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Gobi March Blogs 2026
4
PostsGobi March (2026) blog posts from Nick Bartlett
26 June 2026 06:00 pm (GMT+08:00) Irkutsk, Ulaan Bataar
Its hard to measure what 'best' is, so for this example lets just take it as reaction to an experience in the now.
After the rest day following the long march, I'd slept well (watch said an 86, i was well chuffed) eaten OK and probably enjoyed waaaay to many painkillers.
Day 5, the last real push. 40km's, leaving 7 tomorrow to get the big finish line. Straight out of camp it was a straight 11km to checkpoint one, flat across the plains but this time with river crossings to really test your blisters. Checkpoint two sent us west, with a hint of what was to come as the pitch of the course started to head upward.
And now before us were valleys of green. At first inspection you could have thought it was Switzerland but then as it got steeper there were trees, there were flowers, there were Gers(Yerts) and wildlife and animals everywhere. There are no fences, no walls anywhere - there are herds of horses running around you, kids under 10 riding in wooden saddles whooping and hollering alongside you at breakneck speed (them not me). The course got steeper, the surrounding greener, goats, cows, more horses just everywhere - the landscape, untouched, just needed a dinosaur to come over the ridge and snaffle a few beasts to set the scene off perfectly.
Then I stopped looking, started panting and realised the flags ahead of me where all sequentially above my head, everything was getting steep - getting to the top, I heard cockoos, saw eagles and then checkpoint three - 8km's to the finish line and at every turn the local children look on in wonder and shout 'helllo's' and 'goodbye's' thinking its the funniest thing they've ever heard. Makes me miss my kids.
Pace good, body still working (just) and there it is, the finish line. Its a sense of relief and elation very hard to explain. One big river crossing and I was there in 5 hours and 40 minutes of the best running experience of my life.
23 June 2026 04:00 pm (GMT+08:00) Irkutsk, Ulaan Bataar
Hills, Steep hills. Sand, lots of sand. Big sandy hills....you get the picture. Although we were teased with less kilometres today (37), the course threw us some real humdingers. Straight out of camp and a scramble climb over not one but two steep passes. Then slowly the path became more and more sandy until it was just that. From the top of the pass you could see in the distance the sand dunes glinting in the sun and yes, an hour later we were climbing up and whooping and hollering our way down them.
The wildlife is just incredible. Two wild camels were in camp this morning, a herd of wild horses swept in front of us on one of the trails and I got buzzed by an eagle as I was running for the finish line. (The dung beetles are still my favourite)
A long way to go and tomorrow is the long march. 80km's, carrying our packs into the night. It brings a nervous excitement into the camp and a sense of apprehension. But we've now got 120km's behind us and bodies are holding firm.
We do these things to challenge ourselves, to get a sense of whats possible, to unpick everyday life so that when we come back, we've gained just a little bit more perspective on the world, the kindness of people and just how damn lucky we are to have the people waiting for us at home.
Comments: Total (2) comments
Mum and Mark Tubbs
Posted On: 23 Jun 2026 09:19 am
Great work and thanks for the blog. You are really bringing it to life
Big day tomorrow. We know you will do it
Lots of love ?
Saz Dottie & Kit
Posted On: 23 Jun 2026 09:09 am
These people at home love you very much and are waiting somewhat patiently for you xxxx
22 June 2026 06:13 pm (GMT+08:00) Irkutsk, Ulaan Bataar
OK, I gave myself a stern talking to when I woke up. Yesterday was a shock and one that I should have known was coming. Head wasn’t right, leading to legs not being right, leading to internal doubt and debate.
But today is a new day - woke up with the right head on. Today I was having it. When you’re in the right headspace you get to look up and enjoy what’s in front of you. It hard to put into words the vastness and the beauty of the Mongolian plain. The hills and mountains roll all around you and the valleys and plains don’t have a tree on them making the horizon roll serenely, uninterrupted.
It was faster today, it kicked off with a steep climb up the side of one of these beautiful hills (not so beautiful when your nose is 10 inches off the floor as you haul yourself up it) but getting to the top was the final reset of the brain - and then the rest of the 42 kilometers was a mixture of heart pounding climbs and legs out of control descents. 10km’s from the finish line we have some cold rain to add some righteousness to the run, a few dogs enjoyed themselves by running and barking at the runners and then we were across the finish line.
The suns out and this community of runners are now clapping their colleagues across the finish line all through the afternoon. I had to revert to some music to get me home and yes Chesney…. I am the one and only!
Comments: Total (3) comments
Sam Fanshawe
Posted On: 22 Jun 2026 05:01 pm
You do have a blog and I am loving - even if I did have to set it up for you :). Cant' believe Chesney is your go-to tune - maybe to make you run faster so that you don't have to keep listening. Hope your head stays positive for tomorrow.
Hannah Graves
Posted On: 22 Jun 2026 11:48 am
Greetings from the London office! We gave a 'where is Nick' status at the Monday morning meeting. Well done on Stage 2!!
VML Health UK
Roger Clark
Posted On: 22 Jun 2026 11:22 am
Smashing it mate. Enjoy and don’t forget the Vaseline!! Ouch. You can do it big man. Love Rog x
21 June 2026 09:32 pm (GMT+08:00) Irkutsk, Ulaan Bataar
Well, that was a shock to the system. It always amazes me that you put yourself in front of as many scenarios as possible before you do these things and still there is nothing that prepares you.
Firstly, we all made it. We’re here in beautiful Mongolia, being awed by the size, the rawness, the reality of its vast emptiness and its amazing people.
I’ve just got into camp 2 having completed the 41km’s set out for us today. It was not a kind entry to the rest of the week. Rolling hills turning into steep ascents that slapped me round the face and told me to wake up and pay attention. Then a flat bit, nice, i thought of the racing snake Olaf Westernack who would have eaten it up but then a salty swamp with hillocks you had to skip over. Next, a mongolian graveyard (which was cool) but then rolling climbs, never delivering the sweat release of a finish line……i could have cried when I saw it (always get emosh doing these things).
Lots of running wildlife. I actually saw three beetles rolling some dung along (a first for me) locusts and lizards buzzed out my way but the eagles, when I got to the summit of the big climb were the coolest (even though at first i thought they were vultures, judging that i was clearly on my last legs and circling with anticipation.
A few things to change up for tomorrow but hopefully my running brain will be fully charged and ready to go.
(Love to Jess, Joe, Dot & Kit on Fathers day - thanks for my cards gang, that got me going too - see emosh!)
Comments: Total (1) comments
Roberto Rivola
Posted On: 30 Jun 2026 06:37 am