Hello! I am raising money for future stars charity by running 250km across the Atacama Desert, carrying all food and equipment required with me!

www.futurestarscharity.org.uk

I will be taking part in the Atacama crossing 2019. All flights, race entry and equipment has been paid for, so your full donation will be going to the charity and not to support my race.

I live and work in Ghana and had the privilege of meeting Future stars director Simon Milton and Ambassador Titus Bramble while they were visiting the country. They are supporting children in poor communities in Ghana and Togo that do not have access to sport in school, by supplying qualified coaches, equipment and transport to schools in some of the most underprivileged parts of West Africa.

In addition to the efforts in making sport and physical education accessible to children in poor communities, they also fund numerous projects based around refurbishing schools that are in desperately poor condition.

If you would like to help by sponsoring my challenge, you would be making a difference directly to some of the children who really require assistance with any opportunity we can help them with!

Atacama Crossing 2019 (29th sept – 5th Oct 2019) – 250km self-supported stage race

The Atacama Crossing is 250km self-supported footrace that takes place in South America and is ranked one of the worlds toughest races. A self-supported race means that competitors must carry all food, clothing and equipment (+/- 10kg) with them whilst running for 6 days. The race takes place over 4 “Stages” of approximately marathon length, a 5th stage of a double marathon length and a final 6th “Sprint” stage of 10km.

The Atacama crossing crosses Chile’s brutal Atacama Desert, the driest place on Earth. The desert consists of Salt lakes, volcanoes, lava flows and sand dunes. There are also miles of Salt flats that must be tackled which have often been described as trying to run on ankle breaking frozen broccoli.

The Atacama crossing is gruelling not only because of its terrain, distance and harsh climate but also because of the Altitude. With the race starting at over 10,000ft runners will have to battle against reduced oxygen levels along with freezing night time conditions (and of course hot day temperatures)

After spending 6 nights in the deserts, the competitors cross the finish line in the town of San Pedro de Atacama….. blisters permitting