We’ve all heard amazing stories in which people struggle heroically to survive against all odds. [  1  ] The truth, though, is that not all survivors are quite so heroic. As the following story shows, the will to survive isn’t always so strong. [  2  ] Thrilling yet terrifying, the Marathon des Sables is arguably the world’s toughest foot race. Competitors attempt a six-day, 150-mile run across the Sahara Desert in temperatures of over 100 degrees.

      Just imagine getting lost in the Sahara Desert. That is exactly what happened to an Italian policeman named Mauro Prosperi, a regular competitor, when he took part in the race in 1994. He said, “When strong winds blew over a desert, tiny particles of sand began to vibrate before they’re whipped into the air. A sandstorm can reach heights of 15 meters, travelling at speeds of up to 40 kilometers an hour. Inside the dark, howling center of a storm, sand lacerated the skin, eyes and throat.” Fearing that he could be buried in sand and unwilling to give up his position in the race, he kept moving. This was against the advice of race organizers who had instructed runners to stop and take cover in a sleeping bag if a sandstorm enveloped them. After eight hours trapped in the storm, Prosperi found himself suddenly, palpably alone in the still desert night.

[   3   ] With no water, no food and no hope, Prosperi made a decision: this little tomb would also be his final resting place. But when his attempt did not succeed, Prosperi said he soon “came to my senses.”“I realized that the marathon was moving on, that I couldn’t rely on the race officials to save me,”he said, “I decided I must confront the desert myself.”For three whole days, Mauro tried to find his way back to the course, with barely any water and no idea what direction he was heading in. He started to visualize the agonizing death he would soon have to face. A friend had once told him that dying of thirst was the worst of all possible deaths. Fearing such a long and painful death, he decided to cut his wrists with a knife. But, short of water, his blood was thick and would not flow. Five more days passed until, miraculously, a group of Tuareg nomads found him and took him to a village. [   4   ]

Mauro discovered he was in Algeria, more than 180 miles away from the race course. In 1995, a documentary crew returned to the shrine where Prosperi sheltered for several days and found some of his belongings, along with bat skeletons. Two years after his ordeal, Prosperi felt well enough to return to his passion: endurance running. Determined to finish what he started, he ran the Marathon des Sables. He has now completed the race six times, placing 13th in 2001. [   5   ]