* indicates photos of Ken taken by one of the Racing the Planet
photographers, link at the bottom of the page
| Our competitor:
Kenneth C. Perry, United States
Racing the North Sahara as a fund-raiser for the
Wildland Firefighter Foundation and for his own satisfaction...
Taking each day at a time...
|
| Stage |
Distance |
Time (h:m:s) |
Notes |
pre
10/27 |
|
|
73 runners;
7.5 hr drive to base camp 1 and the start of the run;
map of course; the competitors meet up at the end of each day at
a base camp site, ring a
fire pit to cook their own meals, enjoy each
other’s company, and
get much-needed rest. |
1st
10/28 |
21.5 mi (35 K) |
06:47:56 |
73 runners began at 0830 to camels yawping and drums beating;
white stone boulder fields and long stretches of beige sand; hot!; each
base camp = cotton wall tents with 10 people in each; racers usually arise
0500 to a dark sky with waning full moon and needing a jacket,
begin 0700; brutal heat by 1000 hours |
2nd
10/29 |
26.1 mi (40 K) |
08:47:59 |
the course took a turn into ankle-deep sand; white sand dunes "White
Desert", tough on the quads most of the day, only one palm tree; heat’s
not quite as bad as yesterday, but still scorching! No wind.
white desert
& stage2 in white desert,
rocks,
stage2 ... |
3rd
10/30 |
23.6 mi (38.5 K) |
07:37:28 |
Stage 3 Runners;
began earlier to allow racers more evening rest time; course is
flat, mostly hard-packed bed of sand, an undulating sea, stretching in all
directions; "beastly hot day" as athletes started their run through the Great
Sand Sea, seeing nothing but flat, hot, desert for miles. Temp: hot 110+
deg F; monster sand dunes before reaching base camp challenged
calves and hamstrings. Ken: "Incredible beauty in absolute nothingness"
was the term that came to my mind. But in all of this nothingness... there
were butterflies. Climbing a Dragon's back of sand-dunes. Up and down
this razor back ridge of... yes, you've guessed it.... sand. Oh and I got to
spend a few moments scratching the ears of a camel."
camels &
camels2 |
4th
10/31 |
22.9 mi (37 K) |
07:18:05 |
competitors run through an oasis and past a glorious desert spring; temps
are still hot, but there is a slight breeze; at a checkpoint at this true desert
oasis with 3 palm trees, race volunteers offered to pour ice cold spring
water over competitors’ heads; music in the background; finish line is set
between eight large limestone formations to the East end of the course;
base camp;
sandstorm blew through the campsite in the night |
5th
11/1 |
58.125 mi (93 K) |
23:08:10 |
the granddaddy, two-day overnight 93-kilometer stage; called the "double
day"; temps very hot; fierce 30 mph headwinds all day, gusts to 50 mph,
blowing sand; runner,
wind, stage 5; 1st K began amidst huge limestone
towers; foot thick sand sucked swelling feet into its depths with each step;
after 1 K, the trail took an upward turn over a large rocky ridge; runners
bedded down on the trail or ran/walked through the night;
last-stretch;
6th stage of the race moved to the entrance to the Pyramids near the
Oberoi Hotel for the ceremonial 6 K finish for tomorrow (not Giza and
the Sphinx as earlier planned). |
6th
11/3 |
3.75 mi (6 K) |
01:11:54 |
Ken did GREAT!
(Andrew Murray of Scotland, was announced the winner of the men's
division 30:11:44 and Sandy McCallum of Canada was the women's
overall 39:55:24.) |
| END |
Overall Distance
156.25 mi (250 K)Overall Standing
31st |
Overall Time
54:51:32 |
Fastest overall time 30:11:44; Slowest, 83:01:43;
73 runners from 15 countries began, 53 runners finished
Photos compliments of
Racing the Planet, Sahara Run.
More than 500 photos there... Check 'em out! Get inspired!
Ken got the most emails of anyone racing! Thanks, Community. Ab. |
