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