About the Marathon Des Sables

150ish miles caring all your own provisions in temperatures of up to 120°f in the Sahara Desert. The Marathon Des Sable, the toughest foot race in the world, in aid of Cancer Care.

A little about me, my sponsors and my charity.

It is 2150hrs on a cool september night and there it is, the big red dock yard crane lit up with the yellow glow from the Wallsend street lights. I have been running/walking for just under 20 hours none stop and this fantastic silhouette on the sky line tells me I am yards away from Swan Hunters ship yard, the end of the Roman Wall, all 84 miles of it.

As I sat on the curb, Geoff, who was my main pacemaker and timekeeper, confirmed it was a new record. Emotions ran high as I could hear the champagne corks popping and flashing of cameras, as my backup team started to party. What must we have looked like to the locals and the work force who were just starting their night shift at the yard as we drank our Tesco's bubbly wearing our yellow sponsors T. shirts. Then very quietly I turned to Jenny my wife and said "if you see me put on another pair of trainers you have my permission to shoot me".

Three months later and two sizes bigger we were sitting in my favourite restaurant The Riverdale Hall Hotel, Bellingham, Northumberland (Fishing/Golf/Walking/Cricket or just relax) unable to move from the superb steak that I had just eaten, when we were joinned by the Manager Mr. John Cocker, who threw down a challenge to bring me out of retirement. "We will help you with the entrance fee if you run one last race" he said with a big grin on his face. Thinking he was going to say the London Marathon or something similar I said go on then and we shook hands on the deal. I then felt a sharp pain to my leg where Jenny had kicked me (pleased there was no gun handy) and then numbness to my head when John told me that I had just agreed to run The Marathon Des Sable, GULLP.

The first thing I had to do was to ask Geoff if he would train me one more time, that was easy he jumped at the opportunity, and for his wife Anne and daughter Lauren you can have Geoff back soon thankyou. Then next was Jenny, that took a bit longer but have full suport now.

Charity. Cancer care, we all know someone who has been affected by Cancer so instead of putting the money I raise into a communal fund I am going to buy equipment that is desperately needed. I already have a shopping list, some small items some larger. So every penny can make a difference, so come on and help me to help others who are not so fortunate. My life has changed this last 6 months, I don't see my friends as much and Jen hardly knows when I will be home. There is not a day goes by that my legs don't hurt, and I still have months of training left to do to get in to the shape I need to be in for this race. All I ask of you is put some money in my bottle.

Enter Steven & Debbie at the Pilot Inn, Berwick. We had toured the pubs of Berwick looking for a suitable pub to use as a base to raise my charity money, but although they were nice they were all missing something but I could not work out what it was. Then in mid June we were out walking the dogs when we saw a pub sign, The Pilot Inn, let's call in and have a drink. The moment I walked through the door I knew what had been missing from the other pubs, a larger than life fun loving Landlord.

Not only are Steven & Debbie going to help me with raising Charity money but agreed to sponsor some of my equipment. We now have a bottle on the bar so if you are in Berwick please call in to see Steven and drop some coins into my Charity bottle, and enjoy a well kept pint at the same time. If Berwick is too far away then please email me (Jontallymac at aol.com) and I can tell you how to get donations to me.

Links

• The Riverdale Hall Hotel, Bellingham, Northumberland
• www.saharamarathon.co.uk - More information about the MdS (you could run it too!)
• www.darbaroud.com - The organizers of the MdS
• www.bestofmorocco.co.uk - Tailor-made trips to Morocco (marathon not compulsory)