We arrived, our bags decided to stay in Miami, then I left my flip flops and library book on a tour bus after white water rafting (I fell in but survived) but now all our luggage is here (phew) and it´s the day before The Coastal Challenge!!!

My coach Rory Coleman would be so disapproving if he knew that I have consumed my own body weight several times over in delicious Costa RIcan buffet food (beans and rice, chicken dishes, pancakes, fruit) and last night we celebrated with a couple of Pina Coladas and Crazy Monkey cocktails at Lava Bar, the best night time venue in La Fortuna where we have been for the last couple of days “aclimatising”.

Error – we seem to have come to the Costa RIcan equivalent of the Scottish Highlands to acclimatise for the upcoming boiling hot Costal Challenge. It has rained non stop, and as we had packed tor 35 degree heat, we were FREEEEEEZING! It is just starting to warm up now but we are going back to San Jose the capital this morning for the race briefing at 2pm.

The first couple of days I was so knackered and spaced out from flying that I was thinking ´”How can I possibly run for 6 days?” but yday we went on an acclimatisation run up a big hill to a big waterfall, had an ice lolly and ran back down again, stopping at souvenir and artisan shops and photographing the many AMAZING birds on the way down.

The birds here are breath-taking it´s going to be a mega shame to have to speed past them all on The Coastal Challenge. My fave so far is a black bird with a lumo peach (orange-pink) back, and we´ve sen tiny metallic green humingbirds, a larger kisadee that looks like a big great tit with a yellow tummy and badger stripe on it´s head, and blue birds with yellow under bits to their wings, and massive turkey vultures the size of chickens, sitting in trees and gliding with their feathery fingers spread out overhead. I can see why The Coastal Challenge is called challenge now – it will be a challenge in itself not to stop and look at all these beautiful creatures!

Right, got to go and eat some more pancakes with banana and maple syrup on now…hard life! Will keep you posted as the race starts tmr, eeeeeeek!!!! I actually have to run……