Three well-known local runners, Ian Coles (53), William Wood (40) and Danny Kendall (28) last week successfully completed the legendary Marathon Des Sables, a footrace across the Sahara desert in Morocco. The race, known as "the toughest footrace in the world", covers more than 150 miles through some of the world's harshest terrain in temperatures above 100F. Competitors have to be self-sufficient for the race, which means carrying a backpack containing food, supplies and emergency equipment for 7 days. Race organisors supply daily water rations.

Danny Kendall put in a superb performance, finishing 85th out of the 800 starters. Kendall, who was second local finisher in January's Bermuda International Marathon commented: "My goal was to finish in the top 100 so I'm very pleased with my result. I hadn't done much running with a backpack before the race and I think I might have done even better with more specific training. I'm planning to return next year with the goal of making the top 50".

Coles, a veteran Ironman triathlete, described it as a life-changing experience. " It's certainly a challenging event, running between 20 and 45 miles each day for a week carrying 25lbs on your back and sleeping rough each night. But the desert landscape is incredibly beautiful and oddly enough is amazingly varied. The sand dunes are probably what most people imagine when they think about the desert and running over some of the biggest dunes in the whole of the Sahara was an experience I'll never forget".

"Tragically, one competitor died during the event, another was airlifted out suffering with heart problems and we saw many others being given an intravenous drip to speed recovery from dehydration. All three of us from Bermuda had to have treatment on our feet at one time or another during the race and the care provided by the medical volunteers was superb. In fact there were 43 doctors for the 800 competitors, a helicopter and 100 all-terrain vehicles providing support. And if all else failed, there were four camels at the very back following the caravan of runners. Fortunately, none of us in 'Team Bermuda' saw the camels".