November 30

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MARATHON DES SABLES PERU, STAGE 2-42k: “THE SIMPLE LIFE” BY GEDIMINAS GRINIUS

Posted by on November 30, 2017 in altra running, marathon des sables 2017, marathon des sables peru, marathon des sables peru 2017, trail running, trail running peru, trail running spain, Ultra Trail, ultra trail 2017, waa ultra | 5 Comments

 

Marathon des Sables Peru saw its second stage yesterday, with Rachid el Morabity and Nathalie Mauclair again as stage winners. Our live coverage moves on with the runers as well. After our previous prerace report with favorites and race data, and bivouac zero experience before the race, today our special correspondent Gediminas Grinius shares into the special bonds that unite runners, as they take on the shared simple life of running and bivoucaing.

 

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“The Simple Life” by Gediminas Grinius. 

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At MDS campsites we are living like a big family and it has its own charm. Somebody is eating and farting all at the same time close to you and it is so normal that anybody gets angry or frustrated. We are definitely building something unique here, as being almost 24/7 all together is not just about recovery and running. Most likely those difficulties, disappearance of privacy and shame are the things which makes our relations so special. It should be similar to high mountain expeditions and though I have never done one myself, feeling that instead of fighting cold and snow we are fighting heat and sand as well as unpredictable human factor in very stressful daily situations with a lot of unknowns. The only difference is that we do it with total strangers, whom met in bivouac Zero for the first time.

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Big family of strangers is divided into the cells which consists of 4 to 5 tents with their own stories and colorful personalities, so build the good and supportive team takes time. I live with Ozzie, Mauritian, Japanese and the Cow. I would say we are one of the most international cells and Cow being the most interesting from the group. Though being Japanese he clearly doesn’t have nationality. Seems that running with super warm cow costume in the desert with heat reaching up to +40C is the essence of his life. Although it is a bit weird and I am a bit unsure that he will be able to finish all the stages, probably he the best got idea of life. Life is simple and just we make it too complicated. Furthermore, everyone here with his own reason and though reasons differ, most of the runners want this simplicity in their complicated or super busy life’s. Very likely deep inside most of them a super jealous to Cow, who found meaning of life just being the one.

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MDS PERU PROGRAMME – 26 NOVEMBER TO 06 DECEMBER 2017

  • 26 NOVEMBER: 10.00 Meeting point at Lima airport. Airport reception from 24 to 26 November: MDS PERU Team – spoken languages: French, English, Spanish, Italian and Chinese. Bus transfer to the 1st bivouac on the legendary Pan-American Highway.
  • 27 NOVEMBER: Technical and medical checks.
  • 28 NOVEMBER to 03 DECEMBER: The race – food self-sufficiency
  • 04 DECEMBER: “Solidarity” stage, timed and qualifying with food self-sufficiency
  • 05 DECEMBER: Free day
  • 06 DECEMBER: Bus transfer to Lima

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MORE ON SKIMO, TRAIL RUNNING AND MOUNTAIN GEAR

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Info by Mayayo Oxígeno for Trailrunningspain