Latest news with #MarathonDesSables
Courier-Mail
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Courier-Mail
Playing Gracie Darling star Rudi Dharmalingam shares travel highlights
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. The UK-based Playing Gracie Darling star Rudi Dharmalingam hits the ground running in search of authentic travel experiences. My first holiday memory is... Visiting Trinidad, the birthplace of my mother, in 1988. I remember watching the 100m men's final in the Seoul Olympics, Ben Johnson destroying the rest of the field only to be later stripped of his title because of doping. I have many sporting-related childhood memories. I have visited... Twenty-one countries. The place I've visited the most often is... Australia. I've worked on three projects in your beautiful country. My entire career seems to be moving out there. Can I be an honorary Aussie? My favourite place there is... Jervis Bay. That whole area is quite magical. I stayed in a cabin in bushland and it was heaven. The older I get the more I appreciate enveloping myself in nature. It was the one time in my life that I was truly at peace. The place I've visited the most often is Australia. I've worked on three projects in your beautiful country. The place I'd love to visit in Australia is... Too many places to list. I've been to Australia three times for work and all those trips involved staying in NSW. The rest I'm yet to explore. Top of my list is the Northern Territory because I need to see a crocodile. My most memorable travel experience happened in... Nepal. I was working on a show there a few years ago and there was one moment in particular that I'll always treasure. We were staying over 3km above sea level and I recall looking out over the horizon and seeing the Himalayas for the first time. Seeing those beautiful snow-capped mountains standing so majestically was a profoundly spiritual moment. The travel experience on my bucket list is... Before I'm 50 I want to run the Marathon Des Sables, a 257km foot race across the Sahara Desert. I seek comfort from discomfort, always trying to alter the ceiling of what I can achieve and conquer. My childhood was filled with sport and I've taken that discipline into my working life. I approach a role with an athlete's mentality. Achieving the extraordinary grows a person on so many levels. The Marathon Des Sables is the toughest foot race on Earth, to finish that is the ultimate human endeavour. My favourite place in Australia is Jervis Bay. My holidays are mostly devoted to... Finding interesting running trails and discovering new culinary experiences. I'm a big food enthusiast, the UK doesn't have a good relationship with food and that is causing us many health problems. Travelling enables me to sample how other countries bond themselves with food. The advice I'd give to young travellers... Walk or run everywhere. We are so accustomed to finding the quickest route from one place to another – a train, a bus or even an Uber. You miss so much of what a country has to offer by using public transport. Using your feet, not only do you smash your daily step count but it's also the best way to find your bearings in an unfamiliar place. The sickest I've been on holiday... In Nepal I managed to avoid an upset stomach for my entire stay right up until the day of departure. I was struck down with the most horrendous bug just before my flight to South Africa. Travelling 16 hours on a plane with food poisoning is pretty hellish as you can imagine. The place I'd love to visit in Australia is the Northern Territory because I need to see a crocodile. The worst thing to happen to me while travelling... While I was working on Wakefield for the ABC, Covid hit, production was paused and I flew back to the UK. After a couple of months I was back in Australia but had to quarantine for two weeks. My hotel room was devoid of opening windows and I had no balcony. Some army guy sat outside my room for the entire time ensuring I didn't try to escape. I didn't realise how much I'd miss seeing a tree and breathing fresh air. The best hotel I've ever stayed in... Soho House Paris. Utterly ridiculous. Opulence and grandeur like nothing else. My room service go-to is… I don't eat late at night and more importantly room service is not a taste of the local cuisine. I'd rather be out exploring those dishes than sat in my hotel room eating burger and chips. The sickest I've been on holiday in Nepal, I was struck down with the most horrendous bug just before my flight. How many flights have you missed? Zero. I'm proud to say I've never missed a flight. I have travel anxiety in the sense that I have to be super early. I'm always the first person at the check-in desk. Passports/visas/wallets/luggage lost? Upon returning to Australia for quarantine on Wakefield I left my laptop on the plane. This was because I managed to stab myself with those metal brackets that hold scripts together. My hand was gushing with blood upon leaving the plane. I then had to get a tetanus jab as a precaution. My favourite travel companion is… My running shoes. Before I'm 50 I want to run the Marathon Des Sables, a 257km foot race across the Sahara Desert. Flight/cruise/car/train? Flight. There's always something exciting about flying. Check-in or carry-on? Check-in. My running gear won't fit in my carry-on. I manage jet lag by... Going for a run. Playing Gracie Darling premieres on Paramount+ on August 14. Originally published as My Travel CV: Seeing the Himalayas for the first time was a profoundly spiritual experience
