We're all back safe and sound in Hanoi eating, drinking, and generally being merry about coming out the other end of "Mudfest 2008".

The last and final 13km stage wasnt without some curve balls. Many of the locals had removed the course markings and were using them as hair ribbons, cell phone carriers, and front yard orniments. Naturally a number of us got lost, so we had to do some creative route finding in order to reach the finish. Once there, we were ushered to the luxurious Sapa Spa for a shower followed by an incredible 5 course meal at the nearby resort. Bliss!

I've had some time to reflect on the whole experience, and have to say that despite the horrendous conditions, I came away with a piece of Vietnam that no tourist will likely ever obtain. I feel the pulse of Vietnam in my heart and know that the culture, the area and the friends made during this time make up a very exciting and fulfilling chapter in my life.

Lastly, I'd like to thank Ray Zahab for his incredible coaching abilities. Without his help over the past year, I would not have accomplished 2nd place in this race. Whether you are serious about reaching your athletic goals, would simply like to fine tune what you already have, or are looking for a way to get started, Ray is your man. http://rayzahab.com/

I will continue my 'daily reflections' about Vietnman on my personal blog: http://maislen.blogspot.com.

If you have pictures from the race, or would like to drop a note to say hi please email me at: maislen@hotmail.com

Good luck to everyone competing in Atacama and hope to see many of you next year in Namibia!

After a wonderful night at the guest house, we started the next 30k stage with a bang. The course went virtually straight up and continued to do for what seemed like forever. I find that running through villages with my shorty running shorts makes almost every local stop, stare and laugh so I decided to tie my rain jacket and wrap it around my legs to minimize the distraction (and embarrassment). It worked

It was another tough day today but not nearly as brutal as the past couple of days. We still had plenty of mud but only for about 7k vs 50. I am getting pretty worn down and tired mentally and physically. It gets harder and harder to get motivated to run each day, but somehow you just get up and do it. Many of us are looking forward to the last stage tomorrow but I know we will also miss everything we have experienced (in a twisted sort of way).

This has been an epic event in every way and I hope everyone out there has had fun following along. Even though we are participating in the event, its hard to know what you are seeing and reading about.

Once we arrive to the finish line tomorrow, we will have time to shower and board the train back to Sapa. I probably wont be able to post anything until I reach Hanoi .

More soon!

Sorry for the rather abrupt post this morning but wanted to quickly let you know how things are going. Which in short, was not well.

Right now we've just completed a 30k leg and are at a local Homestay which is like a 5 star hotel compared to our daily accommodations. We've been able to wash the mud off of our bodies, wash our clothes, clean up our shoes, and tonight we even get to sleep on mattresses! I feel moderately human again.

So the past couple of days have been really, really difficult. I've been reduced to tears and screaming obscenities more than I like to admit, and was ready to call it quits today. The mud has worn down everyone's spirits and is unlike anything I've experienced. I thought coming from the NorthWest the mud wouldn’t phase me, but it's broken me down mentally, physically and emotionally. When it's not ankle deep sucking off your shoe, it's slicker than ice and virtually impossible to navigate on 2 feet. You're being thrown around like a rag doll, slipping and sliding in every possible way, falling, being laughed at by the locals, and getting absolutely caked. It's all over your bag, clothes, skin, and there's no way to wash it off at camp. We're living in mud and it totally sucks. At night everyone is huddled around the campfire trying desperately to dry out their clothes but the ambient air is too moist and cold to dry out anything. I wouldn’t be surprised if many people come away from this race with a bad case of Giardia. Everything plods through the mud.

Yesterday the locals moved the course marking at a major junction and 4 of us got way off track losing about 2 hours of time. It was so frustrating knowing that we we've been ahead for most of the race and bang, just like that, we lost precious time because of a dumb mistake. We're not sure how it's affected our standings, but Stephanie and I are hoping that we put enough distance between us and the other women on the 100k day. Stephanie is an incredible runner. She's so fast and there's no way I can keep up with her but I'm hanging tough and trying to at least give her a run for her money :)

But enough whining, is still by far one of the most beautiful places on earth. I wish we haven’t had so much fog, but each day we get to see a little (or a lot) of an incredible countryside. We’ve seen a variety of tribes which are equally colorful and friendly. Many of the villages we’re running through have never seen white people before so you can imagine the looks of wonderment and/or astonishment that we encounter. Little kids run after us screaming with delight, dogs chase us barking, women and men give us the alien stare, pigs, chickens and water buffalo scatter in every which direction when they see us, it’s all quite comical. On the first stage, I said hello to everyone but as the days wear on and the fatigue sets in, it gets harder to wave and say hello.

It’s hard to think that we still have 2 days to go. Even though the distances are not super far, the thought of plodding through the mud again is a tough pill to swallow. All of your comments have been so helpful. I cry reading them because I feel like I’m a world away and miss everyone (especially my 2 hairy men! J ) I look forward to seeing everyone soon and thank you for all of your energy and support.

Vietnam is certainly cloaking her beauty, but every once in a while she'll give us a glimpse into the heart of her magic. The few times the clouds have parted, what weve seen is absolutely incredible. Endless terraces of rice fields, mountain waterfalls, lush jungle, caves, and picturesque villages teeming with farm life and children. Apart from the scenery, the people are beautiful on the inside and outside. They have the warmest smile and love to wave and say "Sin Chow" (Hello) as you run by. They really have no idea why the hell these crazy white people are running through thier towns, but instead of scowling with fear, they smile and emit a warmness and hospitality that I've havent experienced in any other part of the world.

At the moment I have about 10 local people hovering over my shoulder watching me type. They are absolutely fascinated by technology. The cameras, the computers, the high tech gear - it's really wonderful to see thier level of curiosity and wonderment. Almost everyone has a television, cordless phone and a Karaoke machine, but that's about the extent of it.

Now to the juicy race stuff - Brutal is the best way to describe Stage One. The incessant mud, fog, drizzle, and widely varying temperatures weakened your spirit and forced you to ask the inevitable question of "why the hell am I doing this again?!" The only thing that kept me going were the smiles of the local people and a great mix of music on my iPod. I ran most of the race alone, but joined a couple of guys right at the end and we decided to all finish together. This put us all in 5th place :) My goal for this stage was to complete it in 15 hours and rolled in at 14.30 which was

I will make it a point to come back here in the summer to see Vietnam in all her glory. There is no doubt this is one place in the world that you dont want to miss seeing.

 The battery is about to die, so I'm going to sign off. Thanks for all of the emails of encouragement and support. I think of everyone often and wish you could be here to join in on the fun :)