For its 36th edition, the Marathon des Sables returns to its original place in the calendar after a terrible edition, played last October in extreme heat, caught in an epidemic of gastro and which had been bereaved by the death of a competitor. .

Forty-eight percent of participants had dropped out.

This time, the organizers hope to find their normal rate of dropouts, two to three percent of the thousand runners, but also walkers.

A competitor passes in front of the bivouac set up for the Marathon des Sables, on March 26, 2022 in Timgaline (Morocco), on the eve of the departure in the province of Errachidia, for a week of crossing the Sahara desert JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK AFP

Twenty-four hours before the start, 985 participants had reached the bivouac, including 287 Britons, 276 French and 68 Spaniards, the three most committed nationalities (for a total of 43 countries represented).

The Marathon des Sables offers one stage per day of about forty kilometers on average, with the exception of the long stage, i.e. 85 km and one night of running in the dark with a headlamp (Wednesday and Thursday), and the marathon stage (42 km) which closes the classification (Friday).

Two competitors walk during the 2nd stage of the Marathon des Sables, on April 8, 2019 between Tisserdimine and Kourci Dial Zaid, in the Sahara desert, in the south of Morocco JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK AFP / Archives

The route oscillates between flat terrain, giant dunes, climbs, rocky and ridge escarpments, and dry wadis (rivers).

The competitors arrived again on Saturday at the base camp, a circular bivouac spread over twenty hectares perfectly ordered between white tents for the organization and black tents for the participants - a black canvas posed just like a large roof.

Competitors wait before arriving at the bivouac, set up for the Marathon des Sables, on March 26, 2022 in Timgaline (Morocco), on the eve of the departure in the province of Errachidia, for a week of crossing the Sahara desert JEAN- PHILIPPE KSIAZEK AFP

"In survival mode!"

At a rate of eight per tent, many do not know each other.

Not yet.

Some are there for the performance, to keep their bet, to defend a cause or to overcome the trials of life.

For self-transcendence.

All are independent on the race: they must bring - and wear during the events - their equipment and their food that they have planned for the entire race.

Only water and care are provided to them.

Doctors examine the condition of the participants' feet at the finish of the 4th stage of the Marathon des Sables, disputed between El Mraier and Boulchrhal, on October 7, 2021, in the Sahara desert, in the south of Morocco JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK AFP /Archives

"What worries me a bit is doing all this for a week, especially the long stage. It's totally new for me, I have to finish it," Sam Haliti told AFP. specialist in the 400m, and known for having participated in the TV game "Koh Lanta" alongside notably Claude Dartois, also in the running for the Marathon des Sables.

"I didn't know about this race, I came to share an adventure with Claude. It's exceptional, it's going to be tough", underlines Sam Haliti, who loaded his bag with "a lot of calories".

Competitors walk during the 4th stage of the Marathon des Sables, disputed between El Mraier and Boulchrhal, on October 7, 2021, in the Sahara desert, in the south of Morocco JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK AFP / Archives

His friend, he had been waiting for a while to do the Marathon des Sables.

"I discovered the race through a book, 'Mythical Trail', which gave me this taste for trail running. The Marathon des Sables is a race that you want to do, it is unique in its design," Claude Dartois told AFP.

Amy Jackson will also release her first participation.

This 41-year-old English geography teacher is a walker and embarked on this "completely crazy adventure in magnificent landscapes", embarked on by a friend.

Competitors walk in the middle of the dunes, during the 3rd stage of the Marathon des Sables, disputed between Kourci Dial Zaid and Jebel El Mraier, on October 5, 2021, in the Sahara desert, in the south of Morocco JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK AFP / Archives

"Now we go into survival mode!" Says Amy Jackson, dropping her suitcase that she came to drop off and that she will only find at the end of her journey.

Like the vast majority of competitors, she should suffer badly from her feet.

Especially if she didn't think to take two sizes more for her shoes...

© 2022 AFP