Sahara Challenge 2012: Solo Across The Sahara

While we're on the topic of very long runs today, an epic new run just got underway last week. Finnish ultrarunner Jukka Vilijanen is attempting to run solo across the Sahara Desert, covering 2000km (1242 miles) in just 35 days. Jukka calls this run the Sahara Challenge 2012.

The run officially began last Friday, with Vilijanen knocking off 50km (31 miles) in his first day. Since then, he's been maintaining a steady pace in widely varying conditions, and allowing us to track his progress as he goes. Jukka is using the Sports Tracker mobile app to broadcast his position, which is a very cool approach. Not only does it keep us connected to his run, it is something we could use ourselves in our own workouts.

If you recognize Jukka's name, it could be because we followed his Trans-Kalahari run back in 2010, when he a couple of friends ran across the Kalahari Desert in Botswana. This time he's going it alone however, which will make for a completely different, and more challenging, experience. Throughout the next month, while on the trail, he is expected to consume between 5000 and 7000 calories per day, and will be running 40 marathons in that time frame. It's always nice to have someone to chat with and share the hardships with, but for a solo runner, these long expeditions can be very lonely indeed.

Good luck to Jukka. We'll be following along!

The 2012 Sahara Race Begins Sunday

The 2012 edition of the Sahara Race is scheduled to get underway this Sunday, when 160 runners from 40 different countries will set off on a week-long race through the hottest desert on Earth. The course, which is 250km (155 miles) in length, will take them directly into the heart of the Sahara in Egypt, where daytime temperatures are expected to hit roughly 50°C / 122°F.

This is the seventh running of the event, which is part of the 4 Deserts series of ultra-runs. The format for this race is well established, with the runners, who are completely self supported except for water stations, setting out on a stage of the race each day. Most of those stages are 40km (24.8 miles) in length, although Stage 5, commonly known as "The Long March," doubles that distance. The final stage, which is next weekend, is just 10km (6.2 miles) in length and finishes in the shadow of the Great Pyramids in Giza.

As usual, you'll be able to follow the event at the official website, with daily updates to standings and news from the course. Most of the runners are already in Egypt and are preparing to get underway on Sunday in what is sure to be a grueling test of endurance, through an amazingly beautiful setting.

One Man Epic: On An Egyptian Adventure

In 2010, we followed Australian adventurer Tom Smitheringale on a solo attempt to reach the North Pole, a journey during which he suffered frostbite while struggling with the grueling demands of the arctic. Now, Tom has traded in those frigid conditions for a decidedly warmer adventure, this time taking on the Sahara Desert in Egypt.

A few days ago, Tom set out on a 2500km (1553 mile) journey that begins with him paddling the length of the Nile River, starting at the border of Egypt and the Sudan and continuing to the Great Pyramids in Cairo. From there, he'll travel to Luxor, where he'll join a Bedouin tribe as they enter the Western Desert in a camel caravan, following an ancient trade route that will eventually end at the famed Siwa Oasis. That portion of Tom's journey will be 1300km (807 miles) in length, taking him into the deepest part of the desert with the people that know it best.

You'll be able to follow along with Tom's journey through his blog, which he has already updated several times, or by joining his Facebook page. Setting out from the temple of Abu Simbel a few days ago, it has already been a challenge dealing with heat and long days out on the water, yet he writes about the people who live along the river, many of whom come out to wave at him as he passes by.

Tom is undertaking this expedition in support of the Starlight Children's Foundation of Australia, a non-proft that works to help make the lives of seriously ill children and their families, better.

Having traveled through Egypt, and along the Nile where Tom is currently paddling, I can tell you that it can be incredibly hot there. One of the days that I was in the Aswan area the temperature soared above 125ºF/51ºC. On top of that, the sun is very intense, and if you're not use to the heat, it can be extremely draining on your body. But that said, it is a fascinating place to visit, as their are settlements scattered along the banks of the river, and ancient ruins throughout the journey as well. Egypt is a magical place, and it should be interesting to see it through Tom's eyes as he continues to make progress.