Marathon des Sables 2011
The Marathon des Sables is possibly the toughest footrace on the planet and a Meca for ultra runners from around the world every year… For Mike Buss it was one of his life time dreams to take part in the race.
The Marathon des Sables is a 6 day / 151 mile (243km) endurance race across the Sahara Desert in Morocco, normally taking place at the end of March / beginning of April. Self sufficient carrying everything you need to survive in the middle of the desert for 6days from freeze dried rations to sleeping bag and survival gear.
Mike had only just got off the plane from Canada where he had taken part in the Arctic 6633 Ultra Race where he had suffered from a server hip injury, unsure if the injury would cause him to pull out of the MdS, Mike had time to get a couple of physio sessions during a quick 3day pitstop in the UK before boarding a plane to Moroco.
Mike took it easy for the first couple of days with the injured hip causing problems, but during the longest day which is an 82km stage Mike found a new lease of life, the hip seemed fine and he started picking up the places in the field. For Mike the longer the distance and the harsher the environment the better, so the longest day for Mike was his best stage and with a marathon distance to follow on the next stage he was back to form.
During the marathon day the temperatures soared to a staggering 62degrees C and over the final 3 stages the average temperature hit in the 5os.
After completing the MdS, Mike successfully became the first person in the world to run an Arctic & Desert Ultra Distance Race back to back.
Mike will be returning to the MdS for the 30th Anniversary race.
For more information on the Marathon des Sables or to register a place on a future race, go to: http://www.saharamarathon.co.uk/
Category: Other Achievements
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I don’t ordinarily comment but I gotta say regards for the post on this one : D.
Another lie isn’t it mike . You never really completed the Arctic run blaming it on your kit. And where did you come in the Mds ???? Could walk it quicker
Again this most likely fat usless couch potato thinks its great to throw moronic comments out there without reading fact that is out in the public domain like the national press etc that reported on this challenge of mine… I ran the MdS just after the 6633 Arctic Ultra in the Canadian Arctic, going from -65degrees to +58degrees with no time for aclimatising from one extreme temperature to the next, all other runners were fresh legged and ready for the heat of the Sahara. They trained for one race, I trained for two back to back in two opposite extreme weather conditions.
Having to go cheap on a sled that broke early in the 6633, I ended up pulling out of the 6633, just about 23miles to go after the hip injury I gained from the broken sled. and with little time to recover, and get rehab treatment on my hip I went out the the Sahara.
So I say get out of your fat arse armchair stop hiding behind the internet and do it yourself you fat knob!