Ryan’s Journey

Ryan Sandes wins the Atacama Crossing 2010

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The Atacama Desert Wrap Up!


I have just got back to the hotel in San Pedro….so good to shower and brush my teeth again – the fur on my teeth was getting outta control!


I needed to run a sub 42:00 10km on the last stage to finish the Atacama Desert race in under 24hours… We started at 1pm today and I knew I had to go as hard as I could from the start… There were a couple of really steep climbs to start off with and I was behind target pace but then the course headed onto a gravel road and I could up the tempo. I kept looking at my watch to check the time….was I going to make it!!??


Then there it was…I saw the finish line…I sprinted in in under 42min and managed to finish the race in under 24 hours and win the 2010 Atacama Desert Race. Three deserts down and now only the “Last Desert” to go in November…. Whooo Hooo!!


The last week was an awesome experience; the Atacama Desert is one of the most beautiful places I have run in but the conditions were brutal! The hard training seemed to pay off and I am super stoked with the way things have gone… Off to the awards banquet now and then I fly to France tomorrow for Salomon Advance Week.


A huge thanks to my sponsors / “dream givers”; Velocity Sports Lab (Thanks Trev!!!!), Salomon Sports, Oakley, Suunto, Imazine and Hammer Nutrition. My achievements over the past week would not have been possible without you guys, thanks for all the support!!


Thanks to everyone for your messages of support…they helped me keep going forward when my legs wanted to stop!!


Cheers
Ryan


Pic Credit: Dean Leslie/ The African Attachment www.wanderingfever.com

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