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TITAN DESERT 2007 - My struggle against AIDS!

TITAN DESERT 2007

My struggle against AIDS!

First of all, I will introduce myself. My name is Jordi Sandor and I was born in Transylvania, Romania, forty years ago. I am 1,80 m tall and weigh 75 kg, but I go down to 70 kg in times of competition. I have been an asymptomatic HIVpositive since 1996 and am on antiretroviral treatment with Kaletra Meltrex (four pills a day, taken twice: two with breakfast and two with dinner) and Truvada (one pill a day, with dinner).
I took part of the first edition of the Titan Desert, in 2006 (under number 112), and in two editions of TransCatalonya, and I made several personal or popular outings organised in Catalonya (Cabreres, Gósol-Berga, Puigmal, Berga-Berga...) and bike- expeditions on a mountain bike (MTB) to the Spanish and French Pyrenees and the Romanian Carpathians.

Perhaps some of you are already familiar with the Titan Desert MTB Marathon; in case you are not, you should know it is a competition on a mountain bike in the inhospitable desert of south-east Morocco, which lasts four or five days and is enhanced by basing orientation on a road-book, pretty much the same as in the DAKAR, but in the Titan it is your legs that you have for an engine, just your inner strength and your ability. So, it could as well be called Spartan, as it is more than just any competition on a mountain bike.
The initially planned itinerary for this year edition was 416 km in the desert in five stages, but finally, on account of torrential rains – something unheard of in those places- it had to be modified: we covered four stages, 239 km in the desert, plus some 124 km of road connections.

Last year, during the four days of the Titan 2006, I could not continue my treatment because I could not keep the Kaletra medicine cool. But this year, with the new presentation of this product, I will be able to go on with the complete treatment and in normal circumstances, during all the stages –as I have had it on me since the stage of bivouac marathon at night-, and this provides me with an absolute tranquillity regarding my health.

I started the intensive daily training in late January and continued it till the Easter Week, when I started to assemble and ride the new bike, and even when I had to stop training I felt physically well prepared for the adventure. I did practically everything in the gym, with weights or spinning classes (bicycle aerobics), one or two a day, and bicycle outings at weekends, some 100-120 km in two days. It was not much, but enough, because the intensity and degree of difficulty of the outing increased, and also did the average speeds.
I also made a marathon outing along a green way, that of Ripoll-Olot-Girona-Sant Feliu de
Guíxols-Caldes de Malavella, 182 km long, all in one day, alone and in almost eight hours of pedalling. What is more, I did it on the new bike, just ridden for the first time to test it in what would be the same type of route as that in the desert. The bicycle worked fantastically well and did not give any trouble, only a little at first, with the fixing of the rear derailleurs; of course, it is the newest double suspension Scott Spark 10, of personal and self assembly, and I have counted on the invaluable collaboration of my main sponsor, Abbott.

First day, Friday 27th April 2007, 1st stage, 34 km in the desert

We left Barcelona at 9 am, in two planes, and arrived in Er Rachidia after about two hours of flight, but due to the time zone change of two hours, it was also nine o’clock am. In a blink, the same time, but in a different place!
The bikes had arrived on Tuesday in a lorry that had left Barcelona the previous week, and were waiting for us at the Xaluca hotel, unassembled in their cardboard boxes. Good idea that of the organization of bringing them in this way!. Now they had to be well assembled, we had to eat and get ready for the start.

We will be leaving at three pm, and surprisingly for the idea that we, foreigners, have of the desert, the sky is cloudy and it threatens with rain: the whole morning has been like this, no hint of sunshine. At least it is not hot; something that we should always be thankful for, the soft wind coming from the south is rather cool. The general atmosphere among participants is congenial, as if we had known one another for ages, and the organization has been very good, but there is much tension in the air, a recklessness, and a more than evident emotion, and we are all eager to start pedalling and meet with the desert.

This first stage is the shortest, 34 km, to get familiar with the environment, with departure and arrival in Maadid, where our hotel is.

As usual, I start off in the last lines not to get stuck in the middle of the platoon, but I keep advancing hard along the right track and overtake more than half of the participants few kilometres ahead, before the first control, then I get a normal rhythm, adapting myself to the terrain –with sand pools and loose stones-, to the wind –now on the side and front-, and to the new bike – I try to discover the sensations it passes on to me. I hear some creaking of the chain when I change the speed, but the rest is fine, only that I find the new saddle – I am sitting on it today for the first time- too hard, but guess it will adapt to my bottom soon, and if that is not so… to suffer like a titan!

The departure was very much like a buffalo
stampede, at a very hard rhythm. Of course, the high level of the participants becomes evident in this
edition of the Titan. The 34 km planned have turned into little more than 31, on account of the shortcuts that we have all taken, they have really flown past. I have finished this stage in the position 99 out of 284, 19 minutes away from the winner, with an average speed of 19,50 km/h. This year my number is 206. I have not really been able to enjoy the environment to much because of the high rhythm of the march, the permanent attention and concentration on the trail. I hope the last day I finish off as well as I did today, among the first one hundred of the general classification. I have seen many bikers ending punctures, some unfortunate fall, and even a derailleur broken with the rider consequently forced to abandon. Really bad luck!

Before leaving, I took, to try it, some liquid L-Carnitine 1500, which we were given the day before to supplement an adequate diet for this event. I took it half an hour before leaving, but noticed nothing special, should there have been anything to be noticed. What I did was to fill my Camelbak with two litres of water, out of the three compulsory that we were given, plus the three quarters of the bike bottle with water and powdered isotonic solution.

