A KIDDERMINSTER postman has spoken of his gruelling and emotional experience braving the formidable Marathon des Sables.
Shaun Marshall trekked 250 kilometres through the Sahara Desert for six days in the ultra-marathon, which is roughly the distance of six regular marathons.
The 49-year-old took on the epic footrace, known for being the "toughest on earth", in aid of KEMP Hospice and a colleague’s grandchild with cerebral palsy.
Mr Marshall, who is taking on several challenges to mark his 50th birthday year, said the marathon was the hardest thing he's ever done.
“Everywhere you looked there was nothing, no life, just barren," he said.
"You’d pass the occasional plant but everywhere you looked was sand and rocks. On the nights, in the dark, headlamps looked like car headlights, it was almost like seeing visions”
“The kit I was carrying weighed just under 9kg without water and each night we shared open tents and cooked our own food. I’m still finding sand in my kit now.”
Around a quarter of those who took part, 322 people, didn’t complete the course, with just five people from Mr Marshall's tent making it to the final checkpoint.
Extra water bottles needed to be handed out at checkpoints due to the soaring desert temperatures, which can reach up to 50°C.
Mr Marshall, from the Blakebrook area, added: “I went to some dark places but managed to come out.
"I just kept thinking to keep going, focus on the light at the end of the darkness.
"Between us all we pushed each other.
“There were times when we really had to dig deep but we just kept reminding each other, if you want something you’ve got to put everything in, you can’t be negative”.
“The longest day was Wednesday when we completed 90km in one day, the best day was the Monday at the start, we all felt part of it, in it together.
"But the final day on the last section, that was the most emotional. Long days, 40-degree temperatures, dry heat, blisters, and constant checks for dehydration and here I was at the end.
"We had limited contact with home throughout the six days. We were able to occasionally receive emails but couldn’t call home until we reached the end when we had access to a satellite phone.
"I wasn’t sure my wife would pick up as it was a number she wouldn’t recognise, but thankfully she did.”
Later this year, Mr Marshall will also take on the Snowdon 24 race, which is twenty fours hours of walking up and down Llanberis pass as many times as possible, an Iron Man challenge in Wales, a 2.4mile sea swim, a 112km bike ride and a 26.2km run.
Vicki Wootton-Champion, KEMP community fundraiser said: “We cannot find the words to express how much we appreciate, admire and are in awe of Shaun’s accomplishments.
"To do those in aid of KEMP Hospice care and support services means so much to all of us and makes such a difference to the lives of the patients and people we care for and support”.
He has raised £2,000 after the challenge for KEMP Hospice and £1,540 for Tree of Hope, a charity supporting his colleague's grandchild Freddie.
People can still donate via Mr Marshall's JustGiving pages.
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