More than 1,300 years ago, a Chinese Buddhist monk undertook the pilgrimage of a lifetime. In a bid to seek sacred Buddhist scriptures, the scholar Xuanzang began a journey across Asia, braving the vast wilderness and unrelenting weather of the Gobi desert. A boundless expanse of rugged terrain, sand dunes and mountain ranges, the Gobi desert stretches across central Asia and both China and Mongolia. Now, in 2024, the desert plays host to a different kind of traveller: the ultra-marathon runner.
Founded in 2014, the Ultra Gobi 400 is China's first ultra-long-distance marathon, attracting ultra-endurance runners from across the world. A self-navigating and lightly supported marathon, the race challenges 50 contestants to run 400km in 142 hours, navigating the rocky terrain with scorching daytime temperatures that plummet to sub-zero at night. It’s around this time that the question tends to arise in the minds of most of us, "Why on earth would you put yourself through that?"
Back in SA’s more temperate climate, ultra-endurance runner and mountain biker Nicolette Booyens answered, “I look for the craziest, most challenging project to take on. I just love being outdoors and facing a tough challenge.” Between running back and forth on different tasks that delayed our meeting, Booyens greeted me with warmth and the kind of laid-back energy that's perhaps, only partially, a result of the “happy hormones” that come from running. That, in combination with her self-confessed competitive nature, pushed Booyens to finish as the second female and seventh overall with a time of 86:52:11.
The 45-year-old data analyst, who began running to improve her adventure racing, explained that the fabled “running bug” bit in 2016 when she ran her first ultra-marathon, the 89km Ultra Trail Mount Moodie. “That got my blood flowing,” she said with a contagious smile. “Just to run that far on the trail, I didn't think it was possible, but it was. Then it's like, OK, well, now I can try running a 100-miler.” The experience, of finishing a gruelling race and then immediately wondering if the next level could be conquered, is common among runners. The fierce determination to push the boundaries compelled Booysens; to complete three 400km Munga trail runs between 2017 and 2019.
Running these ultra-marathons became a stepping stone for further adventures. Together with her friend and fellow runner Bennie Roux, they began the search for the next challenge and found the Ultra Gobi 400. The decision to apply, for Booyens at least, was an easy one. “Life is short. You don't know when your life will be over. I do a lot of racing … every opportunity I get, and maybe it's over-racing, maybe it isn't, but you don't know when you're not going to be able to do what you love anymore.”
The decision had been made, the application submitted, when an invitation arrived. Symbolic of the journey’s cultural roots and its rarity, contestants receive a handmade invitation to participate. One letter was handwritten in English, the second, a Chinese version, was created using traditional hand-carved woodblock printing. The invitation is complete with a set of unique, commemorative stamps created for each marathon. “It is really special. That invite … never in [my] life have [I] received something like that.”
With her invitation in hand, it was time to prepare for the journey of a lifetime. An experienced athlete, Booyens cites the three Munga trail runs and the Freedom Challenge, a non-stop 2,150km cycling race, as key accomplishments that prepared her for the Ultra Gobi 400. There was no pretension as she mentioned these feats, shrugging her shoulders: “Luckily, I've have a lot of experience spending long periods of time on my feet.”
In preparation for the race, Booyens began training with a heavier backpack, knowing that the race would require the additional weight of warm clothing, food and gear. “Pretty much almost all my runs, I'd try to do with the heavy pack. But mentally I was fine. I knew what to expect. I knew it was going to get very, very cold, a lot colder than what we deal with here. I hate the cold. So, I knew that I was going to have to suck it up,” she said matter-of-factly.
After missing an intricate opening ceremony due to a delayed flight, Booyens was surprised to find that the start of the race was just as exceptional. Led through an enormous gate on a horse, the contestants are presented with one-half of a small tiger statue. Traditionally used by military officers in ancient China to represent authority, leaving behind one-half of the tally at their base camp was a pledge that they would return. The other half is presented upon completion of the race.
Not being a runner myself, my expectations of the most challenging parts of the race were high and yet, for Booyens, the focus stayed positive — she only mentioned the loneliness of running through vast expanses of flat terrain. “I was lucky. There were only a few times when I encountered people. But it's just a mindset. I don't think about the finish. I concentrate on getting from checkpoint to checkpoint. Sometimes, you see [that it’s] dead flat for miles, nothing changes and you have to keep going.”
On the third night of the race, Roux caught up with Booyens, at the point that the route was littered with river crossings. There was no way to carry on with the race other than to go through the rivers. She recalled frigid water and freezing temperatures. “Luckily the [rivers] were knee deep, but our feet were constantly getting wet. We got very cold that night.” Despite that, the pair could only stop at one of the checkpoints for a short while. The 30-minute break wasn't long enough to warm up freezing feet. “You definitely have to be aware of the signs [of hypothermia] and put your warm clothes on before you get too cold,” she said, making reference to a pair of racers who struggled to finish because of hypothermia.
Undeterred, her smile widened as she spoke of the highlights of her journey. “It was mind blowing to see [the desert]. From the big sand dunes to some proper mountains, nice valleys and the spectacular rocky outcrops. I also really enjoyed seeing camels.” she said. “I didn't expect to see so much infrastructure in the desert. The Gobi desert is huge and we spent a lot of time running on highways. It was a complete mix of everything.”
An unexpected route change due to jackal sightings was unavoidable, but there was never any doubt for Booysens that she'd finish the race. “I was [initially nervous] at the start line. A lot can go wrong in a race but once you get settled in, you know you'll be okay. I didn’t have massive blisters on my feet or anything that could potentially end the race."
An extrovert, Booyens noted the beautiful camaraderie and helpfulness of all the participants, despite the language barrier. “The Chinese runners were fantastic, even though we didn't understand each other. Nobody was trying to beat anybody. Everybody just wanted to finish and to help everyone else. It was amazing.”
When Chinese athlete Zheng Junyue, the first female to finish and fourth overall, came to greet Booysens at a rest station, the organisers called the moment the "handshake of the century". Booysens said: “She was a machine. I was still in the checkpoint when she came in, eating, faffing, enjoying life for five minutes. Then off she went. But she came into my tent first to shake my hand and greet me and say well done — great sportsmanship.”
The race ended at the one of a few natural freshwater springs. Contestants ran, with camera lights flashing, up a path lined with lights and the flags of participating countries. They were guided towards an amphitheatre for the awards ceremony. “It was like a movie,” Booyens said. On stage, the top three contestants in the male and female categories were presented with a yellow, silk finisher’s scarf and the other half of their “tiger tally.” “That was special. Usually, you cross the line and take a photo and that’s it, but with the finisher’s scarf and giving us the other half of the tiger, it was cool.”
As a final thank you to those who'd helped during the event, an orienteering race was held. This time, the contestants worked as volunteers, manning rest stations for over 150 international and Chinese volunteers who'd worked tirelessly over the previous four days. “That allowed us to give back,” Booyens said. "Afterwards, we had a banquet lunch with all the racers and volunteers, who were celebrated."
Throughout the interview, Booyens maintained a quiet modesty and unwavering positivity, a consistent sense of gratitude, not just for the opportunity but for all the people she'd met along the way. When I asked what might have contributed to her success in endurance sports, she waved a hand nonchalantly. “I'm a competitive person but I don't only care about winning. I want to finish the race. I compete with myself against the next, bigger challenge. I do like to win. I like the podiums, but finishing the race and completing more difficult challenges is the most important thing."
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