To finish off, and as usual, I did innumerable
stretching of all the muscles: neck, back, legs, gluteal, gemellus... and I have made myself an isotonic beverage to recover based on the powdered solution and three quarters of a litre of water. Then I cleaned and got the bike ready for the following day, and examined it thoroughly to check there was no fail, crack, or broken piece. In the wheels, especially the back one, there are many small stains among the plugs of the tyre (Hutchinson Python MRC 26 x 2.30 Tubeless), and from the inside there come out minute bubbles: they are the punctures I had and thanks to the special white liquid (The Solution – Stan’s Tire and Rim Sealant), the tyres were prevented from becoming flat. It is amazing, the pressure of the tyres of almost four bars seems to keep stable, or at least that seems to me, and if for the time being it is not necessary to fill them more, I will do so tomorrow before departure, if needed. Whether you like it or not the bicycle also suffers like me... If it could only tell me how it is doing!

In the briefing of nine pm, that is the informative meeting for the following day, with the celebration of the award of the T-shirt to the winner of the stage, nobody expected what was going to happen the following day, we did not have even the slightest idea! With the road-books and the GPS ready, we go to sleep commenting on the experience – new for the majority- lived in today afternoon’s race. To me it has been to live again last year’s experience. I sleep more happy than a child in new shoes!

2nd day, Saturday 28th April 2007, 2nd stage initially planned and later cancelled

Since eleven on Friday night it rained hard, during all the night, and it did not stop until 10 in the morning. After several general meetings, the organisers decide to call off the stage on account of the flooding of some parts of the itinerary, which have been spotted from a helicopter and with calls to the campsites planned for the following nights, kilometres away.

In the meantime we have a rest at the hotel and restore strength for what is to come, if it comes! We eat with the light of candles, due to repeated power cuts; it is not the standard for a five-star hotel like the Xaluca not to have a power generator for light, at least. Good that the cookers work on gas or on logs and coal.
Finally we have to leave the Xaluca hotel and go to another one, 7 km away, parading the bikes in a squad-bikers, taking up only the right lane of the road and escorted by the police ahead, at the back and at corners to our pass through the village of Arfoud (‘Door of the Desert’). Everyone has come to the streets to see us long-faced and they cheer us up, especially the kids, who, with their more than rusty and brakeless bikes, accompany us for a while. I wonder how the locals see us, three hundred cyclists, looking like just come out of the bikes advertisements of western magazines, with the hullabaloo of colours and costumes… I feel they must think more of the money that we would be leaving behind after this event, something of the greatest interest to them.

The news of over flooded rivers and blocked roads bombard us continually and make us worried. We all wonder what we are going to do, but trust unconditionally the experience of the organising team, which, undoubtedly, have done a titanic task in changing the itinerary, the roads, the camp-sites, the logistics, the meals and many other things
concerning organization. To them all, I give my profoundest thanking for the good continuation of the Titan and the solution of all the problems caused by these rains.

Tonight I have been able to rest better, though not without sweating profusely, due to the bad cold that would not leave me that easily, not even after the effort of pedalling. Fortunately I had a large towel, which I placed as a sheet on the bed to sleep as fresh as possible. In fact, I am not surprised by my cold, because it is not warmth during the day, 35-36ºC at most. Last year we had temperatures over 42-44ºC, and even when I sweated while pedalling, the wind and the warm air kept me dry at all times. Now, and even when I did not sweat as much, I catch a cold, and this cold has been growing worse and worse. Besides, most of us have already got problems connected with diarrhoea and gastroenteritis, and the four doctors of the organization cannot cope with the Fortasec(Loperamida) pills. Luckily, I am safe... for the time being!

3rd day, Sunday 29 April 2007, 2nd stage, 55 km +70 km by road

As I have everything ready (the bike, the sleeping bag, the raincoat in case of rain, and
the complete tool kit) for the departure in front of the hotel, I go to have breakfast at ease…
But just on finishing, I feel ominous griping cramps, and I must go to the lavatory, at once: a strong diarrhoea that almost makes me miss the departure of the stage. When I am done, I take a Fortasec pill and go quickly to take my bike to go to the departure line, but they are already calling me over the loudspeaker: “Number 206 should proceed to the signature check, right now!” I am the only one left to sign, and everyone is looking for me and waiting for the start off. Up with diarrhoea, one more anecdote!
Ahead of us we have a connection from the hotel to the departure point similar to a squad-bikers, about 70 km away, everything along a road in the sun of justice and always with the wind on our faces. There is a regrouping of the whole platoon in the departure point and the second stage starts – this is, as a matter of fact, part of the initially planned fourth stage that we were not able to complete because of the rain, and we only used the road book as from the second half on!

During the road itinerary we go past certain parts where the road is flooded, where the water reaches half the wheel of the bike, and the circulation stops, we even find a village the main street of which is flooded in certain places. The feeling of riding the bicycle over large pools of water, unable to see where the wheel goes, shocks me. Some bikers cross barefooted, with their bike and trainers on the shoulders. I only take off my socks and go on pedalling across the water with my trainers on.
It is funny to feel the water splashing from the wheel onto my back, it looks like a game for children, though with the difference that you can not stop when you want, you are forced to go past the pools…

Beyond the pools, the stage begins on one side of the road and we all leave in a stampede. “Where do those guys get the strength from?” I wonder, “If we have just made 70 km by road!”

I make up my mind to start proportioning my energies to manage to endure a lot at the same rate, while I keep dependent on any gastric emergency! So I keep my rhythm and hydrate enough not to have even the slightest sensation of thirst. But after a few kilometres, I think seventeen, something unexpected apart from unpleasant happens: I have run out of the three litres of water and of more than half of the three quarters of the bike bottle, so I ask the first car of the organization that I see at a control point for water, but they will not give me any unless I faint out of thirst! It is incredible; I cannot believe it... They tell me the first catering point of the stage with food and water is seven kilometres ahead and that they have orders not to give
water. I can not help getting angry at them, and lose some time on it, until a good friend –and a great titan of last year’s Titan edition-, Gregor, offers me half a bottle of water from
his bike as he still has enough water in the camelbak for the more than the eight kilometres till the catering point, certainly not the seven kilometres I had been told about at the control point.

