<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &amp;amp;amp;amp; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The <strong>Marathon des Sables </strong>/ Sahara Marathon is a six-day, 251&nbsp;km (156&nbsp;Mile) ultra-marathon which is the equivalent of six regular Marathons. This multiday race is held every year in southern Morocco, in the Sahara desert.<span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It is considered the toughest foot race on Earth</strong> </span>due to the terrain, temperatures of up to 50 degrees and the fact that competitors must carry all personal belongings and food for the entire event in their backpack.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &amp;amp;amp;amp; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">On 6 April we will travel to Africa with another 271 Irish and British athletes and compete in this physically and psychologically testing event.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &amp;amp;amp;amp; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &amp;amp;amp;amp; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy7LVotUaEM&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;feature=player_embedded"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy7LVotUaEM&amp;feature=player_embedded</span></a></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &amp;amp;amp;amp; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The pre-event training has been challenging to say the least, competing in over 12 marathons in the last 12 months, high altitude training, acclimatisation training in the heat and trying to come to terms with life and survival in the desert for&nbsp;a week.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &amp;amp;amp;amp; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> The reason for this MADNESS is simply to support the work of an amazing organisation, <span style="color: #ff0000;">The Cure Parkinson&rsquo;s Trust</span>. This patient lead, UK registered charity continues to support vital research projects internationally with one aim &ndash; to find a cure for Parkinson&rsquo;s. We are personally funding the cost of this trip so 100% of funds raised will go directly to this deserving cause. More information available at http://www.cureparkinsons.org.uk/</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &amp;amp;amp;amp; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">One previous competitor, Tom Demerly said: <strong>"</strong>I did the Marathon Des Sables because I thought it would be a tough race. I was wrong. It is nearly impossible. Popular media embellishes events. Everything is the toughest, longest, coldest, and hottest. The media didn&rsquo;t do justice to the Marathon Des Sables. They didn&rsquo;t report that near the end of the race you would be wounded enough to need a medevac. The magazines said nothing of how sick you would be. How you would have nightmares about the race as you slept in the desert and wake up in the morning to find you were still in the nightmare. They forgot to say that when you got home you would need blood tests, oxygen, IVs, pills, shots and a long time to let the remnants of your toenails and dead skin fall off. Maybe a month before your feet returns to normal size. Somehow the magazines and TV crews missed that&rdquo;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 13px;">For all those FB fans....<a href="http://www.facebook.com/MarathonOfTheSandsCrazy2012">#mce_temp_url#</a><br></span></p>