The 2010 Gobi March Begins This Weekend!

The 2010 edition of the Gobi March is set to get underway this weekend, with more than 150 ultra-runners from around the globe descending on Urumqi, China to begin a week long stage race through the grueling environment of the Gobi Desert. 


The Gobi March is part of Racing The Planet's 4 Deserts series of ultramarathons. This one takes place in far western China in the city-oasis of Turpan, in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region. Each day will mark a stage of the race, with runners setting out in the morning carrying the supplies they will need for the day. The weather is traditionally quite warm, and dry, as you might expect from a desert race, and back in 2005, it actually reached 122ºF on one of the stages. 


At the end of each stage, the competitors will rest for the night in a tent city that is constructed for them by the race organizers. They'll have food, water and shelter while there, but once they hit the trail, it is up to them to make their way between checkpoints carrying their own gear and navigating through the open desert. The top competitors will finish the all six stages in a combined time of roughly 25 hours, but the bulk of the pack will be much further back than that. Day in and day out, this can be quite a difficult event, as the participants are essentially running nearly a marathon each day, in some of the most extreme conditions on the planet.

Maybe while their out there, they'll bump into Ripley Davenport. (And yes, I do know he's in Mongolia!)

Gobi March 2009 Starts Sunday!

The 2009 Edition of the Gobi March, part of the 4 Deserts series of ultramarathons, will begin on Sunday, when a packed field of 127 competitors will set off from Gazi Village in the Xinjiang Province of China, on a a seven day, six stage race through the Gobi Desert, one of the driest places on the planet, averaging less than 8 inches of rainfall a year.

Each of the six stages in this year's race are roughly 40km (24 miles) in length, with the exception of the grueling fifth stage, dubbed "The Long March", which will cover 79km (49 miles) through the desert. The final day, Stage 6, is a mere 12km (7.4 miles) in length however, and is largely a ceremonial finish with the top competitors crossing the finishing line together. During that stage, racers will pass through the Old City of Kashgar, This ancient portion of the city is scheduled to be destroyed soon and when next year's race returns, it'll likely be gone altogether.

Competitors in the Gobi March are expected to be completely self sufficient while out on the course, carrying all the food, water, and other supplies they will need for the day with them. The Gobi is a harsh and dangerous climate, the hottest and driest in all of China. It also holds the distinction of having the point that is the most distant from a ocean than any other on Earth. The legendary Silk Road once passed through this region as well, and portions of this year's course follow some of that route. Despite the fact that it is a barren desert, competitors will still have to deal with altitude to some degree too. The path will reach as high as 3000 meters (9800 feet) at times.

Good luck to all the competitors. Enjoy the scenery and the race!

Gobi March 08: The Long March is Over!

"The Long March" stage of this year's Gobi March staged desert race put on by Racing The Planet is over, and the results are in.

After a long, and grueling 79 km (49 mile) stage, the top of the leaderboard remains unchanged. South African Ryan Sandes retains first place, with Siu Keung Tsang of Hong Kong in second, and Chilean Juan Encina in third. Tomorrow's stage is just 12km (7.5 miles) in length, so barring any strange, unforeseen circumstances, this is how the podium will be filled. American Lia Farley is the top female racer, claiming 7th overall, and Dean Karnazies still holds on to fourth place and will finish the second stage of his Desert Grand Slam.

Todays stage was by far the longest of the event, and it wound through some rather remote areas. It is also reported that it was extremely hot for todays stage as well, which took it's toll on the field. More than 25 competitors were forced to withdraw after spending hours in the hot Gobi sun.

On a different note, if you'd like to see what one of these Racing The Planet races is like, tune in tomorrow to the Jeep World of Adventure Sports on NBC to catch a glimpse of the Racing The Planet: Vietnam race that was held a few months back. It was the first event from this organization that wasn't held in one of the 4 Deserts as they expand to other regions of the globe. The show airs at 3 PM EDT/2 CDT. Set your DVR's accordingly.

Gobi March 08 Update!

The 2008 version of the Gobi March got underway on Sunday, with 190 runners from 26 countries taking part in the stage race ultramarathon event being held near Kashgar in western China. The course winds through a remote villages, and desolate sections of the Gobi Desert along part of what was once the Silk Road, and while it's not as hot in the Gobi as it is in other deserts, it is still very dry and challenging.

