EVERY day started with AC/DC’s Highway to Hell – and that was putting it mildly.
Williamstown’s John Nicola says the music spurred him on for the “toughest footrace on the planet” – a 250-kilometre run across the Sahara Desert to raise money so people in developing countries can access eye care.
The managing director of Optique Line raised his goal of $20,000 and described the run as emotional and humbling.
The veteran of seven marathons and one 50-kilometre ultra-marathon finished stage one (33.8kilometres) in just over five hours, in 40-degree heat with sandstorms brewing.
“I am covered head to toe in dust and sand, with no way of cleaning this out, except for a rinse with one of my precious allocated water bottles,” he wrote after day one.
To add to the difficulty, Mr Nicola had about 10kilograms of equipment on his back, including an antivenom pump and stove.
On day 4, Mr Nicola completed 81.5kilometre in just over 16 hours, then after two nights’ sleep he said his mojo returned and he ran the marathon leg in 5 hours and 2 minutes.
“They rate it as the toughest footrace on the planet … 247 kilometres later, the emotional exhilaration at the finish line was amazing.”
Among other herculean efforts were “the French firemen who, on a one-wheeled chariot, carried young men with cerebral palsy”.
To donate, visit givingsight.org
