Cheers to more checklist boxes ticked. ✅

This week it was the mandatory medical equipment. It may not be the most exciting part of preparing for a 250km self-supported race, but seeing every item checked off the list feels like another step closer to the start line.

A few days ago, my race patches arrived, and suddenly everything became so much more real. Those little patches represent months of hard work, commitment, and believing in a dream that once felt so far away.

Now, with just 6 weeks to go, the nerves are definitely starting to creep in.

Some days I wonder... Am I doing too much? Am I doing too little? Have I prepared enough?

I don't think those questions ever completely disappear.

This journey has been about so much more than training. It's been early mornings, after-work walks, long hikes with a loaded pack, recovery sessions, setbacks, small victories, and choosing to keep showing up...... even on the days when it would have been easier not to. 

Every box I tick off reminds me that I'm doing everything I can to be ready. In six weeks, I'll stand on that start line in the Namib Desert. 

Until then, I'll keep trusting the process, embracing the nerves, and reminding myself that dreams aren't achieved overnight...... tthey're built one small step, and one box ticked at a time.

42 days to go! Let's puuuuuuuuuuuuuuush!!!! 

Small goals. Small wins. Small steps.

Funny how we sometimes think that if we're not smashing out huge runs or epic hikes, we're not making progress. Meanwhile, those little sessions are quietly doing the heavy lifting.

I may not be doing the long runs and extensive hikes I'd planned, but I'm still showing up and putting in the work.

Right now, clocking a few kilometer's after work while keeping the pace with the beats of Michael Jackson is a win. ??

During winter in Namibia, the sun is already setting by 18:15, and once darkness arrives, the motivation to move can disappear just as quickly. The temperatures drop, and suddenly my couch starts sounding very persuasive. ?

So instead of stressing about missing long sessions, I'm focused on what I can do:

✔️ A few kilometer's after work

✔️ Consistent movement during the week

✔️ A 10-15km walk or hike from Friday to Sunday

✔️ Showing up, even on the days when I don’t feel like it

And you know what? It all counts.

The goal isn't to win every training session. The goal is to stay consistent enough that the small efforts stack up into something big.

What's really blowing my mind is how we went from my first blog post saying "97 days to go" to now staring at just 50 days until the Namib Race. ?

I'm not entirely sure where the time went, but I do know one thing: all those small efforts are adding up.

The days are moving fast, but so is the progress.

The desert is waiting. And I'm over here collecting kilometres like Pokémon.?

One small win at a time.

50 days to go! Let's puuuuuuuuuuuuuuush!!!!

When my backpack finally arrived from Osprey Europe, I felt like a kid on Christmas morning opening a long-awaited present. The excitement was real. I could hardly wait to get outside and start testing it.

Eventually my training hikes started to look very different. Instead of moving light and free on the trails, I began hiking with a fully loaded pack weighing around 8kg.

For the Namib Race, my goal is to keep my total pack weight under 10kg, so getting used to carrying it now is an important part of the preparation.

The first few hikes were... humbling. My posture changed, my shoulders had opinions, and hills seemed to have magically doubled in size overnight. ? Every step required a little more effort.

I quickly learned that carrying a pack isn't just about the weight..... it's also about the fit. Adjusting the hip belt and shoulder straps correctly made a world of difference, helping to distribute the weight more evenly and making time on the trails far more comfortable. As the training sessions progressed, my body adapted. What once felt heavy, slowly became normal.

The pack no longer feels like a burden..... it feels like part of the journey..... part of my uniform. 

This journey is teaching me that progress isn't always about moving faster. Sometimes it's about learning to carry the weight and keep moving forward anyway. Every hike, every adjustment, and every kilometer spent under load is another reminder that preparation isn't just about getting stronger...... it's about becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable.

Soon, this same backpack and I will be crossing the Namib Desert together. By then we'll be best friends.... or at least have learned to tolerate each other. ?

56 days to go! Let's puuuuuuuuuuuuuuush!!!! 

There’s no handbook that truly prepares you for life’s unexpected twists and unfortunate setbacks. No guide that tells you how to keep moving forward when everything feels heavy at once. Lately, the hardest part of this journey hasn't been the training or the gear preparation. It’s been life itself. 

An injury. The loss of a loved one. A major career shift. No training plan can prepare you for the moments when life throws a spanner in the works. As the saying goes, life happens while you’re busy making plans. The unexpected setbacks. The emotional weight. The stress that follows you onto the trail and quietly sits beside you through every training session. 

Some days, the physical demands of training feel far easier than carrying the weight of everything happening beyond it. And yet, somehow, the Namib Desert still calls. The goal still stands before me.  

Maybe that’s why RacingThePlanet has become more than just a race. It has become a mirror - A place where resilience is tested long before race day arrives. Because training while life feels like it’s falling apart requires a very different kind of endurance. Not just physical strength, but emotional grit. 

