From the 8th to the 18th of April this year, Gary Evans will be running the toughest footrace on earth, the Marathon des Sables to raise money for Cancer Relief Gibraltar and the Gibraltar Alzheimer’s and Dementia Society. The MDS is the equivalent of six marathons in six days across the Sahara desert. He will be running with all the food and equipment needed for the six days on his back. Started in 1986 by Patrick Bauer, the race is now in its 28th consecutive year. Along the way he will have to contend with extreme heat, inhospitable terrain, scorpions and sand everywhere. Here is just a little excerpt from the MdS homepage:
“Imagine yourself in the Sahara desert with nothing but rolling sand dunes for miles around. When you plough your feet through the sand, a fine dust kicks up. You can’t feel the sweat dripping down your face because it’s evaporating in the baking heat. Your lungs feel parched. Today’s temperature is over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees centigrade). Part of your brain is screaming at you to stop, right now, to drop out of the race, but the other part of your brain is stronger. The other part of your brain knows that when you complete the final stage of the Marathon des Sables, you will have run the equivalent of five and a half marathons in five or six days, a total distance of some 251 km – 156 miles”
If, like us, this sounds to you like an incredible personal challenge for our two charities, please visit Gary’s Just Giving page to show your support.
We are so proud to have such an impressive (albeit probably crazy) man taking part in such an impressive event for us, thank you Gary!
More updates to follow…