Quote:
Originally Posted by backofbeyond
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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