Blog: The Marathon des Sables 250km run: follow St Mary's physiotherapist on his marathon challenge!

St Marys’ physiotherapist Rory Brown is running 250km in the desert over Easter in the Marathon des Sables! The race is an annual event attracting over a 1000 like-minded individuals from around the world to Morocco, where they take on the heat and sand dunes of the Sahara. Across his training, Rory is writing monthly articles for us on how the challenge progresses. If you missed January’s article and the story so far, you can see how Rory progressed through Christmas here. The New Year celebrations were over and by Mid-January Rory was off to Wendover to face a long training-run from there into Little Venice. Here is the tale of his experience and how he has been dealing with the challenges along the way. The weather was fairly kind with little wind and only a brief rain/sleet and snow shower, we got a bit of everything really. When you’re running this far, it’s all about having a plan and sticking to your pace. Although people spread out as they run, you often end up falling into a similar rhythm to a couple of other runners and this makes the miles go much quicker and can help you maintain a consistent pace. I was lucky enough to end up running with a couple of guys who had run the Marathon des Sables before, and they were more than happy to chat about their experiences, good and bad, and tricks/tips they had picked up- all useful advice as the days continued to tick down. So, the long day was done and I was still in one piece, although I am progressively getting odd unexpected twinges here and there. This is where the occasional sports massage definitely helps. With an increase in time on my feet along with using a backpack, more muscles are beginning to complain and I have had to keep my back and neck nice and mobile. Foam rolling and stretching as often as possible has helped, although sometimes you just can’t release it yourself. I am increasing my training through ‘commuting’ to and from work to increase the overall time running and, apart from the odd slippery morning, it hasn’t been too bad. It does seem strange at times to be training to run in the desert whilst my UK runs are wet and cold and bring freezing fingers- but all the while, thinking about the sun always helps with the next mile. Whilst going abroad to complete warm weather training isn’t an option, I am looking forward to getting in the heat chamber here at St Mary’s nearer the time in order to get some adaptation in the way my body can handle exercising in the sort of heat I will be experiencing during the race. Spare time at the moment is filled with organising kit, food and logistics. During the event each runner has to carry their own food, emergency kit, running stuff and personal items. The organisers provide 8 person bivouacs (open tents) to sleep in and water rations every day, although you have to carry this as you get it. Runners will end up carrying between 6-10kg on average during the race so every gram starts to matter. Food is a big part of the load so lots of dried foods are prioritised. It is also necessary to keep the calories high and have a variety of energy sources, such as bars, snacks, gels and powders for each stage. It is important to get good nutritional advice on this to make sure you maintain a healthy balance with your food choices and also take into account the fact that your body will react differently to different tastes and consistencies when exercising heavily over a week in the heat. Next up was a two day run in the North Downs with a lot more hills and mud. I ran 33 miles each day, conquering Box Hill en route. In reality, I found it very tiring due to the hills and mud, but this was a good stimulus for my muscles and a welcome change to the weekly road training. The variety of surfaces and training/events also helps to keep me motivated, and I am tempted to find another event or two over these final few weeks, but this will depend on the timing and how they fit within the larger plan to be ready for April. With the date of the race looming, starting 7^th April, all of Rory’s training, nutrition and recovery methods are vital. Next month, we will hear about his final preparations and how he will cope mentally and emotionally with such a tough challenge! Follow Rory’s progress over the next couple of months and learn more about our support services that will help him meet his challenge. To book an appointment with the Physio and Rehab Services please call 0208 8240 4070, visit our website or email sportandhealthservices@stmarys.ac.uk. Or, for a discussion of your needs and suitable starting point or to make a booking with the Sports Perfomance Services, please contact us: Website | Email | 020 8240 4070