About the Marathon Des Sables

6 marathons in 7 days across the Sahara Desert - officially the worlds hardest footrace!

On the 22nd March 2007 I will be leaving for Morocco and the heat of the Sahara desert to run the 'Marathon de Sables'. It's a mere 6 marathons in 7 days, across one of the planets harshest environments and is officially the hardest footrace in the world!

Why

Well, your guess is as good as mine. I've never run a marathon before so 6 marathons in 7 days is not going to be easy (especially for a ginger!) and I'm absolutely terrified!

So to help motivate me and keep me running day after day through the 120°F degree heat whilst carrying all my food, cooking equipment, sleeping bag and survival equipment, I have decided to try and raise some money for charity.

Like 90% of the competitors, the charity that I've chosen to run for is 'Facing Africa'. Facing Africa treats the effects of, and aims to eradicate, the still relatively unknown disease NOMA. NOMA is an acute and ravaging gangrenous infection of the face that kills over 450,000 children every year(!) in the Sahara region if left untreated.

Every single penny and pound will make a difference and your sponsorship will be gratefully appreciated by the thousands of children that are effected each year.

Sponsor me here

If you would like to help, please click on this link to go to my sponsorship page.

Thanks very much to everyone that has sponsored me so far (the current total is just over £1000!) and I'll do everything in my power to drag myself across the finishing line somewhere in the middle of the Sahara Desert on the 31st March, no doubt a lot lighter and ever so slightly more tanned!

Links

• www.saharamarathon.co.uk - More information about the MdS (you could run it too!)
• www.facingafrica.org - Helping to cure and prevent NOMA
• www.darbaroud.com - The organizers of the MdS
• www.bestofmorocco.co.uk - Tailor-made trips to Morocco (marathon not compulsory)