DAY TWO: 32KM That night I dreamt about riding the London Underground and as I wearily stir, I half expect to be sat in the cramped heat of a Northern Line train rather than the cramped heat of my sleeping bag. Rolling over and staring out at the sand and endless horizon I can’t help … Continue reading Marathon des Sables: Part Four
DAY ONE: 32.2KM I wake up instantly, through fear or excitement I’m not sure. The camp is still relatively quiet with only a few people stirring from their sleeping bag cocoons. I stare out at the endless desert beyond the camp still unable to imagine myself in it. As the rest of the tent begins … Continue reading MARATHON DES SABLES: PART THREE
The day before the start of the Marathon des Sables can be defined in one word: faff. We spend the early morning unpacking and repacking our bags, attempting to shave a few last minute grams. Since we carry everything needed for the race (except for water and the bivouac tent) any weight that can be … Continue reading MARATHON DES SABLES: PART TWO
The final few days before I left for Marathon des Sables were a blur of hug filled goodbyes and concern laden good lucks. I packed and repacked my bags countless times and panicked more than I care to admit. But before long, as the songs goes, all my bags were packed and I was ready … Continue reading Marathon des Sables: Part One
So by now I will hopefully be about start day two of the Marathon des Sables and so I thought I would ask for you support for the next few painful days. There is no real phone signal when I’m out there so I won’t be able to get emails, read the comments or anything … Continue reading Words of Support
I have scheduled this post to go live on the day I start the Marathon des Sables. Right now as you sip that coffee or eat that slice of cake I have 9ishkg on my back, sand beneath my feet (and probably already in unholy places) and sweat pouring from every inch of me. I … Continue reading The Start Line
This evening I set off from London to Morocco and the start of the Marathon des Sables on Sunday. In the sleeplessness of the last few nights with nerves coursing through me like electricity I’ve looked back at everything that has led to this. Truth be told it feels like every race whether it be … Continue reading It’s All Led To This
As the start line draws ever near, I thought I would share two more weird and wonderful experiences I have had in the build-up to the Marathon des Sables. Heart My Marathon des Sables was almost over before it began as the doctors unearthed a heart condition, I had been completely oblivious to. To take … Continue reading Heart & Heat
As the race nears, I’ve had a lot of people on social media ask why I signed up for the Marathon des Sables in the first place. It is a fair question, why would someone who only five years ago couldn’t even run a kilometre let alone 250 of them across a bloody desert choose … Continue reading Motivation
On Thursday night I couldn’t sleep, waking up every hour or so in a cold sweat. Just signing up for a race over a year away had cracked my ability to sleep. Well not just any race but the Marathon des Sables, the toughest footrace in the world. What does the Marathon des Sables entail … Continue reading Why I’m Running the Marathon des Sables
