Desert explorer now on 50km ‘fasting run’

Dubai-based Italian Max Calderon calls for people to join him on a run between Suhoor and Iftar this Friday

dubai — this friday, a dubaibased desert explorer and extreme athlete plans to make a statement about the boundless limits of the human spirit, the importance of food and water and the necessity of exercise even during the holy month of ramadan by running and walking as many kilometres as he can in the hours between suhoor and iftar, while fasting.

max calderan, an italian national, is calling his feat the “fasting run”.

“one of the meanings of ramadan is that it is a moment of awareness about the importance of food and water, especially when there are people in the world who cannot have them daily,” he told khaleej times.

“but i think it’s also a time to give back and also provide a different point of view, even for people who aren’t muslim. it can be useful for many to understand the meaning of ramadan.”

to accomplish this, calderan plans to run around a 50-kilometre track that passes through dunes and near to the bab al shams hotel in al qudra lakes. he will have a support team in place in case of any emergencies.”

“this will boost everyone’s capabilities to understand the real meaning of what lack of food and water means, and also boost our own limits. during ramadan, many people say they can’t do sports, or only do so after 10pm or midnight.”

“let’s build a new team of people who start believing that the limits aren’t where we suppose they are. we can make a new generation of people who can face difficulties to become even stronger.”

calderan is no stranger to seemingly impossible feats of physical endurance. last ramadan, he walked, non-stop and while fasting, 150km in under 24 hours between abu dhabi’s sheikh zayed grand mosque and dubai’s jumeirah mosque. in a previous adventure, calderan also ran — again while fasting — 250km across the sinai peninsula in egypt. calderon reminds everyone: “even in ramadan, we can do many things.”

I think it’s also a time to give back and also provide a different point of view, even for people who aren’t Muslim. It can be useful for many to understand the meaning of Ramadan.”

Max Calderan, Italian adventurer