CANADA’S GRITTIEST ATHLETES

The common thread uniting ultramarathon desert racers is the constant hunt for the next big challenge. Here’s a look at a few Canadians who’ve punished themselves for the glory of running through some of the world’s harshest landscapes. Each is signed up

Erik Kovessy, 30, Toronto, paramedic

Experience: One 250-kilometre ultramarathon (finished 48th in Gobi March 2016); one Ironman; five half-Ironmans; three marathons Essential race item: Camera During the Gobi March, Kovessy bonded with other competitors. “Once we cross the finish line every day, we have a lot of downtime to chat with each other, talk about how the day went,” he said. “It’s difficult to express what you go through, because there are such high and low points.”

Isabelle Sauve, 40, East Ferris, Ont., police officer

Experience: One 250-km ultramarathon (Marathon Des Sables in Morocco); one Ironman; five halfIronmans, three marathons

Essential race item: Mr. Noodles Sauve has done a lot of endurance races, but wanted to attempt a course that was seemingly impossible.

She said the Morocco race took a “crazy amount of research and training” to find the right equipment and nutrition to pack. “You are capable of so much more than you think,” she said. “I enjoy being put in those situations because you learn how to push yourself.”

Eric Chan, 40, Toronto, holistic nutritionist

Experience: Three ultramarathons (Morocco, Namibia, China)

Essential race item: Electrolyte tablets Chan and his brother are aiming to complete four desert races over a six-week span. “I want to test myself against the toughest and most extreme ultramarathons on the planet.”

Cynthia Fish, 55, Montreal, retired university professor

Experience: Five 4 Desert ultramarathons; Race to the Stones (100 km, England); Winery Running Festival (50 km, Australia) Essential race item: Silk scarf (“It’s absolutely essential for comfiness at night.”) For Fish, these competitions are an escape. “It’s a total meditation. Your mind stops thinking about all sorts of foolishness. Your body is really aware of what’s going on around it. You really feel alive.”