Day Five Of The MDS

What an awful day! A marathon stage, over 2 jebels and flat across a vast open plain. The heat was immense, it hit 51.4c!!

I set off at a quick pace, feeling really good in a light breeze. Then after 18km the wind died and the heat went mental. It was so hard to keep going. I ran my best day so far but at what cost? I'm afraid to find out.

For the first time I ran out of water 3km before each checkpoint and had to walk to keep my temperature and pain down. It was a very emotional run today. Seeing the bivouac come into view round a hill I turned into a blubbering wreck for the final 2km. Last night in the desert tonight, and we have an orchestra flown in! Looking forward to feeling some good British rain on my return.

Thanks for watching on the webcam, sorry I was such a wreck today.

144miles done, 11 little ones tomorrow.

Thanks for all messages, they helped a lot today.

Day Four Of The MDS

Well I survived the long day! It was 35C at 9am yesterday and like that from 12-4pm. It hit 45C yesterday in the shade, but we got 55C in sunlight. I have been slowing this week to get stage four done. I marched most of the course, and then ran the last 10k. Pretty quick too! It was 2am and, with only a head torch to go by, was quite dodgy but they had a massive laser in the sky to follow.

So glad of a rest day today. I've lost a lot of weight and need to eat, but my stomach has not been good. I plan to fuel up today and go for it tomorrow. I want to enjoy it too, so I'm not going to kill myself. I've seen so many people in a really bad way!!!

No words can describe what this is like, it's not just the run/walking. I have sand EVERWHERE! My nose is bleeding all the time with the dry and the dust! Four blisters now and feel like I've been hit by a train! I hurt everywhere!

There is a big delay in getting messages and I can't reply yet, but I am keeping them all.  Thanks everyone who has sent me a message, they really help.

Day Three Of The MDS

Wow, I feel like I've been hit by a truck! I'm slowing down a little, but the weather is just brutal!

It hadn't been too hot until today but very windy and sandblasted. The heat has come back with a vengeance now though.

Big day tomorrow, the 82km stage. I  feel sick all the time and can't stomach the food. I plan to do whole stage in one helping. It'll be something like 20hrs!

I'm getting all of your e-mails, so thanks, they really help when I hit a low point. This is the toughest ever MDS, 17 people are out already. There will be more tomorrow.

You can watch me on the live webcam at http://www.darbaroud.com/webcam/26mds_webcam_index.php from around 5:30am UK time.

Keep the money rolling in, I'm doing this all for charity!

No words can descibe this!