I keep on thinking about the water… I did tell them I was dehydrated because of the morning diarrhoea, and that that was the reason I had drunk all the water, and even so they would not give me any. Good gracious, it sounds inhuman! In the middle of the desert, you run out of water, you are dehydrated and they will not give you to drink. This did not happen last year, I cannot understand. The guys at the control point looked new, and they truly put me beside myself!
We get to the first catering point of the stage, and it
looks very poor to me: there is just water, some muesli energy bars and some oranges with a horrible skin and even some leaves, which I dare not eat because they give them whole to you, without peeling or cutting, so that you bite them as if they were apples. I start suspecting the organization has been suspended as regards camp catering. I eat a muesli bar and it had a very artificial flavour, so the rest I give to the kids on the sides of the track, who greet us as we go past asking for «Chocolat! Chocolat!». What I did eat were four or five very tasty nut buns from breakfast and some also very good potato cakes (but they were not available every day) that I was carrying on me in a plastic bag.

I see numerous bikers mending punctures on the road and I can not help cheering them up on passing them by and asking them if they need anything. I think I would also like to be cheered up if I were in a similar situation, and I hope they feel comforted and less destitute with my gesture. I do not know if something similar happens in other sports, I think mountain bike is so special precisely for this reason, that is why there is so much fondness, because we all suffer by and on the same track, some more, others less, but what is all the time present is the mutual help among all the mountain bikers.

I arrive at the campsite of the Belle Étoile shelter
after a ride with some inconveniency but on the
whole easy and fast. Even so, I feel the kilometres on the road take their toll on me. During the stage the pharyngitis – and no longer a common cold- has made itself more and more present, I have often coughed and have been left almost without strength. But I managed to proportion my energy to the most and I finished the stage successfully, no shortcuts on the track, so I get the correct number of kilometres from the kilometre counter of the bike: more than 54 in all, and I am awarded place 191 in the stage
classification, one hour and 26 minutes from the
winner, with 14,91 average speed. Well, not so bad taking into account my bad times with dehydration, lack of water and cough.
Tonight after dinner and taking my medicines, I attended the briefing, where they informed us about tomorrow’s stage. Then we went to sleep in our sleeping bags on some haimas-bereber tent , which were put up in a hurry, on a hard ground only covered with a torn and worn carpet, and we are all rather piled up.

In the briefing, we were told that a participant had got his trainers torn and wanted to know if someone had an extra pair, or if anyone who had abandoned the race could lend him ones, checking first that the size was the right one, of course. Another biker had suffered from the breaking of the bike’s front suspension system and asked if someone could provide him with one, he immediately got the help he needed and managed to solve his problem. So that later on they do not say there is no comradeship; this is unthinkable in amateur mountain bike world.

As I had feared the bivouac, I had on my bike a small inflatable mattress Therm-a-Rest (120 x 50 cm). In fact, it is like a half-bivouac, because we have some facilities such as showers, suitcases with extra clothes… Oh! And even a multimedia montage (of photos and music) on a big screen with the photos that the official photographers of the competition had taken of us, so, moved, we see ourselves in action, and comment and remember some of the moments printed in the photos during dinner. A very original and positive way of making us relax and getting the weariness out of us!
Just when I am on the point of falling asleep, I feel some little drops of water falling on my face, and as I have tampons in my ear not to hear my makeshift bed fellow sleepers’snoring (six in all, three on one side, three on the other), I remove them and I heard in the silence of the night how it rains very gently far away, thunder and lightning included. Fortunately, the storm is far away and not coming any closer. If some tiny drops went through the roof of the haimas-bereber tent (made of camel hair) torrential rain must be like a shower in perfect shape. And I am so warm in my sleeping bag of +6ºC!

So I sleep on after deciding that, in case of an emergency, I will take shelter, with my sleeping bag and my Therm-a-Rest inflatable mattress, inside the makeshift restaurant, which I do believe is waterproof, unlike our small haimas tents, authentically Bereber, made that very same evening in no time, “for the European titans!”

4th day, Monday 30 April 2007, 3rd stage, 65 km + 45 km by road

The morning is cool at five, at the time of reveille, but the weather announces much sun and there is not a cloud in the sky, which is clear and
beautiful, for the time being. I put on my equipment, not before generously applying protective vaseline on to the culottes and the inner surface of the thighs. I am not the only one, other more experienced mates do it as well; so the atmosphere starts getting lighter, among jokes and laughter to alleviate the tension and the nerves previous to the departure. We even have some pictures taken with the sun rising in the East, above the campsite, which are
beautiful.

We are all eager to start pedalling in the desert, and not along the road like the other day. With the hope of not suffering any more diarrhoea, I have a hearty breakfast: hard-boiled eggs, spaghetti, buns, and plenty of Arab tea –very good indeed! -, then I take my medicines, put some nut buns in the plastic bag, for the road, because undoubtedly today will be a long day, and a very hard one as well!

I know the itinerary from last year, but then we did it the other way round from what we are
going to do today, and the truth is that it is very, very hard, above all, because it has short elevations but they are steep and with many a stone loose. Last year we cycled it down and without getting off the bike, but this year I seriously doubt even any of the strongest bikers can do all the way on the bike.

