I have just had the best night’s sailing ever - it has been absolutely brilliant!

Today will be the end of one week at sea, one week into the Route du Rhum and I still appear to be sailing upwind. That is definitely not what it said in the brochure.

As any endurance athlete will tell you, when you are tired and at the bottom of your energy levels your mind is your most powerful weapon and talking yourself through each step of the way will get your through the tough times.

How to follow the race.

Ahead of the Route du Rhum, Pip answers your questions.

The weather for the start is looking difficult and I think there will be conditions that will challenge all of the boats with strong winds and cross seas, so above all I want to keep the boat in one piece.