There’s one word that stands out when it comes to describing the Marathon Des Sables. No, not ‘sand’ (though that is pretty significant). The word is unique. This is a marathon, or rather a collection of marathons like no other, a race like no other. This is the event that started and defined “Ultras”. A totally unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience, the MdS is, like the runners who tackle it, special and idiosyncratic.

It’s quite simply the toughest footrace on earth.

A race for madmen, lunatics, nutters, headcases, masochists, not mention sadomasochists (I mean putting your friends and family through that?) But an event race you’ll never forget, where you’ll make lifelong friends and an experience you’ll talk about for the rest of your life? Definitely.

In 1984 a French concert promoter called Patrick Bauer decided to put the decadent world of rock n roll as far as he could behind him and set out for an epic walkabout. He chose one of the most brutal environments on earth, the Algerian Sahara and he chose to walk 200 miles of it with all he would need on his back.

On this epic trek, under the relentless Saharan sun his idea of creating the world’s toughest footrace gradually came to fruition. It took him two years to get the funding and organisation together, but in 1986 the ‘Marathon of the Sands’ was run for the first time in Southern Morocco, setting the standard for many of today’s grand adventure races.

25 years later the race has gone from strength to strength and these days typically around 1000 runners and up to 200 members of the press, plus the support team of around 400 set off annually for the mere 250 kilometers of vicious terrain ahead of them.

The most successful competitor in the history of the race is local legend, Lahcen Ahansal, a Moroccan runner who has won 10 titles. All hideous puns aside, competitiveness and masochism must run in the family, as his brother Mohammed Ahansal has also won three titles. They usually completed the race in around 19/20 hours and are a joy to watch as they spring like gazelles through the course.

To give you an idea of how a non-Saharan might fare, the fastest Brit in 2008 was Ian Sharman who came 13th overall and completed the race in 25 hours and13 minutes, a year later in 2009, James Cracknell smashed this with a staggering 12th place finish over a longer and some would argue, harder course ….. and that is with a broken bone in his foot.

The MdS is a multi-day, ‘ultramarathon’. Run in six days over a course of between about 150 and 156 (254km) miles long. (That’s the equivalent of running from London to Dover, deciding not to go to France after all and running back again. In 120 degree heat. With a back pack on. And voices in your head, talking about ice cold beer).

As examples of what lies beyond the starting line the longest single stage in 2009 was 55 miles (91km) Typical distances are 151 miles (243km) broken down as:

Day 1, 25 km; Day 2,  34 km; Day 3,  38 km; Day 4, 82 km; Day 5, 42 km; Day 6, 22 km, although the routes and formats change every year as the Race Director and his team spend a month during the previous year meticulously planning the new routes that are held secret until the day before the even starts.

There is a rest day after the longest stage but it’s worth remembering that it may well take you into that day before you get to the finish.

Competitors stay overnight in a tented village, comprised of bivouacs that sleep about 8 competitors. Once you get your “bivvy” your bivvy team become your family, your support team, your nursing team and invariably they become long-term friends. The most memorable sound of an evening is the rumble of weary laughter that echoes around the tented village.

• The MdS is a six day race
• There is one rest day
• The distance is about 156 Miles. That’s 254 Km.
• The longest stage is about 55 miles. That’s 91 Km.
• You will struggle to explain to people why you would want to do this

The spirit of the MdS is the spirit of adventure but it’s much, much more than that. This is so much more than just a mere race, albeit the toughest footrace on earth. Patrick Bauer is passionate about individuals fulfilling their dreams and developing their potential. He personally sees all runners off at the start and moves around the checkpoints offering encouragement and advice. He is equally passionate about the multinational, multicultural nature of the MdS – there are no human barriers to entering or completing the Marathon Des Sables.

Ethic

Ethically, the event carves a very positive swathe through the environment it covers. No rubbish is ever left at overnight camps (in fact other than tracks, it is impossible to see where the camps have been set up)  or along the race course. Competitors are penalised on points if they discard so much as a bottle top.

Villages along the path of the race are helped and supported in many ways, with donations of books, wells, water purification and agricultural tools being regularly donated . The MdS and it’s founders Patrick and Marie Bauer have set up  a foundation in Ouazarzate in the south of Morocco to support the education of women and children and to encourage sports development for the disadvantaged – if you have a moment take look at the Solidarite website

Organisation

It is hard to understand the level of support and organisation that goes into the event, the patronage of the King of Morocco, His Highness Mohammed VI also provides a level of help that is unique amongst these type of events. Here are some of the base facts:

100 volunteers on the course itself
• 400 support staff overall
• 120 000 liters of mineral water
• 270 berber and saharan tents
• 100 all-terrain vehicles
• 2 “Ecureuil” helicopter and 1 “Cessna” plane
• 3 mountain bikes
• 6 “MDS special” commercial planes
• 23 buses
• 4 camels
• 1 incinerator lorry for burning waste
• 4 quads to ensure environment and safety on race
• 52 members of medical team
• 6,5 kms of Elastoplast , 2 700 Compeed, 19 000 compresses
• 6 000 painkillers, 150 liters of disinfectant
• 1 editing bus, 5 cameras, 1 satellite image station
• 6 satellite telephones, 15 computers, fax and internet

You are in good company

30 % Previous MdS competitors
25 % UK & Ireland entrants
30 % French entrants
14 % Women
45 % Veterans
30 % In teams of three or more
10 % Walkers
90 % Alternate walking and running
14 km/hr: average maximum speed
3 km/hr: average minimum speed
Age of youngest competitor: 16
Age of oldest competitor: 78