Sahara Nightmare - Lost In the Dunes Only With a Pair of Sneakers On
The Marathon des Sables is rated the toughest of the most extreme marathons. Those who decide to attempt it cross 156 miles thorough the Sahara desert - the most inhospitable and hardest terrain on Earth. The race described in short is running a distance equivalent to a marathon a day, for the course of six days. Only the strongest, toughest and most insane runners dare to compete in that foot race. One of them was Mauro Prosperi, an Italian policeman and keen marathon runner.
In March 1994, at the age of 39, he commenced the ultimate challenge of his life. Along with 133 other competitors he reached the starting point of the desert race. The race began well enough for the police officer and by day 4 he was placed at number seven. Shortly after the checkpoint a violent sandstorm rose. According to the rules under such circumstances the runners are supposed to stop wherever they are and wait for assistance. During a sandstorm in the desert the sand is swiped into the air as sky and ground merge into one. It's like a sand tornado with needle sharp sand particles cutting through the skin, finding their way into eyes, mouth and ears. However Prosperi and decided he should keep running not to be buried alive under the sand. He wrapped a scarf around his head and continued though the storm. Little he knew at the time what he was going to be put through due to that not-so-wise decision.
Six hours later, far off the track, and completely disoriented he realized that he's completely alone in the most inhospitable and largest desert in the world. Desperate and exhausted he kept walking until he reached a shrine where he decided to commit suicide. He caught two bats, ripped their heads off and drank their blood - something you don't usually do in a shrine, especially when you are Italian and try to appease the Dio. Then he left a note to his wife and slit his wrists with a small knife. By this time he was so dehydrated, his blood was so thickened, that the cuts were unable to bleed. He woke up the next morning with nothing big great headache and strengthened will to live.
He came in terms that the Death rebuffed his advances pretty clearly and he had no other option but to fight for his life. The thing that helped him was that participants in the race were required to carry all their food, personal and survival supplies in a backpack.He continued his journey through the desert by drinking dew off leaves and his own urine and eating lizards and snakes. "I was sure I was getting closer and closer to death but the more difficult the situation became, the stronger I felt inside." After long nine days he stumbled upon a group of nomads that helped him go to Algeria - mere 130 miles off the track where he was rushed into hospital and taken care of. Four years later he competed in the Marathon des Sables once again. Then again, and again. Up to date he completed total 7 races though Sahara after his near fatal attempt.
In March 1994, at the age of 39, he commenced the ultimate challenge of his life. Along with 133 other competitors he reached the starting point of the desert race. The race began well enough for the police officer and by day 4 he was placed at number seven. Shortly after the checkpoint a violent sandstorm rose. According to the rules under such circumstances the runners are supposed to stop wherever they are and wait for assistance. During a sandstorm in the desert the sand is swiped into the air as sky and ground merge into one. It's like a sand tornado with needle sharp sand particles cutting through the skin, finding their way into eyes, mouth and ears. However Prosperi and decided he should keep running not to be buried alive under the sand. He wrapped a scarf around his head and continued though the storm. Little he knew at the time what he was going to be put through due to that not-so-wise decision.
Six hours later, far off the track, and completely disoriented he realized that he's completely alone in the most inhospitable and largest desert in the world. Desperate and exhausted he kept walking until he reached a shrine where he decided to commit suicide. He caught two bats, ripped their heads off and drank their blood - something you don't usually do in a shrine, especially when you are Italian and try to appease the Dio. Then he left a note to his wife and slit his wrists with a small knife. By this time he was so dehydrated, his blood was so thickened, that the cuts were unable to bleed. He woke up the next morning with nothing big great headache and strengthened will to live.
He came in terms that the Death rebuffed his advances pretty clearly and he had no other option but to fight for his life. The thing that helped him was that participants in the race were required to carry all their food, personal and survival supplies in a backpack.He continued his journey through the desert by drinking dew off leaves and his own urine and eating lizards and snakes. "I was sure I was getting closer and closer to death but the more difficult the situation became, the stronger I felt inside." After long nine days he stumbled upon a group of nomads that helped him go to Algeria - mere 130 miles off the track where he was rushed into hospital and taken care of. Four years later he competed in the Marathon des Sables once again. Then again, and again. Up to date he completed total 7 races though Sahara after his near fatal attempt.
