It's hard to believe that we have been running for 5 days straight.

The day started out late, our wakeup was around 7:00, not late out of kindness on behalf of the race staff, but out of the need to work with mother nature. We had to be sure the tide was out so we could complete the days run. The mood of the pack was a mixture of relief, joy, and maybe a touch of sadness. The relief was from the fact we were almost done, and today was the last 18.5 km of the race. Joy from the fact that nearly everyone had made it this far, but sad to know that all the new friends and experiences were soon go our separate ways. It isn't often that you meet such a diverse international crowd of runners that come together for a week to punish themselves, and pay for the privilege at that.

Mother nature had shown us an amazing sight this morning. It started with a few people on the beach pointing at the sand and making some comments so I grabbed my camera and headed down to see what it was. There had been a turtle nest and at least 3 of the little guys had dug their way out of the sand and were headed down to the water. It was interesting to see the little 2 1/2 inch baby turtles struggling over each little mound of sand in their first 40 foot trek to the beach. Several of their brothers and sisters had not been so lucky and hadn't made it much farther than the nest, but all three of these guys eventually made it to the water with a large cheering section to encourage them along the way.

As we got close to the 9:00 AM start, we gathered on the beach for the final countdown. I was a little worried about todays run as I didn't eat much last night, and was a little dehydrated from some intestinal discomfort. Hopefully it would hold off long enough to get to the end. As we started for the final time we headed up the same beach and road we came down yesterday. The sand was reasonably hard, and made for decent running, but I was feeling weak and knew it would take all I had to make it to the finish. The first half of the run took us along more dirt roads like we had seen the last couple of days, the best part being that there was no major elevation gains to be had. I hit the days only CP and was treated to ice cold water, and even offered a cold beer. I am ashamed to admit I did not have a beer, as my stomach was still uncomfortable and I was already struggling to keep up with the runners around me. Excuses, excuses, I'll drink one when I get home.

About 15 minutes after leaving the CP, I caught sight of the tour buses and a large crowd down by the beach. I was really hoping for the finish, but I knew it was too soon and we hadn't done any coasteering yet. While not the finish, it was the start of our short coasteering section. We scrambled over sections of rocky beach, making our way along the coast and this was one of the few times of the day that I felt good. I had to concentrate on foot placement because one wrong step would mean shredded palms or knees, or both. It was a great little section, my only complaint is that I could have done more of along the coast. As it was, we left the beach onto another dirt road. At this point I couldn't see anyone ahead of me, my legs were heavy, and I was questioning whether I could even make it the last several km. The road took an upward turn and wound out of view, and I cursed it. I was so close, but couldn't even muster a run.

After what seemed like an eternity, I crested the hill and found the strength to slowly jog down the hill. I quickly caught a glimpse of a thached roof rising above the trees, this must be the finish. My pace quickened as I knew I was nearly done. I reached a small intersection and headed straight towards the resort. I heard a voice coming from the grass saying turn left. What? The resort was in front of me. I didn't want to run away from the finish. reluctantly I backtracked a bit and turned left. I could hear the cheering, but couldn't see the line. As I reached the beach I saw the flagging tape and turned back towards the resort and the finish line. Ahead I saw the finish banner being held across the path and the cheering section. The last 30 yards was a struggle as I wanted to finish strong, but didn'[t have it in me. I barely could raise my arms as I crossed the line and quickly found a shady spot to lay down.

After a few minutes of recovery a flood of relief passed over me. After 220 km of running, several blistered toes, muscle aches and pains, heat and sunburn I was finished. I had blisters on my skin where I had burned previously, but I didn't care. We were sitting at a resort on the sea with a view of the ocean and Nicaragua. The pool is refreshingly cool, and they have cold beverages. Staying here a few days might not be so bad. Alas, I have to make it back to San Jose to catch a plane back to the states.

Stay tuned for a final blog entry when I get a little more recovery and am able to walk normally again. It's been a great trip, but I haven't had much time to reflect yet. Right now, I've got to go get lunch.

Peter