Running with terminal cancer I’m going for a nice jog... in the Sahara

I’ve done it again – for a fifth time in fact – and signed up for the Marathon des Sables desert ultra marathon across the Sahara.

This race was the only thing on my bucket list when I was diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer, and when I did my first in 2016 after chemo and radiotherapy I felt I’d pushed my luck.

But I’ve since done it another three times and now I’m going again I’m feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness.

It’s a brutal race, often referred to as ‘The toughest footrace on earth’. It’s basically like doing a marathon today, then again tomorrow, the day after, a double marathon the day after that, then another marathon... and if you’re still standing, a half marathon to the finish line.

If that’s not enough to have me screaming “I’m an ordinary bloke... get me out of here!” then there’s the sand dunes that go on for 10 miles at a time, each one over 200ft high, mountains that require ropes to pull you over, temperatures of 50c, no shade and carrying everything on your back (except water) including a venom pump in case of a scorpion or snake bite.

Despite all that, I love it: the buzz of meeting your tent mates, the amazing blue sky, golden sand, brightest stars at night and the feeling of accomplishment when (if) I finish. And that’s the crux of it, finishing is not guaranteed.

Every year many good runners get heat exhaustion, blisters that turn sceptic or other ailments, so just because I’ve finished four times before, not giving a race like this the respect it deserves is a sure way not to see the finish line.

I have been packing and repacking kit all week, trying to save 10 grams here or there, because I promise you, if I can lose 500g of weight that makes a massive difference over the whole week.

So as you read this while having your Sunday breakfast, think of Kev, already hot and thirsty with six more days of the same.

What challenge are you taking on this week? If you’re not, why not plan one and see what you can achieve, no matter what the odds are!

Until next week (hopefully!), Kev

BARE MINIMUM Kev and his kit