At 18:00 on September 9, Jean Marie, a French national, set off from the starting point of the Tarim Desert Highway in Luntai County, Xinjiang, accompanied by his wife Tao Lin and father-in-law. He ran 50 kilometers along the highway toward Minfeng County. "It's windy now, the sun isn't as strong, and it feels comfortable. I should reach today’s planned destination. I’ll arrive at the final stop, Minfeng, in seven days," Jean Marie said via his wife’s translation over the phone.
Running 70 kilometers a day across the Taklamakan Desert under scorching temperatures of 30 to 40 degrees Celsius — that’s Jean Marie’s adventure plan.
Tao Lin said she is from Urumqi and married Jean Marie in the city in 2009. The couple now resides in France. Jean Marie is 44 years old and has 20 years of outdoor sports experience. In April this year, he ran across the Sahara Desert while carrying a load of 7 to 10 kilograms. "Back then, I ran about 50 kilometers each day."
The Luntai-Minfeng Desert Highway is over 500 kilometers long and runs north to south through the desert. Four years ago, when Jean Marie first came to China, he wanted to hike across this desert highway but wasn’t able to. On August 30, Jean Marie and Tao Lin returned to Urumqi with their 3-year-old daughter to visit family, and finally got the chance to fulfill this dream.
"He loves adventure and enjoys challenging expeditions that are difficult," Tao Lin said. For this desert crossing, she and her father are providing logistical support. They brought a gas stove, fruits, vegetables, rice, and water. Every day, Jean Marie eats a hearty breakfast and lunch, rests for an hour at noon, and only drinks water, energy drinks, eats fruit, and takes energy supplements to ensure his body gets the needed salt, sugar, and minerals.
"He rehydrates every three or four kilometers. Today is the first day, we started a bit late, and the temperature has stayed around 32°C," Tao Lin said. They plan to start at 07:00 on the 10th. The morning weather will be cooler, allowing them to run more. They aim to cover 35 kilometers in the morning and 35 kilometers in the afternoon. Upon reaching Tazhong, they can replenish water and refuel the car.
To ensure the smooth completion of this trek across the desert, Tao Lin and her father are driving alongside Jean Marie. Tao Lin’s father said, "I’ve been here before, so I can show them the way. They don’t know the area well, and I’m not at ease. By coming along, I can help oversee things and also get to enjoy the desert scenery."