Endure 24 weekend, A weekend of friendship & support , instead of racing.

I had really been looking forward to this weekend for quite a while & it was really strange going to a 24 hour race where I wasn't running, As always I had packed my kit box full of my buff kit anyway as I was intending to do a few laps of the course as training & I had promised our friend Tony I would run a few laps around the course with him later in the race as he was running his first solo 24hour race.

So my job for the weekend was to look after Buffy our springer spaniel puppy & to help Nat be support for Tony her husband, Ben was working at the event for the official Photographers www.marathon-Photos.com. and as our camper van was in for repair we were going to be cosy in our little tent.

I also got to meet up with some more of the Buff team & I got to meet Danny Slay from www.team-hope.co.uk please check out there website & support these great guys with there fundraising & upcoming ultra expo in Birmingham on the 6th July.

Thanks to Danny I also got to run a couple of legs for a team of 6, which was really enjoyable & it was nice to be able to see the course & run it quick, a special thank you to your lovely partner Susan for the amazing butternut squash cake too.

So back to the race it was great to see Tony was as prepared as I usually am for a 24hr race & he honestly could off supplied most of the field with food & energy drinks, We had a clipboard numbered with laps on it to record his lap times and instructions for when he wanted food & drink & when he would take any rests & change kit. So it was true to say me & Nat were prepared and ready to start shouting words of encouragement to runners (obviously we favoured the solo runners as they rock) & I know what its like to have support it really lifts you.

I really enjoyed been support & it was really nice to be able to crew for people who have crewed for me in the past, Tony & Nat were both part of my Tr24 support crew last year & they were brilliant helping Ben look after me in the race & help me to my victory, so it was great to help them too, I honestly didn't think the following was going to happen at this race though & it really opens your eyes to how difficult & stressful been support can be.

Tony was running brilliant & he was having the perfect race each lap was bang on evenly paced & he looked calm & relaxed & he said he felt fine, each lap we were refilling his water bottles & he was taking food with him & generally we checked to see if he was ok.
I think it was about lap 7 or 8 when he changed his kit & put some warmer clothes on as it was starting to cool down.

By lap 9 it was getting bitterly cold & it was getting to around midnight on the clock Tony was still looking ok but we had decided between us all that after lap 10 that he was going to have a 1 hour sleep as he looked a bit drained (by now this was the furthest he had ever run).
So we all set our watches for 1.30am & I had told Tony that I would run a few laps with him through the night so I was all kitted up to run at 1.30 am .
So at 1.30 am I was straight up and ready to run so of I trotted to their  camper van & as the door opened I was greeted by Nat & a not so well looking Tony within about 20 secs he was shaking & sweat was literally running from his head & he looked awful, Me and Nat really didn't like the look of him so I ran to get the 1st aiders, I honesty have never been so scared in my life & I don't think I have ever run that fast before either,
Luckily I had clocked where the first aid station was and they responded really quickly & they got Tony in a chair and wrapped him up as he was shaking violently, ( even Buffy's dog blanket got used) to try & warm him up & my thermal Buff too.
After intensive checks the paramedics were called as it looked like Tony had hyperthermia & he wasn't responding to well, (all very scary) .
So off to the hospital for Tony to be checked further & a very nervy few hours waiting to hear the news from Nat.
The next morning Tony was discharged after intensive tests & it looks like he may have had a T.I.A too which is quite nasty & we are all hoping that he will be fine,
Luckily after a mad bus & train journey some way amazing they actually both got back to the end of the race & we were so pleased to see them.

Quite alot of my friends have been asking me about Tony since the race and the good news is he is ok at the moment awaiting some more tests & he can do a little bit of running but only for fitness until he has his test results,The good news is that it hasn't put him off 24 hour races & next year he is hoping to go back to endure 24 & kick some butt & run 100 miles . Me & my dad will also be running solo next year so we can keep an eye on you too.
This was posted by Tony on his facebook wall this week & I think its a brilliant saying.

See you at the lightning run next week Tony sorry you cant run in it but it will be great to see you & Nat there.
I think this just shows how important it is to have a support crew, family & friends looking after you & I thank mine for all the support that have given me in the past.

