In 1994, Italian ultramarathon runner Mauro Prosperi disappeared during the 155-mile Marathon des Sables after a massive Sahara sandstorm blew him off course; he survived nine days alone by eating bats and drinking his own urine before stumbling into Algeria

Human endurance can be tested in extreme ways, turning a sporting event into a battle against the elements. The Marathon des Sables is a multiday ultramarathon in which competitors carry their own gear across the Moroccan desert. In 1994, the race became the setting for a survival story that drew international attention. A sudden shift in the weather altered everything for one elite competitor, stranding him in an environment where even a single mistake can be fatal.

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