultra Africa Race in Burkina Faso in 2013
Michael - the Swiss-German - he was my tent mate in Sahara Jordan in 2014
Herbert - Austrian and also 2nd overall in the Atacama race!!!
Ian and Heather Bond - more Americans - super cool brother and sister due
Eddy - the boytjie from Denmark with a Boston accent
Marco - another Italian, and world traveller of note

The whole race feels like a bit of a blur, with hours and some days missing in my memory. When I read what I wrote during the race, I can only laugh. This was truly a very difficult race. The altitude on day 1, kicked me in my non-existing balls. I had no idea that the altitude would have such a big effect on me. Even going up the flattest hill, felt like pure torture. All I wanted to do was throw up and cry. My pack that weighed in at 6.5kg, felt like 15kgs and we had a hate relationship that first day. That bloody thing cut into my shoulders so badly, that I even considered to carry my pack in front of my body! So we learn the hard way, no matter how prepared you think you are for the race, anything can happen. and if things don't work out the way you wanted it to, just f'ing deal with it!

And so after a very long march, I got to Tony's checkpoint. From there it was a short 6km I think. And believe you me, there is a HUGE difference between 6km to camp, than 14km to camp at the end of a loooooong day.

Tony's CP is just over that stupid hill

So day 1 came to a finish, with my personality slightly in tact, hot, bothered and hungry.

Death by day 1

Camp 1 in the middle of the nothingness

view from our 'home'

The Atacama desert is a different beast! The terrain varied from sand to river-crossings to endless saltflats to just plain un-run-a-ble terrain. I flipped my lid a few times 'I came here to run, not to f'ing walk'. But there was just no way that a mere mortal like me, could run some of those sections. Especially the race favourite - the 'frozen broccoli' sections. Yes, you could try and run those endless stretches, but you just never knew if the ground will hold or if you will be ankle deep in that shit.
So the Atacama called for colourful language on more that one occasion!

a slightly runnable dry river bed

 

Every time I saw a halfway marker, it felt as if I've won the lottery!!

But in the end, it was mind over matter. I went to the desert, to have fun, and to escape what people perceive as 'normal life'. Out there in the desert it is you, and only you that can drag yourself to that finish line. It is amazing how quickly you forget the bad times....and you already think about what will be the next one. You forget about the sore legs, the blistered feet, the border line dehydration, the 'delicious' freeze dried meal for dinner...and the tent mate snoring like there is no tomorrow. (Think I am also guilty of this one....apparently I snore), but I think I'll blame it on Ian

my 'room'

tea time - desert style

jip, it is not all fun and games in the desert. Marisa and I after day 3

our home in the Atacama desert

by day 6, these items of clothing had a personality of their own

the rest day, day 6

flag number 798,598,251 - personally placed by Nico

The days were a bit longer than expected. I figured that a 40km day will take me around 6 - 6:30hrs. Well, the Atacama had other plans for me. The days turned out to be more in the region of 7 - 7h45hrs per day.
I can't remember the details of everyday. Al I remember is that Day 1 was awful , day 2 was better, day 3 was a toss between great and super awful, day 4 and day 5 were fantastic.
On day 3 I did something wrong with my nutrition and had a really tough time from CP3 to Camp.
I had no energy, just wanted to throw up the whole time and was in a very bad space. You could see camp for ages...but it just did not come any closer. jip, I had a moment...but I managed to get to camp with the help of Timo.

I got my groove back a bit late in the race, but at least I got it back. I think my best day was definitely the long day. After 4 back to back marathons, I still had enough in me to finish the 70+ km stage. The mind and the body are truly amazing. ANYTHING is possible, ANYTHING!

Some pics to give you an idea of what we call FUN!

 Camp 3...lovely saltflats all around

the infamous frozen broccoli

canyon-ing on day 2

HOME!

Coolest halfway point of the entire race, in the middle of the endless salt flats....we look a little tired here??

Camp 3
 



Somewhere during the long day

Camp life - the dining area

 

Finish line in San Pedro! with pizza and ice cold Coke!!!!

 yes, we did it. We conquered yet another desert!!!!!
and yes, we are still engaged. If 7 days in the desert can't break you, nothing can.

The dust has barely settled and we are already plotting and planning for next year. So many races so little time.

For now I am going to stick to short runs and enjoy that thing called a social life!!

Some last notes....

 

ps. Bag Balm is the business...my new anti-chafing wonder balm (thanks Heather)

 

pps. my trekking poles - the brothers Xavier and Jorge Rodrigues Rodrigues are my best friends

 

ppps. underwear is not compulsory to complete a desert race

 

pppps. nothing beats having a desert family!!!!!!!!!

