16th Marathon Des Sables April 2001 - Part 6 - Page 1

One minute the sun is blazing and the next it has suddenly become dusky and darkness is falling quickly. I snap my glow stick, attach it to my backpack, put on my head torch and look around desperately for anyone going at my pace. To my delight, a couple of Dutch guys come by and I ask if they mind some company, explaining my terror at the dark. They have been sponsored by their company to do the mds. Beginning to think that I am the only person here paying for it out of my own pocket, and raising money for charity too. Most people have some type of sponsorship, either from their employers or the charities themselves.

Their pace is somewhat quicker than I am used to, but I keep up determined not to be left alone in the dark. Distances seem further at night, despite the fact that we have been able to see the lights of the control in the distance, it doesn't seem to be getting any nearer. A father and son team from Northern Ireland keep pace with us for a while, and tease me that the control has in fact been moved 10 km further than it should have been.

Beginning to believe them. They disappear off into the night, leaving me with the Dutch. They have the same game plan as I do, rest and recuperate for an hour and eat, fix feet etc, then keep going until the bivouac. They invite me to hook up with them for the rest of the stage, and I agree, though inwardly know that I couldn't keep this pace for much longer, as I am starting to feel totally drained and lethargic. It is a monumental effort to reach CP4, which we do about 8pm, but an enormous relief. The place is like a mini campsite, with everyone resting, sitting around eating, chatting, tending their wounds etc. My companions and I arrange to meet up again in an hour. Spot Eric and J.J and decide to go over and eat with them, and get news of James................and then it all starts to go weird, and I feel really dizzy and sick.

I kind of stumble towards them, muttering something, and not making much sense I lie down on the ground. J.J is talking to me but I cannot make out what he is saying. Eric seems to be saying something too. This is horrible, this does not feel right. J.J makes me drink something, but I find it hard to swallow. They are both still talking and I still can't focus on their words. I don't know if it minutes or hours later, but they half-carry, half-drag me to the medical tent as I cannot keep upright. Then I start to loose focus completely. My next recollection is of shivering although I am in my sleeping bag, and also wrapped in one of those foil survival blankets. There is an I.V drip in my arm, and the wind is blowing very strongly. I drift in and out of sleep. Each time I open my eyes the drip is still there in my arm. I feel dizzy, everything spins, I dream there is sand blowing everywhere, and then I open my eyes...and it is daylight.