In this stage I am proportioning my energies very well and luckily I do a good part of the ride with the wind on my back, which helps me get an incredible and sustained performance that allows me to go from less to more, apart from that I enjoy much more of the environment, I overtake many bikers, especially the new inexperienced ones who started hard at departure and now, after not more than 10-15 kilometres, are going down. I even feel like pedalling in a standing on foot position for long whiles, a technique of mine already tested in the Titan of last year, given it that I started not feeling my bottom, I had it sort of numb. A biker in a group standing up to the right of the track shouted to me: “The locomotive!” And we all laugh…

I must admit that with my new double suspension bike I prefere an anaesthesia for the acute pain in the sit bones of the thighs caused by the stones on the track, unlike the rigid bike I had last year. Those who ride these bikes must surely understand me and say I am right, since many of them, the very first day sped like lightning, and today they start suffering and staying behind. I tried to cheer up the ones I overtook as I saw their suffering faces; I encouraged them to go on, to measure their energies and to hold on. And above all I encouraged those who had punctures, because there were a lot of punctures. I have been lucky because I chose the Tubeless system for my wheels, but even so, I do not stop praying to the divine providence in the desert so that my wheels make it with no problem along the whole route of the Titan.
And it seems to be working successfully, because I have not had a puncture in these five days, or any other type of problem with the wheels, or anything serious with the bike, and this has strengthened my experience in this sort of competitions even more!

On finishing this stage I am tired, exhausted, worn out, but very happy to have enjoyed myself for the first time in these days in the desert. I have felt its power and savoured its energy, which has impulsed me to advance,
finding new force in my legs when I noticed they were failing. But, unfortunately, in the lungs the infection goes on unstoppable and I need a long while, longer than normal, to recover. For a moment the idea of abandoning now so as not to pine in the next stage, even longer and certainly harder, goes past my mind.

But I take it out of my head, quickly and I only think out: “I have to finish the Titan!”. I repeat this to myself over and over again, as if it were a Buddhist mantra, to help me go on.
After stretching and recovering for approximately an hour, I get ready for the connection by road, of about 45 km, till the Lambdouare campsite in the middle of the desert. Before, I examine the classification lists to see I ended up in position 175, one and a half hours from the winner of the stage –not bad! and with an average speed of 14,70 km/h, there must be a mistake: I can not make out how they estimate this rate because I am sure that I ride much faster today than yesterday.

When I finally set to take the road, it is already one pm and it is very hot, +37º C I was told in
the control point of the arrival. So, little by little, I pedal to stretch the legs without much effort and keep to a cruise speed of 20-25 km/h, together with other bikers, talking about different things. Ahead, I remain on my own since I stop to take some photos in the fossils museum, to the right of the road, and I go on quietly, but very carefully because the cars go past me at high speed, almost scraping me, which fills me with great respect, not to speak of fear. Later, in a petrol station, I meet some fellow bikers who are trying to buy themselves a Coca-Cola, but the Moroccans will not accept five euro banknote, just one euro coins, so I leave them one, and then we continue together, doing many kilometres, one after the other, and with the sun burning my arms because on refreshing with water at the end of the race, I had lost the Isdin Extrem Uva solar protection, so I got to the camp-site, after 45 km along the road in the sun, with scorched arms!

The organization has made a mistake in this stage. Owing to misinformation, or still better,
to the fact that it was not state how these 45 km could be made, most of us had taken for
granted that we had to do them pedalling along the road, but there were others who did
them aided by cars or vans used as taxis to cover all those kilometres and save strength. It is understandable and, possibly, I would have done so myself with outward assistance, but I considered it disloyal and anti-sportive, and given that the organization had not clearly mentioned it.
The interpretations have been open and there have
been many complaints and demands on the part of
those who, like myself, had made the 45 kilometres
on our bikes, in the sun, and for more than two
hours, and not comfortably taken by taxi with their
bikes, in few minutes, in exchange for only some euros. In the evening briefing it has been talked of a penalty of ten minutes for the latter, but it is very improbable that this is carried out because no control has been kept of those who pedalled and those who did not. We were told that it was up to us to decide… Fine, but... why was nothing said the evening before, when it was mentioned for the first time that this part of the road of 45 km had to be done after the 65 km of competition in the desert?
For me has been a real titan act, but I expect from now on there will be no more confusions like this, because they do nothing but contribute to divide us and create an ill feeling among bikers.

5th day, Tuesday 1st May 2007, 4th stage (The queen!), 85 km in the desert, the last battle!

After having rested well at night, the new day appears hard, but fortunately the weather seems to be on our side. We get ready, today our itinerary is entirely in the desert and without the road-book, just the GPS and many markings in the track. Since in fact this is the initially second stage, which could not be carried out because of the rain, though now it is vice versa. As the track is highly marked, this is bound to be a very fast stage of bike competition, without adventure or orientation as is expected of the Titan.
So I feed myself well on water, buns and a good mood, I have a good breakfast, take my medicines and to get psyched up, at least, get to the pass check point of km 44 before eleven, the deadline time, and then, if I can not go on, I will abandon and go on along the road the 32 km till the finish line of the Titan, in the Xaluca hotel, in Maadid. I want to proportion my energies to the most and keep to a constant speed over 12 km/h as long as possible.

The start is at seven o’clock sharp and, as usual after the initial stampede, the squad-bikers stretches in few minutes along the track that leads to the hills and it soon looks like
a huge colourful snake creeping in the desert, a funny and impressing image.

I soon realize we are riding before the wind, something that helps us greatly to advance along the stone and sand tracks, so I take advantage of this to go ahead and increase the pedalling rhythm to 20-21 km/h, and keep it for a long
while. When, after a few kilometres, we change course and the wind is foul, a little on the front-side, something that makes it very hard to advance, I lower the rhythm until I find the one I can keep well and for long time, 15-16 km/h.

