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How an Indian runner trained for a brutal marathon in the Sahara Desert – UnlistedNews

Runner Mahasweta Ghosh became one of the few people to complete a challenging multi-day marathon across the Sahara. That’s how she did it



Somewhere in the middle of the Sahara desert, the runner Mahasweta Ghosh began to sing. At the time, the up-tempo title track of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag it was more of a distraction than motivation to get her to the next checkpoint. A solo game of antakshari played for the next two hours. Soon enough, she had registered at the camp.

Entertainment is vital for those competing in the Marathon des Sables (MDS), a 250km stage race that takes place over six days in southern Morocco. In May of this year, Ghosh became the first Indian woman to complete the race, in a time of 55 hours and 42 minutes. “I found out about this race through a friend in 2019. Some things intrigued me: the format and the fact that you are living in the desert, in the wild. I hadn’t done anything like that before,” says Ghosh, 44.

Racing can be a brutal experience, for multiple reasons. Runners must be self-sufficient for the duration of the race, carrying everything from their nutrition, meals and medicines, to the necessary running gear and bivouac equipment at the end of the day. In addition to the gigantic distance (the longest stage is 90km), you have to contend with the brutal Saharan environment.

“I fell in love with the desert terrain after running a race in Pokhran (in Rajasthan). You stop from time to time to take in the stunning scenery. But the rest of the time, you are constantly looking down because you will slip on the sand or trip on the stone. There is no shade or respite from the sun. It’s merciless: your feet get very hot from the sand. You have to be very focused because you will invariably see mirages. Resilience is key,” says Ghosh.

“This year, the temperature peaked at 48 degrees Celsius on one particular day, but living in Gurugram, the heat was the least of my worries,” he laughs. His training required precise planning and hard work. When Ghosh signed up for the race, he was already preparing to run three consecutive marathons in Berlin, Chicago and New York. It was only in December of last year that he began to focus on MDS.

“I had a lot of mileage under me, about 120km every week, so jumping to 130km wasn’t much. Running is a lifestyle for me, something I do every day. That’s the advantage of being in training all the time: you just adjust it based on your goals,” she says.

In the past, Ghosh had trained to run a maximum distance of 100 km without stopping. What he changed this time was how he logged weekly mileage. He did several long runs on consecutive days, including three consecutive 30km stretches. His shortest runs were also around 18-20km during the same week.

“You are only running about 40km during each stage of MDS. But the body should be ready to take the same distance again the next day. What you need to develop is the ability to run with a tired body and fatigued legs, rather than very high volume,” she says.

In addition to running, Ghosh was also working on strength training and mobility exercises 4-5 days a week. And given her full-time day job as a technology marketer, recovery and fueling were just as essential as training. Each run would end with foam exercises or resistance bands, followed by an ice bath. At the end of each week’s shift, she would be cared for by a masseuse and a physiotherapist.

“I eat staple clean foods with the goal of consuming about 1,200 calories per day. But I am very cautious with what I eat. I follow a gluten-free diet and I also do intermittent fasting. The progress has been great and I have seen major improvements, especially in regards to weight management,” he says.

Ghosh gives equal credit to her trainer, Dr. Jason Karp, and her nutritionist, Dr. Ryan Fernando, for customizing the routine to her needs. “It’s not like he can finish a race, go home and sleep, and then go back to training. I have a full-time job, so I feel that having career guidance is what allows me to function,” he says.

He arrived in Marrakech a week before the start of the race, and did short runs and light stages. Meditation kept his mind calm, as did reading and watching movies. At the start line, however, Ghosh was nervous as she contemplated the uncertainty of the days ahead. Her racing strategy was simply to finish each day and prepare for the next.

By the end of the first stage, he realized the need to lighten his 11.5kg backpack and was left with just the essentials, even cutting his leggings in the process. There was little in terms of recovery at the end of each day other than eating and getting some rest. Each morning he began by bandaging blisters, organizing gear, and mentally preparing for the miles ahead.

“This year they had a 30% dropout rate for only the second time, the highest in the history of the race. I only had one thought: finish. It is a moment that will stay with me for life,” she says.

Shail Desai is a Mumbai-based writer.

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Sara Marcus
Sara Marcushttps://unlistednews.com
Meet Sara Marcus, our newest addition to the Unlisted News team! Sara is a talented author and cultural critic, whose work has appeared in a variety of publications. Sara's writing style is characterized by its incisiveness and thought-provoking nature, and her insightful commentary on music, politics, and social justice is sure to captivate our readers. We are thrilled to have her join our team and look forward to sharing her work with our readers.
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