Dedicated more and more to paddle surfing, a modality that has caught him and how, the Blanes Xavi Marina has long wanted to return to his origins. See world, run, overcome. As before, when I traveled every two or three days, getting to know new cultures while running a well-loaded race with miles and a significant physical and mental demands. The parenthesis of the coronavirus led him to taste much more water than the mainland and now, with the most controlled pandemic, he has decided to fly again, to make up for lost time. The umpteenth adventure has taken him to Mauritania, from where he has returned with more experience and also a victory in his pocket.
The so-called Ultra Trail Fort Saganne was waiting for him in North West Africa. Run and survive through the desert area of Adrar, bordering cities that are declared World Heritage Sites. Four stages to complete a 170-kilometer route. Marina got away with it and was the fastest of all the participants. He needed 19 hours and 21 minutes to win the test. “It is a spectacular race and at the same time very beast, at high temperatures, dunes and very hard terrain. I am very tired. Because of the heat and because I barely drank water. I gave it my all “, explains the ultra-long-distance runner. “I couldn’t fail and I gave my all,” he adds, noting the difficult times he had to go through. “After the first day I put in 180 beats on average. I was able to lower them to 150 on the second day and it was not until the last two that they stabilized at 135, which is normal in these circumstances. Being the only Catalan on the route, he ended up winning. Despite the heat and the many obstacles he had to overcome. With almost no time to rest, he already has the next challenges in mind. In two weeks, paddle surfing test in the Ardeche, France. And next June, back to running. This time in Antalya, in Turkey, in a stage test of 240 kilometers.
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