Nathan Mollett, chair of the Leasing Foundation, last weekend crossed the finish line of the Marathon des Sables (MDS) Legendary – the 250km race crossing the Saharan desert. By doing so, he raised an incredible £14,600 for South East Cancer Help Centre and Wings for Life – Spinal Cord Research Foundation.
The MDS Legendary, which this year started on Sunday 14 April and concluded on Saturday 20 April, is often identified as one of the hardest footraces in the world. Throughout the race, runners navigate dunes, climb mountains and run across a multitude of surfaces in an attempt to make it to the finish line, all in blistering temperatures upwards of 45 degrees Celsius.
Participants carry a ‘self-sufficient’ backpack, containing the food and camping gear needed for the week; the race organisation provides only a shade tent and water. Each of the race’s six stages offers a unique challenge and no one is guaranteed to make it to the end, not even those in the elite field. This year 93% of runners finished the race.
This edition of the MDS LEGENDARY was the longest in its history – a 252.8-kilometer (157 miles) course, divided into the following six stages:
- Stage 1: 31.1 kilometres (19.3 miles)
- Stage 2: 40.8 kilometres (25.3 miles)
- Stage 3: 85.3 kilometres (53 miles)
- Stage 4: 43.1 kilometres (26.7 miles)
- Stage 5: 31.4 kilometres (19.5 miles)
- Stage 6: 21.1 kilometres (13 miles)
Nathan Mollett, chair of the Leasing Foundation, commented: “Running the Marathon des Sables was an amazing experience – and a great privilege – but definitely a once in a lifetime challenge. The course was extraordinarily demanding, sometimes almost unbearably so because of the heat – particularly on the longest day – but raising money for two charities close to my heart made every step worth it. It wasn’t just about finishing the race, it was also about helping others. A massive thank you goes to everyone who supported me and also my fellow runners. I certainly couldn’t have done it without you!”
If you would still like to sponsor Nathan, please go to his fundraising page here
