Running the Earths Toughest Footrace - the Marathon des Sables
- Written by Graham Clarke
- Published in Adventure
- Read 3299 times
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Marathon De Sables is known as the toughest footrace on Earth. It’s a brutal six marathons in six days. In the Sahara. With a backpack. Sarah Williams recently completed this gruelling challenge and discusses the experience in this week's podcast with The Pursuit Zone.
“I can be very overwhelming...you’ve got to have belief in the training that you’re doing.” - Sarah Williams
It was on a solo South American backpacking journey in 2013 when Sarah Williams decided she’d had enough of office work and was energized to start Tough Girl Challenges – a website and podcast aimed at inspiring listeners through inspirational stories from adventurous women.
You can learn more about Sarah at her website toughgirlchallenges.com.
Total Listening Time: 47 mins
Click on the image to listen.
The 2016 Why Not? Adventure Film Festival is supported by Landon Carver. Landon Carver design, develop and deliver EU funded work placement opportunities for Irish Outdoor Adventure/Education and Activity participants. They’re frick’in awesome!
“Landon Carver's work placement programmes are the best thing to happen to outdoor instructors in Ireland in years.” - Russell Pullin, Delphi Adventure Resort
About The Pursuit Zone podcasts.
What do you call the area outside of the comfort zone? It’s called The Pursuit Zone. The idea behind The Pursuit Zone is to interview people that dream big, get out of their comfort zones, and accomplish ambitious pursuits.
Selected Links from the Episode
Marathon De Sables (MDS) - The Toughest Footrace on Earth
Vision Boards - The Reason Vision Boards Work and How to Make One
Sugarloaf Mountain, Brazil - not to be confused with the Sugar Loaf in Wicklow :)
Death Road - the world's most dangerous road.
Compression Gear - Hype or Helpful.
2XU - the compression apparel Sarah used in the MDS.
Google ‘MDS Feet’ - it’s gross!
Show Notes
01:20 - The decision to start travelling.
04:17 - Most memorable moment.
06:21 - Most challenging moment.
08:36- The origin of Tough Girl Challenges.
10:50 - The madness that is Marathon De Sables (MDS)
16:20 - Training for Marathon De Sables.
21:06 - What's the cost. Financially.
24:00 - What gear you’ll need for the race.
26:47 - What it's like running the MDS day-to-day
28:12 - What were the other competitors like?
29:22 - Sarah talking about one of her highlights of the MDS.
31:07 - Poorly potty trained endurance runners.
33:05 - Most memorable moment from the race.
38:09 - Sarah’s biggest lesson from the MDS experience.
40:49 - And advice for those looking to take on the MDS challenge.
44:45 -On the topic of her Tough Girl Challenges podcasts.
45:49 - What’s next?
Did you enjoy the podcast? We’ll be sharing more podcasts from The Pursuit Zone in coming months. Got someone you’d like interviewed? Let us know by getting in contact with Paul at The Pursuit Zone or in the comments below.
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