Update From Atacama

Our first stage, day one was good, but it wasnt easy on Reena (on altitude) but she kept up ahead of cut off times. 

Our tent partners were a great bunch, mostly from mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

On stage two, day two, Reena was feeling better. We made some good progress to CP1. But after first check point on the table top, we (and 16 of us) missed the marker down to the great dune, and went about a mile down the top and retraced back, losing quite a bit of time. We made it to CP2 just minutes after cutoff and none of the 16 of us were allowed to go further. Among us who got cutoff was lady from China who had finished three ultras this year and two folks from Japan who had multiple ultras in their belt. Reena and another lady from Hong Kong were the only two first timers who were cutoff.

We are now in San Pedro.  Feel bummed - but had a great time just being there and doing it with Reena. With an almost quarter century of partnership in an almost half century of individual innings, we are gong to celebrate our 22nd today in San Pedro. Whats a week more of suffering  to suffering of 22 years :) (that and the fact we were going to celebrate it running under the Blood Moon sold it for Reena a year ago). We might go to Patanal observatory, take a night observatory tour, see the lunar eclipse, maybe go to Bolivia to visit Salar de Uyuni -- and decide when and how (on the logistics) of getting back soon.

Final week

Winding down and fully packed. Feel strong and looking forward to it - with a host of friends and family ready to lend support to the kids. 

This is the link to send me and Reena email -  http://www.4deserts.com/atacamacrossing/email

More from Atacama when we get there.

Six Weeks To Atacama

Six Weeks To Atacama

I can't believe how quickly the time has gone, as the the countdown to the Atacama crossing is fast approaching us. It will be deja vu for me getting to the start. I had to terminate the race last year after a fall after about 75+miles. This year will be different. Reena will be there with me all through ups and downs of 250+km of the desert.

We have been training through our week and weekends as an when schedules of two crazy kids allows us. Reena has pushed the training schedule aggressively and has nicely tested every detail (the socks, the shoes, the gaitors, the sunglasses, the music, the food, the hydration mix...), increasing the training volume and intensity, but now the focus of the countdown phase is to stay healthy and avoid injury. We are wearing our shoes out (my last year shoes have 500miles, Reena has 250miles on her shoes) and we need to decide quickly if we should purchase new shoes.

San Pedro De Atacama is a wonderful place, just like the Cuzco and the Kathmandu for base for exploration. The night sky is just gorgeous. We are looking forward to it.