Marathon des Sables

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The marathon was the brainchild of French concert promoter Patrick Bauer who in 1984 traversed the Sahara desert on foot and alone.{{cite web|url=http://www.marathondessables.co.uk/site/content/race-history |title=Archived copy; Race History: The toughest footrace on earth (Running the Sahara Ltd.) |access-date=2015-04-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422024222/http://www.marathondessables.co.uk/site/content/race-history |archive-date=2015-04-22 }}[http://marathondessables.co.uk/race-history/ "Race History" at marathondessables.co.uk] Accessed 2017-05-31[http://www.marathondessables.com/en/marathon-des-sables-maroc/figures "figures" at marathondessables.com] Accessed 2017-05-31[http://www.irunfar.com/2012/04/patrick-bauer-marathon-des-sables-race-director-interview.html Meghan Hickson: "Patrick Bauer, Marathon des Sables Race Director, Interview", irunfar.com/2012/04 April 7, 2012] Accessed 2017-05-31 He covered 350 km (214 mi) in 12 days without encountering a single oasis or desert community along the way. Two years later in 1986 the first Marathon des Sables was run. Twenty-three runners participated in the race with Bernard Gaudin and Christiane Plumere, both of France, finishing as the winning man and woman.File:MDS1.JPG

By 2009 over 1,000 runners participated in the event and the Solidarité Marathon des Sables association was created. The aim is to develop projects to assist children and disadvantaged populations in the domains of health, education and sustainable development in Morocco.{{cite web |url=http://www.darbaroud.com/en/2015-edition/history.html |title=30ème Sultan MARATHON DES SABLES - History |website=www.darbaroud.com |access-date=13 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150409031025/http://www.darbaroud.com/en/2015-edition/history.html |archive-date=9 April 2015 |url-status=dead}}[http://www.marathondessables.com/en/marathon-des-sables-maroc/history History- The High Point Of The MDS (2010/ 25th edition...) "...The Solidarité MARATHON DES SABLES association is created. The aim: to develop projects to assist children and disadvantaged populations in the domains of health, education and sustainable development in Morocco." at marathondessables.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425183744/http://www.marathondessables.com/en/marathon-des-sables-maroc/history |date=2018-04-25 }} Accessed 8 June 2017File:1st British MdS 1994.jpeg

In 2017, two new Marathon des Sables events took place for the first time: the Half Marathon des Sables on Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands in September, and another full-length Marathon des Sables event in Peru in November.[http://www.marathondessables.com/en/marathon-des-sables-fuerteventura Half MDS at Fuerteventura, at marathondessables.com] Accessed 8 June 2017

[http://www.marathondessables.com/en/marathon-des-sables-peru MDS Peru, at marathondessables.com] Accessed 8 June 2017File:MDS3.JPG

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the 2020 Marathon des Sables (35th) was postponed from 3–13 April to 18–28 September, following a warning officially issued by the Ministry of the Interior of the Kingdom of Morocco as stated in the marathon's official website. It was eventually cancelled.

