Member Story

ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME

Imagine running over 250 kilometres in a seven-day ultramarathon through the Sahara Desert — enduring scorching temperatures, treacherous mountains, sand dunes, jagged black rocks and gruelling sandstorms. The race is called Marathon des Sables (MDS) The Legendary, commonly ranked among the toughest foot races on the planet. It’s divided into six stages and two camels keep the minimum pace. In addition, each stage has a time limit and participants must reach the checkpoints in a timely manner. CAA Members Lloyd and Roanna Sehn, from Estevan, Sask., went on this adventure of a lifetime in April 2024. “It was on our bucket list,” explained Lloyd. “We needed to know we could do it and we cherished the fact that we did it together as a couple.” The Sehns have participated in races in the past, but this was their hardest race yet. They carried their own supplies and slept under a covered tent on the ground. The Sehns have been CAA Members since 2021 and appreciate the trip planning advice and bookings with CAA Travel. Through the assistance of the knowledgeable and experienced travel consultants at the Estevan and Regina North stores, the Sehns’ flights, accommodations and excursions were well taken care of. “We’re so happy with how things turned out.” They travelled from Regina to Paris, where there was a charter to Morocco for the race. Afterwards, they spent time as tourists in Nice, enjoying the sights and sounds. One thousand runners entered the race. Lloyd and Roanna finished 448th and 449th out of the 781 participants that completed the race. Many dropped out due to fatigue, injury or illness. “This is more than a foot race. It’s a survival event. It’s about preservation, mental fortitude and enduring a lot of suffering. But on the other side of all that, it’s gratifying, exhilarating and a personal journey for growth,” said Lloyd and Roanna.

Read the full article on the CAA Saskatchewan blog.