Associated Press
31-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Marathon Des Sables Confirms Jordan as the 2025 Venue for the Fifth Year in a Row
Sports, culture, and hospitality merge in a global event that once again turns Jordan into an international stage for endurance, exploration, and unity. Amman, Jordan--(Newsfile Corp. - July 31, 2025) - In a major announcement for Jordan's tourism sector, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Lina Annab, and CEO of the Global Marathon Des Sables (MDS), Cyrilie Gauthier, held a press conference in Amman to officially launch the fifth international edition of the Marathon des Sables, scheduled to take place in Wadi Rum from November 1 to 8, 2025. [ This image cannot be displayed. Please visit the source: ] Marathon Des Sables confirms Jordan as the 2025 venue for the fifth year in a row To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: The desert ultramarathon, organized by the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) and Experience Jordan Adventures, is one of the world's most challenging endurance races, that brings together about 650 runners from across the European Union and beyond. The growth of this global event in Jordan has been a testament to the country's ideal setting and this year the event is expected to be the largest ever. Minister Annab said, 'Hosting the Marathon des Sables in Jordan for the fifth year in a row firmly cements our country's position as a premium adventure travel destination. Over the past decade, Jordan has made significant strides in shaping its adventure tourism landscape, investing in trails, infrastructure, and authentic experiences that connect visitors with our nature, culture, and heritage. From the world-renowned Jordan Trail, which spans more than 650 kilometers through diverse terrains and communities, to this iconic race set against the magnificent backdrop of Wadi Rum, Jordan continues to spotlight the richness and variety of its outdoor offerings.' Minister Annab concluded by extending her 'gratitude to the organizers of the Marathon des Sables, and to all the extraordinary runners joining us from around the world. We look forward to welcoming them this November and wish each participant the very best of luck on this extraordinary journey.' The CEO of MDS stated, 'MDS Jordan has become the crown jewel of our global series. Its extraordinary landscapes, unmatched hospitality, and the emotional connection it creates with runners from around the world have set a new benchmark for what adventure racing can be. But this is only the beginning. We believe this is the right country to grow, innovate, and build a long-term vision where sport, culture, and tourism intersect in a powerful way. Jordan has all the ingredients to become a global hub for our endurance events, and we are proud to be part of that journey.' Managing Director of the Jordan Tourism Board, Dr. Abdelrazzak Arabiyat, stated: 'We at the Jordan Tourism Board are proud to support world-class events like the Marathon des Sables. This event not only highlights Jordan's stunning landscapes, but also reflects our ongoing efforts to position the Kingdom as a leading destination for adventure tourism. Through such events, we welcome responsible travelers who are seeking authentic connections with nature, culture, and history. Events like this help visitors discover the true spirit of Jordan and the richness that makes our country truly unique.' Commenting on the occasion, CEO of Experience Jordan Adventures, Ayman Abd-AlKareem, said, 'As the official local partner, Experience Jordan Adventures is proud to continue hosting this iconic race, which brings together hundreds of international runners in a celebration of endurance, connection, and discovery.' He stressed the team's commitment to sustainability and community partnership in Wadi Rum, expressing gratitude for the ongoing support of the Ministry of Tourism, Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), and the Jordan Tourism Board in strengthening Jordan's position as a leading adventure travel destination. As a host of the Marathon des Sables, Jordan marks a milestone in its emergence as a leading destination for international sporting and adventure tourism. More than just a race, it offers a transformative experience that blends endurance, culture, and exploration against the breathtaking backdrop of Wadi Rum's desert landscapes. As global interest in adventure travel continues to rise, MDS Jordan positions the country at the forefront of this growing sector, attracting high-value international visitors and supporting the national tourism strategy by showcasing Jordan's natural beauty, heritage, and hospitality on the world stage. Contact: Mr. Alaa Alhindi Director of Communications [email protected] To view the source version of this press release, please visit