I go on like this many kilometres – I do ten in forty minutes, not bad-, and towards half past nine I reach the pass check point of km 44 and, as I am feeling strong enough to keep it up, I decide to do so, without second thoughts.

We went across many rivers with little water, in most of them the water only got to half the wheel and was not too strong, though in some I found it very hard to pedal because of the mud, and we had to adapt at all times the speed and the strength. In some parts, when I could not
stand it any longer, I got off the bike and pushed it to the bank, which was normally steep and of difficult access.
This stage was particularly hard and difficult, not only because it was the longest, but also because it was the last one, and to me, with a weak health condition, an absolutely tough test, as never before in my life! Had it not been for the lung infection, I would have enjoyed this stage enormously, I would have had a great time, like last year in the first edition of the Titan.

On going past a catering point I saw the helicopter in action, it was taking a biker who was really unwell, apparently he was urinating blood… Gosh, that guy was really bad! But it seems the doctors managed to control his state quickly and he is no longer in danger. Another token of the good work of the organization!

When I was about to finish, after the last pass checkpoint and when there only remained 13 km to the arrival, I had the worst time of all, and those
13 km were like 50 km to me, hellish and never-ending. I felt my strength would not support me, was on the verge of falling several times, felt weak, exhausted and run down. I do not really know how I managed to go on, I just know my mind would not cease repeating: “I have got to finish… I have got to finish…” and so I did.

In the end I made it, it is now 13:05pm, almost out of breath, and I had to be held while they cut the pass checkpoint identification and I fell with my head on my arms on the handlebar. They gave me a full bottle of water and I rested for a long while, sipping, till I caught my breath and was able to breathe normally. Marta and Manu, of the organization, dear, unconditional friends, ask me how I am, how I have been doing, and on telling them I am fine, that I cannot believe that I managed to finish the stage, I am overcome by emotion and happiness and can no longer hold my tears. What can I do if I am so sensitive and such an extrovert! It was only thanks to my mental determination that I have been able to defeat the disease and the exhaustion around me, at least till finishing the stage. It has certainly been an excellent vital lesson of the power one has and can have in extreme situations. Now I can state without fear or resentment and with plenty of pride that I am a new DOUBLE TITAN DESERT!.

The last stage I finished in the position 183, two hours and nine minutes from the winner, and with an average speed of 14,38km/h. And in the general classification I am number 170 out of 267 Titan finalists (that is, titans), with a total of fifteen hours and forty-six minutes, and a total average speed of 15,15 km/h. There have been a total of 283 participants, and 14 desertions of them. In the Master 1 category (age range 40-50 years), I got position 65 out of 101.
After dinner we all got together for the last time in this edition of the Titan Desert 2007, to give the awards to the final winners of all the categories and close down the edition. There are important personalities present such as the governor of Marrakech, and army and police officers attend the celebration also. We really did not know there was such an involvement on the part of Moroccan security forces because we had hardly seen them during these days, apart from the traffic policeman who escorted us during the road itineraries.
Remarkable as well as discrete security, I should say, yes, sir: they do deserve our appreciation for their good work!

But… could we really think there has been only one winner? I think the winner of this race of 239 kilometres in the desert plus 124 km on the road, is as much the first one to classify as the last one, which means, everybody. And though some have taken a trophy celebrated with great festivity, others will take unforgettable memories and great landscapes that they will remember forever. And, undoubtedly, the prettiest trophy is the personal satisfaction of overcoming a challenge and a struggle that few people in the world can fight. We will remember the critical moments defeated with patience, suffering and comradeship, experiences that will surely help us in our decisions concerning future problems. Numberless sensations and images will remain engraved in the minds of some and the hearts of others, and sooner or later we will all feel “titan” desert again.

Back to civilization, I have to treat the lung infection with pharyngitis with antibiotics, that is with Azitromicine, though not for three days (which is the normal treatment) but for six, so that it is effective and I stop expectorating. I have also decided to have a blood test to check the count of defences and analyse the general effects produced after my struggle against aids in the Titan Desert.

Before the race I have a count up CD4 cell-number of 581 and 29%(March, 5, 2007 extraction day), and after the race I finally have 540 CD4 cell-number and 28%(May, 7, 2007 extraction day), so I can say that it's a good medical state that I have now. That was possible only with the uninterrupted treatment with Kaletra Meltrex and Truvada pills.

To finish, I want to thank to my most important allies: first to the antiretroviral treatment with Kaletra Meltrex and the support of Abbott Laboratories, to Dr. Bonaventura Clotet, my doctor and friend, from the Struggle against Aids Foundation that he directs and that has also supported me in this challenge. And, finally, to my mind and experience and my lovely Scott Spark double suspension mountain bike!

VIVA MTB

Mi segundo TITAN DESERT

Quizás algunos de vosotros ya sabéis qué es Titan Desert MTB Marathon; si no, debéis saber que es una competición con bicicleta de montaña por el desierto inhóspito del sur-este de Marruecos, durante cuatro o cinco días y con el aliciente de tener como base la orientación por road-book(libro de ruta), igual que en el DAKAR, pero con la diferencia de que en el Titan tienes como motor tus piernas, tu fuerza interior y tu habilidad.

El recorrido previsto inicialmente para la edición de este año era de 416 km por el desierto en cinco etapas, pero finalmente, debido a las lluvias torrenciales —algo inaudito en aquellos lugares—, se tuvo que modificar: los 283 participantes hicimos en cuatro etapas, 239 km por desierto, más unos 124 km de enlace por carretera.

