Before I explain on the Marathon Des Sables (MDS) involves, I though it may help to provide some background about myself and how the idea for the challenge developed.

As an individual there is nothing more I enjoy than taking on a challenge, whether it is in a workplace or out in the open with my running shoes on. Enjoying the outdoors I completed the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, competitively raced mountain bikes, completed 3 London Marathons, numerous half marathons, and all the long miles of training that are needed.

In search of a fresh challenge to focus upon, the idea of the MDS came about from viewing a documentary about the race on the BBC. I had seen programmes on it before but had never considered thinking about competing in it. Within a week my entry form was off…with a 2 year waiting list my adventure for 2008 had begun!

Since acceptance of my application nothing has been left to chance, I have certainly found the preparation on the race a challenge in itself. Extensive research has been undertaken to fully understand the demands of the race, planning the right Food, equipment and of course scheduling a training programme. - which over the next five months will take me running up to 90 miles per week .. carrying a10kg back pack.

"The toughest footrace on earth"

The Marathon des Sables (MdS) is a self sufficient endurance footrace across the Sahara Desert covering 157 miles in 7 consecutive days - this is the equivalent of running nearly a marathon a day.

It is an annual world wide event with approximately 700 international competitors. Due to its increasing popularity the race is televised by Euro-sport and is covered by many BBC documentaries, alongside many published articles in the national press.

Each competitor - me included will be carrying a pack of up to 14kg which will contain the essential equipment and food for the duration of the race. The only outside assistance will be the rationed 9litres of water a day which is distributed a checkpoints, and the provision of emergency rescue helicopter teams.

There are certainly no luxuries in this race, sleeping will be on the desert floor, no showers or toilets and only the food to eat is what is carried in your pack. In addition competitors are also required to carry mandatory equipment such as distress flares, survival kits and anti-venom pumps (which will be extremely useful for any snakes or scorpions that we may be unfortunate to stumble upon).

The running will be spilt into stages with some days requiring distances of up to 52 miles. Each stage consists of checkpoints which need to be reached within set time limits to avoid elimination, therefore navigational skills being just as important as fitness. All of this will be undertaken across rough terrain and plenty of sand, mix in some average day temperatures of 120 degrees and it is just possible to see why this race has earned itself the title `The toughest footrace on earth'.

Cancer Research UK

The opportunity in competing in the 1999, 2003, and 2004 London Marathons gave me the chance to provide some positive outputs of my efforts. For each of these events I nominated to raise sponsorship for Cancer Research UK.

My choice for this charity was for both how many people it will go towards helping and from knowing relatives and close friends that it has affected.

`Cancer Research UK was formed on February 4th 2002, by the merger of The Cancer Research Campaign and the Imperial Cancer Research Fund. Cancer Research UK is the world's largest cancer research organization outside the USA. It is the UK's foremost cancer charity'

`Each year in the UK, more than a quarter of a million people are diagnosed with cancer. The four commonest cancers (breast, lung, bowel and prostate) make up over half of all these cases. Doctors estimate that more than one in three of us will get some form of cancer at some point in our lives'

`Cancer Research UK is the leading independent funder of cancer research in Europe, but gets very little Government funding. We are almost entirely funded by the public - without the generosity and dedication of our supporters we would not be able to continue to make progress against cancer'

When my Marathon Des Sables entry was accepted in February 2006, I knew that this would be an ideal event to support this charity again and added it to the top priority for the preparation of the race. Through both business and private sponsorship I hope to be able to help Cancer Research UK continue their significant research and support to others.

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)