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I'm not sure about other parts of the world but I went from Edinburgh and flights were both quick and relatively very cheap. I flew with Air France and stopped in Paris on route. Even with the change over the total travel time to Algiers was about 7 hours. All very easy. I imagine flying from London or one of the larger international airports would be even more straight forward and possibly cheaper again.

Where to stay on the first night

if you come earlier?

I stayed at the Hyatt Hotel which is actually joined onto the airport in Algiers. I would have liked to be a bit more adventurous and go into Algiers itself but I prioritised keeping things simple before the race. The hotel was great and despite the slightly more premium brand was not too expensive. Facilities on site were good too. I was able to go for a swim and use the gym. Again the food was good and there were plenty of options.

I met others who stayed in Algiers and made a point of seeing more of the sites. There were certainly loads of good accommodation options there too.

What is safety in the region like.

Did you feel safe?

It felt like we were all treated like royalty out there from start to finish. I never once felt intimidated or worried. Quite the opposite, the people were all super friendly, super helpful and genuinely proud to be able to show off their country to outsiders.

Are there dangerous bugs/ animals

in the desert?

Apparently you can find some interesting beasties in the desert, including scorpions, but I didn’t see any at all and there certainly isn’t anything to be worried about. Next time I go I would really like to go on the desert tour and try and see some of the local inhabitants.

It says you can take the family also but

is it set up for kids?

Is there much to see/ do?

I would absolutely love to be able to take my family to see this incredible place. The timing of school holidays and my wifes work mean that in 2027 we won't be able to go as a family but I would really like to take them all another year. It is such an incredible place and somewhere I would love my three boys to see and experience before they grow up.

There are loads of things to do there including desert tours, camel rides, hanging out at the hotel by the pool, off-road dune buggies, visiting ancient caves and cave paintings and the list goes on.

Just being there in Taghit is incredible in itself.

What are the locals like?

Super friendly and really supportive of the race. Throughout the race there were local people out cheering the competitors on. The race seems to be a real point of pride for the people.

What was the quality of accommodation like?

Really good. The main hotel was really nice with nice facilities, including swimming pool. It's also very close to T2 and the finish. The room was spotless and I had a stunning view of the desert and the sunsets from my balcony.

Food.

Is it good and what about people with

allergies or preferences like vegetarians?

The food was great. I always worry a little bit when traveling to new countries about getting stomach bugs or not being able to ensure I can get dairy free food in the lead up to a race. I even took quite a lot of food from the UK with me just in-case. I didn't use any of it as the food there was excellent and the hotel staff were great about checking for me which foods I could or couldn't have. The set lunch and evening meals tended to consist of lamb, beef or chicken with vegetables and were always really tasty. The buffet always had a good choice, including pastas and other carb heavy options perfect for loading up before the big day.

Was the language barrier an issue?

Not at all. I don't speak Arabic or Berber and my French is awful but that wasn't a problem. English is widely spoken and certainly well enough to not have any issues.

The race organisers also seem to speak every language under the sun so most nationalities seemed to be catered for if English or the local languages were not their first languages.

How bad was the heat on race day?

Actually, despite this year being the hottest on record it wasn't as bad as I had thought. I think the hottest it got to on the day was around 34 degrees and it's very dry so it does not feel quite so bad as it would in other countries. I was told that normally the temperature only gets to the mid to high 20s.

Is it all crazy serious adventure racers

that take part.

No, I met a real mix of people taking part in the half and full distance races. I would say the majority of people were there to challenge themselves, to finish and to enjoy the experience of the race and the place.

What is the water temperature like?

Cold. I assumed that the water would be warm but it comes from ice melting on the Atlas mountains and then runs underground before popping up to create the oasis that the swim is in.

With the right kit it is absolutely fine. I don't cope too well with sever cold and I was fine.

How do you train

through the winter for the heat?

To be honest, I struggled with this. Indeed on my last long bike ride I got hypothermia in the snow and rain. The reality of coming from a cold country is it's a little harder to prep. However, this year I intend to prepare specifically by following a simple heat adaptation protocol using the sauna at my local gym.

It does not require any training in the heat and does not require much time actually spent in the sauna itself. Also, I will be doing some of my lower intensity training with a lot of layers on (apparently this achieves the same physiological adaptation as being in a hot climate).

Something I found good about having a mid winter race was that it kept my motivation high during the off-season. I sometimes have a habit of letting things go a little too much during the off-season but this kept me honest.

Is there any real specialist kit

needed for the race?

Swim: If you come from a colder country and have a wetsuit that is suitable for cold water you will be fine. If you come from a hotter country and are used to racing in a speedsuit or a very thin wetsuit then you will probably need a wetsuit that is better suited to colder water. Surprisingly the water is as cold as it is in Scotland (11-12 degrees).

Bike: The road surfaces are good and relatively flat. It definitely suits a TT bike but a road bike with clip on aero bars will work perfectly fine also.

Run: I did the run in road shoes but some racers chose to go with more off-road style running shoes. Personally I think road shoes are better as they are lighter. The only change I would make is to wear gators to keep the sand out as much as possible.

How do you bike on the sand?

The bike is all on smooth road surfaces. There is a section of road that has some speed bumps but otherwise the road surfaces are better than here in Scotland:-)

What is it like running on the sand?

Isn’t it awful?

I actually really liked it. While it was hard I liked not caring about my pace and having something else to focus on rather than just suffering to hold a certain speed on the road. Also the scenery in the sand dunes is staggering. Especially towards the end of the day when the sun is setting. It's a magical place.

Do you have to navigate

like in the marathon de sable?

No. The race is fully marked and there are marshals everywhere. You couldn't get lost if you tried.

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