In April 2013 I will be going to Morocco to participate in the 28th edition of the Marathon des Sables (MdS). The event will involve running about 250km through the Sahara over the course of a week. There will be sand dunes and desert mountains to cross. There will be plus 40°C temperatures and the occasional sand storm to endure. There will be aching muscles and blisters to deal with. And did I mention that I will be carrying all my gear, including food, on my back? The organisers do provide us with water and a basic tent, which is good of them.

 

Apart from being a nice sun break, I am also looking to raise money for a small Kenyan-based charity called Tushinde, which provides food, family care and education to children in the slums of Nairobi. (I am funding all of the costs of the event myself, of course). I am supporting Tushinde because in a broad sense, I feel that education can potentially lead to a route out of poverty for children in the developing world, and in a narrow sense, because it comes highly recommended to me from a friend whose judgment I trust (thanks Angela). Tushinde is small and operates with very low overheads given that it is staffed by volunteers, so you can be rest assured that your donations will make a real difference on the ground.

 

The race starts on Sunday 7 April, and you can track my progress each day via the organisers website.