2023-05-23 16:22:56
From April 21 to May 1, in the heart of the Moroccan Sahara, Lys, 16, the youngest in the event, and her father Grégory, from Annecy-le-Vieux (Haute-Savoie), took part in the 37th edition of the Marathon des Sables. Six days and as many stages to cover the 250 km of this ultra-trail, alongside 1,085 participants.
Sous more than 50°C in direct sunlightthe Savoyard duo faced extreme temperatures and sandstorms to afford the 539th et 540th place. The feat is there. Of the total of 1,085 entered, only 763 made it to the finish. The Marathon of the SandsIt is six stages of 32 to 42 km, and a final race of 90 km. An experience of autonomy on equipment and food that brings together competitors from nearly 50 nationalities. If the 2023 edition was strongly marked by the cheating of the big favorite Rachid El Morabity, nine times winner of the event (he benefited from external help concerning food), it is above all synonymous witha great outpouring of solidarity. At each edition, funds are collected by the runners to help dozens of charities in their country. For 10 years, the Marathon des Sables has been mobilizing to get children aged 3 to 10 to practice sports and provide literacy classes for women, thanks to its association Solidarité MDS.
“I loved the desert landscapes”
Nearly 58 hours is what it took father and daughter to complete the ultra-trail. Lys does not hide her joy at having participated in this event. “It was a very, very good experience, despite difficult times, especially with the heat. I loved discovering the landscapes of the desert. Every day had its new set of flavors and sensations she says. For the young high school girl, the adventure is huge. This is his first big race. His first marathon. Every week, she is a fan of running. But from Sunday jogging to a 250 km event in the middle of the Saharan desert, there is a step, a huge step even. A crazy epic that she shared with her dad Grégory Girard. He had entered the race himself in 2021. Unfortunately, he was forced to retire. “He liked the adventure a lot, so when he asked me to accompany him, I didn’t really hesitate or think regarding it” adds Lys, even if she adds that “250 km for a first challenge, it may seem crazy, even completely crazy”. Note that the father-daughter experiment was already carried out last year.
Difficult to manage food self-sufficiency
The spirit of expedition and adventure is what Lys expects and demands. She was not disappointed. The first difficulty is managing food self-sufficiency. We start with a bag, and it must hold the runners to the finish line. “We have to carry all our food for the week, so we have to juggle the weight of the bag, and having something to hold on” explains the girl. The water is provided by the organization of the race, for the rest, the duo is armed with freeze-dried foods : a breakfast for the morning before leaving, and a meal for the evening.
“Magic to live this moment with my dad”
The second thorny parameter concerns the weather conditions, between sandstorms and extremely high temperatures for the month of April. But for our two competitors, out of the question to give up. “The ranking doesn’t matter, all that matters is to finish. I mightn’t see myself leaving with a feeling of defeat. says Lys, “with my father, we motivated each other, we were each other’s strength”. What marks, it is especially the landscapes and the decorations of the race. The second stage particularly moved her, “it’s the shortest, 32 km, but it’s the one we managed the best. We enjoyed the landscapes 100% without suffering physically. It was magical to live this moment with my dad.
The youngest and oldest of the event under the same tent
From the fluorescent pink bomb on the rocks as GPS indications, the objective is to reach the evening bivouac each day. Tents where several people who do not know each other sleep together for six nights. A great moment of sharing that opened Lys to the diversity of humanity. This spirit of camaraderie, she found it throughout the race. The good atmosphere, the spontaneous encouragement, and the wise advice of the other participants guided him. “I really enjoyed talking to all these people, we may never meet once more, but at this time in my life, they were outstanding and made me grow, it’s a great chance”. Lys is the youngest in the race, on the other side, we find Josette Loury, the 71-year-old oldest. If she had to abandon the Marathon des Sables, Lys had time to meet her. Positive coincidence, the two women were in the same tent.
“Tasty encounters, an adventure shared with his dad, and a sporting experience full of emotion”, this is how Lys defines his Marathon des Sables. The father-daughter bond comes out stronger than ever, grows from a not trivial adventure to tell at the family meal.
Winners
At men’s :
1/ Mohamed El Morabity (Morocco): 7:19:54 p.m. (not downgraded despite suspicion of cheating)
2/ Aziz Yachou (Morocco): 19:29:09
3/ Mathieu Blanchard (France): 21:21:27
In women:
1/ Maryline Nakache (France): 27:02:17
2/ Aziza El Amrany (Maroc): 27:53:37
3/ Tomomi Bitoh (Japan): 29:39:51
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