Al Bawaba
31-07-2025
- Business
- Al Bawaba
Marathon Des Sables confirms Jordan as the 2025 venue for the fifth year in a row
In a major announcement for Jordan's tourism sector, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Lina Annab, and CEO of the Global Marathon Des Sables (MDS), Cyrilie Gauthier, held a press conference in Amman to officially launch the fifth international edition of the Marathon des Sables, scheduled to take place in Wadi Rum from November 1 to 8, desert ultramarathon, organized by the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) and Experience Jordan Adventures, is one of the world's most challenging endurance races, that brings together about 650 runners from across the European Union and beyond. The growth of this global event in Jordan has been a testament to the country's ideal setting and this year the event is expected to be the largest Annab said, 'Hosting the Marathon des Sables in Jordan for the fifth year in a row firmly cements our country's position as a premium adventure travel destination. Over the past decade, Jordan has made significant strides in shaping its adventure tourism landscape, investing in trails, infrastructure, and authentic experiences that connect visitors with our nature, culture, and heritage. From the world-renowned Jordan Trail, which spans more than 650 kilometers through diverse terrains and communities, to this iconic race set against the magnificent backdrop of Wadi Rum, Jordan continues to spotlight the richness and variety of its outdoor offerings.'Minister Annab concluded by extending her 'gratitude to the organizers of the Marathon des Sables, and to all the extraordinary runners joining us from around the world. We look forward to welcoming them this November and wish each participant the very best of luck on this extraordinary journey.'The CEO of MDS stated, "MDS Jordan has become the crown jewel of our global series. Its extraordinary landscapes, unmatched hospitality, and the emotional connection it creates with runners from around the world have set a new benchmark for what adventure racing can be. But this is only the beginning. We believe this is the right country to grow, innovate, and build a long-term vision where sport, culture, and tourism intersect in a powerful way. Jordan has all the ingredients to become a global hub for our endurance events, and we are proud to be part of that journey."Managing Director of the Jordan Tourism Board, Dr. Abdelrazzak Arabiyat, stated: "We at the Jordan Tourism Board are proud to support world-class events like the Marathon des Sables. This event not only highlights Jordan's stunning landscapes, but also reflects our ongoing efforts to position the Kingdom as a leading destination for adventure tourism. Through such events, we welcome responsible travelers who are seeking authentic connections with nature, culture, and history. Events like this help visitors discover the true spirit of Jordan and the richness that makes our country truly unique.'Commenting on the occasion, CEO of Experience Jordan Adventures, Ayman Abd-AlKareem, said, "As the official local partner, Experience Jordan Adventures is proud to continue hosting this iconic race, which brings together hundreds of international runners in a celebration of endurance, connection, and discovery." He stressed the team's commitment to sustainability and community partnership in Wadi Rum, expressing gratitude for the ongoing support of the Ministry of Tourism, Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), and the Jordan Tourism Board in strengthening Jordan's position as a leading adventure travel destination. As a host of the Marathon des Sables, Jordan marks a milestone in its emergence as a leading destination for international sporting and adventure tourism. More than just a race, it offers a transformative experience that blends endurance, culture, and exploration against the breathtaking backdrop of Wadi Rum's desert landscapes. As global interest in adventure travel continues to rise, MDS Jordan positions the country at the forefront of this growing sector, attracting high-value international visitors and supporting the national tourism strategy by showcasing Jordan's natural beauty, heritage, and hospitality on the world stage.