After four stages, the top racer is currently Ryan Sandes of South Africa, followed by Siu Keung Tsang of Hong Kong, approximately 30 minutes back, and Juan Encina of Chile is in third roughly 42 minutes behind the leader. The top female competitor is Lia A. Farley from the United States who is in 7th place overall. American Dean Karnazes, attempting his Desert Grandslam, is currently in 4th place and about two hours and 18 minutes behind Sandes.

Tomorrow the racers will face their most challenging day of the race. The stage is dubbed "The Long March" thanks to it's 80km (49 mile) length. The latest news updates suggest that this grueling stage will determine who the overall winner is, with the top three runners all within striking distance of one another depending on conditions and how strong their legs are. The final 12km stage is generally ceremonial with the leader taking a victory lap, and most of the runners happy to just reach the finish line.

Good luck to all the runners tomorrow. The Long March will be a test of their stamina for sure. Be safe!

Gobi March 08 Begins Sunday!

The 2008 Gobi March is set to get underway this Sunday, starting from Kashgar, in the Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture of China. The race, which now enters it's 5th year, will once again follow the ancient Silk Road as competitors run through Dunhuang, Turpan, Hami and Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County.

The Gobi March is part of the 4 Deserts series of ultramarathons put on by Racing The Planet each year. This year's event will have approximately 170 competitors from 26 countries, making it the largest international sporting event in Western China. (There is a slightly bigger one taking place in Eastern China in August.)

The event, like all the races in the 4 Deserts series, are stage race ultramarathons that take place in extreme conditions. In the case of the Gobi March, the race will be six stages in length, with the longest stage, called "The Long March", being 79 kilometers or roughly 49 miles. At it's peak, the competitors will be as high as 3000 meters (9842 feet), and unlike the general perception of a desert, the Gobi can be quite cold at times, although it remains mostly dry, averaging just 7 inches of rain per year.

One of the top contenders to win this year's event is the Ultramarathon Man himself Dean Karnazes. Dean is hoping to complete the Desert Grandslam, in which he'll run in the Atacama Crossing, Gobi March, Sahara Race, The Last Desert, and the Badwater Ultra all in the same year. He has already completed, and won, the Atacama Crossing, and if successful in his quest, he'll be the first man to complete the 4 Deserts and Badwater in the same year.

Next week I'll post updates from the event. Should be another great race.

Karnazes Goes For "Desert Grand Slam"

A few days ago I mentioned that Dean Karnazes had won the 2008 Atacama Crossing and that he intended to become the first man to complete all of the 4 Deserts Marathons in a single calendar year. Well, according to this story over at Trailspace.com , Dean has added yet one more desert to his list, as he attempts the "Desert Grand Slam".

In addition to the Atacama, which he has just finished, he'll head to China for the Gobi March in June, The Sahara in October, and wrap things up with The Last Desert Marathon in Antarctica in November. That will complete the "4 Deserts". But in July he'll turn his sights on The Badwater Ultra held annually in Death Valley.

Karnaze's corporate sponsor North Face has put together an official Desert Grand Slam website to provide more info, including a link to Dean's blog on the events.

The "Desert Grand Slam" seems a bit contrived to me, but then again, the 4 Deserts and The Badwater are five really tough races, and anyone who competes at a high level in any of those events is a talented runner, let alone all five of them in one year. With a win in the Atacama already under his belt, Dean is off to a good start. One thing that is clear though, he sure doesn't mind suffering a bit in the races he chooses.

Gobi Ramblings from Terri!

As promised, Terri Schneider has updated her blog over at MountainZone.com with more thoughts on the recently completed Gobi March. This recent post is a nice wrap-up of the event, and how it effected Terri, both as a racer, and a person. Very insightful. And when you're done reading the blog, you can check out her photos from the race!

I have to say, I greatly enjoyed Terri's blog during the race. I've followed the Gobi March for several years, first discovering it through television coverage on the National Geographic Channel, but this put a more personal spin on the event, and let us get inside the head of one of the racers. Hopefully Terri will be taking part in some of the other Racing The Planet events. After all, we're only 40 days away from the Atacama Crossing!