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• Moroccan brothers Lahcen and Mohamad Ahansal, who won 10 and 6 editions, respectively, Mohamad also being 7 times second behind his brother.[http://www.libe.ma/Marathonien-des-sables-Lahcen-Ahansal-enfant-nomade-et-star-du-desert_a26256.html «Marathonien des sables, Lahcen Ahansal, enfant nomade et star du désert»]
• Lahcen Ahansal and Rachid El Morabity tie the record for most wins with 10 each.
• Mauro Prosperi, a former Olympian from Sicily, entered the race in 1994 but was set {{Convert|291|km|mi|abbr=on}} off course{{Cite news |date=2014-11-27 |title=How I drank urine and bat blood to survive |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-30046426 |access-date=2024-11-16 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB |quote=I was 291km (181 miles) off course.}} by a harsh sandstorm. He was lost for 10 days before being found in Algeria, following a well-publicized search of the desert.
• In 1994, René Nevola, Mike Stroud, Mike Lean and Richard Cooper became the first British runners to complete the Marathon des Sables. René Nevola was the first Briton to complete the race and finished in 22nd place.
• Marco Olmo, an Italian ultratrail specialist, ran all editions since 1996, with best placement 3rd (achieved three times). At the 2013 edition, Olmo was 64 years old, and he was 47 when he ran his first.G. De Pascale, Il corridore - Storia di una vita riscattata dallo sport, Ponte alle Grazie 2012
• Chris Moon{{Cite web |date=18 April 2024 |title=The Khmer Rouge, Mr Clever and Me |url=https://www.battingthebreeze.com/the-khmer-rouge-mr-clever-and-me/ |website=Batting the Breeze}} from Lanarkshire became the first amputee to complete the Marathon des Sables in 1996. Moon had lost his right arm and leg while supervising the clearing of landmines in Mozambique.{{Cite news|date=2012-07-15|title=Chris Moon to tackle Badwater ultra marathon|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-18847339|access-date=2021-07-19}}
• Dima and Lama Hattab, Jordanian twins, were the first female Middle Eastern participants in the race in 2001.

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• Jack Osbourne entered in 2006 but quit early on in the second stage. He was running as part of his Jack Osbourne: Adrenaline Junkie TV series.
• Luis Enrique Martínez García (known as Luis Enrique), Spanish former professional footballer, and former manager of FC Barcelona, completed the marathon in 2008.
• James Cracknell, British rower and adventurer, competed in the 2010 race and became the highest-placing Briton ever to compete in the race, finishing 12th until fellow Briton Danny Kendall placed 5th in 2014. In 2017 Tom Evans became the first Briton to finish in the first three, finishing third overall.{{Cite web|url=http://badboyrunningpodcast.com/|title=The Bad Boy Running Podcast|website=badboyrunningpodcast.com|access-date=2017-04-25}}{{cite web|url=http://www.irunfar.com/2014/04/2014-marathon-des-sables-interim-results.html |work=irunfar.com/2014/04|title=2014 Marathon des Sables Results|date=6 April 2014|access-date=2017-05-31}}
• Explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes became the oldest Briton to complete the Marathon des Sables in 2015, at age 71, coached by MDS Coach and 17 x MDS finisher Rory Coleman.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-32260854 "Sir Ranulph Fiennes completes desert race Marathon des Sables" at bbc.co.uk] Accessed 3 June 2017 In doing so he raised over £1million for the Marie Curie charity. However, in 2024 Harry Hunter became the oldest British finisher at 76 years old https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjk4lvk2xg7o
• Cactus became the first dog to compete the Marathon des Sables in 2019. Cactus, a stray dog, started joining in with the runners during the second stage of the race and then went on to complete the remaining stages of the race. Cactus was awarded the official race number 000 and received his finishers' medal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/cactus-dog-marathon-des-sables-sahara-desert-popular-winner-a8867346.html|title = Dog named Cactus finishes desert marathon after epic run across Sahara|website = Independent.co.uk|date = 12 April 2019}}

• During the 2021 marathon, a French runner in his early 50s suffered from cardiac arrest which resulted in his death.{{Cite news |last=Murray |first=Jessica |date=2021-10-25 |title=Marathon des Sables runners say organisers failed in duty of care |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/oct/25/marathon-des-sables-runners-say-organisers-failed-in-duty-of-care |access-date=2023-04-29 |issn=0261-3077}}

