Grab a coffee, pull up a comfy chair and come on a journey to the Sahara…

Pre Race

It’s my birthday, and the longest birthday ever, as I’m steadily gaining hours crossing time zones. (That’s an unexpected positive to a long-haul flight :))

Right now, I’m in seat 47 A cruising at 35,000 feet, on my way to the toughest multi stage race I’ve ever faced – the Marathon des Sables – to run 250 kms, over 7 days, in the Sahara Desert…

As daunting as that may all sound, I’m actually looking forward to it (why you may ask?) well, you see the idea of choosing an adventure and training hard for it actually plants a smile squarely on my face…

For the past 10 months I’ve calmly and methodically prepared: testing out my gear and food, and running in the soft sand at the beach. Now my backpack is packed, and I’m on my way.

I shift in my seat and gaze out the plane window and reflect on all my reasons why I’m taking on this phenomenal race (primarily pushing back at being defined by cancer and fundraising to help others) and my overall purpose in life (getting out there and giving things a go and celebrating life beyond my comfort zone.) I also wonder what the other Aussies will be like. I’m really looking forward to meeting them…

Casablanca

That afternoon our Travelling Fit Aussie contingent catch up for Welcome drinks. It’s great to finally meet everyone and to know we’ll have the full support and expertise of Mari-Mar Walton to guide us through our final pre-race preparations. We head out to have dinner at a local restaurant – it’s a feast for our senses with the elaborate decor and clay tagines filled with aromatic meat and vegetables.

Over the Atlas mountains

The next morning, we find ourselves in a minibus negotiating peak hour traffic. Soon the cream, square, concrete buildings give way to green fields of wheat and the haze of Casablanca dissipates to reveal a sunny, pale blue sky…

The road winds up into the Atlas Mountains… and down again…

Ouarzazate

We arrive in Ouarzazate, an ancient city known as the gateway to the Sahara. It’s filled with palm trees, ochre buildings with perfect turrets, and it feels just like we’ve stepped onto a Hollywood filmset…

We have time to buy final items and check our gear and Mari-Mar has invaluable advice about how to pack and manage the weight of our packs. The next morning, we head off on an early training run through the streets to a lookout… and from the edge of town, the desert stretches off to the horizon…

I check my watch. It’s only 7.30am, but the sun is already warm… what on earth will it be like out there in the middle of the day?

Off to the desert

I do a final post on social media, make a hurried call to loved ones and then leave the world of Wi-Fi behind and board our bus to the bivouac… It’s a full day’s journey.

We arrive at camp in the heat of the afternoon and as I disembark a gust of wind swirls dust into the air and covers me in grit – welcome to the world of Marathon des Sables! I seek out tent #86 and settle in – all the Aussies are housed in three Bedouin tents side by side, this is brilliant for camaraderie and support.

Race registration takes place the next day, with officials checking our compulsory gear, our paperwork and ECG readings and fit GPS trackers to our pack. I’m given my race bibs – it’s a profound moment – for now all those months of preparation and training will come into play… it’s suddenly feeling very, very real.

Hitting my stride – life on MDS

Like many other competitors, I’d seen the videos of past races, but nothing can quite prepare you for the start line experience on the first day!

The excited crush, the roar of helicopters circling overhead, the entertaining race briefing from Patrick Bauer in French and English and then there’s that song – ‘Highway to Hell’ by ACDC!

But before I know it we’re off, funneling beneath the inflatable start line, stepping over the timing mats and heading off into the desert.

And it’s just as I imagined: racing across sand dunes, along rough rocky tracks, dry river beds and open expanses… I settle into a good pace. Every 10kms the checkpoints appear with water and friendly personnel, then I’m back into the elements. I sip on my electrolyte fluids and nibble on my race nutrition. The 30.3km flies… so far so good. Day 1 is done.

Day 2 is 39km, and it’s filled with much taller dunes, stronger winds and the unbelievable challenge of ascending and descending a towering rocky outcrop called the El Otfal Jebel.

At camp I empty fine sand from my shoes and dress developing blisters on my big toes… it’s great to rest and it feels wonderful to tuck into rehydrated chicken and rice.

At midnight a wild sandstorm blows in… so Day 3 begins with very little sleep ‘deposited’ in the bank. It’s a rugged 31.6km climbing back over El Otfal Jebel on the fixed ropes in the midday heat, but the sweeping views from the top totally make up for it!

Day 4&5 is the long stage. A grueling 86.2km, and this is where the Marathon des Sables truly tests me. I’m just about physically spent.

So to get through the heat of the day and the cold of the night, I rely heavily on my willpower, music, memories of my family and friends, and the distraction of the magnificent stars.

I finish that stage with a flickering head torch, weaving legs, but with an incredible sense of relief and joy…

Day 6 is 42.2km – a marathon distance.

Today is the final competitive day and just to add to the challenge a sandstorm swirls at the start line, but I set my mind to run as fast as I can. There are a series of massive sand dunes and dry riverbeds to negotiate.

Then as the sun treks higher, the finish line finally comes into view and tears begin to streak the dust on my face… My emotions are running raw and real…

Never, ever would I have dreamt 11 years ago, when I lay in my hospital bed simply willing to survive, that I would be out here taking on such a phenomenal race like this. What a journey… What an incredibly special moment in my life… The Marathon des Sables is over.

Post Race celebrations

Back in Ouarzazate, we have a fabulous feast at a restaurant with crisp white linen table cloths and cushions. There are tagines filled with lamb, chicken, vegetables and couscous. There are plates of bread and icy cold drinks… it’s heavenly! There’s not a sand coated backpack or race number to be seen…

As I look around at our group, we’re almost unrecognizable with our fresh, clean faces and clothes… and I know as we go our separate ways, these amazing, seven days running out in the Sahara desert, will remain with us forever…