I met Claire, who is the organiser of Marathon des Sables, for a drink last evening. Claire has been involved in the organisation of this extreme running race through the deserts of Morocco for the last 7 years. She began by narrating her first hand account of the experiences of runners over of the course of the 11 day adventure through the harshest conditions on the planet. Runners’ fitness levels and mental strength are rigorously tested throughout the desert race. Some survived, some withdrew and some succumbed.

In comparison, my challenge of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro was dwarfed by the extreme nature of this non-stop race only on foot. I went quad-biking in the desert and couldn’t stand the sand all over my body, inside my ears and eyes for very long; 3 hours. You can imagine the discomfort and rigor the runners would have to face on their day and night crawl/walk/run through the desert. I think I felt more confident about achieving my mission, but also felt it was not an impossible one. If the participants of Marathon des Sables could do that, then surely I could atleast climb Mt. Kilimanjaro.

In addition to simply running to the finish line on time, the participants are required to carry daily supplies (including food and bedding), navigation tools and sleeping gear. As for my climb, I will be supported by a team of porters who will carry all supplies and personal goods for us. That’s a good load off my shoulder.

Claire, as surprised as she was to hear about my expedition, was motivating me through examples of other endurance tests. She never made me feel like the climb would be easy, but she did reassure me that my drive and determination was right to reach the peak. Thanks, Claire!

Do you also have words of wisdom for me?