Lovely children invited me into their parent's
Sahara Desert home for tea and some bread.

MARATHON MISSION 2006

"cool" SANDS OF THE NORTH-WINTER DESERT

OUR FEET DEFENCE AGAINST THE SANDS

A RUN FOR MOM-SHE IS 99

Edna & Albert Martens

Edna: Health Information Services
Albert: Athletes in Action

running the
SAHARA DESERT
April 7 - 17, 2006
Ultramarathon (250 km)
MOROCCO, Africa
www.darbaroud.com

How do you train in Manitoba at -35 degrees Celsius to run
in the Sahara Desert where it will be +50 degrees Celsius?

Albert and Matt just finished 10 miles in Manitoba winter.
Edna even allowed these scary guys into the house!!!
Albert, 10 steps away from the finish at the Manitoba Marathon 2005.

THE MARATHON DES SABLES:

The Marathon des Sables is a 7 day stage race in Morocco, from April 7 - 17, 2006. It is a self-sufficient race, only water (9 litres per day) and safety is provided. Follow the race via www.darbaroud.com. This is my 3rd Marathon des Sables, and this time I have the privilege of running with my European friend, Matt Dehaene. We will be flying to Frankfurt, Germany from Winnipeg on April 4th, arriving in Germany on April 5th. On April 6th we leave from Frankfurt to Cassablanca and on to Oaurzazate, Morocco arriving at our hotel in the middle of the night. Early the next morning the noise of the camels will wake us and after an early breakfast we depart by bus on an 8 hr journey across the Atlas Mountains, to be dumped in the Sahara Desert. By the end of that trip we are no longer travelling on any visible roads. During the ride we are presented with the 'road book' which gives us the route of our race. When the buses have emptied of their 700 passengers, we climb onto military trucks for the last 12-15 km to our first camp. This next night we will sleep on the desert floor - our only protection being burlap sacking stretched over tall pools, no sides to these tents. The next day is logistics day where we present our food, emergency mandatory equipment (mirror, matches, 2 flashlights with reserve batteries, compass, bandaids and snake venom pump) to the organization and are checked by the organization medical staff. At this point we also present our medical certificates and EKGs that were done by our own doctors. After we pass these checks we receive a 500 gram French military flare gun, a safety blanket and salt tablets.
April 9th at 9:00 a.m. is the official common start of the actual race, with Patrick Bauer giving us his welcome, the weather report for the day and last minute instructions. (He usually climbs onto the roof of a jeep so we can all see him.) The stages of the race are approx. lengths: 25, 32, 38, 82, 42, and 21 km per day. Water stations /check-points are approx. 12 km apart.

SAFETY

There will be about 60-70 jeeps, 2-3 helicopters, a Cessna plane, a satelite dish, a safari bus, food trucks (food for the marathon staff, not the runners), trucks to transport tents from site to site, TV crews, and about 30 doctors moving through the desert to accompany the 700 runners. We also know that we can receive up to 4 intravenouses in case we run into dehydration problems. Matt and I will be running together - which is also a safety feature.


Scripture verses that are also an encouragement to me as a runner:

Philippians 3:14

"but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking to what lies ahead. I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven."

Psalm 19: 4-6

"The sun lives in the heavens
where God placed it.
It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom
after his wedding.
It rejoices like a great athlete
eager to run the race.
The sun rises at one end of the heavens
and follows its course to the other end.
Nothing can hide from its heat."

Acts 20:24

"But my life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus - the work of telling others the Good News about God's wonderful kindness and love."

Matthew 14:28-30

"And Peter answered him and said, 'Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.' So He said, 'Come.' And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, 'Lord, save me!' ."


Isaiah 40: 28-31

"He gives power to those who are tired and worn out: He offers strength to the weak. Even youth will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."


Ecclesiastes 9:11

"The fastest runner doesn't always win the race..."

MY PURPOSE FOR THIS RACE

I want to use this race to raise funds for the poor and the sick in Nigeria. More specifically, I want to help Dr. Wim and Marleen Munting and their patients at the Mambilla Plateau hospital. We have been able to supply them with hospital beds, a generator, and a jeep through my 2 previous Morocco runs. This is my 3rd race in support of the Muntings and the clinic.
I definitely want to do this race to honor my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
I am privileged to share my faith in the Lord with other people. The Lord helps me, gives me strength, health and joy in doing this race. Some may not understand this - that someone would go to such extremes to share the joy of the Lord with others. The Lord has blessed me and I am sure that He will again heal my feet. I pray that He will protect me and use me to His honor and glory.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

1. Pray for protection and a safe return.
2. You can pray for the Muntings.
3. You can pray for the poor and sick.
4. You can give to this project.

Make cheque payable to:
Athletes in Action
c/o Albert Martens
Box 21028
Steinbach, Manitoba
Canada R5G 1S4
USA and Canadian tax receipts are issued. In Europe, you can transfer donations to:
Agape Europe e.V.
Abt. AIA - Albert Martens
Postfach 1180
D-79396 Kandern
Germany

TRAVEL, TIMES & PLACES

After the Marathon des Sables I will travel to Frankfurt on April 17th where I will be met by Edna, who will arrive from Canada that day. Together we will visit friends in Bad Berleburg for 2 days, then travel down to southern Germany. Our main station will be with Walter & Johanna Dreher in Hammerstein during the rest of our time in Germany. We do hope to have a fund-raising evening for the Muntings during our time there as well as attend the BFA anniversary celebrations in Kandern. We leave Germany on May 2, 2006.

For more information about the Muntings, about the Marathon des Sables or about us, please call us, write us or email us.

Albert & Edna Martens
Box 21028
Steinbach, MB
Canada R5G 1S4

Tel: (204) 346-1345
Email: aemart@mts.net