Extreme Athletes Run Length of Sahara

Runners Log Equivalent of Two Marathons A Day For Nearly 4 Months Across Desert

(AP)  But Zahab kept going, as did the other two, never skipping a day. Most days the three ran a total of 44 to 50 miles — sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less.

They were interviewed by The Associated Press on Saturday — day 108 — on the side of a road about 112 miles from Cairo in Egypt's harsh Western Desert, part of the greater Sahara.

At several points in their trek, the athletes stopped near sparsely populated wells to talk with villagers and nomads about the difficulties they face finding water. That marked another goal of the run — raising awareness for the clean water nonprofit group H2O Africa.

"We have seen firsthand the need for clean water, which we take for granted in North America. It's such a foundation for any community," Zahab said during day 108's lunch break. The three plan to fund-raise for the group after they return home and finish recuperating.

"It started off as a huge motivator, especially as we passed through countries where the water wasn't clean," Engle said.

But as the trio's bodies became more depleted, the focus was "the day-to-day battle to stay alive and keep moving," he said.

[tuckerndfw]

"i think the comment below me is by a guy that doesn't like to think some people can do things better than he can."

Posted by gladetryst at 12:02 PM : Feb 22, 2007


I'm nearly 60 years old and if I allowed the fact that other people, LOTS of other people, can do things better than me, I would spend 24/7 doing nothing more than being bothered.

I was merely commenting that the headline implied they were running across a desert.

Either way, it is masochistic to run across the Sahara desert, regardless how it's done.

And, since I would never make the attempt (I've lived in Saudi Arabia and been to the edge of the Rub a khali, Empty Quarter), I don't care if others can do it or not. I wouldn't have bothered trying when I was 20, much less when I'm 60.

[meanmode]

Here are some pictures taken during their run. They are form Kevin Lin's web site. Take a look.

http://www.kevin-life.com/albumpics.php?id=746&type_id=23
http://www.kevin-life.com/albumpics.php?id=748&type_id=23
http://www.kevin-life.com/albumpics.php?id=739&type_id=23
http://www.kevin-life.com/albumpics.php?id=705&type_id=23

[rational_1]

Anybody could run 50 miles a day for 4000 miles on the road??

You kidding me? There are many people in this country who have trouble running 50 yards a day!

Apart from the heat and sometimes running on sand (bad enough) is the fact that their bodies had to hold out for 100+ days of this. I think a well trained person could pull off a few 50 mile days in a row, but I'm frankly amazed they did these guys did this for 110 days in a row with breaking down. Now THAT'S truly amazing.

[agnim]

Posted by feedback3 at 12:03 PM : Feb 22, 2007
You forgetting the HEAT! LOL

[feedback3-2009]

Yeah I really agree with tuckerndfw, anybody could run 50 miles a day for 4000 miles on the road, but if you had to do it on sand....

[gladetryst]

uh, whether they ran across sand or concrete. its still extremely hard, and extremely long. i think the comment below me is by a guy that doesn't like to think some people can do things better than he can.

[tuckerndfw]

They should be called "*** Athletes" rather than "Extreme Athletes."

Did they run across the desert, or run down roads that crossed the desert?

The headline implies they ran across the desert, which would have been very, very challenging.

I recall running across beach sand at Fort Ord, CA and fracturing both of my ankles in the process. But, I was probably carrying a lot more weight than these guys appear to be carrying.

If they are going to claim they ran across the desert, they should be in the sand, not on the highway.

Either way, they are still masochists.