The kit

The only thing that is provided by the race organisers is the tent for the night and (limited) water. Everything else has to be carried by the competitors and as you can imagine there is a lot of specialised kit needed. This has been quite a fun part of the preparation!

Clothing

Hector did quite a lot of research about this and chose running kit that is especially made for high temperatures. It allows the heat to be channeled away from the body. Headgear is really important to prevent overheating. He has a hat with a special shade at the back to protect his neck. He also has a buff in case of sandstorms or just to help keep the sun off his face.

He will also be wearing sand gaiters on his shoes to try and prevent sand from getting in and causing dreaded blisters.

Food

All the food he is taking is freeze dried. He hasn't actually tasted any yet, so he's going to have to do this pretty quickly or he'll get a nasty surprise when he's in the desert.

Safety kit

Mandatory kit includes a first aid kit and an anti-snake venom pump.