Christophe Guillamet (270-FRA), Neal Johnston (271-GBR).

Some experiences are a perfect embodiment of the Sultan Marathon des Sables. Here’s one.
33 years old Neal Johnston (271-GBR) is a Belfast policeman, a profession that implies intensive training. He’s part of the aptly named « Perseverance » team. In the morning of the long stage, Neal has tummy troubles but still makes it to the start line. He and Christophe, another team member whom he didn’t know 4 days before, will walk, whilst the other two team members will run. Hopefully, they’ll catch up later... 34 years old Christophe, a computer graphics artist, is a very fast runner, used to intense but short efforts, and with little experience of lasting long. Neal collapses between CP1 and CP2.  The docs put him on a drip three times, so that he can reach CP2. He makes it. Christophe stays with him, sacrificing his own race to support his new friend. Neal doesn’t speak French, Christophe doesn’t speak English, but they understand each other.  They set off again and reach CP 3 after seven hours. Neal cannot take any “normal food” any more, so Christophe gives him all his snacks. They realize they’ve only got two hours left to reach CP 4 before cut off time. Very well: Neal runs all the way - he doesn’t want his friend to be disqualified. He runs fast. They take over about a hundred competitors and get to CP 4 half an hour before cut off.

From then on, it will take them 30 hours to complete the stage (they will get to the finish line at 2pm the next day). Neal stumbles; he can’t even keep water down. Docs come and see him every kilometre, i.e. every two hours, to check on him. For 5km, it is Christophe who’s carrying his bag, Christophe who, as soon as they make it to the finish line, has but one thought: to take his friend to the clinic. Only then does he remember he needs to eat. Christophe gave all he had to support his friend. Neal accomplished an exploit which stunned the docs. Together, they achieved much more than a marathon.

Christophe set off for the 5th stage in a state of exhaustion:  a fellow competitor who overtook him saw him “sleep running” . He reaches the finish line at 3.51 pm and went straight to sleep.

Neal set off on his own. At 6.32 pm, he had safely made it to the finish line.