Help support our colleague,
Mick Lee
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Let’s help Mick reach his goals…..
Well Done, Mick!
My blog
The Marathon Des Sables!
First of all, obviously, I didn’t die, which is good news for some at least. The whole MdS was amazing and it was everything I expected and far more…
What a week! We had the full package in terms of the weather, we had 57 degrees (134 degrees fahrenheit) on one part of the course (my end point), sandstorms most evenings that flattened the bivouacs, a very light spattering of rain and some more heat, daytime and evening.
My tent mates were exceptional, we formed such a strong team from the outset and with some very well known people, Brian Wood MC and Duncan Slater, meant we would be cohesive from the outset and that was totally true.
The MdS this year was changed dramatically and day 1 from the outset was tough but manageable and numbers started to dwindle quickly with one cardiac arrest the first night.
Day 2 was a pretty tough day, shorter but nonetheless difficult as it had 3 jebel (hill/mountain) climbs over 32km, the last one being a monstrous 1000m jebel to climb. 3/4 of it was in soft moveable sand on a 25% gradient with a rope at the top to actually get over it. We did it though, had a drink and moved on.
Day 3 was a day in the sand pit, pretty much all of the 37km was dunes of some kind and that was energy sapping.
Day 4 was my last day out and by far the most savage as the heat was relentless and we were moving across wadi’s, dried river beds, jebels covered in sand and dunes with virtually no shade. I was suffering with heat exhaustion by about 15km as there was nowhere to hide from the heat, I carried on and this was a mistake by me because as the sun and heat became more intense, my energy levels sapped even further until I was moving almost drunk-like and going in a different direction to everyone else! I woke up, took on more salt and forced myself across the sand dunes and made it to about 32km as I felt better by that time.
After the dunes, I sat down for some shade, rolled over, threw up and started shaking uncontrollably with heat exhaustion. I had no choice but to press for SOS with my tent mates and was evacuated by helicopter to the nearest checkpoint where I was put on another two saline drips after being administered one in the field. That was the end of my race unfortunately, I had a medically forced did not finish (DNF).
That all may sound horrific but weirdly it has been one of the most amazing weeks of my life. I’ve been reflective, grateful, humbled and very lucky in all of your fantastic messages that I want to thank you all for.
I have been very lucky to see what’s important in my life and what matters to me, my family and the people I’m lucky enough to call my friends and colleagues. You’re all truly exceptional! It was an extremely important lesson for me and not something I would advise going to the desert to find.
Anyway, that’s me, thank you all for your amazing support! I’m sorry I didn’t make it to the finish line, but I put my whole self in the game in stinking temperatures so I hope you forgive me. I’m hoping to get a shower before I get to the UK too.