Stage 1 : 33KThe first 13K of the stage was on the flat. The ground was uneven but firm and I was feeling fine. In the distance were towering sand dunes that shimmered like silk; they turned out to be the next part of the route and stunning though

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

for the third consecutive year in 2010 completing the total distance in 19:55:08, has won four MdS titles. The most successful British competitor is double Olympic gold medalist James Cracknell who finished 12th in 2010. You may have seen the documentary aired

with the orchestra, so we've had a concert, eaten the last of the emergency peanut M&Ms and used all the stove fuel for cups of tea. Tomorrow we have 17K to complete the race. It sounds like a tiny distance compared with what we've faced every day up to now, but my

TW: When did you first race in Kona?SN: It's my fifth start. I was an age grouper in 2006 when I was still working then. I went full time in 2007 and won Ironman UK, which was a much better result than I expected. This will be my fifth Ironman

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...).

the money goes to charity. Two places are auctioned, but they can go for anything up to $60,000. What’s your goal in Hawaii?I would love to beat my time from 1987. At Ironman Switzerland last year I beat that time by 20 minutes so I’m hopeful that I can do

that the only way is up.Stronger For LongerHill running offers a great total-body workout that will protect against stresses and strains. "I pick up fewer injuries when I train on hills," says Angela Mudge, Buff Skyrunner World Champion in 2006 and 2007. "The

At the age of 18, Hollie Avil represented Great Britain at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Four years on, she’s trying to make the team again. We caught up with her in Sydney recently.How is your training going?I’ve been training on the Gold Coast

heat with the humidity in the UK."Tim Don, 2006 ITU World Champion"At the 2005 World Championships in Japan I collapsed on the run through heat exhaustion. The lake was about 30°C, which I didn't take into consideration. Also, the bike was harder than I