Rachid El Morabity: Interview with the five-time winner of the Marathon Des Sables
The « Marathon des Sables » happened since more than 30 years (1986) in the Saharan desert. Every year, the race last close to 250 km. The participants must deal with the physical effort of the race and the high temperature of the desert: they have to be in food self-sufficiency, and carry on their back the food, material, water.
Meeting with Rachid El Morabity, Moroccan, Lyophilise & Co’s ambassador, multiple winner of the Marathon des Sables.
You have won many times the Marathon des Sables in Morocco. How did this passion begin?
Having lived in Zagora, as a child I used to run in the dunes, I have always been in the desert which got me used to the heat. I always loved sport. When I was very young I played football and I was good at speed. When I joined the high school, I met an athleticism’s professor that identified quickly that I had strong capabilities in running, that I will excel in this field and maybe become a winner. I won many educational competitions, after at sports events in my town, Zagora, in Morocco… That is how my passion was born.
Talk about the physical preparation necessary for a such achievement.
First of all, I set myself goals, and according to them I do my physical preparation: weight training, endurance, split, cycling, and swimming. For the Marathon des Sables, the preparation is serious and difficult. It needs a good physical and strict training. I have osteopathy and massage. I start about 5 months before the event: I do strength training, workout in sand dunes, rocks, mountain, in order to be ready for all field. I can train for 3 hours, often 2 times per days… morning and night. The goal is to diversify the training for prepare to run in different types of soils.
How do you become a good runner?
To be a good runner, you have to have a good mental attitude and strategy. You have to adapt to the different conditions: climate, pace, terrain, and always reach your initial objectives. Always believe in yourself.
What are the essentials psychological qualities to get it done, and win a sporting event like the Marathon des Sables?
It should prepare the physical but the mental too. For me, the mental preparation is about 30% of the complete preparation and thus the triumph. I keep in my head, at the beginning, during the training and at the arrival, that I must win. We can say that I visualize the arrival and my triumph.
What are the four most important points for a desert runner starting out?
Adapting to the heat, managing your diet, getting used to running technique for the dunes and getting used to drinking mineral salts.
What was your running experience in which you learned the most? Why ?
Oman Marathon, Marathon des Sables and the OCC. These are real events and are the hardest in the world. It's a good test for runners. They are hard races to manage in terms of competitors, nutrition, weather conditions, and elevation changes.
You are undoubtedly a success story for the Moroccan youth sport. Do you have a model?
I’m impressed of my friend Lahcen Ahansal*. He won 10 times the Marathon des Sables, it’s a masterstroke, a model to follow.
*Lahcen Ahansal is a Moroccan long-distance runner, considered like a MDS’s specialist (victory in 1997, 1999 – 2007) : His portrait on Wikipedia
What do you eat in long races?
I take freeze-dried products, bars and dried fruit.
Which freeze-dried do you prefer to take in the Desert?
I like the flat of Lyophilise & Co, I find them well-balanced. The things that I prefer are fish and potatoes, and the package of dried meat. And the dish with rice… I find them perfect!
Which equipment do you take for the preparation of your meals?
Everything have to light: so a knife, a spoon and a bowl. I pick up some pieces of woods and we make a fire, and I heat directly my bowl.
What do you eat during recovery?
My sponsor lyophilise and co has some great energy drinks for recovery.
How do you arrive to put all your stuffs in your bag? Some tips?
It’s a balancing act. With times and experience, that become obvious for me. I have a bag with 405 grams, and for all working well, I change the packaging for example. I replace everything in small light pouches, that provide me to save place and lightness.
What are your objectives for the next edition?
The ultimate goal, it’s to win 10 times the MDS to equal with my friend Lahcen Ahansal.
What is your best souvenir of the last editions of April?
The best souvenir, for me, it’s the 2011’s edition. Some friends formed a team, I did not have to participate, but they were missing one person. They called me at the last minute, I joined them, and I won! It was so much unexpected. A surprise victory like that, is very memorable.
Your brother Mohamed is also a great runner. Is he an opponent for you when you run?
He is my biggest opponent, being the oldest, I don't want him to overtake me.
Can you tell us something about yourself that is not too well known?
I like to pass on my passion for sport to people, so that they include it in their daily lives for their well-being.
And finally, what do you do when you are not running?
I enjoy spending time with my family in my free time.
To follow Rachid El Morabity: