In April 2026, Hugo and Simon will take on the legendary Marathon des Sables - a multi-stage ultramarathon across the Sahara Desert, carrying everything you need on your back. It’s the kind of race that demands patience, resilience, and a willingness to keep going when comfort disappears completely.

The 2026 edition covers 270km, including a formidable 100km stage, widely regarded as one of the toughest days in endurance sport. It’s a daunting challenge - but it’s also a rare chance for a father and son to share something meaningful, difficult, and memorable together. And if we’re going to put ourselves through it, we want every kilometre to count for something bigger than ourselves.

We've both benefited from access to a wide variety of sports from a young age and that's why we’re raising awareness and funds for StreetGames, a charity that exists to bridge the sporting inequality gap for young people from low-income, underserved communities across the UK.

Since 2007, StreetGames has worked with community organisations to transform young people’s lives through Doorstep Sport, an evidence-based approach underpinned by the 5 rights: sport delivered at the right time, in the right place, in the right style, by the right people, and at the right price.

For many young people, the barrier isn’t motivation - it’s access. Doorstep Sport helps make sport genuinely available, offering a route to healthier, safer, more successful young people and neighbourhoods.

Thank you for reading, and for supporting StreetGames. Any donation, in any amount, helps create real opportunities - and knowing people are behind us will give us a boost when the race gets toughest.