| | Management consultant Tim
Lawrence has completed
the toughest foot race on
earth – the Marathon des
Sables in the Moroccan
Sahara desert – for UK
learning disability
charity Mencap.
Lawrence was one of
879 competitors to finish
the race – and he
completed it in a time of
35 hours, 19 minutes.
The Marathon des
Sables, known as the
toughest foot race on
earth, this year covered
five marathons over five
days. Competitors had to
carry all their food,
clothes and medical kit, | |
|
| | with only water and a
tent supplied by
organisers. The
temperature can reach
120°F, and the
competitors run across a
mixture of uneven, rocky,
stony ground and sand
dunes. This year the
participants were faced
with the added challenge
of adverse weather with
rain flooding the camp,
which led to the first
and last days of the race
being cancelled.
Lawrence was competing
for UK learning
disability charity Mencap
and raised over £10,000.
He created a special
cookbook, featuring | |
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| | recipes from celebrity
chefs, which can be
bought for £15 from
http://www.runningonempty.
co.uk.
Lawrence said: “It was
an incredibly challenging
event. The combination of
heat, terrain and
unforeseen illness took
its toll but, with some
fantastic people, I am
overjoyed to have
completed the event. The
support of the Mencap
team was inspiring, and I
am thrilled to have
raised money for such a
good cause.”
Ellie Gray, director
of fundraising at Mencap, | |
|
| | said: “The toughness of
this event and the hard
work each person puts in
cannot be underestimated.
Merely surviving in
temperatures and
conditions such as that
is a challenge, but to
run five marathons in
five days is an
incredible achievement.
“We are delighted that
every single one of the
13 Mencap competitors
managed to complete the
Marathon des Sables 2009
and between them they
raised over £90,000. This
money will help Mencap to
continue its work
supporting people with a
learning disability.”
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Mencap fights for
equal rights, campaigns
for greater opportunities
and challenges attitudes
and prejudice. Through
housing, education,
employment, leisure and
advocacy services, Mencap
supports people with a
learning disability to
live their lives the way
they want.
The organisation has
exclusive places on a
number of marathons,
ultra-marathons and
challenges in the UK and
abroad, including the
Marathon des Sables. | |
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