My next race is next weekend at Catton park for the www.contilightningrun.co.uk . & I can't wait for this 12 hour race & my dad is solo too.

It's also a good opportunity for me to meet up with Buff  www.buffwear.co.uk & Sueme www.sueme.com who both sponsor my kit & are both  going to be at the race , so if you want to grab a buff or a rather cool Sueme t shirt pop over to the tents and see them there.

Races & a great new sponsor :)

The last few weeks since my last post on here have flown by & as usual I have been rather busy with running.Firstly I ran in the London marathon a race that I have done a good few 15+ times due to getting a good for age time ( which guarantees you an entry) me & my dad had decided this was going to be our last London marathon for a bit & we would find a different race in April next year.This though would soon change as 3 days before the race my dad had a stomach bug which meant he was unable to run this years event which we were all gutted about & he had no choice but to defer it for next year so for a change it was just me running & my hubby, mom & dad watching which was a novelty so I knew I had to have a decent run!!
So all Buffed up in my new 2013 Blue Buff kit complete with Super cool Buff calf compression guards & in memory of the events at the Boston marathon I had asked Buff www.buffwear.co.uk for a USA Buff to run in.I was off from the good for age green start & my plan was to try and keep with Matt the 3.30 pacer but for some reason I lost him at the start :( ok I went to fast for the first mile but hey sometimes you really just have to run your own race.Im sure this year there was more crowd support & I really enjoyed the race & all the shouts for Go Buff girl!! Go.
I finished in a time of 3.39 & I was pleased with that.

I ran the Virgin London Marathon  in memory of the runners who got injured or lost there lives in the Boston Marathon

My next race was only last Saturday & it was the 8 hour Hellrider race , I know what you are thinking why is it called Hellrider  when I'm a runner.!! Well I was lucky enough to be asked by Buff if I was interested in a place at this event , the event is normally mainly a 8 hour duathlon but this year they incorporated a solo run or solo bike option into the event & of course I jumped at the chance & my dad aka (legendary Les) also entered, nothing is ever simple or straightforward in our house & Ben was actually working in London photographing a midnight bike ride on the Friday night so he had to drop us off before hand at Henley on Thames, so our new pop up tent was sprung into action & we nearly didn't make the race as our cooker gas bottle exploded & set our stove in flames , so no hot drinks for us & we are never using the cooker again.

We decided to have a walk around the 5 k a lap course before settling down for the night & I was pleased that we did as we found it was an off road hilly , up & down banks , through water course & past some lovely bluebell fields.

Next morning we were up bright & early ready for the race & we were both kitted out in our Buff kit.
The 1st lap was pretty hard as I think I may have gone a little fast & I decided to slow down as obviously you don't want to burn out quickly on a 8 hour race.
I really wanted to have a good race as Sarah from Buff was coming along to the event as her husbands band www.facebook.com/cardinalwino were going to be entertaining us on the night.
So I decided the best thing to do was to slow down relax & put my ipod on & get into a nice rhythm which is what I did for the next 6 hours, only stopping to grab a drink or a 9bar off my hubby at the end of the lap when I needed one.
Once again my hubby was a brilliant support crew and he was keeping an eye on me & telling me what position I was in each lap, I think it was about lap 9 when he told me I was in 2nd place overall not in the women in the overall race!!! I was chuffed, but now I was on a mission & I wanted to win overall.
So head down & I had the winner in my sight , I had noticed that he was starting to struggle up the hills & was walking the steep bits, so there was only one thing to do & I thought as long as I could keep running I could catch him, & that was what happened on the 10th lap I caught up with him and just went straight past him hoping that I hadn't gone to soon, luckily for me this worked & by lap 12 I was safe in 1st position just as I was coming into the finish I saw my dad who was coming to the end of his 9th lap, so we ran into together.
There was still time to get in another lap my( number 13 )& as I couldn't be caught I ran the last lap with my dad which was really enjoyable & by doing this I found out how famous my dad had got in this race & everyone was calling him the legendary Les. My Dad ran 10 laps and was a definite favourite with the female commentator , Well done Dad you did brilliant.
I highly recommend this race & the whole weekend was very enjoyable & it made a nice change to have a great band playing after the race, hopefully this event will be on again next year.