More on The Gobi March

Terri Schneider has once again updated her blog on the Gobi March, this time with results, and thoughts on the race. The Gobi March finished up last weekend, but Terri hadn't updated her blog in the past few days, so I was watching it with interest. It seems that it was a long, grueling race, but very rewarding as well. She promises to post a wrap-up when she's home safe and sound, so I'll post on it when she does. Oh, and congratulations are in order for Terry, who was the second woman to cross the finish line at the Gobi, despite losing time due to illness.

Gobi March: It's Over!

The Gobi March 2006 is officially over, and this years winner is South Korean Ahn Byeung Sik, who pretty much lead the entire way. You can find all the updates and news from the race over at the Racing The Planet webiste. For a more personal insight into the race, I'd recommend, as I did all last week, that you read Terri Schneider's Blog over at MountainZone.com. Terri hasn't updated it since last week, so I'm hoping she'll post at least one more time on her thoughts on the race and how things finished up. I don't see Terri's name on the final standings list, so let's hope she's safe and sound and feeling better.

Gobi March: Terri's on the mend!

Terri Schneider has once again updated her blog from the Gobi March and it sounds like she's over some of the sickness she encountered yesterday, and racing better today. Today's leg is 50km in length, and was warmer than other recent legs. It also sounds like the course is extremely challenging and scenic. I'd love to do an event like this, but with my continuing issues with shin splints, I can barely run three or four miles, let alone thirty at the moment.

I've enjoyed reading the updates from RacingthePlanet.com this week, but I've actually found Terri's blog to be much more personal and interesting. I can't wait to see how she finishes up. At the moment, South Korean Byeung Sik Ahn remains in the lead.

Terri Schneider Blog Update

Terry Schneider has updated her blog from the Gobi March again today, and it sounds like she's having the best time and worst time of her life. The scenery sounds amazing, and the trail through the Gobi seems challenging and rewarding, but she's also had a bout of intestinal discomfort that sounds pretty bad. I can't imainge trying to run like that while she's so sick, but hopefully a good nights rest will put her back on the mend for tomorrow, which is another 50km day.

I had a bout of "intestinal discomfort" similar to this a few years ago while visiting Egypt. We dubbed it the Curse of the Pharaohs, and lets just say it was one of the worst experiences of my life. Don't get me wrong, Egypt is an amazing place, and I loved every minute of my time there, but a word of warning. If you plan to go, don't eat at the Cairo Sheraton. You'll wish death would come for you. ;)

Sandstorms in the Gobi

Today's update on the Gobi March says that the scheduled 80km stage was shortened by 20km due to high winds and sandstorms. It sounds like conditions are pretty rough out there. South Korean Ahn Byeung Sik continues to lead the way through this stage. You can get the full Daily Update here.

Gobi March Update!

As reported last week, the Gobi March is well underway, with high winds reported out on the course, and competitors struggling through the first stages of the ultramarathon. You can get daily updates from the Racing The Planet website. At this moment, 32 year old South Korean Byeung Sik Ahn leads the race, with four stages still to go.

For a more personal account of the race, be sure to read Terri Schneider's blog over at MountainZone.com.

Gear for Gobi!

As I mentioned earlier, the Gobi March kicks off in two days, and Terri Schneider has updated her blog with insight and information on the gear she'll be using for the race. Amongst the various items she'll be taking with her, are a Gregory hydration pack, Montbell sleeping bag, and various other items such as a head lamp, space blanket, signaling mirror, and other essential items found on these types of races. If you're planning a stage ultra like Gobi, or an adventure race, this may give you an idea on what to take. Oh, and don't forget to check out her previous post on preparing for the Gobi March.

Gobi March Set to Begin

The stage race, ultramarathon known as the Gobi March is set to begin on Sunday, and the official site claims that all the competitors and volunteers are in place at the start of the race. It's 77 degrees F there today, which means it's comfortable, but very dry. The website will be making live updates throughout the week as the race winds it's way across the 140 mile course. I'll keep you posted on any major news from the event, and who the eventual winners are. Good luck to everyone. Race safe!

Gobi March Begins in Five Days!

We're just five days from the start of the Gobi March, a 150 mile, stage race which is run over 7 days in China's Gobi Desert. The race is known for it's demanding conditions, and grueling courses. Of course, I'll be updating on the race once it is underway, but you can find out more about it, as well as it's companion races, at RacingThePlanet.com

Oh, and if you want to know more about what kind of person runs this type of race, and how they prepare, you may find Terri Schneider's Blog interesting.