. Today was really tough; tomorrow we face 38K.Find out the story behind Alison's MdS attempt in her first blog entry.

At just 17.5K, the final stage of the 26th Marathon des Sables was the shortest by far but still proved to be challenging. It was another hot day - although once the temperature rises above 40C it's hard to differentiate between simply hot and blisteringly boiling. In a departure...

of them.My running historyLike many runners, I didn't discover running until my late twenties when I became senior writer at Runner's World in 2004. Since then I've completed 16 marathons, from Beirut to Bhutan, Nice to New Orleans, and have run the London

Stage 5: 42KToday was the marathon stage of the race. I managed to run the first half - I'd become bored with walking and wanted to test myself, but at the second checkpoint, at the 24K-mark, and with the temperature hovering around 50C, I took a break and never really got going ...

. There are triathletes from all round the world. I think the town of Kona is pretty sleepy the rest of the year too so that contrast over race weekend is exciting. The chaos created by the race is good fun. Everyone checks each other out in training.On race day

You've followed Triathlete's World Editor Alison's Marathon des Sables blog over the last week, and now she's back with some stunning pictures which show off the dramatic backdrop to this epic week-long desert race (and her bandaged feet...).

Triathlete’s World around to give people specialist advice so you really did just have to learn from your mistakes, but you learned quickly. Even if you do read up on the sport, the best way to learn is by experience. I’d also encourage all triathletes

together a guide to conquering open water. From techniques you can practise in the pool, to how to survive the swim start, we’ve got it covered.Each newsletter will also help you to fine tune your training thanks to insider advice from world champion

, faster triathlete."Hills make you tough and give you confidence," says Team GB running coach Nick Anderson. "If you can work for 10 minutes uphill, then working for 10 minutes on the flat will seem easier." Follow these climbing tips and you'll discover

with my coach Michelle Dillon and her squad of triathletes since the start of January. We’ve all come to Sydney for the first race in the ITU World triathlon Series. Unfortunately I couldn’t race because I’m recovering from a couple of stress fractures