AN EXTRAORDINARY RACE
FOR EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE
IN AN EXTRAORDINARY PLACE
Who could you be if you pushed yourself to your limits? What could you do? Where might you go? The Marathon des Sables is the stuff of legends – a truly gruelling multi-stage adventure in one of the world’s most inhospitable environments, the Sahara Desert. It is indisputably the Toughest Footrace on Earth. Physically, it is six days’ running over 250 kms (156 miles) across endless sand dunes, rocky jebels and white-hot salt plains, carrying what you need to survive on your back. Mentally, it is the ultimate challenge – an experience like no other in the world.
OK, that’s what the website says about the race….. It doesn’t say why I’ve decided to enter, nor why I’ve left it to now.
Those that know me well already know that I keep pushing myself; pushing myself physically and mentally, challenging myself to see just how far I can go and what my limits are.
MdS (as the Marathon des Sables is known) will be bloody hard, by far the hardest challenge I’ve done so far. I don’t think it’s the “Toughest Footrace on Earth” as the race director would tell you, but it is up there among the toughest, and most definitely not a walk in the park; Though you can walk it and still finish within the time allowed if you want to, that’s not my style though!
I have a confession for you; You’ve fallen for a clickbait headline.
You’re here today because you have very generously donated to the charity I am raising money for, Walking With The Wounded.
I’m a veteran, having spent 10 years in the Royal Air Force, I’m also very fortunate to have been able to find help when I have needed it.
Walking With The Wounded is very closely associated with the MdS.
They recognise the inherent skills of our armed service personnel and want to complement these qualities, as well as provide support to transfer their skills into the civilian workplace. They offer assistance through their programmes to those vulnerable veterans who have been physically, mentally or socially disadvantaged by their service and assist them in sustaining their independence through new sustainable careers outside of the military. This includes providing support to homeless veterans and veterans in the Criminal Justice System, areas which are too often ignored.
The outcome? Sustainable employment, and independence for them and their families.
What they do is important to me, thank you for helping me to support them in a small way.
One of the ways I’m raising money for them is by writing a book; You’ll need to read the book to find out why I’m doing this.
Sorry!