Runners fight heat in desert raceAFP, ERRACHIDIA, MoroccoFor the survivors who cross the finish line of the 35th Marathon des Sables, the six-day, 254km slog across the sands have brought heat exhaustion, blisters, diarrhea and joy. Competitors run down a sand dune during the fifth stage of the Marathon des Sables in the southern Moroccan Sahara on Friday. There are heatstrokes, which associated with high temperatures also cause hallucinations, even comas,” he said, adding that he had counted nine runners who had fallen into comas. Every evening, runners lie on their backs and stretch out their legs, offering their blistered feet for treatment. On Thursday’s 86.2km fourth stage, race leader Rachid Al Morabity finished in 8 hours, 46 minutes, 16 seconds at an average speed of 9.23kph.

Source: Taipei Times October 09, 2021 15:56 UTC