"For his birthday, I offered him 86 kilometers!" Joyfully told AFP in the early morning the father of the young runner, Ismael Dris, engaged with his son in one of the most feared desert races in the world.

Father and son are preparing in their makeshift tent for the longest stage of the Marathon des Sables, two days and one night non-stop, feet in the sand and pebbles, to face the wind which has been blowing violently for three days.

A competitor heads, despite a sandstorm, towards one of the bivouac tents erected for the Marathon des Sables, on March 28, 2022 between West Aguenoun and Rich Mbirika in the Moroccan Sahara desert JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK AFP

On Wednesday morning, Muhammad Dris Abderrahm was awakened by several members of the organization, who came with a dozen white balloons, singing "Happy Birthday" in Spanish.

"It's my birthday but it's also the hardest stage! "But it's a great birthday present to be here, to live this experience and to know my father's friends" , emphasizes the tall, thin young man.

Muhammad Dris Abderrahm is in full discovery for the first race of his life.

"At 12, I ran with my father, we did 3.4 km but nothing more. And there, between my studies, private lessons, I didn't have much time, we did 20 Sunday with my father", he says, impressively fresh despite the eighteen hours of racing he has already had since the big start on Sunday and the almost total absence of sleep.

Competitors climb dunes during the 2nd stage of the Marathon des Sables, on March 28, 2022 between Ouest Aguenoun n'Oumerhiout and Rich Mbirika in the Moroccan Sahara desert JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK AFP

'My Son's Eyes'

Father and son, who gossip at night to pass the time, run beside each other.

Ismael Dris is participating for the 6th time in the Marathon des Sables, he who signed his best performance in 2011 with a 10th place and who returns after five years of absence.

Muhammad Dris Abderrahm saw his father leave from a very young age for an adventure that intrigued him and that he discovered on each return thanks to the films that the head of the family made every day with his camera.

Competitors cross the desert during the 3rd stage of the Marathon des Sables, on March 29, 2022 between Rich Mbirika and Nord el Maharch in the Sahara JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK AFP

"When I first came in 2009, I was already thinking about bringing my son racing. And now that he's here, it's very selfish I know, I want to feel through the eyes of my son what I felt the first time I came", confides the 51-year-old runner who still watches the films of his previous participations, with "even more emotions as the years go by" .

Competitors try to regain their strength, after the 2nd stage of the Marathon des Sables, on March 28, 2022 disputed between Ouest Aguenoun n'Oumerhiout and Rich Mbirika in the Moroccan Sahara desert JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK AFP

This father of five children, based in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa, where he runs a household appliance store inherited from his parents, does not intend to cut the line in front of his son, Friday at the end of the last stage counting for the classification.

"I'll stay five minutes to land before the finish line to make sure he passes before me!" Said Ismael Dris as his son shook his head.

Always smiling, Muhammad Dris Abderrahm is a discreet and shy boy, who did not tell his friends that he was going to run the Marathon des Sables because it "embarrasses" him.

Competitors cross the desert during the 2nd stage of the Marathon des Sables, on March 28, 2022 between West Aguenoun n'Oumverhiout and Rich Mbirika in the Sahara JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK AFP

Next year he won't come back because of school.

Ranked 351st provisionally (out of 822 starters on Wednesday) he hopes to be back "to really race".

On the morning of his 16th birthday, he went through the list of the 50 best riders of this 36th edition.

© 2022 AFP