Antes de nada, me presentaré. Me llamo Jordi Sandor y nací hace cuarenta años. Mido 1,80 m y peso 75 kg, pero bajo a 70 kg en época de competición. En el ciclismo de montaña tengo un nivel medio-alto, a veces alto y he comenzado a practicarlo hace 7 años. Este año tengo el dorsal 206.

El entrenamiento intensivo y a diario lo empecé a finales de enero y hasta después de Semana Santa, cuando empecé a preparar la bici, y aunque tuve que dejar de entrenar me sentía muy preparado físicamente para la gran aventura. Lo hacía prácticamente todo en el gimnasio CN Atlètic-Barceloneta, con pesas siguiendo un programa especial de Dani, y alternando con clases de spinning una o dos seguidas al día y salidas en bici los fines de semana, unos 100-120 km en dos días. Era poco pero suficiente, porque aumentaba cada vez más la intensidad y la dureza de la salida, sacando medias de velocidad cada vez más altas. También hice una salida tipo maratón por una vía verde bastante plana, la de Ripoll-Olot-Girona-Sant Feliu de Guíxols-Caldes de Malavella, de 182 km, todo en un día, solo y en casi ocho horas de pedaleo.

1ª etapa, Viernes 27 de abril de 2007, 34 km por el desierto

Fue una etapa de primer contacto con el desierto con la salida y la llegada en Maadid, donde está nuestro hotel. Saldremos a las tres de la tarde, y sorprendentemente para la idea que tenemos los foráneos del desierto, el cielo está nublado y amenaza con llover: toda la mañana igual, sin un rayo de sol. Por lo menos no hace calor, cosa que siempre es de agradecer, el viento suave de dirección sur es más bien frío. El ambiente general entre los participantes es fantástico, como si nos conociéramos de toda la vida, y la organización muy buena, pero hay mucha tensión en el ambiente, un nerviosismo y una emoción más que evidentes, y todos estamos impacientes por salir pedaleando y encontrarnos con el desierto.

Ha sido una salida tipo estampida de búfalos, a un ritmo muy fuerte. Buscando la mejor trazada posible en el recorrido plagado con bancos de arena provocó una situación de “salvese quien pueda” con algun corredor cruzandose a un palmo de la rueda delantera, otros tocandose con los codos, ¡vaya caos!. He visto muchos ciclistas arreglando pinchazos, muchos atascados en la arena y alguna caída desafortunada, e incluso un cambio de marchas roto con el consiguiente abandono del ciclista. ¡Qué mala suerte!.

Desde luego, se nota mucho el alto nivel de los participantes en esta edición del Titan. Claro que con ciclistas como, Abraham Olano, Melcior Mauri(el ganador de esta edición), Peio Ruiz Cabestany, Gonzalo Ceballos, Miguel Angel Saez, Amparo Ausina(ganadora de las feminas del Titan 2006) no era menos de esperar.

Realmente no he disfrutado mucho del entorno, por el ritmo tan alto de la marcha, la atención y la concentración permanente en la ruta.

Al acabar, y como de costumbre diaria, he hecho muchos estiramientos de todos los músculos: cuello, espalda, piernas, brazos, glúteos, gemelos..., y me he preparado una bebida isotónica para recuperarme a base de suero en polvo en tres cuartos de litro de agua. Luego he limpiado y preparado la bici para el día siguiente, y la he examinado a fondo para comprobar que no tenga ningún fallo, fisura o pieza rota. Todo está en perfecto estado.

2ª etapa prevista inicialmente y luego cancelada, Sabado 28 de Abril de 2007

Desde las once de la noche del viernes ha llovido mucho, durante toda la noche, y no ha parado hasta las diez de la mañana. Después de varias reuniones generales, los organizadores deciden anular la etapa debido a la inundación de varios tramos del recorrido, que se han podido investigar con la ayuda del helicóptero y llamando a los campamentos previstos para las noches siguientes, a kilómetros de distancia.

Mientras tanto descansamos en el hotel y reponemos las fuerzas para lo que vendrá, ¡si viene! Comemos a la luz de las velas, debido al fallo eléctrico repetido.

Finalmente tenemos que dejar nuestro hotel y irnos a otro hotel, a 7 km de distancia, con las bicis en pelotón ciclista, ocupando sólo el carril derecho de la carretera y escoltados por la policía delante, detrás y en las intersecciones, pasando por el pueblo de Arfoud (‘Puerta del desierto’). Todo el pueblo ha salido a la calle para mirarnos con caras largas y saludarnos, pero sobre todo los niños que, con sus bicis más que oxidadas y sin frenos, nos han acompañado durante un rato. Me pregunto cómo nos deben ver los locales a los trescientos ciclistas, como salidos de los anuncios de ciclismo que ven en las revistas occidentales, con el batiburrillo de colores y vestidos...

Las noticias de los ríos desbordados y carreteras cortadas nos bombardean continuamente y nos preocupan. Todos nos preguntamos qué vamos a hacer, pero confiamos plenamente en la experiencia del equipo organizador, que, sin lugar a dudas, ha hecho un trabajo titánico al cambiar el recorrido, las rutas, los campamentos, la logística, las comidas y muchas otras cosas de la organización. ¡A todos ellos les dedico un profundo agradecimiento por la buena continuación del Titan y la resolución de todos los problemas provocados por estas lluvias!.

Además, muchos de nosotros tenemos ya problemas de diarreas y gastroenteritis, y los cuatro médicos de la organización no dan abasto con el Fortasec. Por suerte, estoy salvado..., ¡de momento!.

2ª etapa, 55 km por el desierto + 70 km por carretera, Domingo 29 de Abril de 2007

Ante nosotros tenemos un enlace desde el hotel hasta el punto de salida tipo pelotón ciclista, de unos 70 km de distancia, todo por carretera bajo un sol de justicia y siempre con el viento de cara. Se reagrupa todo el pelotón en el punto de salida y empieza la segunda etapa —que en realidad es una parte de la cuarta etapa planificada inicialmente y que no pudimos hacer entera debido a las lluvias, ¡y utilizamos el road-book desde más o menos la mitad!.

