We will be carrying out the following events
- The Marathon des Sables
- The 4 Desert series
- The Gobi March
- White Desert
- Atacama Crossing
- Antarctica Crossing
The Marathon des Sables
The Marathon des Sables is the most well known and most important of all desert races in the world. It was started by Patrick Bauer 23 years ago following a solo walk in southern Algeria. It earns the title of the toughest race in the world as it is a genre and race style that has been copied by many races around the globe since then. The race covers the equivalent of five and a half marathons. The route is not revealed until the start, contestants being dropped in the desert and given the route at that point. This year’s race will be run from April 7 to 13th 2008.
The last race, run in 2007, attracted some 800 runners from about 39 countries and included a strong contingent from the UK. The distance covered is about 230 km (138 miles) over a period of 7 days and the 2008 race will be similar. The course is mainly over stony ground with 15 to 20% of it being on sand dunes.
Contestants carry their own food and equipment for the entire duration, with the exception of water and tents. Each contestant is provided with 9 litres of water per day and open sided Berber tents are used en route. Contestants will have been training for several months, many running the equivalent of 2 to 3 marathons per week to maintain fitness.
As with all endurance events the Marathon des Sables is really a personal challenge as much as it is a race. To finish it is a major achievement, while the winner will undoubtedly complete the course in a superhuman time of 19 hours.
The 4 Desert series
This series started by Mary Gaddams from the United States, takes competitors to the hottest, coldest, windiest, and driest places on the planet. Each race is a stage race approximately 250 kms in length. Each race has its own difficulties
The Gobi March
The Gobi march commences in Kasghar in extreme western China. It nestles next to Uzbekistan border. The race this year takes place in the Taklimakan Desert, which is the largest piece of uninterrupted sand in the world.
The name in Mongolian means “place of death” and it was only crossed recently. Everyone is required to take extra water and food as the sandstorms can rage for days or weeks.
White desert
The white desert is in south west Egypt. IT is situated in a basin, which amplifies the heat. It is particularly beautiful and out crops of pure white rock rise above the desert floor. The temperatures will rise to 50 degrees and hotter in the sun. Water conservation is a key factor to this race.
Atacama Crossing
This is thought by some to be one of the hardest races in the world. Shoes are shredded on the razor sharp rocks. Blisters are more common on this race than any where else as the course winds itself through areas of the driest desert on earth which has not had any recorded rainfall in the last 100 years. Some of the course rises up and traverses the mountains. here the contestants have to wade through ice cold streams. Once the course traversed a stream 30 times. The course then returns to the desert where the softened feet are particularly vulnerable to the jagged surfaces and creating consequential foot damage to the competitors.
Antarctica Crossing
This is last race in the series and will represent a complete change to the other races. It will require different equipment and resolve in the face of strong winds and extreme cold. Just travelling to the start will be a long winded process. Travelling via Portugal, Chile and to the very south of Chile before flying to Antarctica will take 10 days.