There have been days I’ve wanted to quit. Days where motivation disappeared completely. Days where even stepping outside for a short walk felt impossible. But this process has taught me something unexpected: progress doesn't always look strong or impressive. Sometimes progress is simply choosing to continue despite the chaos. 

 One step. One session. One difficult day at a time.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve also been recovering from a severe ankle sprain. Spending time in a moon boot forced me to slow down, rest, and heal…… something I’m not naturally good at. It tested my patience in ways I didn't expect and reminded me that recovery is also part of the journey. 

The desert doesn't care about excuses, setbacks, or perfect timing. It demands patience, humility, adaptability, and persistence. Ironically, so does life.

This journey is no longer only about crossing a finish line. It’s about learning how to keep moving forward when conditions are far from ideal……..  both on and off the course. And maybe that’s the real race.

94 days to go! Let's puuuuuuuuuuuuuuush!!!!

No one sees the preparation. The kilometers logged on tired feet, the gear testing, the strength training when the body is already exhausted and life feels overwhelming. 

But I know that on race day, all of it will show. Because when you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail.

The desert will reveal everything. My fitness, my mindset, my preparation.

I know the mandatory gear list almost by heart, yet I still find myself rewatching old RTP videos, analyzing backpacks and equipment, just in case I missed something that could make a difference.

I debate over the smallest details. Do I take the compass with the mirror, or carry two separate items? Will it matter? Do I choose a sleeping pad or a self-inflating mattress? One is bulky, the other requires effort to blow up after a long day. Do I cut 30 cm off the sleeping pad since I don’t need the full 1.8 meters? After all, I’m only 1.55.

And then there’s the food. Beef Stroganoff, Beef Stew, Chicken à la King, Butter Chicken, Honey Soy Stir Fry, Chicken Alfredo, Thai Chicken Curry… freeze-dried or dehydrated? Back Country or Forever Fresh SA? These are the choices available to us Namibians, and each one feels like a small but important decision.

Even the multi-tool sparks debate: bigger with more functions, or smaller and lighter with fewer? Every gram counts and every decision feels like a step toward success.... or failure.

This is the struggle of preparation. Am I overthinking this??? Maybe.

I’ve already managed to tick off 20 out of 35 items on the mandatory equipment list. I refuse to set myself up for failure.  Progress is progress! 

And through it all, I’m grateful for Sam’s patience with my endless questions. Thank you, Samaaaaaaantha!! :) :)

160 days to go! Let's puuuuuuuuuuuuuuush!!!!

My name is Elke Slinger, born and bred in Walvis Bay, now living in Windhoek, the capital city of Namibia. I grew up with the dunes in my backyard, never realizing at the time what a privilege it was to have the world’s oldest desert as my playground.

In 2017, I decided to make better choices for my health and fitness. That’s when I met my friend Paulina, who in 2018 introduced me to RacingThePlanet, where she was volunteering.

I was instantly curious and wanted to know everything about the organization. So, when applications opened for volunteers in 2019, I didn’t hesitate for a second, I signed up immediately!

Oh my, a whole new world opened up for me, and I was beyond excited.

Then Covid happened, and the world stood still.  

But in 2022, the Namib Race resumed, and I finally had my first opportunity at volunteering.

I laughed, cried, and cheered (the loudest, of course Hililili Hililili Hililili ????) with strangers from all over the world. Many of whom I’m still close with today!

The experience was so incredible that I returned to volunteer again in 2024. 

As many know too well, once you’re connected with RacingThePlanet, you just can’t stay away.

2024 was also a year of challenge for me. I lost my job and had to navigate a journey that was unfamiliar and difficult. In the process of healing and making peace with my circumstances, I realized I needed to sign up for something big in 2026, just as I’ve done every year since making fitness my lifestyle almost nine years ago.  

In May 2025, I asked myself: “What would happen if you really try?” That’s when I decided: LET’S DO THIS!

When I received the registration confirmation email from Sam, I knew there was no turning back.  

Now, I’m preparing my gear and mandatory equipment.

As an avid hiker, I know what it takes to prepare for a race this huge, but Namibia has limited access to specialized gear, which makes this my biggest challenge. Still, I’m determined to get everything sorted within the next month or two.  

Knowing how things work behind the scenes and being familiar with the terrain, gives me some peace of mind.

But the truth is, there’s always anxiety, you never know how your body and mind will react to the treacherous terrain of 40 km per day.

On Sunday, 01 February, I’ll begin the 24-week intermediate training plan provided by RacingThePlanet.

I’ve been keeping fit with my CrossFit community, but now it’s time to put in the kilometers on my feet each week.

For the next six months, my mantra will be: Consistency. Discipline. Showing up for myself daily. Eat, sleep, repeat.  

197 days to go! Let’s puuuuuuuuuuuuuuush!!!!