UAE resident Max Calderan set off on a 340km trek across the desert along the line of the Tropic of Cancer. The route, which is located in the emirate of Abu Dhabi and starts from the UAE border with Saudi Arabia up and ends up at the Omani border provided Max with the most arduous challenge he has ever faced.
Being an experienced endurance runner and having completed several desert crossing and extreme running challenges, including running non-stop runs for 90 hours over 437km in Oman, he was challenged yet prepared to this run along the Tropic of Cancer. Other than these achievements, he is also the first man to cover 200km in 48 hours across Oman in 2007, where temperatures hit a record high of 56 degrees; also During the 2012 Ramadan, he ran 250km across the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt while fasting. Topping this all off is his 75 hour, 360km expedition across Saudi Arabia where temperatures peaked at a record high of 58 degrees.
This expedition, the Tropic of Cancer run started over the UAE border in Liwa and brought him across the desert to Oman. It was supposed to finish on the 21st of March, but due to some difficulties with the terrain, the run took more than expected.
Preparing for the Run
During this time, Max talked about his belief when it comes to preparation, he also shared with us his habits and conditioning to get ready for this challenging run. “When you prepare for this kind of crossing challenge, you need to get trained in three main areas: sleep deprivation, water deprivation and food deprivation.” Max adds that it is something he believes is critical if any athlete is to try this sort of activity.
Talking about his habits, he adds: “I normally have three to four hours sleep. During my previous explorations, I slept five-seven minutes every three/four hours. In Oman two years ago, I went without sleep for 100 hours, just small naps. It’s very useful if you’re stressed.”
I had chance to be part of the team which followed Max during this challenge as a videographer and media partner. During the challenge, I was with five other people in the support team: Mauro, the photographer; Albert; Ian; Steve and Kevin, each of them driving a 4×4 laden with medical supplies and nourishment while following Max along the route.
We set up headquarters in Liwa at the Tilal Hotel, where we arrived the day before the start, on the 17th. After a light dinner, there was a technical briefing for last-minute details just to make sure everything falls into place. In the early morning of 18th we left from the HQ towards the starting point – at the border between Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi. It took a couple of hours; with first hour comprised of on road driving and the remaining 40-50 minutes was dedicated to going into the sand to reach the starting line.
Max Begins
At around 8:30 a.m. Max touched the net that indicates the borderline and proceeded with his challenge . The first few kilometres were used for a final setup, with frequent stops and checks of the gear to make sure they remain intact. In these first few kilometres we are close by him, then we moved to the first scheduled checkpoint and while waiting for Max. A few minutes later, a heavy wind started to blow — not a proper sand storm but sufficient enough for us not to see anything without goggles or sunglasses.
After meeting Max and checking everything is fine, we started driving to the next checkpoint and we soon realize that the sand in this area is very tricky. After the heavy wind that came, it became quite difficult for us to locate compact sand and inside the cars the concern to get stuck became prevalent. The fear became a reality as our support cars got stuck a couple of times and one of the cars even hit a dune. In the midst of trouble, we were assisted by experienced off-road driver Marina Bruce, who to my surprise also writes for OutdoorUAE! Thanks to her help, the vehicle re-joined the team during the evening.
With the hard part already over, we began to think about Max and how he is currently faring. In the beginning, I was assuming that there would be lots of spare time while waiting for Max at the checkpoints; instead, it sometimes took hours to cover a few kilometres and Max faced the same issue.
During the evening we were forced to stop and camp overnight because it’s not safe to move on this kind of terrain by car without sunlight. On the other hand, Max continued to proceed with his running. It began to hit me that assisting this kind of challenge meant solving several kinds of issues: punctures; broken or damaged car; to be sure to be in time for checkpoints or not to lose the track, to be sure where Max is or could be… But once there, the team also had chance to relax a little bit, have a nap, set up something, eat some food, or just to chat. Things started changing when the expected time of arrival got closer. Everybody is looking around to check any sign. Then we saw him approaching – in the beginning he was just a small spot. Then we realized that it’s not a gazelle or a bunch… Max is coming!
When he approached the checkpoint, everything changed. Nobody is talking, eating, drinking or smoking. We were all just waiting to hear his needs and to give him the appropriate support. The focus is on Max every second of the challenge – in the checkpoints and also in between them. In those moments, the atmosphere surrounding the temporary camp is like something of a ritual. Then he runs on – we look at him disappearing into the distance in the same way as he appeared.
It was now time to catch up, we were careful not to interfere with him or to kick up sands on him. This balanced with our concern for dunes and other interferences. After the last checkpoint of the day, convoy stopped for the night, while Max went on and covered several kilometres ahead of us. For us it meant an early morning start as we needed to detect and follow his track, until we see him and then we can reach the first available checkpoint after that.
Max Finishes
After one checkpoint and another, we continued to drive along the Tropic of Cancer. Initially we were supposed to take four days, but two more days were needed to cover the whole path. The last two days were even worse for Max, because of the overnight rain storms in the area.
We waited for Max at Al Qu’a where the finish line was. The terrain for the final leg was very flat and all around us were several camel farms all situated around the small village. The final wait for Max was the toughest one – we were tired, worried, exhausted and soon enough, the minutes became hours as we waited for him to arrive.
Then… we see him!
He’s almost running! I know adrenaline keeps you on in last kilometres, especially after a long challenge like this one. In the finish line Max smiles and has a word with everyone, as usual. We seem to be more tired than him. I knew about Max’s challenge and I already wrote about them; but to see him in action was unbelievable. To achieve a challenge like this is not just a question of physical or mental training only — you need to have a big heart, and you have got it, Son of the Desert…
But no, time to celebrate and rest. You deserve it.
