Stage 5

Stage 5

11.5km+20.4km (split)

Time: 1.20+ ?(Can't remember)

Alarm goes off at 4:45am. That's considered a sleep in! The expedition category does the first 11.5km, then gets bussed to the 20.4km start where the Adventure category joins us. Four woman are left in the expedition category-and I'm one of them!!! Today's a hot one and the almost 2hr break between runs doesn't help me in any way. Five minutes into race number two and my legs are just not there. They feel so heavy. Plus its 35+C as we start up "death shit prickle Mtn." as Jen calls it. We're getting scratched up. That's not a problem. Its the climb in that heat. I'm getting dizzy, and trying hard not to puke, but this seemingly small Mtn. climb just isn't ending. Not sure I've ever been so hot, and just when I am about to puke we reach the top. Its breezy and in the shade. I take a minute to cool down, and drink. Then its time for the descent down "death shit prickle Mtn." I'm feeling good, trying not to touch any thorny branches (we were warned ahead of time not to touch anything), when I hear the buzz, and feel the hot electricity of a bee/wasp clinging to my eyelid. I pull it off and immediately realize I need to get off "death shit prickle Mtn." before I swell up! I rip through to the bottom, dying of thirst, and PC#1 is out of water. So I trudge on to PC #2. I take it easy as its hot and I'm waterless. See tons of Monkeys on the way to PC#2! I know the finish is on the beach today, so I keep running in hopes of seeing the beach! I'm pretty stoked to run along the sand to the finish. Absolutely beautiful! My eye doesn't swell! Perfect! I finally have a decent shower, and take the fly off my tent so I can stare at the star filled sky, and listen to the ocean waves. I'm so lucky!