🏜️ Marathon des Sables – The Ultimate Desert Ultramarathon
The Marathon des Sables (MdS), French for “Marathon of the Sands,” is a legendary multi-stage ultramarathon held annually in the Sahara Desert of southern Morocco. Spanning approximately 250 kilometers (about 155 miles) over seven days, it is widely regarded as one of the toughest footraces on Earth
📜 History
The race was conceived by French concert promoter Patrick Bauer, who in 1984 traversed 350 km of the Sahara Desert on foot, alone and unaided. Inspired by this journey, he organized the first Marathon des Sables in 1986, with 23 participants. Since then, the event has grown exponentially, attracting over a thousand runners from around the world each year.
🏃♂️ Race Format
The MdS is a self-sufficient race, meaning participants must carry all their own food, gear, and personal items for the duration of the event. The organizers provide water and communal tents for overnight stays. The course typically includes six stages over seven days, with distances varying each year. One of the stages is notably long, often exceeding 80 km (50 miles).
🌡️ Conditions
Runners face extreme desert conditions, with daytime temperatures soaring above 40°C (104°F) and dropping significantly at night. The terrain includes sand dunes, rocky plains, and dry riverbeds, challenging participants’ endurance and resilience.
🏅 Notable Achievements
- Rachid El Morabity of Morocco has won the race 11 times, making him the most successful male competitor in MdS history.
- Elisabet Barnes from Sweden secured victories in 2015 and 2017, winning every stage in 2015.
- In 2019, a stray dog named Cactus joined the race during the second stage and completed the remaining stages, earning an official finisher’s medal.
📚 Learn More
For more detailed information about the Marathon des Sables, including registration details and race updates, visit the official website: marathondessables.com. Additionally, you can explore the comprehensive Wikipedia article for an in-depth history and analysis of the event.
Marathon des Sables, or MdS, (French for Marathon of the Sands) is a seven-day, about 257 km (160 mi) ultramarathon, which is approximately the distance of six regular marathons. The longest single stage (2009) was 91 km (57 mi) long (2023 : 90.1 km).
| Marathon des Sables | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Date | 6th-12th April, 2025 |
| Location | Ouarzazate, Morocco |
| Established | 1986 |
| Official site | marathondessables |
This multiday race is held every year in southern Morocco, in the Sahara Desert. Some runners regard it as one of the toughest foot races on Earth. The first event of the Marathon started in 1986.