For all Sahara lovers. Have you ever wonder how far a human being is able to run across the dunes? Hopefully we will find the answer in the end of March 2020.


A new project is a challenge for 5 ultrarunners to run approximately 100miles across sand sea of Grand Erg Oriental. It is the first attempt to cross such a distance while running in soft sand only. Marathon de Sables and other desert marathons only partially go across deep sand.



The squad is:
3 elite ultra runners (Piotr Hercog, Kamil Klich, Rafał Bielawa)
2 amateurs (1 skyrunner & 1 obstacle race specialist)


https://www.facebook.com/Sahara-Run-662613814162373/




P.s. We are still looking for sponsorships so if you are interested in the project please do not hesitate to PM me.

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Bonne Chance as they say. I've done a few 100k-ish offroad ultras (still got the detached toenails from the last one) and know how hard they are . Soft sand all the way must at least double the difficulty. Are they all going to be self contained like the Marathon des Sables or is there a support truck carrying their supplies?

The length people can go to for sheer misery is amazing. Wish them godspeed...

I can only recall the word class blister I achieved on the underside of both my big toes after walking there and back barefoot across good firm sand in an interdune valley in the Great Sand Sea.

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Happy Travels, András
http://www.fjexpeditions.com

We are taking everything for them. We have 3 4x4 and a guide in his pickup. For 5 runners and 6 people of support we need 500L of water. 4days of running, 7days total in the desert.


The Marathon des Sables has some parts in soft sand. We will have a real dune challenge all the way.



In dunes of soft sand walking towards your mate car to unbog it is hard.



Running in those conditions for 4 consecutive days from down till dusk requires great mental strenght.

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Any ideas on the temperatures you're expecting? Hot 'n' dry, if you're acclimatised, isn't so awful but dehydration sets in so much quicker when it's hot and you don't notice it if the sweat evaporates. That'll finish them off faster than anything. I've been with two people (one in the Sahara, the other in the Mojave) who just keeled over and collapsed with dehydration - and that was without them exercising. I only just avoided hospital earlier back in June on a hot day (for the UK!) 25 mile run when I got my hydration wrong, and I gave up on a 30 mile training run in August when the shop at mile 22 I was expecting to be able to buy water from was shut.

I'd guess 100 miles over 4 days equals about a marathon per day. Add in the sand factor and they're going to be working hard. Personally, the desert experience I have + 15yrs of running experience would make me wonder whether the 500L of water you mention is enough for 11 people in the desert for a week, particularly given what half of them are doing. I suppose with three trucks as support taking more wouldn't be a problem though.

I've only got a half marathon to do in March so an easy time. This year's one had the opposite problem - too much water, as it was run in a storm. I did the first half wearing a bin bag with holes cut for my arms and head to try and keep warm. Keep us posted when you do it, I'd like to see how things went.

The temparature will be around 21 in the day and 10-12 at night. Nothing extreme. To prevent dehydration they will use long sleeves, buffs,legionnaire hats, sun glasses, desert gaiters. (they don't want to run in trousers).



Apart from 500L of botteled water we will have around 150L in the car water tanks. I count 10L of drinkable water per day for a runner and 5L per day for a member of the supporting crew + 150L of reserve.


The thing is that driving across the dunes is hard enough in the light 4x4. After loading water to our already heavy LC200, LC100 (water tanks, diesel tanks, roof tents) we might be slowing down the runners while trying to unbog the cars The third car is short Patrol with biturbo BMW diesel on 35" (Fuel Tank 120L, roof rack).


Separate transport of 250L of water to Sif Essouane might be a good idea. If any of you feel an irresistable desire to challenge yourself by crossing the dunes of Grand Erg Oriental with some additional water onboard, please let me know



I agree with you that the Dune Challenge will be an extremely exhausting endeavour, that's why I will be driving ar riding along . Climbing myself the nearest biggest dune of Erg Chebbi gave me an instant insight of the difficulty of walking and climbing in the soft sand. Running is much harder. It is a truly knackering activity. AFAIK people of the desert f.ex.Touaregs never run in the soft sand.


On the other side, the runners in our group like to challenge themselves:
Piotr Hercog- world class ultrarunner, his latest victory was Moab 2018 Endurance Run- 240Miles in 60h 23min.

Kamil Klich & Rafał Bielawa are holding the record of the fastest crossing of the longest mountain trail in Poland (500km in 108h 55min).


For sure, it will be interesting...

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Sounds like guys of that caliber won't even break sweat over that distance

10-12C is a lovely temperature for running. I've just come back from a 15 mile run along the local leisure trail this morning at around 10C and didn't even take my jumper off for the whole run. Very pleasant and enjoyable. It's actually easier to run that distance than walk it (plus it takes a lot less time!) as there's something about a running gait that uses less energy for a given distance (once you've got past the gasping for breath stage anyway). A few years ago one of the local fitness trainers set himself a charity challenge of running the local roads for 24hrs and did it wearing a tuxedo. He covered over 100 (dry) miles and at the end he looked like he was just going out to dinner - not a hair out of place, still wearing the tie etc. Different league to me but then again he was 40yrs younger.

The Moab 240 looks like an interesting event. I was in Moab on a bike trip a few years ago and know what the terrain around Canyonlands and Arches is like. To have the people on that event heading out to run 240 miles contrasts nicely with signs at some of the tourist sites warning about the consequences of setting off on a half mile hike without the correct clothing, sufficient water and a fully charged phone. Most people didn't bother. If they couldn't see it from their cars they weren't interested. 100m from the car park and the trails were deserted.