Marathon des Sables: 700 lunatics and me
Posted Wednesday, March 26, 2008, 4:54 PM by Lonely Planet
Next Sunday, Lonely Planet author Brendan Sainsbury will embark on what is generally considered to be the toughest foot race on earth - the daunting Marathon des Sables. Billed as a 150 mile (240 km) ultra marathon across Morocco's Sahara Desert, this notorious endurance event is more an exercise in survival than a conventional running race.
Brendan reports:
"Daytime temperatures hover at around 40 degrees Celsius, debilitating sandstorms are painfully common, and the terrain is an unrelenting mix of dried up salt lakes, arid mountains and spirit-crushing sand dunes. Adding cruelty to an already brutal cocktail, you must also carry all of your own supplies, including food, in a hefty pack on your back. All the organisers provide are open-sided sack cloth tents (to sleep in), a daily ration of nine litres of water, and a flare in the not unlikely event that you become lost, disorientated or too exhausted to continue.
Perhaps surprisingly, over 700 lunatics, masochists and soul-searchers sign up for this annual pain-fest in the desert. This year the roll-call includes a 71 year old Japanese lady, an ex-Real Madrid footballer, an Asian film star and me, a 41 year old, married, Lonely Planet writer at a loose end in between guidebook assignments.
If I survive the sandstorms, scorpions (yes, scorpions) and deadpan 'gallows' humour supplied by the other 200 plus British entrants, I will attempt to bring you a unique insider's view. "
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5 Comments:
'disorientated' is not a word. In fact, it really makes the author look quite uneducated, despite the fact that the rest of the piece was well-written.
The word you want is 'disoriented'
Ben,
'Disorientated' is a word. Perhaps you should fact check before you make a fool of yourself.
You just made yourself look edumacated.
I think the fact that the word is quite messed up adds to the effect of the word :)
Who cares about the spelling Ben - i think you are being a touch pedantic considering Mr Sainsbury is probably slightly distracted at the moment with the thought of running 150 miles in a week in the Sahara. I am in Morocco myself at the moment and the prospect is slightly incomprehensible considering the current temperatures. I just hope he has the energy for regular updates. Good luck Mr Crazy!
As sick and twisted fate would have it, I was in the sandstorm that just hit the Sahara the very day our dauntless Brendan began his ultimate endurance test. Not one of your gentle siroccos, mind you, but a force that might succeed in blasting the makeup off Posh Spice. On behalf of us Lonely Planet authors on assignment in Morocco right now, let me just say that Brendan's latest venture makes the obligatory inspections of frontier-town bathrooms seem like a tiptoe through the tulips. Thanks for mangling the scale of hardship beyond all recognition, Brendan, and here's hoping your pillow seems that much squishier after your triumphant finish!
-Alison Bing, author, Lonely Planet Marrakesh Encounter & Morocco guide
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