My biggest mistake…
It wasn’t long ago that I was on day 4 of 6 in the Marathon Des Sable, 35km into an 86km run through the Sahara Desert, Morocco. It was early in the afternoon when I had just passed through checkpoint 3 of 8, and the sun was beating down at a blistering 48 degrees. I was dehydrated, low in energy and was suffering from over 20 blisters spread over both feet. It’s fair to say it was a low point!
Rewind 4 days to day 1, I was stood on the start line listening to AC/DC Highway to Hell being blasted out by the event organisers. A weird but accurate description of the journey you undertake each day of the world’s ‘toughest footrace’! I started the 31.6km on day one relatively easy, giving myself some time to adapt to the terrain and the 8kg pack on my back carrying everything I needed for the week.
Despite the soft sand and tough terrain, day 1 went exceptionally well. I finished in good time and felt like I had plenty left in the tank to roll over into the following days. As I got back to my 8-man tent with my rationed water, my spirits were high, I was the second person back with much of the evening to drink, eat, stretch and relax. As I started to cool down, I took my shoes off to review just how my feet had coped. Two ‘hotspots’. One on each side of my little toes and redness on the outside of each big toe. In the previous 18 months of training, I had only had one blister, not what I wanted on day 1!
I started slicing and dicing with my razor blade and bandaged up my toes as best I could with my limited medi-kit. There was official medical support if I wanted it, but the ‘Doc Trotters’ had a reputation of ‘butchering’ feet. No, thank you, not on day 1. The consensus in the tent was, do it yourself.
220km’s to go.
The second day was a 39km slog over soft dunes, across a seemingly endless rocky plain finishing with a 30% incline climb over a Jebel, a Moroccan mountain. After 10km, I was in a world of pain, and I could feel my toes grating against each other. My feet were swelling from the heat, and constant pounding and the bandages on my toes were taking up valuable room, leaving no room for the natural movement of my feet.
I got to the second checkpoint at 25.5km, anxious to see what condition my feet were in. At the checkpoint, I was hoping to treat my feet, or better still get medical attention. The doctor took one look and said, “you need to get them properly seen too, but I haven’t got time to see you now” There were numerous runners in a similar predicament. I self-treated as best I could and got my now very tight shoes back on! 13.5km to the finish line.
I limped over the finish line after 8 hours of running and hobbling and headed straight for the medic tent. There were about 20 ‘stations’ to seek treatment, all full with runners strewn on the floor. The medics were as horrified as me to see the condition of my feet. The doctor who treated my feet was French, there wasn’t much common language, but we bonded over my blood blisters and dead toenails, she laughed as I grimaced! After the treatment, I hobbled back to the tent to rest, eat and sleep ready for day 3.
Throughout the rest of the week, luck would have it that I would see the same Doctor, Delphine, each night to receive treatment. There were plenty more ups and downs throughout the week – hallucinations, peeing blood and shooting pains through my kidneys, but today’s post is not about physiological or mental fortitude.
As I reflect on the Marathon Des Sable, I made a lot of mistakes. Given the environment and difficulty of the event, this was expected! However, one critical mistake nearly saw me medically withdrawn from the event – not seeking help on the first day for the condition of my feet. If I had reached out for help early, I am sure I would have performed better throughout the week, improving my ranking in the race or in the context of being at day 1, significantly improving my chances of finishing.
Due to the current COVID-19 circumstances we sit contained in our own homes with less potential to have meaningful interactions. It can feel like a bubble, where anxiety and uncertainty can increase if it’s not recognised early. Reaching out for help still has somewhat of a stigma attached to it as being weak or considered a reflection of an inability to cope, especially for men. Whether it’s for social support, mental health or work productivity, asking for help shows a willingness to develop and to reach a new level of possibility. Without Delphine’s help, I would not have finished the event and possibly causing irreparable damage to my feet and maybe more!
With the help of a volunteer doctor, on the other side of the world and in the middle of the Sahara Desert, I was able to complete what initially started as an impossible dream.
So, what conversations are you NOT having?
I encourage you to –
- Reach out early – don’t sit in an un-resourceful emotion like frustration while the situation potentially worsens.
- Reach out to the right person – consider who is best to help you, someone who can legitimately offer another perspective, to listen or to vent to.
- Reach out to build trust – creating robust, deep and long-lasting relationships.
My parting gift to Delphine, while she was treating my right foot, another doctor started on my left. Through the powers of my magic feet, they are now in a committed relationship!
Are you struggling for a team catch or lunchtime learning topic?
Offer – I am currently running an online team talk which can fit nicely into your weekly team catch-ups. I will dive into the Marathon Des Sable experience while drawing out crucial strategies and learnings on how to deal with fear, uncertainty, how to foster a resilient mindset and how to give self-care in the most challenging of circumstances. Please message me for further details!
Are you struggling for team-talk or working lunch topics?
Offer – I am currently running an online team talk which dives into the Marathon Des Sable experience whilst drawing out key strategies to deal with fear and uncertainty, how to foster a resilient mindset and how to provide self-care in the most challenging of circumstances.
I am a corporate and personal coach with a passion for creating a safe and welcoming space for others to explore their potential and current challenges through one-on-one coaching, workshops and speaking engagements. If you would like to progress quicker, perform better and feel a greater sense of fulfilment, please do not hesitate to reach out.
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