Grand Bara Desert 15 km Run...

Imagine running in one of the flattest, most barren places you've ever seen. Nothing but brown in every direction. That's what I got to do on the 16th. Every year the French Foreign Legion (who, I've come to learn, are pretty awesome) sponsor a 15 km (9.56 mile) run through the Grand Bara Desert, reportedly an alternate landing site for the Space Shuttle due to how big and flat it is.

Our trusty Land Cruiser

Adding even more fun to the mix (more than running nearly 10 miles, you say? Yes!) is that I got to spend the night out in the desert. Surrounded by nothing but stars and wind and laughing, slightly drunk French Legionnaires. The moon was out and so bright! One of our guys brought his NODs (Night Observation Device...night vision!) and we could see EVERYTHING. Crags in the distant mountains became dark shadows, the faintest stars sparkled like diamonds...no wonder the military loves it so.

I had a thin sleeping bag my buddy Mac lent me, and we all slept on cots. The wind was blowing and soon lulled me to sleep. I was out.

My wakeup call to pee arrived at 4 a.m., and I was cold! It was the very first time I've been cold in Africa. The desert wind was cool and perfect and I thought, "December in Djibouti is just right." I didn't have to run until 6:15, but I couldn't go back to sleep. Everyone was up and the French were eating breakfast(?), so I just admired the stars, found the big dipper (it was below the horizon for most of the night) and thought of how beautiful the earth is, even in a desolate place like the desert.

The time to run was here. In the darkness, I had no idea just how many people were running, but there were hundreds! It was an impressive sight. We received a "Bon chance!" from the guy I presume was a Legionnaire commander, and soon after I heard, "Here they come!" I turned to see three French Mirage jets screaming low across the desert on full afterburner. They were our starting pistol. As they roared over us, probably less than 100 feet above the ground, we all started en masse. The course was lined with rocks, otherwise we would have had no concept of where to go.

The Mirage Jets - Our starting pistol

I was off...eventually we all spaced out and I got to running, about an 8-minute-per-mile pace...not too bad for a guy who only started training for this thing three weeks earlier.  The sun was still on its way into the sky, so the temperature was perfect, and the wind was at our backs, so again...perfect.  The ground was hard, compact dirt, but it didn't make any dust until later in the day.

I found myself running with some fellow Americans, some French, Djiboutians, Ethiopians, Portuguese (they were probably Brazilian), Vietnamese, Germans, and Japanese.  I'm sure some of the Africans were from other former colonies, but I couldn't be sure.  It was a smorgasbord.

See what I mean?  Desert!  There's me in the blue plugging along.

The sun came up and urged me to finish quickly.  I tried my best to oblige and crossed the finish line in 1 hour 16 minutes.  I got my finishers' T-shirt (full of guilt because I didn't pay an entry fee...I guess we were rewarded just for completing the race?  Just for being in Djibouti?  Okay, I feel better about it now.) and congratulated my fellow runners.  We all made it and were glad we signed up.

Me and Mac.  Those spots on my shirt are from vaseline.  Just say no to chafing!

It was a great run.  Lots of fun, lots of support from the French.  Lots of interesting people to see and beautiful scenery.  I'm glad this is something I got to do while here in Africa.