Michaela, Debs & Sarah would like to thank the following for their support:
Our Wonderful Families
for their ongoing patience, support, encouragment and motivation
To everyone who has sent messages of support or sponsored us
the support has been simply overwhelming
Sainsbury's
for their support and gift card
Ian Berry
for his support in the Doyen of the Downs run, and endless jellybabies!
Alex Pritchard, AP Sports Therapy
for keeping our legs working!
Lou Walker
for massage and TLC
Helen Ward
for her encouragement and kind gift of a spider!
Karen Hazlitt
for organising a fun girls 'Clothes Swap' evening
Simon Hazlitt
for running MDSrunMdS.com HQ in our absence and updating the blog
Penny Claisse
for podiatry and gift of insoles
WADAC club members
particularly Julian, Karen, Will, Emma, Kaye, Katharine for being such great training buddies
Vic and Toby, Alton Sports
for all their help
(Sunday 5th April 2009)
The following is from the official French race organisers: 05/04/09 - Final Press Release - Ouarzazate Patrick Bauer, the race director, expresses his feelings the day after the final stage. What r
(Saturday 4th April 2009)
Well the adventure wasn't over. It was a 7 hour bus ride back hampered by having to stop for emergency cases as the stomachs of many of the brits had given up (both ends!) As the walking wounded came
(Saturday 4th April 2009)
The following is from the official French race organisers: Stage 4 - 03/04/09 - Aferdou Nsooualhine/Tizin Ighrs : 42 km Conditions at 9.45am : 21,4°C and 29,6% hygrometry Conditions at 12.15pm : 29
(Friday 3rd April 2009)
First word back from the camp. Everyone delighted to have succeeded and seem to have survived well. To give a measure at 8.30pm they were gazing out to the darkness waiting for the last runners to g
(Friday 3rd April 2009)
To be completely honest, times & positions somewhat fade to insignificance when faced with a monumental challenge such as the Marathon des Sables. It is more against themselves, individually, than ag
(Friday 3rd April 2009)
The following is from the official French race organisers: Stage 4 - 03/04/09 - Aferdou Nsooualhine/Tizin Ighrs : 42 km Conditions at 9.45am : 21,4°C and 29,6% hygrometry Conditions at 12.15pm : 29
(Friday 3rd April 2009)
Wow! All of Team "MDS+Z" have been achieving some fantastic performances throughout the race, but it was a sizzling final marathon stage by Debs - finishing 9th out of all the females, and covering o
(Friday 3rd April 2009)
Well they are nearly there (well I hope so as I'm writing this when they are in the middle of the long stage) Hope you've all been enjoying the blog...down to some great work by Clive who at this poi
(Thursday 2nd April 2009)
91km - the longest ever MdS stage in 24 years of history. Tent 80 - final photo and motivation talk before attempting to finish it all in one go. No one wanted to camp out in the night! All of us h
(Thursday 2nd April 2009)
Many thanks to Lou Walker for this fantastically inspired sample of poetic genius... There once was a girl from the army, Who with two physios went a bit barmy. They entered a race, With
(Thursday 2nd April 2009)
The organisers have shocked everyone by announcing that the race will end after tomorrows marathon stage. Saturday is always a short easy day and seen as much as a fun run and chance to celebrate the
(Thursday 2nd April 2009)
Wow - what an unusual year this is turning out to be for the organisers of the Marathon des Sables! As mentioned at the end of their last official press release: The race direction has decided to ca
(Thursday 2nd April 2009)
The following is from the official French race organisers: 02/04/09 – Stage 3 - Erg Znaïgui/Aferdou Nsooualhine : 91 km Conditions at 9.30am: 31°C and 31% hygrometry Conditions at 12.15pm : 29°
(Thursday 2nd April 2009)
Results are in and they have made it!!! Michaela 303rd - 16hrs 53 mins and now 308 overall with 27 hrs and 12 mins running Not far behind was Debs 312 - 17hrs 22 now 313 oveall with 27hrs 30 Sarah
(Thursday 2nd April 2009)
At 18:00 today George Stu and Rory head for Morocco. Should beat Clive but this now leaves the blog control to Simon. We're all looking forward to getting there and hopeful of getting to finish but n
(Wednesday 1st April 2009)
The following is from the official French race organisers: 01/04/09 – Stage 3 - Erg Znaïgui/Aferdou Nsooualhine : 91 km Conditions at 9.15am: 20°C and 36% hygrometry Conditions at 13pm : 29°C a
(Wednesday 1st April 2009)
Well they were supposed to be doing a mere 82 KM today but as the race organisers adapt to the rivers that have appeared over the weekend their idea of fun is to extend the stage to 91KM...the longest
(Wednesday 1st April 2009)
Bed at 7.30pm last night - not sure how much sleep we all had as it hurt to turn over from carrying our packs. Sarah started the day with shepherds pie! Our expedition food is becoming more appealin
(Wednesday 1st April 2009)
Short but sweet, this snippet was sent last night (but arrived this morning - problems with the courier camel?!). A "fuller" blog entry was also sent and will be updated in the near future... Just t
(Wednesday 1st April 2009)
We waited eagerly to hear back ...midnight came and went but nothing French Comms gone down?, too busy reading the many emails that have been sent to them to queue at the email tent, too tired afer th
(Wednesday 1st April 2009)
No not an April Fool, but today Clive sets off in the "Beast" to drive through France, Spain and Morocco to get himself to Ouarzarate. This is the first stage of their Morocco to Mongolia trip! - De
(Tuesday 31st March 2009)
The following is from the official French race organisers: 31/03/09 – Stage 2 - Erg Znaïgui/Erg Znaïgui : 36 km Conditions at 8.45am: 15,8°C and 38% hygrometry Conditions at 10am : 20,7°
(Tuesday 31st March 2009)
We can't start this blog without a special mention for honoury member Zayne Crow who seems to have broken away to finish in 156 (4 hour 42) for the 2nd stage.. This puts her 253 overall. Fantastic.
