Key Stats:

• A multi-day ‘ultra-marathon’ - 156 miles (six marathons) in six days across the Sahara desert

 

Race Info:

The Marathon des Sables is ranked by the Discovery Channel as the toughest footrace on earth.

 

Known simply as the MdS, the race is a gruelling multi-stage adventure through a formidable landscape in one of the world’s most inhospitable climates - the Sahara desert. The rules require entrants to be self-sufficient, to carry on thier backs everything except water that they need to survive. They are given a place in a tent to sleep at night, but any other equipment and food must be carried.

 

Started in 1986 by Patrick Bauer, the race is now in its 28th consecutive year and continues to grow in popularity every edition. Places are much sought after, but those who do make it to the start line are richly rewarded. Under the scorching Moroccan sun, life-long friendships are fostered through a shared experience of unforgettable days spent running across saltpans, up desert-mountains, through ruined towns and through the occasional sand storm.

 

The Marathon des Sables is open to individuals and teams of individuals, amateur and elite runners. With runners coming from all over the world, the MdS is a truly international event that has a positive impact on the local environment and in local communities.