Elia Dunster  
 
The Marathon des Sables is a 151 mile (243 km) endurance race across the Moroccan Sahara. Competitors have to be totally self sufficient, carrying all their own equipment (except a tent) and food needed for the race – only water is issued on a daily basis.

Temperatures regularly soar to 49°C plummeting to around 4°C at night. You are running the equivalent of 5 ½ regular marathons, carrying about 22 pounds (10 kg) in convection oven temperatures.

The MdS’s reputation for being the hardest footrace in the world is well deserved.

  

Links
Darbaroud (race organisors)
MDS UK
Facing Africa

Contact Me
emd64@hotmail.com

My Sponsors

London Ambulance Service Division of:

 Last year, MdS 19, the daily stages were as follows:
  • Day 1 - 17.4 miles (28 km)
  • Day 2 - 21.1 miles (34 km)
  • Day 3 - 23.0 miles (37 km)
  • Day 4 - 47.1 miles (76 km)
  • Day 6 - Full Marathon (42.2 km)
  • Day 7 - 12.4 miles (20 km)

Day 5 is scheduled as a rest day, but most people are still running day 4!

  
 

The rules are quite specific in mentioning the items that I have to carry. Rucksack, sleeping bag, torch and spare batteries, compass for navigating, plastic whistle, small reflective mirror, lighter (not matches), Swiss army knife or similar, disinfectant ointment, worryingly a venom pump and for some strange reason probably long forgotten, ten safety pins. Right then, add to that food for seven days, (and considering how many calories you're likely to burn off you're looking at about 4000 - 5000 per day) something to heat up your food and something to eat it with, clothes - it gets cold you know so t-shirt and shorts won't be much good at night. Then, you're going to need some sort of sleeping mat to insulate you from the cold floor, sunscreen to prevent you from combusting, a hat - always a good idea, some decent sunglasses to allow you to see where you're going, space for your water, oh and probably a trailer to cart it about in.

 
Why am I running the Marathon des Sables?
You have to be crazy don’t you, I mean, really crazy. To even think about running in that heat for a couple of feet let alone 151 miles, crazy.

But seriously though, I am taking the opportunity to raise money for Facing Africa, a charity involved in helping those suffering from Noma. Noma is an acute and ravaging gangrenous infection affecting the face. The victims of Noma are mainly young children caught in a vicious circle of extreme poverty and chronic malnutrition. It is estimated that the mortality rate is 90%. It costs about £1,000 to give a sufferer a new face – and a new life. To read more about Facing Africa, and to find out the latest about the charity use this link: Facing Africa.

If you would like to sponsor me then please use this link for an online donation form, alternatively you can post your donations to the charity using this printable donation form. Whichever method you choose, please could you mention my name (Elia Dunster) either in the comments box on the online form, or with your posted donation.

A big thank you from those that benefit from your donation.