Marathon Des Sables 2021 - Desert Dad Diary Day 7
Race Stage 4
Again the searing heat draws us into another day where no one appears willing to make the effort to go to the finish line to welcome in those that have travelled in over night. I capture the sunrise and silhouettes around 6:00am of those that trickle in.
My stomach is beginning to make those tell tale noises so I retire to the solitude of my tent to catch an hours sleep.
The day is really dragging, lunch is yet more chicken!
Where are all the chickens in reality, as there are certainly none in this arid place that I have met as yet. I wander over to the camp to congratulate and welcome home those that have survived an unbelievably hard 82km section which culminated in a sharp Jebel where a rope had been installed on a single pass to assist those who made it there to climb the Jebel. Racers were in the dark remember and I later hear stories of batteries running out on head torches and even a runner who bought AAA Batteries instead of AA Batteries! Not a mistake to be copied or repeated.
Once over the sharp, black rocks of the Jebel, runners are greeted by yet more Dunes. The compromise here being that this time it was cooler as it was night time. Then the long flat run in of around 13km to the finish.
My camp visit completed and congratulations passed on to the severely depleted field of racers, I leave them to a well deserved day of rest. Wounds are looking sore and shoe protectors cut into pieces. It is hard out there, very hard.
The day is dragging on and the heat is relentless. Resting is uncomfortable and I need to do something. I sleep for an hour and then as the day eventually begins to draw to a close I do my rounds again. The depletion of runners is becoming obvious now with tents emptying or empty completely. Those that are above 50% capacity should be awarded an additional medal. I check on my friends tent and they have one remaining occupant, who’s usual beaming smile is showing cracks as he is now the sole occupant and master of his own destiny.
News is rife that the competitors will receive a cold can of Coke at 4:00pm and therefore spirits are lifted. As with any promise made this trip, 4:00pm turns to 5:00pm and these guys begin to question their minds, was it all just a another ruinous rumour?
A stage begins to appear in the centre in the camp and sound checks are carried out, and like a scene from an ice cream commercial a Coca Cola stand is erected and is suddenly swarming with runners, greedy for what is on offer …. a cold Coke!
A small band of four classically trained musicians are joined by an operatic soprano who delivers the most beautiful rendition of a piece by Verdi. This is followed by another of others including a piece from My Fair Lady.
The crowd swells and appreciate what this wonder singer has to offer. Emotions are raised and guests appear grateful for the surreal experience of Opera in the Desert.
Night falls and sounds decrease in volume as everyone retires to bed. Lights fade as I gather my thoughts and drift off to sleep. It is the last day of racing in the morning and an early start of 5:00am beckons.
I am awoken by a suspiciously familiar feeling in my stomach and action stations are required! With swift and military precision, provisions are found for what is becoming a regular occurrence to the Sedentary Tent.
I am just looking at my phone, thinking ok it is 2:00am and I have to be up at 5:00am when a whisper in the darkness is heard from the entrance to my tent. “Monsieur, monsieur …..?!’ I am surprised by this unusual greeting and leave my tent to answer his request. It is a lone runner with both feet heavily taped requesting a medic as he is not well. This is going to be tricky as I am familiar now with the short walk to the Latrines however the location of the medical tent defies my memory. In the cover of darkness, and also anyone that knows me well, directional sense is not my strong point. I begin to feel sorry for this ailing runner that of 300 people he could have woken to ask for directions, he achieved the only one that didn't win a Cub Scouts Badge for Volunteering.
Now I have a dilemma as the responsibility for this patient is mine and his complete unawareness that his hopes have been dashed in finding me, I have no option other than to wake my tent mate who is the font of all camp knowledge, however, he is also a very deep sleeper. I wander over to his side of the tent with my head torch on, beaming into his face, cocooned in a light sleeping bag, earbuds in and face eye mask on; this trial was harder than anticipated and another of firm shakes of his hips and he’s awake, staring up at a gaunt face that was me. I ask his assistance and to his credit, he describes perfectly which way to go. I challenge his answer, adamant that it is right out of the tent and not left. I succumb to his superior knowledge which was useful as my patient would have ended up in the restaurant and not the medical centre.
The Medical Tent was found to be closed at 2:15 in the morning and now the search was on for a suitable person to awaken who had the skill set I required so that a handover could be made and a transfer of responsibility. Two wrong choices and one abandoned as nothing was going to wake this one, I eventually stumble across a Medic who doesn't think I have entered his tent to burgle it. My job is done and a “merci’ is heard under the cover of darkness as my patient disappears into another tent. I trudge back to mine and pop some Immodium before returning to broken sleep again at 3:00am.
The final runners are cheered in by the whole group some 30 hours later.
These two ladies had travelled literally overnight to complete this arduous Stage 4
