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The ultimate marathon: 110 days to cross Sahara TheStar.com - Sports - The ultimate marathon: 110 days to cross Sahara
February 21, 2007
Cathal Kelly
SPORTS REPORTER






Seven years ago, Canadian Ray Zahab was a personal trainer with a dirty secret: he smoked.

He decided to quit and take up bike racing. After getting himself into shape, he settled on a new challenge – ultra-running.

Now, only a couple of years removed from his first competitive race, the 38-year-old Chelsea, Que., native has just completed a feat of human endurance never before recorded.

Zahab stepped out of Egypt's blazing Sahara Desert yesterday and walked straight into the cool embrace of the Red Sea.

He and two teammates had just become the first known adventurers to run the length of the imposing vastness, battling sandstorms, injury and heat to cover over 7,000 km in just 110 days.

Contacted late last night in his Cairo hotel room, Zahab was enjoying a beer with friends and contemplating his first night's sleep in a proper bed since last November.

"I'm tired and stiff, but happy to be done. It was an incredible experience," Zahab said.

Accompanied by American Charlie Engle, 44, and Taiwan's Kevin Lin, 30, Zahab ran 70 to 80 kilometres a day – roughly two traditional marathons – for almost four months.

Their journey took them through six African nations – Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Libya and, finally, Egypt.

"We ran," Zahab said. "You have to cover the ground every day. So that's what we did, for 110 straight days."

The physical obstacles were daunting. Temperatures could soar to 40 C at midday and sink below freezing at night. The trio were buffeted by sandstorms so violent they were forced to wear ski goggles. They suffered diarrhea and severe cramps. Zahab limped through the last three weeks with excruciating tendinitis in his right ankle.

"I didn't know if I could finish," Zahab said. "But I just kept going."

While he spoke, Zahab yelped with pain down the phone line.

"My doctor's just ripping on the toe where I lost my toenail," he explained. Apparently, the morning's blisters were still being attended to hours after the journey's finish.

During the odyssey, the trio was trailed in 4x4s by a group of support staff – including the zealous doctor and a massage therapist – as well as a documentary crew. A film of their journey, entitled Running the Sahara, is being produced and narrated by Hollywood star Matt Damon.

Their route was plotted by Tuareg guides, natives of the desert. In certain countries, notably Libya and Egypt, they were accompanied by policemen.

"Mostly we did our own thing, and nobody bothered us," Zahab said.

A typical day began at 4 a.m. After a quick breakfast, the three began their day at a brisk trot before sunrise. Once warmed up, they began to run – not quite sprinting, but something faster than jogging.

"We were on what I would call a very good pace," Zahab said.

At noon, they sat down in a makeshift camp to inhale, rather than eat, lunch. Minutes later, the trio were back on their feet for a few more hours of running, followed by an evening meal and yet more running. When their days finished, around 11 p.m., they staggered into camp and collapsed.

Their strength was maintained by a travelling chef who created protein and carbohydrate-rich meals using tuna, rice and pasta, mixed with local cuisine. Zahab estimates he consumed a staggering 15,000 to 16,000 calories a day.

"I think I was probably expending a little more than I took in," Zahab said.

The 5-foot-7 fitness instructor ended the race at 135 lbs., 25 less than he weighed at the outset.

Zahab's short marathoning career has taken him to some of the most inhospitable locales on Earth. He's dragged sleds through the Arctic and sprinted through the Amazon jungle (where he met Engle and Lin).

But his heart was captured by the African desert during races in Morocco, Egypt, Niger and Libya.

"I love the Sahara," Zahab said. "I'd run it before, in parts. And then I thought, `Why not run it all together?'"

The film of Zahab's journey is due to be completed this fall. There have been discussions about screening the doc at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Damon's production company, LivePlanet, made the film in support of H20 Africa. The charity, started by Damon, is dedicated to raising awareness about the scarcity of clean drinking water in Africa and around the world.

On the charity's website, h2oafrica.org, Damon touted the Sahara marathoners, praising them for "attempting the impossible."