The Marathon Des Sables

At the age of 50 I am about to take on a massive challenge in the hope of raising awareness of, and money for, The Ipswich Bus Shelter. I am funding all costs of the trip myself. Every penny raised will therefore go directly to help local rough sleepers in and around Ipswich.

The Marathon Des Sables takes place in April 2020. It is a 155 mile race across the Sahara Desert that takes place over 6 days. It is comprised of 4 marathon days, a double marathon long day and a 10km "fun run". You are only provided with a water ration and shelter. This means you must run the entire race with six days worth of food, clothing, kit and bedding strapped to your back.

Temperatures can reach 50 centigrade at mid-day and close ot freezing at night. The Brutal terrain varies between open rock strewn desert, oven hot sand dunes and steep mountain climbs. The long stage alone can take over 24 hours to complete.

The event takes a terrible toll on the body and the mind. If not managed well these factors can quickly become race or life threatening. If the event doctors have to put you on a drip you get a time penalty. Feet can quickly become ruined. Venum pumps are mandatory kit ....

The Bus Shelter Ipswich

The Bus Shelter Ipswich is part of a growing network that is working towards reducing the amount of rough sleepers on our streets using recycled buses. The focus is on providing rough sleepers with a warm dry and safe environment to sleep in and hot food. A serious effort is then made to introduce guests back into society.

The Bus Shelter Ipswich is a Community interest company (CIC) that is solely dependant on support and donations from the public and local business.