Firefighter, Steve Clark from Howsham, near Brigg is celebrating after completing the Marathon des Sables, a 256km race across the Sahara Dessert and dubbed the toughest foot race on Earth.
Asked why he wanted to compete in the race Steve said: “You only get one life and if you live it and truly test yourself one life should be enough. Being my 40th Birthday year, I wanted to find a race that would test myself to the limit.”
Steve’s achievement has raised an incredible £4,000 which he is splitting between ‘SOBS’ Charity and Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance (LNAA). He said: “To me it’s vital LNAA is available every hour of the day. This donation is my way to help towards keeping the helicopter in the skies. I’ve been in the situation a few times with my work and when out riding my bike when LNAA has been called, so I know how vital it is.”
Georgia Watson, events lead at LNAA, said: “A big well done to Steve for completing this gruelling challenge. It costs £8 million per year to keep our helicopter flying and our critical care cars operational but we receive no government funding. As a charity, we rely on the generosity of people like Steve to keep our doctors and paramedics operational, delivering pre-hospital emergency care to critically ill or injured people at the scene. We are incredibly grateful for all the support we receive.”
The Marathon des Sables is the stuff of legends – a truly gruelling multi-stage adventure in one of the world’s most inhospitable environments, the Sahara Desert.
Completed in six days, running over 250 kms across endless sand dunes, rocky jebels and white-hot salt plains, carrying sleeping bag, 7 days-worth of food and whatever else is needed to survive on your back, it is an experience like no other in the world.
Back home, concentrating on his Fitness Company, ‘Off That Couch Fitness’, Steve is nursing his sore muscles, but has now had time to reflect on his achievement. He said: “The highlight was finishing and getting that medal after the last stage. My lowest point was getting sick on the longest day when we ran 56.5 miles. It was brutal getting through that day, it was 55 degrees, I was dehydrated and did not have much food so I was low on energy.”