New Sponsor

I was so chuffed to have had a phone call from Sarah from Buff this week & for her & Henry from  www.sueme.com to ask me if i would like to be an ambassador for there Sueme products
if you don't know who they are please click on there website & like there Facebook page.
I will still be sponsored by Buff for my running clothing etc etc & Sueme products will be looking super cool with my jeans for before & after races.
My next blog will have full details about the great responsibly sourced sportswear company Sueme.

What have I been up to since the Ocean floor race ??

Well its been a good 9 weeks since the Ocean floor race & I have been a bit lazy with my blog lately , the main reason for this is because we have had a new puppy an english springer spaniel which we have named Buffy (not that im obsessed with Buff products lol) but as Im an ultra runner sponsored by Buff & hopefully Buffy will become one of my training partners when she is bigger it seemed a perfect name.

Now back to my running I really can't believe how quick the time has flown since the Ocean floor race & i'm really surprised at how well my body has coped with it & how quickly my feet have healed after losing 4 toenails & been on antibiotics for an infection to the said toes.

My first race since the OFR was on the 10th March @the  Cambridge half marathon & I was lucky enough to have been given a place in this event by Buff  www.buffwear.co.uk as they were one of the event sponsors & they sponsor my kit (As if u didn't already know).
I was hoping to have a good race & get under 1.45 but I wasn't to certain how my legs were going to be & if I had lost any pace , but I was determined to have a good run as I had a bit of added pressure on me as Buff had supplied my number & Amanda (ninja 2 ) Goodwin (who I ran the OFR with) was coming along to watch & meet up.
It was also great to meet up with another of my fellow ultra running friends  Gary Barnes & after a short chat we decided to start the race together as we are a similar pace.
Gary is obviously alot tougher than me in cold weather as it was a freezing morning & it had started to snow , he was at the start in shorts & vest , me on the other hand was wearing a long sleeved top, my team buff tshirt, 2 buffs , one on head one round my neck,shorts & compression socks.

Well the gun went & I think we ran together for about 3 secs & I just went for it hoping that I hadn't gone to fast.
If you have never done this race I highly recommend it for next year as it's a fast 2 lap course which runs through the lovely city of Cambridge & past the famous king's college, with loads of spectators all around the course.
I really couldn't believe how good I felt & I really think that running with the added weight of my backpack at the Ocean floor race & training everyday with my backpack on to & from work has really helped as I'm really feeling the benefit when i'm racing as you are obviously lighter.
My finishing time was 1.37.40 & to say I was chuffed was an understatement & I even managed a sprint finish.
So it just goes to show that you can run long distances & still keep some speed in your legs.

This was going to be my last race before the 12 hour lightning run a couple of weeks later & I really wanted to be on top form for this race as I won the ladies solo race last year, so a couple of weeks of good solid training was planned , unfortunately this changed pretty quick as the following friday & 1 week before the lightning run I came down with severe tonsillitis & I was put on a high dose of antibiotics for 7 days this meant that I couldn't run & I would finish my tablets 2 days before the 12 hour race not ideal preparation!!!!

I was not a happy bunny & anyone thats knows me well will tell you i'm not the best patient & pretty miserable if I cant run, somehow the next turn of events played in my favour , i'm sure everyone apart from me was a bit miffed & annoyed when we had snow & lots of it in Staffordshire where the race was due to take place.
So it was touch & go if the race would actually go ahead & touch & go if I would be well enough to run in it , luckily for me the race was postponed & yes I know this will sound bad but I was pleased in one respect  as at least when it is run in June I should be 100 per cent fit.

I also learned this month that I am very lucky to have the continued support & sponsorship from Buff again for my 2nd year & I thank Sarah & her team for all the help they have given me in 2012 & together we can keep spreading the Buff love at races in 2013.

PLEASE  LOOK OUT FOR ME (ULTRABUFFGIRL  & MY HUBBY (THE BUFF PHOTOGRAPHER) AT RACES UP & DOWN THE UK & ABROAD.

