OK – today was hot! Maybe not the 50 degrees that everyone talks about but it is getting up there. And the fact that 90% of the stage was on either sand or salt flats probably made things hotter.
But with all that sand you learn how to run in it – as if you were walking on thin ice – small light steps on fresh sand dunes, don’t run where others have run and once you get the technique it is kinda fun.

We even had this huge dune [500 m] that we got to run down – very cool!!!! i found this way to ski it – that was A LOT OF FUN.

And then you have the salt/mud flats. Basically dried out lake beds that are 5 km wide. White, cracked, salt flats actually looks like ice. You can see the other side but it is in the heat simmers that you see in the movies. Very surreal to see the next runner 1/2 km in front of you as only a black mirage in the distance.

Overall still having an AMAZING time – despite the dust/dirt/grime. The wind only comes up at night to blow sand into our tent! It is Fun! scott LYM