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Adventure racer to tackle Marathon of Sand

Jen Segger to cross 243 km of Sahara desert in six days
jen-segger
Jen Segger - Training..

In the middle of the day in the Sahara Desert, the temperature can rise to about 120 degrees Farenheit, 49 degrees Celsius. Throw in strong winds, the threat of sandstorms, and terrain that varies from rock to dunes, and thereÕs no question that the 20 th annual Marathon des Sables, or Marathon of Sand, is one of the toughest races on the planet.

WhistlerÕs Jen Segger, an up and coming adventure racer who recently signed on with one of the top U.S. teams, is taking the challenge. She leaves this Sunday, April 3, and will only have a few days to get used to the hot Moroccan weather before embarking on the first of six stages on April 10.

The race will cost her about $6,000 and Segger has been working three jobs since the fall to cover her expenses. She also recently signed some new sponsors, including Salomon, Ryder Eyewear, Kinesis suntan lotion, Yaktrax, and local businesses like Whistler Superior Property Management and Lululemon.

At 24, she will be the youngest woman and the second youngest competitor in the race. The race typically has a field of about 500 racers, but because itÕs the 20 th anniversary the field was opened up to allow 800 athletes.

Pique caught up to Jen as she was making her last minute preparations.

AM: YouÕve been training for this since the fall, working three jobs to pay for it, and now itÕs just weeks away. How does it feel, are you excited, nervous?

JS: ItÕs become reality now, itÕs so close. IÕm excited to be in another culture, running through these remote villages on the edge of the desert with all of these athletes from around the world in there.

I feel ready, my body feels good, I have no injuries. This week I started to do some heat training, and I got some funny looks in the gym when I was running on the spot in the sauna, and running on the treadmills in the cardio room wearing a puffy jacket and a toque. Underneath I had three layers of polypro fleece.

It was not fun. The worst part of this whole thing was the heat training.

IÕve talked to so many people about (the race) that IÕm feeling pretty confident. When I get there IÕll have about four days to get used to the heat, and go for a few short jogs.

AM: So youÕre not worried about injuries, getting lost, anything like that?

JS: IÕve tried to be as prepared as I can, but itÕs going to be a tricky thing. After the race I only have about two weeks then I have a world qualifier for adventure racing in Sunday River, Maine, so on top of training for this IÕve been on my bike, IÕve been out paddling, trying to get ready for the race season.

Blisters are probably my biggest concern. Once the sand gets in it feels like sandpaper, and nothing is going to heal over the six or seven days IÕm going to be racing.

AM: What do you bring with you on a race like this?

JS: You bring food, water, a sleeping bag Ð youÕre only allotted so much water every day based on the race distance. Replacing salt and electrolytes is really important, and you have to be completely self-sufficient. There are water drops along the way you navigate to, and the longest day is the equivalent of two marathons so it can take you through the night to finish.

IÕm also bringing an MP3 player to listen to. A friend is downloading all the music on to it for me, so it will all be new to me. I think you have to keep your mind occupied.

AM: Do you have any goals for yourself, or are you just hoping to finish?

JS: IÕd like to be somewhere in the top-12 females at the finish, but itÕs going to be interesting. The people who win this race are the people that have done it before, and you really have to stick to your gameplan out there.

I guess I see this as an adventure race, I donÕt really see it as a run. YouÕre carrying all your things, thereÕs a bit of navigating involved, and you need that kind of mental toughness.

I know the dune days are going to be bad. There is one section with 20 kilometres of dunes that you have to go up and over, and every step up you take you can fall back three.

My feet will probably be horrible when itÕs all over, but IÕve abused my feet so much racing. IÕll take a picture so you can see them when I get back!

AM: How are your parents taking all this?

JS: My mom is a little bit nervous, but they accept that this is what I do. The biggest question is still "why?"

AM: So whatÕs the answer?

JS: I donÕt know. Because I love it. ItÕs so neat to see what the body can do. IÕm so used to doing things in teams, and itÕs nice to do something as a solo.

At the same time I get the feeling that everyone works together out there. If thereÕs a sandstorm, you work with the other people to get through it. You also get to meet some interesting people, and everyone encourages each other. In a ways weÕre all in the race together.

AM: Will two weeks be enough to recover for an adventure race qualifier?

JS: It will be a little weird, but as long IÕm taking a vacation right afterwards it will help me to recover. If I came back to Whistler afterwards IÕd be on my bike ready to go again, but this way IÕll be on a beach in Portugal.

I have such a large season ahead of me, and IÕm with a new team. ItÕs called the Team Dart, itÕs the old Dirt Works team from Seattle. TheyÕre one of the top ranked teams in the U.S. and they have lots of sponsorship support. ItÕs a good competitive team.

WeÕre going to the qualifier (in Maine) with the intent of winning, which will also get a free entry into the worlds. We also have a series in California that weÕre racing, thereÕs another big event in Bend, Oregon thatÕs also a qualifier. ItÕs going to be busy, but IÕm really looking forward to it.

AM: Anything else?

JS: Just that people can follow the race online (at www.darbaroud.com), and my number is 637.