About the Marathon Des Sables

The MdS is a 6 day / 230km endurance race across the Sahara Desert in Morocco, normally taking place at the end of March / beginning of April.

During this time the competitors (myself included!) have to carry all food, cooking equipment, food, survival equipment, etc over ground ranging from sand dunes to uneven rocky ground in temperatures upto 120°F.

Why I'm running the Marathon des Sables

The first time I heard of this event I quickly decided it was just too tough for me.  But after a year of deliberating I decided that this was the challenge and experience of a lifetime which I just couldn't pass by.  Therefore in October 2004 I sent off my entry from and began training.

As an enthusiastic squash player and part time runner I am confident that my base level of fitness is well above average.  But when I  put a 5 kilogram backpack on and went for just a 3 mile jog, my body got the shock of its life!  This is going to be a long, long journey.

Links

• www.saharamarathon.co.uk - More information about the MdS (you could run it too!)
• www.facingafrica.org - Helping to cure and prevent NOMA (official charity of the MdS in 2003)
• www.darbaroud.com - The organizers of the MdS