USS Frank Cable sailor to run across Gobi Desert

By LT. J.G. NICOLE PAUL
For the Saipan Tribune

SANTA RITA, Guam—Who runs across a desert? Lt. Brian Evans, the undersea medical officer on board USS Frank Cable, intends to, and he believes he has good reason. The Arizona native has decided to run across China’s Gobi Desert in seven days during the annual 150-mile-long Gobi March hosted by Race the Planet in May 2006.

Evans is running to raise money and awareness for the Christopher Reeve Foundation, an organization whose mission Evans says he strongly supports. The Christopher Reeve Foundation is a charitable organization committed to finding treatments and cures for paralysis and other neurological disorders, as well as improving the quality of life for people living with disabilities.

Evans, who is a featured athlete for the race, hopes to raise $10,000 for the foundation by the time the race is over. The foundation’s mission holds special meaning for Evans.

“I was in an adventure race with a very close friend of mine in August 2000, one week before I left for medical school,” he said. “We had spent the entire summer on a road trip, 7,000 miles up the West Coast, doing everything from surfing in San Diego to skiing in British Columbia.”

During the race, Evans said, he saw his friend fall and sever his spinal cord. “It was devastating, mostly because I wasn’t able to be around for the transition. Seeing a guy who I used to mountain bike with not being able to even pick up his arm really affects you.”

The 28-year-old doctor first learned about the race after reading an article in an adventure magazine. The event, known locally as “the race of no return,” is held in honor of three women—Eva and Francesca French and Mildred Cable—who each crossed the Gobi Desert five times more than 100 years ago. “Each day is a different distance; one day could be 10 miles of altitude gain while the next could be 50 miles of flat, monotonous desert sand,” said Evans.

Several pieces of equipment will help Evans accomplish this feat. The most important item of gear, he said, is his pack, which is specially designed for long endurance races.

As his only source of survival throughout the race, his pack will hold everything from his food—camping rations and electrolyte drinks—to his multipurpose knife. He’ll also be carrying a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, a camera and if he has enough room, an MP3 player. His clothes are specially designed mountain and desert gear whose synthetic fibers will help keep him cool during the day and warm at night.

Evans has been hard at work training for the race. Right now, he said he is focusing on increasing his base mileage, the preparation needed to get the body in preliminary shape for the longer, more intense training as the race approaches.

“Some days, I run nine miles straight through,” Evans said. “Other days, I run half with the pack on in the morning, then again without the pack at night.” His pack is usually filled with 20 lbs. of weight so he can get used to running with it as well as determine any areas on the pack that may chafe him.

Core strength workouts include exercises with a stability ball and hanging workouts where Evans hangs by his arms and pulls up his legs using his abdominal muscles. He also performs “power yoga,” which offers more strength-training poses than traditional yoga. Evans anticipates commencing training specifically for the desert in January.

“My mileage will increase to 75 miles a week, and half of that will be with the pack on filled with my gear,” Evans said. “I will also start running during the hottest part of the day, which will be similar to the conditions I will face.” The racecourse consists of undulating sand dunes, mountains and valleys.

During the mountain crossings, Evans will be climbing to nearly 14,000 feet. Temperatures have been documented at up to 125 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and near freezing at night. He also expects sandstorms, scorpions and a myriad of other problems posed to anyone crossing the desert. He will have to deal with the threat of altitude sickness, frostbite and thin air as he crosses the mountain range. Water will become a precious commodity as he moves throughout his journey.

“The thing that worries me the most about the race is the heat,” Evans said. “It’s probably my worst enemy because it very hard to protect yourself from it and still be competitive.”

Evans asserted that his experiences with other endurance events—three Iron Mans, two 24-hour mountain bike races and numerous adventure races—will help him finish this one.

“I’ve learned from those races what my body needs, how it will react, and how mentally tough it is to keep going,” he said. “So hopefully all of that experience will get me through this race.”

His secondary reason for running the race, he said, is the hope to inspire others to use their bodies to reach their maximum potential.

“Everyone who can walk can do something physical, and that is what you have to keep in mind. Stay positive and set small goals, and eventually you’ll get to your larger one.”