Next race for me is the Virgin London Marathon next week , if anyone see's me in London please come & say hello or give me a shout I will be running in the new Blue buff kit as the picture above.

Ocean floor race kit review

Well here goes this is the kit that I recently wore or used on the epic 160 mile ocean floor race www.oceanfloorrace.com in Feb 2013,

As most people know if you have been following my blog or facebook is that I'm very lucky to be sponsored by Buff for my running kit & I really love running in there products.
These are the Buff products that I wore in the desert & I would highly recommend them.
All of these items can be found on www.buffwear.co.uk

Buff Visor Cap

This was a brilliant piece of kit & invaluable in the desert sun & I can honestly say I wouldn't  run in a race in the heat without one.The Buff visor cap is lightweight, breathable & the extra long piece that protects your neck is a great added bonus as it keeps the sun of your neck.

Buff High Uv Protection Buff

This was worn around my neck to keep me cool during the day & its made from 100 percent coolmax extreme which will wick moisture (sweat) away from your skin faster than any other fabric making it perfect for running in the heat of the desert.
At a few points throughout the race these Buff's were brilliant especially when the wind got up and the sandstorm hit , as we had 2 buffs on with just our eyes showing to stop the sand getting in our mouths and eyes.
Then when it got cold at night it was transformed into a beanie hat to keep me warm.


As for t shirts & shorts I wore my official Team Buff kit , the kit is excellent as it is so lightweight, breathable & very very comfortable which you really need on a event over a few days.
Fat Feet how about designing a Ocean Floor race Buff for the 2014 race? 
A perfect prize for every finisher & a great marketing product too!!

Out of all my kit without a doubt a Buff is the most useful & versatile piece of kit.
A massive thank you to Buff for your continued support with my ultra running & it's a pleasure to compete in your kit.

SHOES.

I ran in Hoka one stinson B evo trail shoes, which are a amazing piece of kit & once you get over the fact that they are big looking & make you look taller (a advantage for me as im only 5ft 3) you will soon come to realise what you have been missing !! Ok they are expensive @ £135.00 but I must admit I really think they are worth every penny.

This particular Hoka is designed for trail running as well as road & its a perfect choice for running across the Ocean floor in Egypt as ocean floor IS made up of sand, hard rock & generally feet killing material.

Even though I lost 4 toenails in the end Im pretty sure if i had worn other shoes my feet would of been alot worse, I was told by the race physio that all the peole who ran in hokas had the best feet at the end.

So that must prove something & I would without a doubt where these again in a desert race. (especially as they now have black velcro stuck on them to hold my gaiters on)

RAIDLIGHT GAITERS

Ok anyone looking at this picture who did the race will find this funny as yes I was slightly tired the one day and I ended up my one gaitor on back to front.
Anyway back to the review , these were ok & did the job to be fair as no sand got into my trainers at all, But although they were only £29.99 I didnt think the quality was very good as they did start to come away after the 2nd day.

INOV8 BACKPACK

We were very lucky to have been sent the Inov8 25l race pack free of charge to use & test on the Ocean floor race from www.inov-8.com and I wasnt disappointed .
I have used inov 8 products in the past & have always been pleased with how they have performed & I was hoping that this pack was going to live up to the expectations.
Even as soon as we got to the airport it was good to see that a fellow runner Matt had also got the same backpack (matching kit always good).
So onto the pack considering its 25litres its very lightweight & made from ripstop material making it hardwearing. The pack itself had loads of pockets which was great for stashing rations & the top of the pack had a massive pocket which was perfect for storing warmer clothes & a waterproof.
There was also a secret inside pocket just under the clip which stored my first aid kit.
The pack itself is remarkably comfortable & it has a padded back & a separate internal bladder pocket which was perfect for my 2litre bladder.
One of the best features is the built in safety whistle which was attached to the chest strap of the bag which was in a perfect position if needed in an emergency.
Without a doubt a great bit of kit & it didn't rub me once .10 out 10.

HOPE HEADTORCH

Once again I have some great friends who work for great company's & I have to send a massive thank you to Chris Crabtree for arranging for me & Amanda to test out these amazing head torches in the desert.

