**UPDATE** En route to the desert 02/04/10... Below is the official race webpage where you can find a link to the Race Tracker GPS system (competitor D423) and also leave messages for the runners http://www.darbaroud.com/?rub=21&langue=en,

 

In July 2009 I was posted to Cairo for a year, for some unknown reason I thought this was a perfect opportunity to test my level of endurance and once and for all prove that anybody can run, even me with my gammy legs.  So I signed up for the Marathon Des Sables - "The toughest foot race on earth!", having never completed a single marathon, I thought 6 in 7 days across the Sahara would go some way to proving my point.  So here I am a little over 2.5 months until the start, battling the flu, wondering just how I'm going to get fit enough for the ordeal ahead.

 

As well as representing a personal challenge, it is also an opportunity to raise money for charity.  The UK charity I have chosen will be an obvious choice to those who know me and the Hull-Bailey family, for those that don't.  Both my Father (Len) and Brother (Sam) have sustained serious head and spinal injuries in separate Hangliding accidents in the not too distant past.  Thankfully my brother made a full recovery, my father was less fortunate, and although leads a pretty normal existence, through his own personal determination and the support of his family and friends, he still battles the permanent damage of such a serious injury. 

 

My brother's full recovery and father's progress were attributable to the dedicated care received from the staff on Osborne 4, (Spinal and Head Injury Unit) at Northern General Hospital, Sheffield.  Through the Sheffield Hospitals Charitable Trust I hope to raise money for the unit to aid in the treatment of, an understanding surrounding head injuries.

I'm funding the entry and all the kit needed for this event myself (~ £4000) so everything you donate will go directly to the Osborne 4 and the charity, also the company I work for, BP, will match any donation I make to charity to the tune of £3200, this means we can really boost the donation.

 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

 

So please dig deep and donate now.

  

Any amount of donation is appreciated and may in some way help to motivate my disintegrating body around the course!

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Tim

 

P.s. Please note the dates for the race are in fact 04/04/2010 - 10/04/2010.