Marathon des Sables Stage 4: Update from Nick

No words from Ash herself today, this being the long stage. However the great news is she has just reached checkpoint 4 of 7. The distance she has travelled today in 12 hours is a little more than she has been doing in 9 or so hours so up to now, so she is taking it a little slower and I am sure the fatigue must also have kicked in. She is doing great though and she will know she is over half way through this double marathon day now. I’m sure that plus the promise of a rest day and a coke in the morning will spur her on to get through the next 4 sections. Each is 10km long with a checkpoint in between.
She will have been travelling in the dark with a headtorch for the last couple of hours, it must be incredible in all that blackness save for the stars and a long snake of limping competitors. As to when she will get in, those of you who have not caught her on the webcam, you probably have a shot at it tomorrow morning. If she doesn’t lose too much pace or fall asleep she’ll be coming through sometime in the early hours so set your alarm. I’m not sure how big her smile will be!
The other good news is that whilst she has been away she has doubled her target of rescuing 5 kids with Restart Africa. She is now well on the way to 11 lives that will be changed – incredible!
Hopefully more news in the morning.