Marathon Des Sables Update
Summary of Day 2 from Billy
After yesterdy’s epic Saharan baptism a mixture of fear & excitement was in the bones for today’s 41kms.The tank felt worryingly empty to begin but once ihad got thru the early wobble we settled into a rhythm and made good pace throughout what was another very fiery day in the desert – we are told it nudged 50 today,suffice to say 9litres and 20 salt tabs later & i still dontneed the toilet.Tim & I ran together again and once againit was joyous tohave company to pick you up and drive you on- moods and fatigue come in fiersome tides but we got each other through it and left nothing out there.Yet gain scenery from the movies and dunes to die for,but not ideal to run up.The Sahara Shuffle was the order of the day & is now our way of moving. xx
News from Barry
He is going well, feeling strong and not feeling his injuries His brief note sounded so happy. He thanks you all for your messages, donations and amazing support and says he couldn’t do it without you!
Tomorrow is Day 3 which is ~40kms again. When he completes it, he will go back to his tent, scratch together his food, and think about the day ahead.The dreaded day 4. A DOUBLE MARATHON. This is when he will need you messages of encouragement.
If you want to send him a mail, it’s mega easy. Apparently a volunteer prints them out and takes them to his tent. – (Well that is what we hope)!
Click on: http://www.darbaroud.com/en/live/write-to-a-competitor.html
- Find his race number: 831
- Put his name and tent number in subject box: Barry Trout. Tent 107
- Write message and send
Sponsor the boys
If you would like to sponsor the boys please go to:
http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/desdurham
Write to My Big Brother As He Races Across the Sahara Desert
Whilst I prance around Buenos Aries trying to learn something that vaguely resembles the Tango, my amazing big brother (the one in the middle) today started the ‘toughest foot race on the planet’!
The Marathon des Sables is a 6 day, 240km foot race across the Sahara desert. My brother and our good friends Tim Lennox (left) and Billy (Christopher) Gammon (right) are running to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK and Rainforest concern. Both are wonderful causes and ones which are close to our hearts and major problems for the future of the world.
Whilst they use all their energy and will power to achieve this remarkable feat they will also be raising the flag for 101 Things To Do When You Survive and spreading it’s message of hope.
This is what the week of hell looks like for them:
- Sunday, April 6th 2014 – 30km
- Monday, April 7th 2014 – 35km
- Tuesday, April 8th 2014 – 40km
- Wednesday, April 9th 2014 – 82km (surely this is some kind of joke!)
- Thursday, April 10th 2014 – rest
- Friday, April 11th 2014 – 42km
- Saturday, April 12th 2014 – 21km
I have asked you guys for a lot of money recently with my head shave for the Leukaemia Foundation so I totally understand if you are unable to sponsor the boys. Something that would mean the world to my brother is if you could send him a message of support. Your emails have inspired me to keep going on my journey around the world. I still find myself getting sad and worried out here but when I read your emails and messages they fill me with confidence, energy and hope.
The race organisers have arranged an email system where they print out emails and leave them in their tents for the competitors to read after a days running. It would mean the world to my brother if you wanted to write a short message of support. I often forward him the emails you send me to read and it fills him with joy.
If you would like to write to my brother go the attached link and follow these steps:
Go to:
http://www.darbaroud.com/en/live/write-to-a-competitor.html
- Find his race number: 831
- Put his name and tent number in subject box: Barry Trout. Tent 107
- Write message and send
Christopher Gammon’s race number is 613
Tim Lennox race number is: 696
If you would like to sponsor the boys please go to:
http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/desdurham
Much love and luck to the lads and whatever happens please make sure you all come back safe.
X
My Last Day With Hair!
MY LAST DAY WITH HAIR!! Yikes!! This is my scared look!
Please help me achieve Thing #58 – Shave my head for charity. I am doing this to support a very brave 15 year old girl raise money for the leukaemia foundation in memory of her brave little brother Tommy who sadly passed away recently.
Goodbye styling wax an hello burnt scalp! 🙂
Thank you so much to all who have sponsored Caitlin so far.
Link to donate and further information below:-
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My Big Brother and the Marathon Des Sables
My big bro Barry is my hero. He has always been there for me. He was there to draw a line down the middle of my head and call me ‘butt head’ when I lost my hair as a child, he was there as a 13 year old spending countless days of the year visiting me hospital when he should have been out playing with his friends (see pic) and he was there for me when I was ill as an adult. I never once saw him get upset during my illness as an adult. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that I would beat this thing and when you’ve got someone like that in your corner you know you can’t fail. He was also my inspiration to take a chance and travel the world. He believed I could do it and because of that I believed in myself. He is truly an amazing guy and I wouldn’t be here without him.
My hero and two of his amazing friends are about to take part in what the Discovery channel has described as the ‘toughest foot race on earth’.
They are going to run a total of 156 miles across the Sahara desert in only 6 days! Yes, they are nutters!
The rules state that they must be self sufficient which means they have to carry all their own equipment (except water) in order to survive. They will be running an equivalent of a marathon a day and sometimes much more, in temperatures reaching up to 50 degrees.
They are doing this for three reasons:
- to raise money for Prostate cancer uk
- to raise money for rainforest concern
- to raise awareness of 101 Things to Do When you Survive
If you would like to SPONSOR these amazing guys then please see the link below. They have trained for over a year for this and could use all the support you can give even if it is just in the form of messages of support on twitter. You’re probably better off following Billy on twitter as my brother doesn’t have a clue about social media – @billy_gammon
I will also be keeping you up to date on 101 Things.
Donation link
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/desdurham
(Please note that all entry fees and travel costs have been self funded. All money donated will go to Prostate cancer uk and Rainforest concern. No money will go to 101 Things. The guys are only raising awareness of my site and letting people know that cancer isn’t the life sucking monster it likes to think it is!)
Good luck bra, Billy and Tim! We are all with you x