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<p><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Running the Sahara for St David’s Hospice</span></span></span></strong></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin: 6pt 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Arial&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 16pt;">Ashley Wager is running the Marathon Des Sables and raising funds for St David’s Hospice.</span></p>
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<p class="Default" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><strong> </strong><span style="font-family: &amp;amp;amp;"> Race date 8 – 14 April 2012</span></p>
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<p class="Default" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 14pt;">The Marathon des Sables is the most famous ultra race in the world and has been run since 1986.</span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">It is often described as the toughest footrace on Earth. It covers a distance of 250km (150 miles) run over 7 days across the Sahara desert.</span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">When I first read about the race in the 80’s I said I would do it one day, that day is now almost here.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">I am pleased my efforts in the Sahara desert will be helping raise funds for St David’s Hospice.</span></span></p>
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<p class="Default" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"> <span style="font-family: &amp;amp;amp;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">St David’s Hospice is a registered charity caring for adult patients from across <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">North West Wales</span>, with an end of life illness such as cancer</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">They provide physical, emotional and spiritual support for the patient, their family and carers.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt;">The majority of funds needed to keep the Hospice running, come from community support and fundraising activities. </span></span></p>
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<p class="Default" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &amp;amp;amp; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: &amp;quot;Calibri&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">In this year’s Marathon Des Sables there will be 900 runners including some of the world’s top ultra runners and adventure racers.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Everything needed for the duration of the race, apart from a tent and water, must be carried in competitors rucksacks (food, clothes, medical kit, anti-venom pump! emergency flare, sleeping bag, stove, fuel, etc.).</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Water is rationed and handed out at each checkpoint; approximately 11 litres per day.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">I believe I am fit enough to finish in the top 100, the only thing that worries me is how my body will react to the extreme temperatures.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">During the race competitors will experience mid-day temperatures of up to 50°C (120°F).</span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">During the 1994 race, Italian police officer Mauro Prosperi lost his way during a sand storm and wandered lost for more than 9 days, losing over 13 kg (30 lbs.) of body weight.</span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Marathon Des Sables <a href="http://www.darbaroud.com/"><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &amp;amp;amp; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Arial;">www.darbaroud.com</span></span></strong></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">St Davids Hospice <span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: &amp;amp;amp; color: #17365d; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="http://www.stdavidshospice.org.uk"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">www.stdavidshospice.org.uk</span></strong></a></span></span></p>
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