I am undertaking the Marathon Des Sables to raise money for Walking With The Wounded in honour and memory of my great mate Jules Roberts who tragically took his own life in 2019. Jules and I were due to take part in the 2020 event together. Sadly the event has since been cancelled or postponed numerous times due to Covid but I am now scheduled to run in April 2023 as part of the awesome Walking With The Wounded team.

Jules's death came a total shock to everyone who knew him. His laughter, grin, enthusiasm for life and sense of adventure were all infections and I miss him so much and our mad, laughter filled adventures. It was only after his death that all of those who knew and loved him as a son, brother, husband, father, mate or colleague had any idea of the extent of his internal struggles. We now know that each of us only a few pieces of the whole picture of his life and the centre was where he hid his struggles. Until Jules's death I hadn't really given much thought to genuine mental health issues. I hadn't needed too, but it is real and it is indiscriminate. I wish, knowing what I now know, that I could have done more to be there for him in his dark moments. 

Sadly, Walking with the Wounded are now deploying a significant proportion of their resources to assist and support many veterans suffering with mental heath struggles. Jules had a long standing history with WWTW in his spare time as one of their endurance coaches and team mentors.  Please help me meet or beat my fundraising target commitment to the charity, in Jules's honour for a charity he loved and an exceptionally worthy cause. I have taken on Jules's fundraising commitment too so the target of £15,000 is our combined commitment to WWTW from when we first signed up together.

WWTW supports disadvantaged veterans who have served in the Armed Forces and their families, empowering them to regain their independence, thrive and contribute in our communities. The charity has had to adapt dramatically to many of the challenges introduced by Covid which the country is still recovering from and they continue to support our ex-service community. 

The Marathon des Sables, or MDS, has been described as The Toughest Footrace on Earth by the Discovery Channel. Competitors have to take on six marathons in six days across the scorching Moroccan Sahara Desert, covering over 250km, in temperatures rising to as much as 50 Degrees Celcius. Day 4 is the feared double day when competitors run non-stop for two marathons overnight. The rules require you to be self-sufficient and to carry with you everything that you need to survive. In 2021 less than 50% of entrants completed the event.