Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. 

My name is Ben Williams. I’m a 29-year old Fire Fighter from Southampton and in April 2012 I’m going to run the hardest foot race on the planet.

The Marathon Des Sables, or Sahara marathon as it’s sometimes referred to, is a race that covers 151 miles over six days - equivalent to five and a half regular marathons. 

Midday temperatures in the Sahara reach as high as 120°F and I will have to carry everything needed for the duration (apart from water and a tent) in a rucksack. This includes the mandatory snake venom pump!

Running across a mix of uneven, rocky ground and undulating sand dunes, my feet will be expected to swell by two full shoe sizes!

In 1994, one Italian participant got lost during a sandstorm and wandered for over 9 days losing over 30lb of body weight.

While physical fitness is highly important in an event like this, the extreme conditions mean that mental stamina will be the deciding factor of whether or not I will finish the event.

Why would I do this you may ask? For those less fortunate than me! I will be running to raise money The Wessex Cancer Trust.

The Wessex Cancer Trust supports many aspects of cancer care including leading-edge research, the improvement of patient facilities patient grants, complementary therapy and counseling services.

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.

Thanks, Ben x