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I am hoping many of the Dreamchaser MDS participants will enjoy reading the Blog when they return from the race, so post a comment and become a part of the history!
Stage 3 Re-Cap
Roadbook
Description of Today's Course and Weather Results
Results
As a special treat, Race Director Patrick Bauer ran today’s stage. Tapping into his last reserves, he reached the finish line just one second behind Patrick Haddock (Paddy Haddock, as he’s known to his friends), who advised our very own Pat to drink lots of water.
Patrick is a remarkable person…he greets each finisher with an enthusiastic embrace year after year as they cross the finish line. Not only is he the MDS Race Director, Patrick is also the founder of this race. As described in Outside Magazine, (July 1998: Where Have All the Wise Men Gone? By Hampton Sides), the Marathon des Sables was “founded in 1986, the brainchild of Patrick Bauer, a former concert promoter from Troyes, France, who two years earlier had gone on an epic walkabout across 200 miles of the Algerian Sahara. Afterward, in a brilliant stroke of sadocommercialism, he decided to share the pain with others.”
Featured Blog Excerpts from Dreamchaser Group Members
Excerpt from Robert Kent: I could really give a rats ass what my time is, like most of the people in this race, I just want to finish this sucker. On the plus side the people are a truly amazing group of people and the sights we have seen are something that is pretty indescribable. Read more…
Excerpt from M DeMarco: I have a hard time explaining how incredibly bad-ass this is. People think that the front leaders who come in under 3 hours must have really killed themselves. And they have. But the other end of the spectrum is just as brutal. Andrew is tough as nails. Next stage combines today’s weather with yesterday’s dunes. I am scared in earnest. Read more…
Excerpt from Becky Oliver: My emotions are pretty raw at the moment I’m giggling one minute and swearing at the guy who charged me for 5 min phone call because it was 4 min 1 sec the next. I’m loving the emails from everyone, I’m getting a little choked up each night when I read them, it means so much. I’m off to eat cold lasagne, squat in a hole in the ground and sleep on some rocks…LOVE YOU GUYS Read more…
From Jeff Arricale: Very difficult day. 25 miles over 110 degrees. Two stages of sand dunes. One tall rocky mountain. Several competitors dropped out. Took me 9 hours 40 minutes to complete course. Everything hurts....a lot. French continue to recommend salt tablets as universal cure all. Comfortably ahead of 72 year old great grandmother from Japan, but was passed by a blind guy. Day 1 I learned humility. Attempted to run when should have walked. Day 2 I learned something, but I forget. Today - Day 3 I learned patience as running 25 miles well...should take less than 4 hours, but it's impossible to run in the sand, in the heat with a pack. So I walked more than I ran and stopped and took a lot of pictures along the way.
Tomorrow is the 50 mile stage and it will crush many people. There are still runners as of 8:20p.m. this evening coming from today's 25 mile course which means they have been running for almost 12 hours. Tomorrow they will need to do 50 miles. I expect it to take me between 18-20 hours. Biggest concern is nutrition...it is hard to eat in the heat. Will eat 200 calories an hour. Second biggest concern is the heat. But whatever the amount of suffering I am going through there are dozens and dozens of competitors in much worse condition and they manage to keep going.
From Jeff Arricale: Very difficult day. 25 miles over 110 degrees. Two stages of sand dunes. One tall rocky mountain. Several competitors dropped out. Took me 9 hours 40 minutes to complete course. Everything hurts....a lot. French continue to recommend salt tablets as universal cure all. Comfortably ahead of 72 year old great grandmother from Japan, but was passed by a blind guy. Day 1 I learned humility. Attempted to run when should have walked. Day 2 I learned something, but I forget. Today - Day 3 I learned patience as running 25 miles well...should take less than 4 hours, but it's impossible to run in the sand, in the heat with a pack. So I walked more than I ran and stopped and took a lot of pictures along the way.Tomorrow is the 50 mile stage and it will crush many people. There are still runners as of 8:20p.m. this evening coming from today's 25 mile course which means they have been running for almost 12 hours. Tomorrow they will need to do 50 miles. I expect it to take me between 18-20 hours. Biggest concern is nutrition...it is hard to eat in the heat. Will eat 200 calories an hour. Second biggest concern is the heat. But whatever the amount of suffering I am going through there are dozens and dozens of competitors in much worse condition and they manage to keep going.
Featured MdS Veteran
Hear from Katherine Hay-Headle, who has gone to MDS three times. I hope she will join us again!
Featured Dreamchaser Adventure
Come to one of our Dreamchasers upcoming camps. Come in June to the Tetons (2008 June 25-29: Ultrarunning camp in the Grand Tetons) or join us in sunny Tucson (2008 Dec 3-8: Marathon training camp OR 2009 Jan 6-11: MdS/multi day running event training camp OR 2009 Mar 2-8: All Women's training camp)People have a blast at Dreamchaser camps and learn so much about running and themselves. Hear from our past campers.
Read more about a past camp as profiled in the magazine: Men’s Health
6 comments:
Bonjour Lisa. Merci for all the writing. I just read the magazine article et learned you won Marathon des Sables. Tell me please more about this history. Very interesting! A bientot et bonne chance to your Dreamchasers...
I won the MDS in 1999, still now sure how I pulled that off:)
I think they are running the same course this year that we did in 1999. The year I won there were 700 runners and I was 33rd overall, I think. It is a great memory for me..I worked the race really hard and was very patient.
We have some Dreamchasers this year that are looking really good...they are all looking good.
We have had 1 who had to pull out of the race, not sure the reason as of yet. There are times this happens and we have to make a choice.
Happy day
Lisa
you all are doing very well! your inspirations to everyone that hasn't done it yet! keep up the kick ass job that your all doing.
" courage is being scared to death- but saddling up anyway" john wayne.
" most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they have a second" william james
" the man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win" roger bannister
" suffering becomes beautiful when anyone bears great calamities with cheerfulness, not through insensibility but through greatness of mind" aristotle
the best of luck to you all,
michael evans
Hi Lisa!
I just emailed Jay again - he is doing great! The 4th American - honestly I cannot imagine running races like you two do. I am constantly amazed!
Meredith Allen Conner
"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams,Live the life you have imagined."
Henry David Thoreau
Go Dreamchasers!!
It's great reading about your adventures, I wish I were there to share it with you.
Thanks Lisa for posting a play-by-play!
Dusty
Lisa! Good Luck! I am excited for everyone Tell Jay Hi and to run fast. Bryce
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