We were both sent a Hope Technology Vision One Led Adventure Head Torch.
It may not be the lightest head torch on the market weighing 295g inc batteries, but it certainly has to be one of the brightest the light output is 215 measured lumens, 300 generated lumens.

Just as an example of how good this head torch was this picture was taken using my iphone 4s when it was pitch black in the desert, no flash was used the tree was just lit up with  mine & Amanda's Hope head torches.

   










Please check out www.hopetech.com for all the specification on this great Head torch I also look forward to wearing it in the Joust 24hr www.ultrarunningltd.co.uk/thejoust24hrhtml & the 24hour thunder run www.tr24.co.uk later in the year.


FEETURES SOCKS.

The great thing about these socks is how comfortable they are I ran in the Feetures Elite light cushion no show tab socks & is one of feetures most technically advanced sock.
They are that lightweight that it actually feels like you have no socks on yet saying that they are a very supportive sock , which has extra cushioning where you need it.
I found these perfect for desert running & ok blister wise I got a few but I don't know anyone in the race who didnt get a blister,
I will continue to train & race in Feetures socks as they suit my feet & they really are great socks,
I look forward to seeing the USA feeture guys later in the year again at the RNR LAS VEGAS MARATHON & see what new products will be hitting the shelves.

www.feeturesbrand.com


RAIDLIGHT ECO CUP.

I loved this little cup & it only weighed 2.1 oz & it literally took up no space at all in my pack as the cup as the picture shows folds into itself genius in my opinion.
perfect for use at the checkpoints I purchased mine from www.racekit.co.uk
on special for £8.99 money well spent.


GARMIN GPS e TREX 30

Well as most of you know already the Gps part of the Ocean floor race was the most worrying part & i'm sure my family honestly though they would never see me again as my navigational skills are not the best!!!

That was until my hubby brought me this awesome little hand held G.P.S & it may not be one that you can where on your wrist but it clipped onto my strap on my backpack perfectly.

Once I was showed how to use it & we had a crash course on Cannock chase beforehand , I soon became an expert (yes I know very funny) . once you know how to put in waypoints it's a very straight forward bit of kit which comes with a sunlight readable display (perfect for the desert) its very durable & waterproof.

We didn't get lost once & it seemed to out perform the wrist mounted units that some of the other competitors had problems with.

10 out of 10

I will be updating this with other products as soon as possible & a list of food & drink will also be added asap.

Thank you for reading & I hope it is useful for anyone looking at doing a desert ultra in the future.

The Ocean Floor Race 2013 A race to remember.

Well where do I start!!!
What a amazing experience & a race that I will never forget.
At the start I was a bit concerned when I was told there were only 12 competitors in the race, but how wrong could I be you really couldn't wish to meet 12 of the nicest friendliest runners around each with their different personality types which really made the group.
The crew which consisted of Keith,Philippa,Sarah,Will & Adrian were second to none & it was a pleasure to have such friendly helpful people around & I thank you all for looking after & taking care of  me & Amanda when we were not at our best throughout the race.

6 months ago I didn't even know that I was doing this race & at this time I had never even met Amanda we had just chatted on Facebook.
I can now honestly say that Amanda is more than just a running friend she is like my little sister/Best friend & we now know everything about each other & Im so pleased that she asked me to do this race with her & Im sure after this adventure we will become friends for life.
When I was asked to run this race I really didn't think that it would turn out to be such a amazing experience & Im writing this on the bus back to the hotel feeling quite emotional.
So after 6 months of training/running & meeting up with Amanda & quite frankly having a good laugh along the way race week / holiday was here.

So where do I begin,
This race was always going to be different to every other race I have ever done as it was a adventure/journey more than a race & everyone seemed to have the same opinion just to get to the finish.
As most people know I am very competitive & some of my friends seemed to think that it may be difficult for me to run with Amanda but I can honestly say we had no issues at all & I couldn't of asked for a better running partner & we worked as a perfect team who helped each other.