• Ted Archer:{{cite web|url=http://www.tedarcher.com/|title=Archived copy; Ted Archer: Carved by god, cursed by the devil – a true story of running the Sahara Desert (at tedarcher.com)|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110202202906/http://www.tedarcher.com/|archive-date=2011-02-02|access-date=2011-02-16}} Carved by god, cursed by the devil – a true story of running the Sahara Desert. Redwood City CA, University of Dreams Foundation 2009. {{ISBN|978-0-9770735-3-5}}
• Patrick Bauer ... [et al.]: Le Marathon des Sables. Paris, SPE (Société de production éditoriale) 2000. {{ISBN|978-2-912838-08-7}} (English version by David Waldron).
• John Bonallak: The desert run. Wellington, New Zealand, Learning Media Ltd. 1999. {{ISBN|978-0-478-22948-6}}.
• Steve Cushing: 24th Marathon des Sables – a competitor's tale. Leicester UK, Matador 2010, {{ISBN|978-1-84876-286-2}}.
• Guy Giaoui; Foued Berahou: Ultramarathon stage racing - from our experiences of the Marathon des Sables, the Trans Aq', and other races - a practical guide. St-Genest-Malifaux, Raidlight 2008. {{ISBN|978-2-9530683-1-3}}.
• Mark Hines: The Marathon des Sables - seven days in the Sahara - enduring the toughest footrace on earth. London, Health Body Publishing 2007. {{ISBN|978-0-9553800-1-3}} (hbk.). {{ISBN|978-0-9553800-5-1}} (pbk. 2010).
• Marcel Nickler: Running the Sahara - a diary from the desert and beyond. Norderstedt, BoD 2019. {{ISBN|978-3750423152|}}
• Monika Nicolle: Histoire d'un Marathon des Sables – 245 kilomètres dans le désert... Paris, Éditions de l'Onde 2010. {{ISBN|978-2-916929-30-9}}.
• Eddy Poirier: Vaincre soi-même : Marathon des Sables! Toute une histoire. [S.l.], Glob 2009. {{ISBN|978-2-918257-03-5}}.
• Pierre-Emmanuel Rastoin: Regard sur le Marathon des Sables : 2004/06. Biarritz, SAI 2007. {{ISBN|978-2-7588-0037-8}}.
• Mark Roe: Running from shadows - my Marathon des Sables. Kibworth Beauchamp, Matador 2014. {{ISBN|978-1-78306-400-7}}.
• Herbert Meneweger: Marathon des Sables - die Grenze ist, wo die Vorstellungskraft endet - der härteste Marathonlauf der Welt, 243 Kilometer durch die Sahara. Anthering AUT, Meneweger 2003. {{ISBN|978-3-200-00037-7}}.
• Mike Stroud OBE. (re-issued 2004). Survival Of The Fittest: Understanding Health and Peak Physical Performance.[https://www.amazon.co.uk/Survival-The-Fittest-Understanding-Performance/dp/0224075071/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399385596&sr=8-1&keywords=dr+mike+stroud Mike Stroud: "Survival Of The Fittest: Understanding Health and Peak Physical Performance", at amazon.co.uk] Accessed 7 June 2017 {{ISBN|978-0224075077}}
• Dr Dan Tunstall Pedoe: Marathon Medicine. 2001,[https://www.amazon.co.uk/Marathon-Medicine-Dan-Tunstall-Pedoe/dp/1853154601 Dr Dan Tunstall Pedoe: "Marathon Medicine", at amazon.co.uk] Accessed 7 June 2017 page 186.[https://books.google.com/books?id=Mr79AgAAQBAJ&q=%22Marathon+medicine%22+sahara%29&pg=PA185 Dr Dan Tunstall Pedoe: "Marathon Medicine", page 186, at books.google.com] Accessed 7 June 2017 {{ISBN|978-1853154607}}.

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.marathondessables.com/en Official website of the Marathon des Sables]
• [http://www.plijnaar.com/Marathon-des-Sables.html Pictures of the Marathon des Sables from Rob Plijnaar, competitor in 2008]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110103222405/http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/marathon_of_the_sands/ Documentary on the 14th Marathon des Sables] by Les Guthman

Category:Multiday races

Category:Ultra-Trail World Tour

Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1986

Category:Athletics in Morocco

Category:Trail running competitions

Category:1986 establishments in Morocco