Marathon des Sables

Marathon des Sables
Date21 April–1 May 2023
LocationOuarzazate, Morocco
Established1986; 38 years ago (1986)
Official sitemarathondessables.com

Marathon des Sables, or MdS, (French for Marathon of the Sands, also known as Sahara Marathon[citation needed])[1] is a seven-day, about 257 km (160 mi)[2] 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).

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.[1][3] The first event of the Marathon started in 1986.

Racers winding their way up a large ridge.
A competitor at Marathon des Sables, Morocco
The camp in which competitors sleep at night.
Photo of the first British Runners to complete the Marathon des Sables (Dr Mike Stroud OBE, Rene Nevola, Richard Cooper and Prof Mike Lean).
  1. ^ a b "Facing Africa NOMA : The Marathon des Sables", FacingAfrica.org, 2010, webpage: FA8 "Facing Africa NOMA : The Marathon des Sables". Archived from the original on 2012-05-05. Retrieved 2018-09-07..
  2. ^ In 2008, the MdS was 145 miles (233 km).[1]
  3. ^ "Extreme Marathons". Time. 2008-04-08. Archived from the original on April 12, 2008. Retrieved 2010-05-12.