 

 

a HUGE thanks to BOS sport (for getting me to the Atacama) and to Racefood (for feeding me during the Atacama) and to my super coach Ian Waddell - you guys ROCK!!!!

 

 

 



 next post will be on food and equipment for my Atacama race....what worked and what didn't work.

Aaight!
chat soon



Rob Bailey and Hustle Standards....el continue

the only way how I can describe how I feel at the moment, is through the words of my favourite band at the moment. For some weird reason they calm me down, even with all that screaming and swearing. Its not that I'm nervous about the looming race in Chile, it more about getting shit sorted at work in time. Tomorrow I'm getting on that plane, and I am going to forget about everything that is remotely linked to work life, or really in life in general.
I need to get to the desert, the open spaces, the nothingness, the quiet days of running, the long days of running....my heaven.

ok, maybe enough emotional blabber for now.

lets get down to the real stuff.....my backpack....friend/enemy/lover???
I re-packed my stuff last night, and with my sleeping pad, my pack weighs about 8kg.
bloody hell, why can't I get that thing to weigh like 6kg?? Maybe because I don't want to go hungry or freeze my privates off. One thing that I learned in Jordan....take those warm clothes with, because being cold is really NOT fun. Shit, I hope its not that cold in the Atacama. Bring on the 40C!!!!

packing 101:
compulsory equipment, including a sense of humour - check
compulsory clothing - check
nice to have's - check
(ie. IPods...yes IPods...3 of them, camera, trekking poles)

Javier and Jorge Rodrigues Rodrigues (check Javier's cool duct tape)

A fantastic collection of super nutritious food items...

All this (excluding the glue) that I am taking with....and managed to squeeze in my pack.

My super high tech Xonic watch. This piece of equipment can tell me the time and its got a stopwatch setting. Rad stuff!

When I get to San Pedro on Friday I will re-pack again, to see if I can shed some weight of my pack..

but for now, I can't wait to hop on that plane tomorrow night!
I have been looking forward to the Atacama Crossing since Sahara Race 2012. This race will be a big reunion for a few of us Sahara 2012 desert rats.

My little nephew, Nicolaas Willem 'Bull' Louw is sending me to the desert with a beautiful picture of a bird that sees rain for the first time....I hope that this bird(me) does not see rain in the desert. The picture is safe and secure in a Ziploc bag in my backpack. a few xtra grams that I am willing to carry with me.

This is it.

in a week from now I will be finished with stage 2 of the Atacama Crossing.
and I can't wait!!!!!!

Training is done now. Now my head will take over and take me to the finish line.

"Wake up, wake up it's a brand new day
I got a fresh breath and a full plate

W-w-wake up, wake up up
This is not a game
I'll take my fresh breath and go my own way

This is what I live for [live for]
This is what I, this is what I live for [live for]
This what I live for [live for], this is what I
This is what I live for [live for]

Measure my growth by the season
Limits don't exist if you don't give them reason
but everybody wants to know how
I built this dream and never had a doubt"
 "Rob Bailey and the Hustle Standard"

The desert. THAT is what I live for.


To the BOS sport peeps and to RACEFOOD....you guys ROCK

Rob Bailey & the Hustle Standard

Yesterday I took the Jonkershoek Mountains by storm, and in return it kicked me in my non existing balls!
Mountain 1 - Kriss West 0

It was just one of those training runs where nothing worked according to plan. My pack was to heavy, my energy was a big fat zero and I just did not have fun at all. One good thing about the day was my food....various nice things from Racefood...slowbar, fastbar, and the super delish nougat.
Although it is not possible to take BOS sport energy drinks with me to the desert, it is possible to take it with on my training runs. The perfect picnic at the top of the mountain consisted of BOS sport and 2 nougat bars! For a moment life was good.

and I had  Rob Bailey & the Hustle Standard to keep me company.
the lyrics are a bit explicit, so for the sensitive reader...please skip the next few line.

the song that helped me up the mountain was 'BEAST'

When the sun rises,
I wake up and chase my dreams.
I won't regret when the sun sets,
Cause I live my life like I'm a Beast.

I control my breath, keep my body ready.
Focus on the finish, and keep my head steady.
Breathe in (~breathe), Breathe out (~breathe).
Breathe in (~breathe), Watch out.

I'm a motherfuckin' Beast!
Imma Imma Imma Beast.


