Atacama Crossing 2015 – Stage Five

9 October 2015

Greetings from Camp 6 at the end of stage 5

The Long March is done and dusted – 75km in 12hours. It was a long day in a very strong wind, mostly blowing straight in our faces.

The terrain covered everything the Atacama has to offer – water/swamp within the first 5km, then salt mushrooms, sand and stones, massive salt plains, a 500m sand dune, then through a lunar landscape, and then the wind from about 35km onwards.

Ryan was not able to run as a result of the blisters on his feet, so it was a long day on my own. But I kept moving the whole time, motivated by idea that this was my final 4deserts stage. Finishing in 22nd position for the stage was just a bonus.

Ryan finished after midnight, sore but in good spirits, and all my tent mates also finished through the night. The last runners finished at about 10h00 this morning.

It is now almost 12h00 on Friday afternoon and the camp site is full of very sore and tired runners, but everyone is also happy and relieved that the race is over. Tomorrow morning we have an 8km stroll into San Pedro and then the celebrations will start!!!!

Thanks for all the emails and comments. Will share all the stories when I’m back home.

Finally, please continue to visit http://www.sunflowerfund.org.za to learn more about the work of The Sunflower Fund and how you can support them.

Signing off from the Atacama!

David

PS – Dalene, Armand en Anroux, kan nie wag om julle Maandag te sien nie.

(This blog was first published on the 4Deserts website)