The final American lady to win the Boston Marathon is buying and selling asphalt for sand dunes.
In a latest interview with Singletrack, 2018 Boston Marathon champion Des Linden introduced she shall be taking a break from the roads and toeing the beginning line on the Marathon des Sables, the long-lasting six-day, self-supported ultramarathon that spans roughly 250 kilometres throughout Morocco’s Sahara Desert, on April 3.
Marathon des Sables is extensively thought to be one of many hardest extremely races on the planet, that includes every day phases starting from 10K to greater than 50 miles that may stretch in a single day. The hardest half? Navigating a punishing mixture of rocky terrain and towering sand dunes, all whereas carrying your personal gear via scorching daytime temperatures and chilly nights.
Though Linden is finest recognized for her accomplishments on the roads, she isn’t an entire stranger to the extremely distance. In 2021, she set the American file within the 50K, working 2:59:54 at a Brooks Operating occasion in Oregon. That race stays her solely ultramarathon to this point, however she says the attraction of Marathon des Sables is how far it pushes her outdoors her consolation zone.
“It felt like a great second to attempt one thing fully completely different,” Linden instructed Singletrack. “The timing was proper.”
As a part of her buildup, the 42-year-old plans to race the Black Canyon 50K in Arizona this February, which she described as a low-pressure, “a number of vibes” tune-up. “It’ll function a pleasant prep race for the MDS,” she mentioned.
Apart from the space, the Marathon des Sables’ self-supported format shall be new to Linden. Every competitor is required to hold their very own meals, clothes and obligatory security gear for your complete period of the race. Linden says studying to run with a pack and managing fueling has added a brand new layer of intrigue to her coaching.
Linden will run the race alongside fellow American marathoner and former U.S. Olympian Magda Boulet, who gained Marathon des Sables in 2018. The thought for the 2 of them to do the race collectively got here throughout a six-day path working journey via the Swiss Alps final summer time.
Linden mentioned she wasn’t solely satisfied at first, however after a number of individuals within the path‑working neighborhood known as it a loopy thought, she felt proper at dwelling. “It’s so completely different,” she mentioned. “[MDS] seems like a enjoyable approach to get excited once more and check out one thing fully out of the norm.”