Filipina Marathoner Conquers 250 Kilometers in Sahara Desert

(SPOT.ph) Walking under the sun feels akin to a death sentence these days, but marathoner Julie Uychiat willingly thrust herself into the extreme conditions of the Sahara Desert—becoming the first Filipina to conquer the “toughest footrace on Earth,” running more than 250 kilometers across blisteringly hot days and cold nights in 44 hours.

Uychiat completed the 2024 Marathon des Sables-the Legendary in April. The event is an ultra-marathon that spans over six days in one of the world’s most inhospitable climates.

Her endurance did not disappoint as she clinched sixth place in the 50-59 women’s age group, along with placing 283rd overall among more than 800 participants, besting both men and women.

PHOTO BY Courtesy of Julie Uychiat

This achievement is fresh off her historic win at last year’s World Marathon Challenge, where, at 50, she emerged the first Filipina to finish and win the competition. All that for someone who only discovered her passion for running at the age of 44.

Who is Julie Uychiat?

Uychiat is a Filipina marathoner and nurse who has gained significant recognition for her accomplishments in long-distance running. Growing up, she was not particularly drawn to running but was pushed by her sister to give it a chance. Born and raised in Negros Occidental, she moved to the U.S. to pursue a career in nursing but fate had other plans. She found herself in love with running—and never looked back since.

She made headlines when she completed the challenging 2023 World Marathon Challenge, where participants ran seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. She knew it was a daunting task but that just made her want to do it. Impressively, she finished first in the marathons held in Dubai, Madrid, Fortaleza, and Miami. For this, she was honored by the Senate through Resolution No. 471 in 2023.

PHOTO BY Courtesy of Julie Uychiat

The coach who helped her train for the World Marathon Challenge is the same one who guided her for the Marathon des Sables.

The Sahara experience

The Marathon des Sables requires participants to be self-sufficient, to carry all their necessary supplies—except for water which is provided at various checkpoints along the route. The race involves navigating sand dunes, rocky jebels, and other challenging terrains, all while facing extreme temperatures that can soar above 50°C during the day and drop significantly at night.

PHOTO BY Courtesy of Julie Uychiat

Given these conditions, Julie’s preparation for the ultra-marathon was as methodical as it was rigorous, guided with instructions from her coach who has been training her since 2018. “She was the one who helped me prepare when I did the World Marathon Challenge last year,” Uychiat told SPOT.ph.

Uychiat’s training regimen for the Marathon des Sables was particularly intense, involving three specific elements: sand, weight, and heat.

With her coach PHOTO BY Courtesy of Julie Uychiat

Julie’s sand training was put to the test at the Antelope Canyon ultramarathon, where she tackled 80 kilometers of challenging trails with a backpack, simulating the conditions she would face in the Sahara Desert. Additional preparations also included running with her backpack and acclimatizing to extreme temperatures through sauna sessions, hot yoga, and Hot Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

Sauna with a weighted backpack PHOTO BY Courtesy of Julie Uychiat

The third stage of the Marathon des Sables was particularly brutal for Uychiat. This leg of the race stretched 85.3 kilometers through what she called some of the most “challenging and technical” terrains, involving steep mountain climbs and vast sand dunes, all while bearing the weight of her survival gear. It took her over 20 hours to complete.

“It was the toughest conditions I have ever experienced yet the most beautiful. Some of the landscapes in the Sahara Desert are spectacular.  Those you see depicted in movies. It was breathtaking,” Uychiat said. “We also had to endure the heat til sunset and had to keep pushing forward in the desert night sky.”

PHOTO BY Courtesy of Julie Uychiat

With the Sahara Desert behind her, Uychiat is looking forward to new challenges. She is now setting her sights on triathlons, with plans to integrate swimming and biking into her intense routine. And for 2025, with support from her husband—”None of these would be possible without him,” she tells us—Uychiat is aiming for something even bigger: the Everest.