I have finally got my life back after returning from Iraq and to celebrate have decided to do the MARATHON DES SABLES in March 2007. It is a multi-stage Endurance event deemed to be "The Toughest Foot Race on Earth". It consists of a 156 mile race across the Sahara desert (Southern Morocco) over 6 days.

The course changes slightly each year but is roughly: 

Day 1 Sun 25 Mar - 18 miles (bit of a warm up!)

Day 2 Mon 26 Mar - 23 miles (normally over 100ft sand dunes all day)

Day 3 Tue 27 Mar - 23 miles (feet normally a size bigger than normal by now) 

Day 4 Wed 28 Mar - 56 miles (bugger! Competitors have the option to sleep out on the course overnight but most will keep going through the night to have more rest on Day 5. 

Day 5 Thu 29 Mar - Depending on when you finish the 56 miles you rest the remainder of the day and try to find where you left the soles of your feet). 

Day 6 Fri 30 Mar - 23 miles (again). 

Day 7 Sat 31 Mar - 13 miles (a sprint finish into the local town and back to civilisation!). 

Temperatures can reach up to 120 degrees F and all the equipment and food has to be carried (except tents) by the competitors. Water is rationed to 9 litres per person per day, which is distributed at the check points. Back-packs will weigh about 30 lbs and all cooking is done by competitors themselves.

It will be extremely tough and requires an awful lot of training, but what an experience and what a way to raise money for a great charity!

I am very determined to complete the race and would love to raise as much money as I can for the MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT fund as a thank you for all the tremendous support they provided during a recent family illness. 

I will have limited access to the internet during this week but we will try to send an update where possible throughout the race to let you all know how we are getting on. Your sponsorship will mean everything to me whilst I am in the desert. The motivation that is derived from knowing that this money will go to help the Macmillan charity support cancer sufferers and their families cannot be overstated. Many competitors in this event over the years would have given up and pulled out of the race had they not had hundreds or thousands of pounds of sponsorship money resting on them completing it.

I NEED YOUR HELP. Thank you for visiting my fundraising page and supporting me in my challenge. Please dig deep and sponsor me online by clicking on the "Sponsor me now" button below. Donating through this site is simple, fast and is the most efficient way to sponsor me with an extra 28% in tax added to your gift if you are a UK tax payer.

Alternatively you could send a cheque made out to "MdeS/Macmillan" to: Jo Chambers, 198 Connaught Road, Brookwood, Surrey GU24 0AH.  Please forward this email to everyone in your address book so that I can raise as much as possible. Thank you.