Atacama Crossing 2014 starts in 5 weeks - and I don't know if I will be ready for this one.
But according to my brother, its the same thing every time before a race...
I know when I get to Chile, to the first campsite, the desert mode will take over! And I can't wait!!!
My game plan for the next few weeks is to train as hard as I can, rest as good as I can, eat enough of the right food and drink enough water(not wine!)

the BEAST signing out

The countdown to Atacama Crossing 2014

Don't worry, I'm not gonna start post those 'Stay Calm' posters everyday! But the countdown is in full swing for my next desert adventure. This time I'm off to Chile!!!
Everytime it is the same story, I have no idea what happened to the time. The time is flying and in less than 50 days I will be in Chile, and taming that Atacama desert in the true queen of the desert style.
But before then, there is still a lot to do.
By this time I should know what to pack....the trick is now to get the pack even lighter than in Jordan.
How I'm going to do this, I have NO idea.
One additional item I'm taking with to Atacama, is a sleeping pad #comfort!.
So where do I cut to make up for the xtra grams added by my sleeping pad....food....gear...I DONT KNOW.

I'm slowly getting all my kit together, looking at various food items, pimping my running clothes etc etc.

The pre-race craziness has not set in yet....but I can feel it coming

a big thanks to BOS Sport, without you guys, there would have been no Chile outing for me this year.

Keep watching this space for some pre-race bits and bobs.

4 Deserts - Sahara Race 2014 - Jordan

and so I went to Jordan for my first desert fix of 2014!

We (Uwe, Magda and I) left Amman at 10am on Friday morning for the first leg of the Sahara Race 2014. All excited for the 3hr trip to the host town of Petra. We arrived just after lunch on Friday at the Beit Zamman Hotel. The Hotel was located in what could be described as a dodgy part of Petra, but it was just the way everything looked there. No fancy buildings, buildings half build and small small little superettes.

Ok, but now the problem was....it was freezing!!! One of the main things I like about desert races is the HEAT. No no no, not in Jordan....it was winter, as in Sutherland type cold winter vibes. shit! I did not plan to take that pair of long johns, but I figured, rather take them with. it's only a few xtra grams....maybe that is why my pack ended up weighing 8.5kgs and not the 8kg when I left South Africa.

On Saturday morning we had the race briefing and kit check session before we were shipped out to the desert. The kit check is sort of funny in a way. So I pack my bag very carefully before I left for Jordan. I knew where everything was, in neat little packages in safe little pockets in my pack. Well, kit check just screws up everything. You just dump all your shit on the floor, and one of the volunteers bombards you with questions...whistle...compass...shit where is my compass...looking, searching...it is attached to the whistle. Duh? Anyway, I passed the kit check with a golden star.

Now things were starting to get real!!!

Fast forward to Camp 1...and to our home 'Karek Castle - tent nr. 9)
(Michael, Sonke, Piers, Me, Amanda, Magda - the brave troops of tent nr. 9)

Our desert home

Wow! What a magical place the Wadi Rum is. We were greeted by locals singing and cheering and welcoming us to there little piece of heaven. Although the scenery was amazing, the  rain clouds and freezing wind made me worry a little bit. According to the every single weather website out there, we will have rain!! And I did not really feel like being wet and cold in the desert. A desert is supposed to be HOT and DRY. But I was SO super excited to be there - nothing could damp-en my spirits....or so I thought...and the rain came.....The Bedouin tents weren't exactly water proof, so just as we got into 'bed' the rain started. Everyone was scrambling to get out there bivvy bags. So in your sleeping bag in you bivvy bag. The bivvy bag did keep the rain out, but because of the condensation, your sleeping bag still got wet. a bit of a f'up! I just tried to sleep and really hoped that when I wake up the next morning the sun will be out and things would return to normal. desert normal.


Magnificent view at Camp 1 

Quick rewind to the sleeping arrangements.
Think there was about 4 or 5 Bedouin tents put up for all the competitors. There were 'deviders' between 'tents' in every Bedouin tent. We were only 6 people in our 'tent'. And it was a tight squeeze.
And I was the only one that did not have one of those fancy blow up matresses. I was the lucky winner of a sleeping mat, barely big enough for a baby. But, it is all about the weight...I sort of forgot about the comfort factor!

At 5am we were greeted by a very cold and wet Wadi Rum!

Let the games begin!!!

I am a no fuss no hassle kind of girl. In my normal working day, I would get up and be ready for work in about 20mins. I just wear whatever is lying on the floor from the past few days. and mix and match pieces of clothing that looks clean ( a true lady!)

