Marathon des Sables: The beginning
For those of you who don’t know what the “Marathon des Sables” is, here is a quick run-down: A 250-km ultramarathon Run over 7 days In the Sahara desert Fully self-sufficient What does that mean? Well, the race takes place in south-eastern Morocco, near the Algerian border, and covers a distance of approximately 250km over a week. There are six day-stages and one day of rest after the 80-km (or longer) fourth day. At the end of each day there is a Berber-style tent camp set up whereby eight runners share an open tent. Daytime temperatures can reach 50 ° C and drop to about 5 ° C at night. Everything the participants require for the week has to be carried on their backs, except for water, which is provided at camp and at check-points--this means clothing, sleeping bag and mattress, food, as well as cooking and eating utensils, medicine, sanitary items, sun screen(!) and of course safety gear, some of which is required by the race organizers including a venom pump if you hap...