MARATHON DES SABLES 2023 distance and event overview
Everything you need to know about the MARATHON DES SABLES 2023 distance
Every year around the same time, the toughest self-sufficiency race in the world takes place. For the 37th edition, the MARATHON DES SABLES 2023 distance will be 250km. In the middle of the Southern Moroccan desert, a little over a thousand runners will be invited to participate in an extraordinary adventure. A sporting journey that will ask them to go beyond their limits.
During the 250km that make up the MARATHON DES SABLES 2023 distance, participants will also have to brave difficult weather and environmental conditions. Notably due to significant temperature variations between day and night (+ 40°C / 14°C). Not to mention the sometimes soft and sometimes hard ground with positive and negative elevation changes, which will add spice to this 37th edition of the MDS. Hence the importance of participating in the MARATHON DES SABLES 2023 with suitable running clothes.
Schedule for the 37th edition of the MARATHON DES SABLES
Although the race is self-sufficiency, runners will obviously not have to cover the impressive MARATHON DES SABLES 2023 distance alone. Indeed, participants will be guided and constantly supervised throughout the 7 days of the race. To guarantee their safety during this desert crossing. As well as to allow them to fully focus on their long-distance race.
- Day 1, April 21, 2023 : Participants fly from Paris to Morocco to arrive at the bivouac, near Ouarzazate.
- Day 2, April 22, 2023 : Participants perform the final technical, administrative and medical checks with the organizers and volunteers of the MARATHON DES SABLES on site. This, in order to check once again that the registered participants can start running in the right conditions.
- Day 3 (April 23, 2023) – Day 8 (April 28, 2023) : Runners cross the starting line, it is the beginning of the 250km MARATHON DES SABLES 2023 distance separating them from the finish line. Timed stages between each rest area in which runners will be able to spend the night in Berber tents.
- Day 9, April 29, 2023 : The last timed "solidarity" stage, is held in honor of the "Solidarité Marathon des Sables" association, the event organizer whose goal is to build sports centers for the benefit of the disadvantaged populations of Morocco.
- Day 10, April 30, 2023 : The race is over, participants have the opportunity to freely visit the city of Ouarzazate and bond with the local population.
- Day 11 and last day (May 1, 2023) : All MDS participants are invited to catch a plane back to Paris.
The equipment adapted to the MARATHON DES SABLES 2023 distance
Running 250km in the desert, self-sufficiency, and that for 7 days in a row is what we call a major challenge. The MARATHON DES SABLES 2023 distance is such that to succeed in crossing the desert in good conditions then you will have to bet on the right equipment.
We invite you to prepare your participation in the MDS by finding out about the price of the MARATHON DES SABLES, including equipment and registration.
Indeed, the choice of your running clothes is a key step in your preparation for the MDS. So to speak, the selection of your outfit before the start is as important as your physical preparation in the weeks before.
The impressive MARATHON DES SABLES 2023 distance through the desert
Because without suitable running equipment, here is what you will be exposed to during the 250km of MARATHON DES SABLES 2023 distance :
- Burns and irritations under the arms and between the thighs due to the repeated rubbing of your skin against the fabric.
- Itching all over the body due to a fabric that is too rough and not adapted to all skin types.
- Excessive sweating due to clothes that do not let air through. Sweating that can lead to dehydration in the long term.
- Extra weight on your outfit, slowing down your progress through the considerable MARATHON DES SABLES 2023 distance.
- Clothes that do not protect you from temperature variations. Enough to get sunburned during the day and cold at night. Making your progress extremely unpleasant.
The essentials for running in the desert
To run in the desert, you must prioritize a outfit adapted to the MARATHON DES SABLES. In other words, a set of running clothes whose characteristics are as follows :
- Promote the pursuit of performance for the runner by adapting to the physical efforts provided.
- Reduce the risks of discomfort and all other unpleasant sensations during the race.
- Resist extreme weather constraints such as those of the Southern Moroccan desert during the 250km of MARATHON DES SABLES distance.
Useful accessories for the MDS
Throughout the entire MARATHON DES SABLES 2023 distance, the sun will accompany you on the daytime stages. To avoid sunburn and the risk of heatstroke we invite you to prioritize caps and anti-sand glasses.
The cap will allow you to protect your face and the top of your head. Thus, you will not be "knocked out" by the sun or by a strong sensation of heat. Then, anti-sand glasses allow you not to be dazzled by the sun or its reflections. But also, sand will not get in your eyes in case of winds.
What preparation to hold the MARATHON DES SABLES 2023 distance ?
The 250km making up the MDS course represent a major challenge. Also, to overcome it you will have to adopt an intensive preparation. This preparation for the MDS is divided into 3 main steps.
The 250km of MARATHON DES SABLES 2023 distance are interspersed with bivouacs.
First, the physical preparation that will allow you to hold the MARATHON DES SABLES 2023 distance. And thus, cover the 250km without risking an injury related to muscle fatigue. Then, you will have to adopt a preparation related to your nutrition and your recovery. Notably to bring to your body all the elements necessary to cover a race as intense as the MDS.
Finally, the constitution of your race bag is the last step of your preparation for the MARATHON DES SABLES. All these efforts will participate in the completion of this long journey intertwining physical and mental efforts. That is, 250 kilometers of challenge surrounded by running enthusiasts.
MARATHON DES SABLES 2023 distance : what you need to remember
Generally, the MARATHON DES SABLES distance is between 200 and 250km. For the 37th edition, the organization has planned a course of 250km.
- The total travel time for participants is estimated at 11 days.
- The race lasts 7 consecutive days self-sufficient.
- We invite you to opt for complete preparation to be sure you can reach the end of this challenge. More precisely, opt for optimal physical and material preparation.
