At the end of March/beginning of April in 2006, I shall be running what is often described as the 'Toughest Footrace on Earth', the Marathon des Sables (MdS), or the Sand Marathon. Through running this race, I intend to raise the awareness of a terrible disease and raise money for a charity called 'Facing Africa- Noma' which combats it.
The MdS is a 6/7 day / 230km (144 miles) endurance race across the Sahara Desert in Morocco, taking place at the end of March / beginning of April. During this time the competitors have to run the race in self sufficiency. We carry all our cooking and survival equipment, food (which we cook ourselves) over ground ranging from sand dunes to uneven rocky ground in temperatures up to 50°C during the day and close to freezing at night. We also have to navigate ourselves through the desert, there are no yellow jersey runners or well marked routes to guide you. One year there was one competitor who managed to go 400km off-route, ending up in Algeria. I've been told that the heat, distance and rubbing will trash my feet and may cause severe trauma if incorrect shoes and equipment are not used.
