In the EPM Gas Technology group we started a 2019 full of challenges with Global Gas Runners. The first ones to accept a challenge this year have been: Carlos Marcos and Anna Navarro.
Carlos will participate in the 34th edition of the Marathon des Sables, considered one of the toughest and most demanding races in the world, which is organized from April 5 to 14 in the Moroccan desert. It is a marathon of one week and 6 stages in conditions of self-sufficiency: the participants have to carry in a backpack all the food, sleeping bag and all the necessary tools for the race. The organizer only provides them with 7 litres of water per day and a place to sleep in haimas shared with the rest of the runners.
The Marathon des Sables differ from other races in which Carlos has participated since it is a race in stages, on the desert sand, with high temperatures, not much rest and few food. The preparation, therefore, supervised by a coach; it is based on trying to get used to these complicated conditions.
For this aim, Carlos is training between 5 and 6 days weekly, performing sessions to strengthen the body’s muscles, gain strength in general and power, such as swimming, cycling or weights. To improve his running capacity, he trains with a backpack with ballast on the mountain and the beach and complemented with technical exercises.
Throughout the month, it runs about 300 km, approximately 8 km swimming and 200 km cycling. He is even practicing at home sleeping on the floor with a sleeping bag and eating dehydrated foods.
Up to now, he had only participated in single-day mountain races, the longest was 101 km compared to the 250 km of the Marathon des Sables.
Carlos faces this marathon with the motivation to overcome a new challenge that at first seems very complicated and unattainable, but the effort and dedication will allow him to achieve it. The best reward will be to reach the goal and to be able to plan an even more ambitious challenge.
Anna, for her part, has decide to accept a great challenge that she has taken with great strength and enthusiasm: to carry out her first marathon.
The two options being considered are the Berlin Marathon, on September 29, or the Dublin Marathon, on October 27; both this year. A date or another will be chosen depending on the level she would achieve.
In order to prepare for the race for the end of 2019, Anna is training daily with a personal trainer and has a monthly plan with some marked routines. The workouts are hard and, normally, she does them very early in the morning. But when she finishes, she feels fulfilled, satisfied and proud of herself.
In these first four weeks, the goal is to reach 21km at 145ppm, that is, without drowning; to strengthen muscles and control breathing.
Anna’s main motivation is to outdo herself. In addition, I had always wanted to run a marathon, but she saw it as something impossible to achieve. Thanks to Global Gas Runners, the support of her family and the entire team of EPM Gas Technology she will do it.
The biggest reward for her will be to be able to perform a marathon, her own pride and personal satisfaction.
Dedication and perseverance allow us to pursue situations and achieve challenges that we think are impossible, to get out of monotony, to do new things for the first time, to face projects, to experiment with the spirit of Global Gas Runners. #BeNomada.
