The Marathon Des Sables and how to cope with sand everywhere

Last week, we hosted the latest in our #ProfeetSocial events where we invite our customers and partners to join us for an informal and informational gathering.

We welcomed 3 times Marathon Des Sables finisher, Pierre Meslet, to the Lab to tell us of the trials, the ecstasy and agony experienced when taking on this legendary event – a behemoth in the long-distance running calendar and the pinnacle of every ultrarunner’s dreams.

Not everyone would dare to take it on. But still many have, including 1500 entrants this year alone. The MDS (as it is known by those who know) was started by Patrick Bauer back in 1986 – thus celebrating its 40th birthday this year. The MDS Legendary, takes place every year in the Moroccan Sahara, covering around 250 km in six stages, easily earning it’s stripes as one of the toughest endurance races on the planet.

It has previously been undertaken by such well-known figures as adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes (at age 71 wouldyabelieve), broadcaster Ben Fogle, skier Graham Bell, newsreader Sophie Raworth and even chef Gordon Ramsay. It certainly has it’s pull.

Pierre tells it like it is

As a child, Pierre was a natural athlete and started running on a regular basis at just age 11. He began participating in events pretty young too, gradually extending his distance from 10K and on…and on. Always fascinated by the MDS he relates that he ‘thought about it a lot before actually doing it’. He often played the event out in his mind in advance turning over every detail. How to train, how to find the mental stamina, what to wear, how to carry everything. In the run up to his first MDS in 2021 Pierre prepared meticulously, and just as well:

Sand everywhere

It is probably no surprise to learn that there is sand literally everywhere in the Sahara, but you don’t necessarily think about the fact that it gets into every possible nook, cranny and crevice – and the problems that can cause.

Firstly, there is no running water during the event, so no showers, and no surplus water – every drop is rationed. It is hot, hot, hot so you have to get your head firmly around this from the off. The temperature can reach up to 60 degrees, almost unimaginable, so getting sweat tested in advance and having a (pardon the pun) water-tight hydration strategy is make or break. There are always some who succumb to heat stroke and dehydration every year – and of course over the years there have been a few fatalities. This is a serious race.

The event is 9 days and 8 nights. That’s 8 nights in a tent open on one side, cheek by jowl with 7 other (sweaty, unwashed) runners. The ability to get a successful night’s sleep is down to the cooperation of the team in the tent. If you have an experienced MDS runner among you, you have a head start. As the wind blows up so you must try to drop one side of the tent to provide shelter from the stinging sand. As the wind direction changes, the dropped-size is manoeuvred to provide as much protection as can be mustered.

By day, you must carry everything you own because the MDS is a “self-sufficient” race where you carry all your gear, including a sleeping bag, food for the entire week, and mandatory equipment. The pack must weigh between 6.5 kg and 15 kg (excluding water) and a recommended minimum of 2,000 kcal of nutrition per day is required.

The barest of bare minimums

Pierre informs us that since weight is at such a premium and mandatory kit includes the sleeping bag, clothing must be kept to the bare (almost naked) minimum. Here is what he packed for the whole event:

Survival

So, the *‘face wipes’ are in fact a dry, compressed tablet-sized cloth that is reconstituted with a tiny 5ml of water. And that’s it for cleaning, personal hygiene, personal comfort, everything!

Pierre tells of how he would dip one of these tablets in a bottle lid of water and proceed to lay it over his face at the end of each leg of the race. One tiny, miniscule comfort at the end of a long hot slog. Unimaginable. A face crusted in sand, dried to a crisp in the relentless heat of the sun, now finally soothed by this ridiculously small modicum of ‘luxury’. And we haven’t even talked about how it feels to run in up to 100km per day in these conditions yet.

Footwear is very important

Pierre then hopped around on one leg in a bid to show us his custom-made gaiters. Another essential piece of kit, these ‘sand protectors for the feet’ can be the difference between sand-free shoes and a rare kind of agony created by sand in the shoes over tremendous distance (in intense heat). There is a special tent at the end of each leg of the race where exhausted runners can be found on their backs with their poor swollen, raw feet in the air being tended to by expert foot specialists.

Avoiding blisters is a key skill in the MDS.

Pierre suggests that there is no one special shoe that will fit the bill. Comfort and durability are the name of the game so you need to test and find a shoe that you can work with. Pierre himself favours a Hoka Tecton X3 with a carbon plate – and of course – his trusty Profeet custom insoles. (Pierre would highly advise to get some fitted to improve comfort, avoid blister and improve performance). But you may find a trail shoe is more to your preference.

Either way, whatever footwear you choose, be sure to trial it in hot weather conditions. Pierre trained in Lanzarote and the summer heat of the mediterranean, to put his shoe options through their paces. He also trained in Precision Fuel and Hydration’s heat chamber to nail his hydration strategy.

This year, Pierre finished in 12th place and given that there were 1500 entrants you can see how amazing this result is. At 42, this was Pierre’s 3rd MDS. He previously finished 9th in 2021 (the super-hot year) and 6th overall in 2023 – but also 1st as part of Team France, quite extraordinary.

Fascinating and educational

So a huge thank you to Pierre for sharing his experience and providing rare information for any brave soul who might be considering entering this intrepid race. I personally felt like I’d run the race myself by the end of the session – so successful was Pierre’s story telling – which is as close as I’m ever going to get to it. We have to thank Pierre too for providing a range of prizes for a draw to raise money for Du Sable Dans Les Yeux – a unique charity that enables disabled people to participate in an experience far beyond their wildest dreams.

All in all it was a good fun evening and a lovely opportunity to meet some of our customers and partner club runners such as the ladies of @BlackGirlsDoRunUk and the team at @PutneyChiropractic amongst others.

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Big thanks to Tenzing for their Super Natural Energy drinks