Nicki Marsh, from Cheltenham, has completed the epic 250 km Marathon des Sables, "the toughest footrace on Earth", raising funds for Cheltenham Samaritans and Open Door.
Nicki, with her husband Nik by her side, decided to take on this ultra marathon challenge through the Moroccan desert to celebrate the fact that she turns 50 this year. We are incredibly grateful that she chose to raise money for Cheltenham and District Samaritans alongside Cheltenham Open Door.
MDS Legendary took place from 12-22 April in Morocco. Competitors carried their own food and sleeping gear over the course of the multi-day 250km race through the desert.
During the course of her training, Nicki ran, walked and hiked over 1,200 km; swam 112km in the pool; and completed 100 hours of strength and conditioning work in the gym. Training in the UK meant rain, hail and snow, so hot yoga and a training trip to Lanzarote were an important part of preparing for the gruelling desert conditions.
In Nicki's own words: "I am struggling to put into words what this race was like…..pictures speak a thousand words and I think some of these certainly tell a tale! A tale of pain, strength, joy, happiness, fatigue, thankfulness, and gratefulness.
"And, I think gratefulness is my biggest takeaway on many levels. Firstly grateful for the privilege to be able to embark on this journey in the first place, and to be able to do it hand in hand with my soul mate Nik. Grateful to everyone pre event who helped make it happen and those during the race who helped make it the most amazing experience.
"Your tent mates become like family for the 8 days in the desert, the support and kindness for each other is next level and I will never forget our lovely couples tent and the memories we created.
"The comradery from all athletes and the support from the volunteers is next level and is another highlight for me. That shout of encouragement, a pat on the back as they run past, cold water poured on your neck and water bottles filled at checkpoints, simple things that make you smile.
"You are all the more grateful for these things because have no doubt this race is absolutely BRUTAL! The stunning country is a crazy hostile environment, especially on foot. While the heat was manageable for some of us (50-55 degrees at mid afternoon) the relentless sand storms made bivouac life extremely difficult. Sleep was hard to come by when everything you own and are surviving on for a week is likely to blow away at any second!
"The course was challenging to say the least and the blisters and loss of toe nails (I could happily never see another rock ever again), only added to the pain! The terrain is so diverse with the sharp rocky river beds ripping my shoes to shreds and the energy sapping sand dunes go on for miles!
"The 85km day was beyond any challenge you can imagine really. The first 25km took over 5 hours and was for me my favourite part, stunning climbs and run along beautiful mountain ridges, scary and the amazing run down was an epic challenge. The fatigue 20 hours in when you feel the end will never arrive is next level and this is when you pull every ounce of strength mentally. It’s moments like this when the sponsorship from everyone kept me moving forward and again remembering that it is a privilege to be there and able to push ourselves to our limits mentally and physically.
"And now it is done it emphases again what I am grateful for; friends and family, little acts of kindness, hot running water, toilets (that aren’t in a tent and don’t need a brown bag!), being able to stand up to get dressed and sleeping in a cosy bed, a hot oat latte, food that hasn’t been dehydrated. Everything we take for granted really, and things that aren’t always a given for everyone. Being able to raise money for charities that help people who may well live without these luxuries on an ongoing basis or who don’t have the support of family and friends makes me really happy. And, I really can’t thank everyone enough for their generous donations.
"For anyone who would still like to contribute I would be very grateful, the whole race has been a hugely humbling experience and I can honestly say we have earned every penny with each painful but rewarding footstep.