Durante el recorrido pasamos por varios tramos de carretera inundada donde el agua llega hasta la mitad de la rueda de la bicicleta, y se para la circulación, incluso encontramos un pueblo con la calle principal inundada en algunos puntos.

Después de los charcos, la etapa empieza en un lado de la carretera y salimos otra vez todos en estampida.

Veo muchos ciclistas reparando pinchazos por el camino y no dejo de animarlos pasando por su lado y preguntándoles si necesitan algo. Creo que a mi también me gustaría que me animasen si me viera en una situación semejante, y espero que se sientan ayudados y no tan solos con mi gesto. No sé si esto también pasa en otros deportes, creo que el ciclismo de montaña es tan especial precisamente por este motivo, por eso hay tanta afición, porque todos sufrimos por y en el mismo camino, algunos más, otros menos, pero lo que sí que está siempre presente es la ayuda mutua entre todos los ciclistas de montaña.

Llego al campamento del albergue Belle Étoile después de un recorrido con muchas peripecias pero bastante fácil y rápido. Aun así, siento como me pasan factura los kilómetros hechos por carretera.

Esta noche después de cenar, he asistido al briefing, en el cual nos han informado sobre la etapa de mañana. Luego, dormimos en las haimas que havian montado deprisa y corriendo está misma tarde, en nuestros sacos de dormir, sobre un suelo duro y cubierto sólo con una alfombra gastada, y estamos todos bastante amontonados.

Justo cuando estoy a punto de coger el sueño, noto que me caen unas gotitas de agua en la cara, y como que llevo tapones en las orejas para no oír los ronquidos de los compañeros de haima (somos seis en total, tres de un lado y tres del otro), me los quito y oigo en el silencio de la noche como llueve muy suavemente y lejos, con rayos y truenos incluidos. Suerte que la tempestad está lejos y no se acerca. Si unas gotitas logran traspasar el techo de la haima, hecho de pelo de camello, ¡una lluvia torrencial debe ser como una ducha en toda regla! Sólo de pensarlo ya siento un frío... ¡Con lo calentito que estoy en mi saco de dormir de +6º C!

3ª etapa, 65 km por el desierto + 45 km por carretera, Lunes 30 de Abril de 2007

La mañana es fresca a las cinco, cuando toca la diana, pero el tiempo se anuncia con mucho sol y sin una nube en el cielo, que está limpio y precioso, por ahora. Me pongo el equipamiento, no sin antes untarme con la vaselina protectora el culotte y la entrepierna. No soy el único, otros compañeros con más experiencia también lo hacen; así que el ambiente ya se va animando de buena mañana, entre bromas y risas para aliviar así la tensión y los nervios previos a la salida. Incluso hacemos unas fotos con la salida del sol hacia el Este, por encima del campamento, que quedan preciosas.

Todos estamos impacientes por empezar a pedalear por el desierto, y no por la carretera como el otro día. El recorrido lo conozco del año pasado, pero entonces lo hicimos al revés de como lo haremos hoy, y la verdad es que es muy, muy duro, sobre todo porque tiene subidas cortas pero empinadas y con mucha piedra suelta. El año pasado lo hicimos de bajada descenso y sin bajar de la bici, pero este año dudo mucho que algún ciclista de los más fuertes pueda hacer todo el recorrido en bici.

En esta etapa voy dosificándome muy bien y por suerte hago buena parte del trayecto con el viento de espalda, cosa que me ayuda mucho a conseguir un rendimiento increíble y duradero que me permite ir de menos a más, aparte que disfruto mucho más del entorno, y adelanto a muchos ciclistas, sobre todo a los novatos sin experiencia que han empezado fuerte en la salida y ahora, después de más de 10-15 km, se van hundiendo poco a poco. Incluso me siento con fuerzas de pedalear de pie durante largos ratos, una técnica mía ya probada en el Titan del año pasado, ya que empezaba a no sentir el culo, lo tenía como anestesiado. Un ciclista de un grupo parado a la derecha de la pista me grita: «¡La locomotoraaa!» Y todos nos reímos...

Al finalizar la etapa estoy exhausto, muy cansado, pero muy feliz de haber disfrutado por primera vez en estos días en el desierto. He sentido su poder y he saboreado su energía, lo que me ha impulsado a avanzar, encontrando nuevas fuerzas en mis piernas cuando notaba que me fallaban.

Pero, por desgracia, en los pulmones la infección pasa de un resfriado que arastraba a una faringitis que sigue su curso imparable y necesito un buen rato, más de lo normal, para recuperarme. Por un instante me pasa por la cabeza abandonar ahora para no desfallecer durante la siguiente etapa, todavía más larga y más dura. Pero me lo saco de la cabeza enseguida y solo pienso que: «TENGO QUE ACABAR LA TITAN». Me lo repito a mí mismo una y otra vez, como si de un mantra budista se tratara, para que me ayude a seguir adelante. De hecho, no me extraña mi resfriado, porque no hace mucho calor durante el día, como mucho 35-37º C. El año pasado tuvimos temperaturas de más de 42-44º C, y aunque sudaba pedaleando, el viento y el aire caliente me mantenían siempre seco. Ahora, aunque quizás he sudado menos, el viento es más fresco, así que he cogido frío, ¡y el resfriado se me ha ido pronunciando más y más!

Después de estirar bien y recuperarme durante una hora aproximadamente, me preparo para el enlace por carretera, de unos 45 km, hasta el campamento de Lambdouare en pleno desierto.