The white desert you would expect as the name suggests would be white but the course was a mixture of lovely sand, horrible black iron like rock formations, deep sand & white rock hard patches (which really hurt your feet)

We had 10 checkpoints to reach throughout the 160 mile event & a maximum of 4 days to do it in, with this you also had to carry some mandatory kit with a min 2 litre of water, sleeping bag,first aid etc etc.
The race started at 12.10 on the Sunday afternoon , Yep only us British start a race at the hottest time of the day in the desert.
So GPS units at the ready & waypoints set in them we were off!!
The main thing that scared us both about the race was the navigation & I can honestly say I feel a expert now & was so proud that we didn't get lost once, a massive thanks to my hubby Ben for teaching us how to use the GPS properly.
I have been thinking long & hard how to write this blog & I am finding it really difficult as there are so many things I want to put in it & try not to forget.

Well here goes this is my story.
I honestly have never been so nervous about a race in my life & I could see Amanda was also, We had chatted numerous times in the past about the race saying that we didn't care how long it took us as long as we got to the finish line.We had also decided that we were going to run our own race & to try not to get dragged by other competitors.
We did however run the first couple of stages with Matt & Jamie which was really nice & we had some good banter with them & we got some great photos early on with them too.

We did feel we were maybe going a little to quick with them as its always difficult to run with 4 people so after a little chat with Amanda we decided it best to let the guys go & keep to our own plan.
The first few checkpoints seemed to come around quite quickly & it was lovely to see friendly faces ready to jump into action & help in any way possible from taping feet to cooking us some rice or noodles.
I was loving the peace & quiet of the desert & its really hard to explain how you feel unless you have experienced it, but the amazing scenery & solitude of the place just hits you & I loved it.
What did really surprise me was how cold the desert got at night & as the first day drawer to a end I was looking forward to getting some warmer clothes on for the night section.
So straight into the checkpoint tent to find our drop bags & to grab some warm gear, this you would think would be quite straightforward, but for some reason my long tights were nowhere to be found & I was gutted to say the least as we had been so organised & it was getting freezing yep freezing !!!
Luckily for me Matt & Jamie were both still at the checkpoint & heard what was going on.
Jamie bless him was a savour that night & he quickly dug deep into his backpack & gave me his long tights, Jamie your a star & I owe you big time.

The night sections were always going to be hard for me & Amanda as obviously when your tired you really have to concentrate & when its dark its twice as hard to read GPS & Amanda's fear of the dark was also in the back of my mind & christ does it get dark in the desert. ( luckily for us we both had some amazing Hope head torches) to guide us. I could see Amanda was getting quite nervous of the dark, so what do u do? we decided the best option was to try & catch up with Matt & Jamie so heads down & off we sped, I honestly do not know who was more surprised when we caught up with them.
We then ran with the guys to the next checkpoint where we decided to stop & have a couple of hours power nap, which fitted in perfectly with the moon coming up, Its amazing the difference the moon makes in the desert & this really helped Amanda with not feeling nervous & we both felt quite good the rest of the night & we kept plugging away at the miles, we also kept each other entertained with stories & trying to keep ourselves awake.

