Digging Deep On Low Fuel

Day 2 Blog: Digging Deep On Low Fuel

After a relaxing afternoon in camp, we fuelled up and took in the surroundings. We spend most of the time with our tent buddies Mark, Harry, Mark H, Digby, Nathan and Paul. We also have the boys next door Chip, Craig and Dr Steve. It’s a solid crew with lots of banter. I think the Welshman comes out worse off most of the time.

We bed down at 8pm to get as much recovery sleep as possible. Day 2 is set to be a quick one. They have reduced the stage to 31km and added 10km to the long day taking it to 90km.

After a quick breakfast of oats, frooze balls and a coffee whilst reading my card for the morning from my amazing wife, Emma. It’s a pick me up and lovely way to stay connected whilst being so far away.

We line up and the gun goes. The pace is set at a lightning speed. The top 4 take off with Aussie, David chasing them down. Blake and I settle into a chase group pace with Gautier, a French 100km and 100mile specialist from Lyon. Stage one is a moderate stage and we keep the hammer down the whole time. Up and down the hills and especially on the flats.

We fly through checkpoint 1 and I’m sucking down tailwind and stingers as I’m feeling the energy deplete. We then hit the hills. They are brutal and we try to keep the pace up. Gautier drops off the back as the heat starts to rise leaving Blake and I to punch on. That’s when I start to fall apart. The lack of calories for breakfast and the blistering pace in the first section comes back to haunt me. I crash, hard. I keep pressing on with Blake setting the pace whilst I shove shot blocks, tailwind and endurolytes in to try and get the energy reserves up. A good 45mins of digging deep on a very hilly section and I start to see the light. My energy starts to pick up and we start to head down the hill to checkpoint 2. 

We hit checkpoint 2 and fill up quickly before heading along the railway tracks towards camp for the night. We set in to a steady pace and start making ground on a competitor ahead of us. 5km in, we catch him. It’s David, the Aussie from 7th place the day before. He was hurting too. We picked him up and he jumped on the back as we rolled into the camp for the night. A tough day done. So 5,6,7th place all finishing together (depending on who got the timing chip cleared first).

An afternoon of recovery ahead. I need to sort my food strategy out and make sure I start the 3rd day with enough calories in the tank to carry me through.

A special mention to my sister as it’s her birthday today. Sorry I can’t be there.

Sending my love to my girls back home. Emma the amazing wife and mum to Maela the sweetest princess I have ever met and Camille the most daring and loving princess I have ever met.

Till tomorrow.

You can’t miss Rich in his ‘hot pants’. Middle one.

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3 Responses to “Digging Deep On Low Fuel”

  1. Holy crap you guys are amazing! In awe of what you’re achieving. Well done for hanging in there. You’ve got this bro! xxx The foo’s

  2. Just amazing Rich, how you got through that low period & battled on, is what you are all about…… much respect!

  3. Rich – you are amazing and an inspiration – mind blowing what you are doing!!!!

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