Marathon des Sables

In April 2009 Charlie completed his first challenge before continuing his training on towards rowing the Atlantic Ocean Solo in December 09 in a bid to complete both the Marathon des Sables and the Woodvale Atlantic rowing race within the same year.

Charlie completed the UltraMarathon in 182nd position out of a total of 850 competitors. Having lost 5kg in the process, charlie was the 33rd British person to cross the finish line carrying just 7kg of the 11kg of equipment packed at the start of the race.

To see the exclusive and full diary for his time competing in the MdS, please go to Charlie's blog pages.

This six-day endurance event requires participants to run on consecutive days 25km, 34km, 38km, 82km, 42km and 22km, which is equivalent to five and a half normal marathons. The Marathon des Sables is run across the Sahara Desert in Morocco, where temperatures reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit, and 15-20% of the race is run on sand dunes.

The Marathon des Sables involved Charlie carrying all of his equipment, clothing and food from start to finish, even having to prepare his own meals. The only thing that was given to Charlie throughout this ultramarathon, was 9 litres of water each day. That was it!

Considered as the toughest foot race on Earth, the Marathon des Sables is an incredible accolade itself and is an event that should not be taken lightly.

Having to battle against the extreme temperature, the uncomfortable terain and of course fatigue, this was the perfect opportunity for Charlie to put to test his physical endurance and mental strength before the Woodvale Atlantic rowing race, which Charlie aims to complete in December 2009 and become the first person to have done both events within the same year.

Both challenges are to raise money for the renal unit at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, in memory of his friend Shaun McLeod Jones, who died in 2003 after spending 13 years on dialysis at the hospital.

To read more about the Marathon des Sables click here.