Day 2.
Today was a really tough day for both of us in the desert & we were both literally dead on our feet &  after about 40 hours & that with only a couple of hours sleep it was starting to take its toll on us, we literally had 5k to go to the checkpoint & I was falling asleep on my feet & so was Amanda, put this together with it been freezing cold, pitch black & both of us were starving, we both decided the best option was to stop & get out our sleeping bags & have a power nap.
30 mins later my alarm woke us, its amazing how just a little nap can make such a difference & we made our way to the checkpoint, the wind had got up quite bad now & we were so pleased to have our Buffs on as sand was blowing everywhere & it looked like a storm was brewing.
When we finally arrived at the checkpoint it was so nice to see 5 other competitors there & we were told that the race had now been put into lock down & no one could continue until the sandstorms had passed.
So we all had to muck in together now as there we a total of 9 of us inc Phillipa the Doc & Will the physio in a tent made for about 6, but it was cosy & we all kept warm, we also had a good 5 hour sleep and it wasn't till the early hours of the morning before they let anyone continue & the sandstorm had passed its worst.
Im pleased to say the rest had done us the world of good & we both started the day of bright & fresh, this was Amanda's best day & my worst day as the temperature was really hot & I struggle in the heat & we also  nearly ran out of water along the way.
This part of the course was also monotonous & all you could see was sand for miles & miles & which ever way the GPS sent us looked the same, we seemed to be getting nowhere fast!!!
Sometimes fate plays apart in these races & we were starting to panic as we still had about 8k left to the next checkpoint & hardly any water left between us!!
We had seen no one for hours until all of a sudden we saw a 4x4 heading towards us which Amanda decided to flag down & luckily for us there were 2 british tourists inside on a desert tour after enquiring what we were up to they kindly gave us a 2 litre bottle of water & went on there way., Im sure they don't realise how grateful we were , so thank you whoever you are & I'm sure somewhere in England there is a couple telling the story of 2 mad english women flagging there car down during there desert tour.
We found out later at the next checkpoint that quite a few competitors had run out of water & they were trying to get some water out to us but couldn't find us.
I really can't express how good we were looked after by Diaa & the rest of the bedouin crew at the checkpoints & it didn't matter what time of day or night we arrived at the checkpoints they always sprung into action to help us with hot drinks, coke or food.

The last night of the race was a really tough section & we had cliffs & mountains to go over which in the daylight may not of been so tough but when its pitch black you have to be so careful & keep a eye on each other as one wrong step could of ended in disaster.
As this was our last stage & we knew we were going to finish we had a moment where we decided to stop & turn of our head torches & lay on the sand & look at the stars. If you ever get the chance to go to the western desert you so have to do this as the sky & stars are a amazing sight & I even saw a shooting star. We also got to see the scotty dog in the sky (thanks Sarah our sports massage therapist for showing us this before the event started) If you don't know what the scotty dog is you must enter the OFR next year & ask Sarah to show you.

We then made our way to the finish over the hardest terrain ever when you have sore feet, black hard rock which went on forever, don't let anyone tell you that the white desert is just sand because it isn't & after running for 3 days + the terrain was killing my feet.
The last 1k was the longest I have ever run but also one of the most enjoyable as we could see the finish & the camp.

When we got to the finish line I think everyone was there waiting to see us & there were a few tears shed.
After all the planning , organising & literally driving everybody mad about this race we had finally finished & it was all very emotional as it was all coming to a end.
This is where you would think my blog would end but no, 45 mins after the race the heat & everything  seemed to get to me & I was back in our tent not feeling very well sick, dehydrated & generally feeling crap & I was told later that I looked awful.  Luckily the brilliant medical team of Philipa & Will looked after me, checked my blood pressure, gave me ice for my head & tablets for my sickness, generally they were brilliant for the next few hours while I was ill.
Sorry for worrying you Keith @ Fat feet but your medical team were a credit to your event.

I also feel I need to thank Matt for letting me & Amanda raid his drop bags after he retired from the race, Matt you were brilliant to me & Amanda from the moment we saw you at the start & we were both really sad when you said you were retiring from the race.
I have no doubt in my mind that next year you will get to the end & we both look forward to seeing you soon at a race in the UK or back in Egypt next year.

Nearly at the end folks sorry for going on .
Sometimes in life you need these adventures to appreciate the love of your family & friends & how much you really miss them when you are on events, I really wish that my hubby had seen some of the sights & I promise next time to take you with me.
I also feel that everyone in the race has taken something from the experience & I have realised that I can be a team player & I can listen to others instead of just looking after number 1.
Im sure that the friendships made in the desert will be life long ones and I feel honoured to have experienced the event with such lovely people who I can now call my extended family.

I also feel I must thank everyone who has helped me & Amanda with this event & we honestly couldn't of done it without the support of our family's , Friends & sponsors.
Also a massive thank you to everyone who have been good enough to sponsor me & Amanda for Macmillan Cancer Support.
This race was run in memory of some of my good running friends who are no longer with us but I'm sure they were with us in spirit in the desert.

I hope that I get the opportunity to run in this race again next year & hopefully some of my newly found friends will be there too .