Gorek Shep to Everest Base Camp and Pre Race Preparations.

Gorek Shep to Everest Base Camp and Pre Race Preparations.
This will be my last blog post before the race (though it will actually be posted after the end bof the race.).
After an uneventful night at Gorek Shep I headed back up Pallar Kattar in the morning in the hope of getting some good photos of Everest. We took a different path this time and ended up on a higher peak than before. Whoops. This was the real one - so 5550m achieved. It was easier than the day before though a hard slog. I've no idea how long it took ut I was down in time for a late breakfast.
In the afternoon we eaded up to Everest Base Camp from Gorek Shep. The route goes up a dusty valley and then onto the morraine wall at the side of the glacier. Sanjay and I had made a small bet about who could go slowest and use up the most time and be last into base camp.
I really tried - my method was to keep moving - never stopping - but to walk on the boulders by the side of the path. Very soothing and Zen but I did end up in camp second and thus lost the bet miserably. It was also great foot eye coordination preparation for the race at a relatively low energy cost.
Into camp and had noodles and went to bed quickly due to the fact it was cold and there was a blizzard.
Today has been boring with nothing of any significance to do. I'll have a beer late afternoon with tea and then go to bed.
Once I've finished this 'll finish my race preparations and get everything packed for the race.
Considering everything I don't think that this is going to be too hard a race save for the effects of the altitude and the constant downhill. So I'm going to pack light.
The main weight will be 3 litres of accelerade in my camelbak. This will be supplemented by 5 energy bars.
Other contents of the pack will include replacement accelerade; blister pads, a pair of spare socks, glasses, money and credit card.
Clothing will be compression gear with tri shorts on outside and a singlet in the bag. If it get's too hot I'll strip down to them.
Time: Is still a total mystery to me. I exp[ect that by the time I get to Lobuche pass and away from the morraine and the constant up and downs I will start speeding up as the altitude takes far less of a toll.
Against that I have to wonder how long my knees will hold out. The downhill will batter them.
I can do 4km/h on this terrain easily meaning that a worse case time should be around 10 hours. A 6km/h average would put me in in about 7 hours. An 8km/h average would put me in in just over 5.
That last would make me very very happy but it would really be at the outside (or beyond) limits of expectation.
We'll see. Whatever tomorrow is like - I'm going to have a big smile on my face.