Today at 6:50 PM • Modified today at 8:22 PM
He succeeded. André Bockholts (46) from Veldhoven completed the Marathon des Sables, one of the toughest running races in the world. For one week he ran 270 kilometers through a sweltering desert in Morocco. “It was quite difficult emotionally.”
Actually, says André, it is impossible to describe what this week was like. Yet he tries on Sunday in conversation with Omroep Brabant on the line from Morocco. He is recovering in a restaurant, enjoying pizza, hamburger and a coke.
“We lived on freeze-dried meals all week and ate whole stock cubes to replenish our salt,” he says. “So we’ve been fantasizing all the time: what’s the first thing we’re going to eat when we get back?”
So that became this feast. Muscle pain? “No, I actually haven’t.” He laughs. “If someone were to say that I could go again tomorrow, I would say: bring it on.”
“It’s hot, you’re going through the sand and your backpack is heavy. It’s survival.”
Despite his optimism, it was a tough week. It already started with the journey. “I flew to Marrakesh last week. The next day I was on a bus for six hours, the next day for another five hours and then suddenly you find yourself in the desert with your suitcase.”
André was assigned a tent – “or yes, more like a canvas with a carpet in it”. He was in there all week with eight people. He had about five feet to himself. This was followed by a bag check. Participants have to bring almost all their own belongings, from food to medicine. They only get water and a tent.
Result: André had about nine kilos on his back. This decreased somewhat during the week, because his meals ran out and he took less water with him.
After a medical check the race could start. The participants ran a total of six stages.
“We started with 32 kilometers,” he says. “That took some getting used to: it’s hot (about 30 degrees), you’re going through the sand and your backpack is heavy. It’s survival and you know: in two days I have to walk 100 kilometers. So you try to run a bit on reserve.”
In short, that is what the Veldhoven rider did every day after that: run, recover and start again. “I trained a lot, so I did pretty well. I was the first to arrive at the tent every day and only had a few minor blisters. But I saw people around me overheating or falling over on the way. It’s really tough.”
“It’s really amazing what people you hardly know can do for you.”
For André it was mainly a mental rollercoaster. During the telephone conversation, his voice occasionally breaks as he thinks back on the experience. The volunteers on the side in particular helped him through it. “It’s really amazing what people you hardly know can do for you,” he says emotionally.
He also missed his wife Marleen and daughter. He was allowed to leave something for his wife every day, but that was difficult. “I kept crying.”
Fortunately, he will almost see them again: he will fly home on Monday evening. Now he is enjoying the group of people with whom he has built a bond in a short time and all the basic things in life. “You are suddenly so grateful for a shower and a good bed.”
