Blisters don’t get SA’s Mackay down as she tackles fourth leg of desert marathon

On the 250km Sahara race, Joburg resident Moerieda Mackay said her biggest challenge would be managing her feet.

Marathon Des Sables posted this photo of the competitors embarking on the fourth stage of the race on Wednesday. Picture: Marathon Des Sables Facebook page

It’s on to the fourth, long stage of the challenging Marathon Des Sables (MDS) for the 1 198 competitors, including South Africa’s Moerieda Mackay, who completed the third leg on Tuesday despite getting “nasty blisters”.

The fourth stage is not dubbed “the long one” for nothing as competitors will have to complete a distance of 86.2km across the hot, Saharan desert in Morocco in less than 35 hours.

Today : fourth stage !
86.2 km of amazing landscapes 😁#MDS2017 pic.twitter.com/V67f9Mj1iD

— MARATHON DES SABLES (@marathonDsables) April 12, 2017

The fourth stage began on Wednesday afternoon, Johannesburg time.

The fourth stage has begun !
Good luck everybody #MDS2017 pic.twitter.com/xoX79drsEY

— MARATHON DES SABLES (@marathonDsables) April 12, 2017

Mackay sent word to The Citizen from the race on Tuesday that she was “fine”, “having the time of my life” and “really enjoying the whole MDS experience”, although she said she “got some nasty blisters” which she received treatment for in the medical tent.

She had predicted she would get blisters during the marathon in an interview with The Citizen prior to embarking on her challenge. Mackay had said her biggest challenge would be managing her feet.

“Blisters, blisters, blisters – I know I am going to get them! My feet have been so sensitive during the last few months during traning,” said Mackay, adding that she had even watched videos on blister management and seen a podiatrist for advice on how to take care of her feet.

Ahead of the race she said she had not recovered from her ankle injury during a training camp in October last year where she had lost her balance, fallen and torn her ankle ligaments. She also partially tore her tendon.

“I don’t have any pain but mobility is not 100% yet. I will have to keep a close eye on my ankle,” she said, but on Tuesday she hadn’t mentioned any pain from her ankle, just that it was hot and the course was tough. Temperatures in the desert are said to reach 48.8°C.

Mackay explained before the race that the course was the equivalent of running six marathons in six days “in the most inhospitable conditions”.