(Monday 30th March 2009)
Well we got to see the results of the first day. Our ladies finished in just under 5 hours for the 33KM through the dunes Finishing just in the top 400 and within 2 minute of each other it looks lik
(Monday 30th March 2009)
Well the long wait is over......for those of us back home waiting to hear back from our ladies........ Messages have been flowing out to the Dunes and we were hoping they would get there........but th
(Monday 30th March 2009)
You can now watch videos online of the first few days of the Marathon des Sables. They are only short clips, but do help to you give a better idea of exactly what it's like out here. However, you'll
(Monday 30th March 2009)
The following is from the official French race organisers: 30/03/2009 - Erg Chebbi / Erg Znaïgui : 33 km Conditions at 10am : 20°C and 36% hygrometry Conditions at 1.30pm : 29°C and 24% hyg
(Monday 30th March 2009)
Okay, so it's not very accurate, but using the information sent back by M, D & S when they collected their "Race Books" on Friday, we've plugged the place names into Google Maps to give you an idea of
(Monday 30th March 2009)
Team "MDS run MdS" are finally off on the 24th Marathon des Sables!!! Early this morning, they were all transported by coach from the hotel in Erfoud, where all of the MdS competitors had taken refug
(Sunday 29th March 2009)
The following is from the official French race organisers: 29/03/2009 - Press Release Number 2 The sun has finally arrived in Erfoud, bringing smiles on runners and competitors' faces. The 24th MDS
(Sunday 29th March 2009)
Yes, by the miracle of modern technology, we can now receive your messages of encouragement, support and the odd joke, right here in the Sahara Desert!!! (Just don't send us any bills please...) Jus
(Sunday 29th March 2009)
The stats for today were supposed to be: Distance today: 25 km (15 miles) Distance so far: 25 km (15 miles) Distance to go: 218 km (136 miles)
(Saturday 28th March 2009)
The following is from the official French race organisers: 28/03/2009 - Press Release Number 1 Sand, sun and heat were expected... But instead of, the runners have been welcomed by rain, cold and m
(Saturday 28th March 2009)
Now confirmed that Stage 1 will be cancelled and the race will begin with Stage 2. It means our girls will spend another night in the hotel(!) before being shipped on Sunday to the start of Stage 2.
(Saturday 28th March 2009)
Well last night everyone rescued from the flooded campsite made it to a hotel...but no-one seems to know where it is. Only the brits here at the moment..2/3 very muddy..1/3 dry -they had spent the da
(Saturday 28th March 2009)
Today is supposed to be the pre-race administration day out in the desert: - A full individual kit-check of all our compulsory safety items (such as an anti-venom pump, signalling mirror, etc). Yep,
(Friday 27th March 2009)
Today has not been the day that anyone was expecting - and everyone is now very worried... It went something like this: 6:30am - We were woken up as we all have to leave an hour earlier. Managed to
(Thursday 26th March 2009)
Well, we've all now successfully arrived here in Ouarzazate (pronounced "was-zar-zat"!) - a Moroccan oasis town plucked straight out of an "Arabian Nights" film-set, perched on the edge of the Sahara
(Thursday 26th March 2009)
We fly! Got off to a good start with all of Team "MDS run MdS" successfully meeting at London Gatwick and now waiting to board... It wasn't difficult to spot our check-in desk - the one with the lon
(Sunday 22nd March 2009)
With "Team MDSrunMDS" currently spread between Winchester, Plymouth and Bristol, the online chat service, "Skype", allows all three of us to chat together in "conference mode". This evening was to be
(Thursday 19th March 2009)
Yes, there's only seven days left until we fly out from London Gatwick on a charter aircraft with over 200 other mad fools from around the UK! By then it'll be too late for whatever it is that we've
(Thursday 12th March 2009)
The 24th Marathon des Sables has many facts and figures associated with it... Here are a few of "our numbers": 2009 will certainly be a year to remember! 850 competitors fool-hardy enough to enter.
(Sunday 25th January 2009)
This was a beautiful off road run that was really enjoyable, despite the large amount of mud! Aimed at walkers as well as runners, it was a far more casual and social event than ones we have done in
(Sunday 11th January 2009)
Michaela ran this race 13-mile race with a pack, and still managed to finish as the 1st lady!
(Sunday 7th December 2008)
Very cold 30-mile run near Arundel, with M, D & S finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively! The icy conditions underfoot are not something we are likely to encounter in the desert!
