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While you chew on that, how about an update on the race itself? The GPS tracker shows that without Nabil and Farouk, the front runner is now Rupert Azzario. He’s had the lead for almost the entire stage, so I doubt if he’s going to let it go now. If he can establish a good time in these early stages, then it is going to be very difficult for the other elites to catch him over the long day. He’s got the strategy down pat – no matter what Boones seems to throw at him, he overcomes it. Looks like he’s about to do the same for this one and come out of it a lot richer.
There’s also another dot to keep an eye on. One of the fun runners seems to be making their way through the field. Isn’t that interesting? They’ve been keeping up with the elites, even passing some of them. I wonder what Boones will do about that. Or maybe it’s not up to him any more and Blixt is calling all the shots?
Let me know your thoughts on the forum. I need you all to be sleuth-Jason to my ignoramus-Mac.
Back with another live after the second stage has finished.
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26
Adrienne
I trip over my own feet, hitting the ground with a thud. I feel sand between my teeth and taste the metallic tang of blood on my tongue.
‘Oh shit, are you OK?’ Runner 501 comes over and offers me a hand. ‘I didn’t mean to scare you.’
I don’t take his hand. I scramble to my feet and dust myself off. ‘You jump out at me from behind a bush and don’t think I’ll be scared?’
I don’t wait for him to reply, just start walking. The adrenaline rush messes with my stomach and makes my hands shaky. I want to throw up and collapse at the same time. Instead, I spit the blood out of my mouth and pick up into a jog. As long as I’m moving forward, towards my goal, then I’ll be OK.
Although it frustrates me, he falls into step behind me. ‘I just – I’m completely lost. I panicked when I came down the jebel and couldn’t see you.’
‘Don’t you have a compass?’
‘I do but I don’t know how to use it. I’ve been lucky so far, I guess. Always had someone in sight.’
‘You’re not one of the elites.’
‘Nope. But I’ve been training hard. Guess it’s paying off.’
I don’t reply to that. I don’t like that he wants to follow me all the way to the finish of this stage, even thoughthere’s absolutely nothing that I can do about it. It’s not like I can ask him to stop and wait – it’s the middle of the Sahara Desert. Instead, I decide to simply not talk to him. I have enough to concentrate on anyway. If I’m lucky, he’ll get the hint.