Manky feet, 52 degrees C, lots of bloody sand, (literally bloody), and the run that sparked the biggest adventure of my life.

 

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For 7 days in the middle of the Sahara Desert I grew close to some very special people. If you've ran this race you'll know it changes peoples lives. For me, I didn't enjoy the race at all, not because it was hard (well that too), but because it wasn't the race I had dreamt of (more about that in the full story). I found the race particularly hard because I broke my ankle 40 miles from the finish line. A race of 281km, the longest in its history - I was aiming for a top 20 finish, a broken bone in my foot put an end to that. There after I lifted my broken body and the melting plastic crutches out of the sinking sand over and over again. The last 10 miles took me 10 hours and I finished with more blisters on my hands than my feet; and I had 22 juicy blisters on my right foot alone.

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The race didn't change me and I certainly didn't find myself, (as with some people that suffer this gruelling event). It did however give me Kevin, Jeff, Selina, Chris, Rich, Phil and the legendary Rory. We were the idiots with really heavy bags and no food in tent 105. It was these people that ultimately led me down a path of no return. 2 people in particular. Jeff with his outrageously inclusive and friendly smile, plus is shiny bald head. And of course the main man; Kevin Webber. There's a long and magical story that goes with this so please do click the link and find more... I'll tell you this though - he gave me the kick I needed to fully commit to a life of no money and lots of blisters. I owe a great deal to Kev. This man dropped the bomb shell he had terminal Prostate Cancer. It was my days in the desert that sparked my epic 674 day expedition to run the world. See Running The World 196.