But in the desert.....from 5am wake-up to the start line at 8am, I am busy doing stuff! STUFF!! looking for stuff, packing stuff, un-packing stuff because I cannot find the stuff I'm looking for! Really, this is not the first time I'm doing a stage race, but I still don't have my game plan for every morning.
The easy part is getting up, drinking coffee and eating breakfast (Oats so Easy with chia seeds....chia seeds don't work with Oats)(6 days of this 'delicious' breakfast)
Right, now I have to fit everything back into my pack. That should be easy...

let me take you through it:

Inside the backpack is the dry bag(compulsory), which is important even if it is not raining, because you sweat the whole day, then your sleeping bag and spare clothes and socks will be wet.
1st thing to go in, right at the bottom will be the place for my sleeping bag. Fine, easy, stuff sleeping bag into it's own little bag into the dry bag.
2nd shove in xtra socks, long sleeve shirt and spare nickers.
3rd carefully - testris like - put in the ziplock bags with the food the rest of the race.
4th close dry bag

Time to get dressed for the day.

Having a long conversation with myself

Put on running shorts....ah shit, still wearing my long johns....take off long johns and put on running pants.
(Open dry bag and squash in long johns)
Put on socks, 2 layers to prevent blisters (that worked rather well this time, NOT)
(Open dry bag again, looking for that 2nd pair of socks....can't find it...yes, yes...I can feel it right at the bottom of the pack...take it out... no, its the long sleeve top. fuckit! Dump the contents of the carefully packed drybag on the floor)
So I have to start all over again with packing my bag.
Put on socks 'Take 2'
Proceed to put on socks 'Take 3', because I put on the first pair without putting Vaseline on my feet first.
AAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
it is now 6:45, I am still not dressed, my bag is not packed yet.

More or less the same story everyday!!

The race or adventure is probably more accurate...

For the first hour of day 1 I felt so strong and just loved every single minute of running. After CP1 I could feel this pain in my left leg - it started at my foot and shot up all the way to my glutes. I did not know what to do, because this pain was new to me. I tried to run with Amanda, but I got to a point where I could not even walk. She walked with me for a bit, and then I just said please go, I'm holding you back. And so my Day 1 in the Wadi Rum was full of pain and full of tears!
My Italian boyfriend (Juliano, I met him at the Egypt race) came past me, and he was also in pain. If it wasn't for him, I still would have been in that desert. He just said 'come, we have to go'.

my Juliano

so the 2 of us did the shuffle, desert style...slow, but steady. And I've never been so happy to see the finish line of day 1!

When we got to camp, half of the tents weren't up yet and it was raining and it was cold. We found space in one of the tents and tried to get warm. I put on my spare long sleeve shirt, down jacket and long johns and in my sleeping bag.

in the desert you are allowed to make a fire in a tent

The 4 deserts organisers went to the closets town and bought a truck full of blankets. What a treat that was!!! Those blankets saved many lives!!! The blankets where so big, that I used half as a sleeping mat and the other half as a blanket. Uwe made sure that he got a leopard print blanket every night. Stylish!

From day 3 I could feel my grove coming back and I perfected the sand shuffle. And I loved every single minute in the deserts.  Amanda and I ran together the whole time. That was a first for me, because for some reason I can never find someone that runs the same pace as me. And the 2 of us where unstoppable. Day 3 - 5 was probably my best running to date in any event. Man oh man, did we have fun in that desert!!!!

It is difficult to put in words just how magnificent the Wadi Rum was. Every day was completely different than the previous day. Rock formations, sand, canyons, dry river beds and a the long climb up the Turkish Road.

I found day 1 - 4 rather easy and we (Amanda and I) ran most of the time, we would only walk up a hill...because really....I really don't get it why you want to run up a hill!
and then came day 5 - The LONG March (87km)....it was a long loooonnnnggg day. and a difficult one....nothing compared to the first 4 days.

on top of the world!!!!

Carlos was probably the most hated man in the whole of Jordan!
But you know what Carlos - Thanks for an AWESOME race!! Carlos was the course director for the race and he and his wingmen did a fantastic job.

There as so much more to tell...but for now I will leave you with some pictures of my 7 day holiday in Jordan.

not for fat people...

on route to somewhere

now THIS is life! look at that view!!

Uwe, Michael and Sonke

dinner time in the desert

and the blankets!

a very rocky Camp 5! aka MARS

 

Finish line vibes!

 

Already looking forward to my next desert fix in Chile in October!! ATAMACA CROSSING 2014 wooohoooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The year of 2014 will be a SUPER exciting year.

I've teamed up with BOS Ice Tea/BOS sport!! Watch this space! Amazing fun filled adventures await.