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Atacama Crossing Blogs 2025

5
PostsAtacama Crossing (2025) blog posts from Jacqueline Furniss
01 April 2025 08:08 pm (GMT-04:00) Santiago
31 March 2025 08:29 pm (GMT-04:00) Santiago
Comments: Total (8) comments
Eugenie Furniss
Posted On: 01 Apr 2025 09:01 pm
Mary Gadams
Posted On: 01 Apr 2025 07:15 pm
wyn furniss
Posted On: 01 Apr 2025 06:55 pm
BILL DE FRANZA
Posted On: 01 Apr 2025 05:59 pm
Anto Galli or Babe!
Posted On: 01 Apr 2025 05:58 pm
Julie Wickenden
Posted On: 01 Apr 2025 03:05 pm
Erin O'Callaghan
Posted On: 01 Apr 2025 02:00 pm
Beatrice Furniss
Posted On: 01 Apr 2025 11:28 am
30 March 2025 08:19 pm (GMT-04:00) Santiago
Comments: Total (11) comments
Andrew Ball
Posted On: 31 Mar 2025 11:56 pm
Erin O'Callaghan
Posted On: 31 Mar 2025 08:57 pm
William Furniss
Posted On: 31 Mar 2025 07:36 pm
Chantal T
Posted On: 31 Mar 2025 04:55 pm
Anto Babe!
Posted On: 31 Mar 2025 12:26 pm
Pier Djerejian-Shiever
Posted On: 31 Mar 2025 11:31 am
Mary Gadams
Posted On: 31 Mar 2025 11:20 am
Julie Wickenden
Posted On: 31 Mar 2025 09:53 am
Liza Goodman
Posted On: 31 Mar 2025 09:08 am
William Furniss
Posted On: 31 Mar 2025 06:27 am
BILL DE FRANZA
Posted On: 31 Mar 2025 03:08 am
28 March 2025 02:06 pm (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time: Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London
The flights to get here to the edge of the Atacama were uneventful, in fact the LATAM 10 hr flight from New York was full but everyone was asleep, including me. Everything went smoothly, the transfer from International to Domenstic, getting all my weird white powders (Hammer Sustained Energy) and odd beige powders (BLUK porridge) and everything through customs- no worries. But one racer was caught by a sniffer dog for having a banana! So I think the Chileans know their powders, fruits and veg!
The drive into the desert and up into 8000 ft/ 2,500m was interesting. I bought some low dose aspirin at the airport pharmacy and it has really helped. Then Marcos, our friend from Peru who drives me to JFK, he recommended this Cacao Tea which helps with acclimitization- the local bodega by the hotel had the tea- both of these have really helped me out. Still, I have been battling my own inner demons about the race- the self-doubt and the guilt for the time and expense, it all starts weighing on me. Everyone here looks so incredibly fit and by comparison I just look MEH - can I really do this? Can I finish 250km after a 15y hiatus?
I know that this is mental, and I know I am really hard core when the chips are down. But its also physical and I have been feeling my age, especially because I have chosen not to train with any NSAIDs (no tylenol, advil, etc.) and I know every ache and pain. I have them, they move around and they are stressing me out. I could be doing something mundane like going up and down the stairs at home and feel a twang... is this like a "take down" thing or just a random one off? The worry has been overwhelming me. But today I had a breakthrough.
A racer from the USA, Kevin Hwang BIB#72 and I had breakfast together- it turns out he was also on my first race in 2008 Sahara and he remembers me! (this translates into immediate race bond) He and I went out today for a 5km run into the desert... he called it a dust off? I can't remember- anyway it was Hot, Dusty as hell, the altitude was very present and overall it really blew the cobwebs off but by the time we navigated back to the hotel, it also meant that I felt capable. I felt my mojo come back... my nerves abated. YESSSSS
The toolkit for me is to over prepare... to get acclimitized, to not over think it but to think enough that I feel ready and to take action and stop thinking. Action works. Well, here I am. I still have to measure out my breakfast.... but I feel better today than yesterday. Tonight I check-in to a new room and share with a racer so that is exciting. Race briefing is in the morning. Just about 36h to go folks!
Here is a pic of me looking very pale on the run today, copyright Kevin Hwang!
Comments: Total (7) comments
Sylvie Freund-Pickavance
Posted On: 31 Mar 2025 07:26 am
Sara Tunstall
Posted On: 30 Mar 2025 10:19 pm
William Furniss
Posted On: 30 Mar 2025 05:19 pm
Chantal T
Posted On: 30 Mar 2025 11:14 am
BILL DE FRANZA
Posted On: 29 Mar 2025 02:19 am
Julie Wickenden
Posted On: 28 Mar 2025 10:04 pm
Kevin Hwang
Posted On: 28 Mar 2025 04:52 pm
24 March 2025 04:39 pm (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time: Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London
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Comments: Total (9) comments
Victoria de Mallmann
Posted On: 02 Apr 2025 02:26 pm
Derek Hinden
Posted On: 02 Apr 2025 12:20 pm
AM Harvey
Posted On: 02 Apr 2025 10:04 am
William Furniss
Posted On: 02 Apr 2025 06:21 am
ANTO GALLI
Posted On: 02 Apr 2025 06:09 am
Pier Djerejian-Shiever
Posted On: 02 Apr 2025 02:23 am
Re Wong
Posted On: 02 Apr 2025 01:52 am
BILL DE FRANZA
Posted On: 02 Apr 2025 01:34 am
Liza Goodman
Posted On: 02 Apr 2025 12:54 am