A Brutal, Beautiful Battle Across Wadi Rum
The second stage of the MDS 120 Jordan began today under a sky that could stop you in your tracks. As the sun climbed over the horizon, it lit up Wadi Rum in gold and fire. Towers of sandstone blazed in the morning light, and the vast silence of the desert seemed to breathe. It was a moment of calm before the suffering.
At 0700, the main field set off, hundreds of runners stretching out across the sand in a single wave.
An hour later, at 0800, the top-50 elites launched from the start line, eyes locked on the far horizon and the distances ahead. Three choices lay before all runners: 20 km, 40 km, or 60 km. No matter the distance, no one got an easy day.
By mid-morning, the heat was already rising fast. There’s no mercy in the Wadi Rum sun. The sand, soft and shifting, sucked at every step. It was a grind from the first kilometer. For many, fatigue from Stage 1 was already in their legs. Now, it became a question of how much pain they could manage, and for how long.
But the landscape kept pulling people forward.
Runners wound through canyons where shadows clung to the rock walls, through open plains that shimmered in the heat, and over dunes that seemed to have no top. The colours changed constantly, red, orange, ochre, bone-white. Every climb gave a new view, and every descent brought another challenge.
Support points were lifelines. Blue and orange jackets worked hard to keep everyone hydrated, motivated, and upright. Every shaded tent was a brief oasis. Words of encouragement were exchanged in multiple languages, often between competitors who had just met but already felt like teammates. That’s how it goes out here: shared struggle, instant connection.
For those tackling the 60 km, it was a full day and night affair. As the sun dropped, temperatures fell fast, and headlamps started flickering on across the desert. The sound of footsteps on sand and the occasional burst of laughter carried in the darkness. Some ran together in quiet partnership; others moved solo, locked in their own internal battles.
By midnight, many had reached the bivouac, collapsing into sleeping bags or cheering others in. But the course was still alive. The final competitors came in just after 0100, nearly 18 hours after the first wave set off. There were hugs, tears, and a level of exhaustion that only the desert can deliver.
It was a brutal day. But it was also unforgettable.
Wadi Rum tested everyone, their legs, their lungs, their minds. But it gave something back too: the raw beauty of this land, the solidarity of the competitors, the deep satisfaction of pushing past limits. Stage 2 didn’t just challenge people. It changed them.
A rest day brings and opportunity to re-charge, and stage 3 brings more kms, more heat, more unknowns. The reward, a medal and memories for a lifetime.
Wadi Rum sleeps under a silent sky, and every runner who crosses the finish line , whether first or last, has earned the reward.
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IAN CORLESS 