A Funny Stranger and the Dunes

[mrrun]

Those familiar with my musings will know that I'm a hot weather aficionado and will run in the heat no matter what. My time is nearly here, today is near perfect and I'm about to hit the park.

However, a few years back I visited the Sahara with an aim of having a go there. Six hour drive from Marrakech brought me to the dunes but after all that effort I got hit by overcast weather, not so warm temperatures (the sand cools down really quickly) and my sand running technique was woeful. In other words, I failed at all fronts. Thankfully, I saw the brighter side, enjoying the company of a camel and sleeping in the tent. Highly recommended!

On that note, off I go, it's really warming up out there. Thank you, weather!

[GoGo_JoJo Ultramarathon]

Sand is like running in the pool... really hard. I think I'd rather have deep snow and that's bad enough 🤣

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

You can mess up your knees in no time. Walking is hard, let alone running. There are many parts of rugged terrain, that's where people run, I simply got overly enthusiastic. Of course, then you can ask yourself a question, why would anyone participate in Marathon des Sables (250km of utter hell)? And yet, many do. 🤪

[backintime 10 Miles]

lovely pic

Soft sand running sounds really difficult! Is there a technique?

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to backintime]

They run an ultra marathon there, clearly they know some tricks. It's tougher than tough though. You walk through deeper sand, run on a more rugged terrain.

[backintime 10 Miles in reply to mrrun]

It sounds so tiring! I'm good on hard sand like the water's edge, but soft sand sounds so hard!

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to backintime]

Those guys (who participate in that ultra 250km marathon) are really, really, fit. No other ways to make it. I'm glad I've seen what it looks like but if you're there to run for fun and joy, you're in a very wrong place. 😉

[backintime 10 Miles in reply to mrrun]

I found thisyoutube.com/watch?v=iHNXh-y...(Not working as expected?)

I feel such a wimp complaining about my hard 5K

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to backintime]

Yeah, that's what it is. 251km over six days, with the longest single stretch being 91km. AND it's quite expensive to enter. Lol. You better choose your trainers wisely and stock up on electrolyte drinks. There are no newsagents on that route. There is actually nothing on that route apart from resting stations at the end of each day. If people want to lose weight by running, that's the one to pick.

[Curlygurly2 Half Marathon]

I usually run in the south of France in summer, I doubt I'm going t get there this year. A couple of years ago we broke all temperature records, 44 C, like you I didn't let it stop me...

Strange chap temperature though, 44 C was ok but a few days later it was "only" 32 C, and almost unbearable, must be the humidity I suppose.

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to Curlygurly2]

Yes, the humidity is the key. High humidity (sticky heat) is a killer. Low humidity is more than bearable. Actually, very enjoyable (if that's your thing). 😉

[Sarararara]

Maybe you should hone your technique at Red Bull Quicksand. Only a km but fiendish by all accounts.

[mrrun Ultramarathon in reply to Sarararara]

I have decided, in the name of ankles and knees, to stick to my normal surfaces. You need to have that special something to enjoy such torture. I'm not yet on that level.