Cuando finalmente me dispongo a coger la carretera, ya es la una del mediodía y hace mucho calor +37º C, me han dicho en el punto de control de la meta. Así que poco a poco voy pedaleando para estirar las piernas sin hacer demasiado esfuerzo y mantener una velocidad de crucero de 20-25 km/h, en compañía de otros ciclistas, hablando de varias cosas. Más adelante me quedo solo, ya que me he parado a hacer unas fotos en el museo de fósiles, a la derecha de la carretera, y sigo tranquilamente pero con mucho cuidado porque los coches pasan muy velozmente y casi rozándome, cosa que me da cierto respeto, por no decir miedo.

4ª etapa (¡La reina!), 85 km por el desierto, ¡la última batalla! Martes 1 de Mayo de 2007

Después de descansar muy bien esta noche, el día se presenta muy duro, pero por suerte el tiempo parece que acompaña. Hacemos todos los preparativos, ya que hoy el recorrido es enteramente por el desierto y sin road-book, sólo con el GPS y muchos marcajes durante todo el recorrido, ya que en realidad se trata de la que inicialmente era la segunda etapa, que no se pudo hacer por las lluvias, pero al reves. Al estar muy marcado el camino, va a ser una etapa muy rápida de competición ciclista, sin aventura ni orientación como se espera del Titan.

A las siete en punto se da la salida y, como siempre después de la estampida inicial, el pelotón se extiende en pocos minutos por el camino hacia las colinas y parece una gran serpiente multicolor arrastrándose por el desierto, una imagen divertida e impresionante.

Hemos cruzado muchos ríos anchos con poca agua, la mayoría llegaban sólo hasta la mitad de la rueda y no tenían demasiada fuerza, aunque en alguno ha costado mucho pedalear a causa del barro, y hemos tenido que adaptar en todo momento la velocidad y las fuerzas. En algunos tramos, cuando no he podido más, me he bajado de la bici y la he empujado hasta la orilla, que normalmente era empinada y de difícil acceso.

Esta etapa ha sido especialmente dura y difícil, no sólo por ser la más larga, si no también por ser la última y para mí, con un estado de salud débil, ¡una durísima prueba como nunca en la vida!. Si no fuese por el problema de la infección pulmonar, hubiese disfrutado mucho de la etapa, lo hubiese pasado en grande, como el año pasado en la primera edición del Titan.

Al pasar por un avituallamiento he visto el helicóptero en acción, se llevaba a un ciclista en mal estado, parece que orinaba sangre... ¡Uf, éste si que está muy mal! Pero parece que los médicos han controlado rápidamente su estado y ya está fuera de peligro. ¡Otra muestra del buen funcionamiento de la organización!

Cuando estaba casi al final del recorrido, desde el último control de paso sólo quedaban 13 km para la meta, ha sido cuando lo he pasado peor, y esos 13 km han sido como 50 km para mí, infernales e interminables. He sentido que las fuerzas no me aguantaban y he estado a punto de caerme varias veces, sin fuerzas, agobiado y exhausto. No sé cómo he podido seguir adelante, sólo sé que mi mente no paraba de repetirme: «Tengo que acabar... Tengo que acabar...», y así lo he hecho.

Lego a la meta a las 13:05 horas y casi sin respiración, muy agotado y me han tenido que aguantar cuando me han cortado el identificativo del control de paso de la bici y me he caído con la cabeza sobre los brazos cruzados en el manillar. Me han dado una botella de agua mineral entera y he reposado un buen rato bebiendo poco a poco, hasta que he recuperado el aliento y la respiración con normalidad.

Marta y Manu, de la organización, amigos queridos e indiscutibles, me preguntan cómo me encuentro y cómo me ha ido, y al contestarles que estoy bien, no puedo creerme que haya acabado la etapa, me embargan la emoción y la felicidad y no puedo contener las lágrimas. ¡Qué le voy a hacer si soy tan sensible y extrovertido!. Sólo gracias a mi determinación mental he podido vencer la enfermedad y el agotamiento que me rodeaba, al menos hasta acabar la etapa. Ha sido una buena lección vital sobre el poder que uno mismo tiene y que puede tener en situaciones extremas. ¡Ahora puedo afirmar sin miedo ni rencor y con mucho orgullo que soy por segunda vez un TITAN del DESIERTO!

En la clasificación general he quedado en el lugar 170 de 267 finalistas del Titan, con el tiempo total de 15 horas y 46 minutos, y una velocidad media total de 15,15 km/h. Ha habido un total de 283 participantes, y 14 abandonos. En la categoría Master1 (entre 40 y 50 años) he conseguido la posición 65 de 101.

Después de cenar nos reunimos todos por última vez en esta edición del Titan Desert 2007, para premiar a los ganadores finales de todas las categorías y clausurar la edición.

Pero… ¿Realmente podemos pensar que ha habido un solo ganador? Yo creo que el ganador en esta carrera de 239 km por el desierto más 124 km por carretera, es tanto el primer clasificado como el último, o sea, todos. Y aunque unos se han llevado un trofeo celebrado con gran festividad, otros se llevarán unos recuerdos inolvidables y unos paisajes impresionantes que recordarán siempre. Y, sin duda, el trofeo más bonito es la satisfacción personal de haber superado un reto y una lucha que pocas personas en el mundo logran conseguir. Recordaremos los momentos de crisis superados con paciencia, sufrimientos y compañerismo, unas experiencias que seguramente nos ayudarán en nuestras decisiones ante problemas futuros. Un sinfín de sensaciones e imágenes quedarán grabadas en la mente de unos y en el corazón de otros, y tarde o temprano todos volveremos a sentirnos como «titanes» del desierto.