The Independent
31-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
How Tom Evans went from never running more than 10k to becoming one of the world's best ultra runners
Have you ever been on the wrong end of a drunken bet? If so, chances are you wound up downing a pint, texting an ex or generally embarrassing yourself. It probably didn't end with you standing on the podium of the Marathon Des Sables – a 251km multi-stage race across the Sahara Desert. But that's exactly what happened to Tom Evans in 2016. The then British Army captain was enjoying a tipple or two with friends who had just finished the race, when he drunkenly suggested he could beat their times – despite never having run more than 10km. Fast forward 10 months and he was good to his word, becoming the first non-sub Saharan male to finish in the top three. In doing so, he stumbled across the centre of a Venn diagram comprising activities he loved and activities he happened to be incredibly good at. So, in 2019, the now 33-year-old left the army to become a full-time ultra runner, and now the Red Bull athlete regularly travells across the globe to compete against the sport's elite. Below he reveals the merits of traipsing around the Lake District's testing topography for five hours, and why the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc remains his white whale. Tom Evans' training schedule When someone quantifies their weekly running in hours rather than miles, you can be certain they run a lot. 'It's a very time-consuming hobby,' Evans laughs. 'Now, I won't really bother going for a run if it's not at least 90 minutes. In a typical week I will be running for around 20 hours, and biking for about 10 hours.' The pro runner's week comprises a version of training every day – even his 'rest' days include one of these minimum 90-minute runs. From Monday through to Sunday, Evans will be running. This is what his training schedule usually looks like. 'I don't really take a full day off unless I really need to, but as a full-time athlete there is so much stuff I can be doing on a recovery day,' Evans says. 'I've started doing reformer Pilates fairly recently, so I do that once a week on a Monday – that's a 90-minute session. Then I'll go to the gym or I might jump on my bike for an hour, so even on a recovery day you're still training for three to four hours.' Tuesday: ' Double threshold day' 'In the morning I'll typically do something faster and flatter, like a fairly standard session for me is six by 2km,' says Evans. 'There's a loop in Loughborough where I live called the 2km loop, and it's where Paula Radcliffe did all of her training when she was up here. It's not a beautiful run whatsoever, it goes through two different housing estates, but it's as close to a closed road as you can get. You might see one car in a 70-minute session. 'Then in the evening, I'll typically be on my treadmill doing something like 20x1min at threshold pace at an incline of 25 per cent, or something similar.' Wednesday: 'A long day on tired legs' ' I'll drive up to the Peak District or the Lake District or Snowdon, then I'll do somewhere between four and five hours, at a very easy pace, just [to practise] running on tired legs.' Thursday: 'Another recovery-ish day' ' This would typically involve a 90-minute run in the morning, then a longer ride in the afternoon – two or three hours on the bike.' Friday: 'Another double run day focussing on longer reps' 'I might do something like five to eight by 10 minutes uphill, at a marathon effort that's still quite hard but sustainable,' he says. 'And in the afternoon, because Friday is normally a double run day, I will go and run another 10-12km in the afternoon.' Saturday and Sunday: 'Long back to back days' 'Again, I'd go to the Lake District or the Peak District, then I'd do four hours on Saturday and four hours on Sunday,' Evans says. 'Normally one of those days will have a bit of a session built into it, so maybe something like five by five minutes tempo or two rounds of 10 minutes at race pace, just to mix things up a little bit. And that wraps up a pretty standard week.' Tom Evans sample workout Complete six rounds of the following sequence: Run 2km at threshold pace (3min/km for Evans, representing a 4:1 work:rest ratio) Rest 90 seconds 'I think it's really important to train both faster and slower than you're going to run on race day,' Evans says. This is an example of a shorter, faster session for him. This might surprise some people, given his propensity for covering incredibly long distances. But there are surges within a race, particularly during the first kilometre, and it pays to keep pace with the front runners. 'For me, one of my strengths is being able to run at a 3min/km pace and have it not cost that much,' says Evans. 'I know in a race, if I put a surge in that's a little bit faster, people will keep up, but it will cost them far more than it will cost me. It might not break them immediately, but we probably still have five, six, 10 hours of racing to do, and eventually it will break them.' The diet of an ultra runner If we went through everything Evans ate in a week to support his colossal training load, we might be here a while. Instead, I pried into what his intra-workout nutrition looked like, and it's certainly interesting. 'At the moment I'm working a little bit on body composition and trying to do a bit more fasted training and really optimise my body's ability to burn fats,' he says. 'Having Red Bull Zero – something that has no calories in but still has 80mg of caffeine – is incredibly useful because it gives me the caffeine I need to fuel these fasted sessions while at the same time allowing my body to use fat reserves and the glycogen that's already in my body. 'That doesn't mean I don't eat carbs at all. I probably do that [fasted training] once, maybe twice, a week. Then everything else is fuelled by between 100 and 120g of carbohydrate. To do that I'll use a mixture of real food, sports drinks and normal full fat Red Bull.' And how does one consume 100-plus grams of carbs while on the go? A potato sandwich of sorts, Evans says. 'For the fast races you can do it off gels and liquids, but in longer races like the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB – a 106-mile race through the Alps) I'm having real food as well. 'One of my favourite real foods would be a flatbread wrap with mashed potato or mashed sweet potato inside. You get a mixture of simple and complex carbohydrates, and it's a great way to get tasty food that's easily digestible at the same time.' Avoiding the dreaded 'red line' With his high weekly running volume, Evans says he's 'constantly on the red line' as far as recovery and injury is concerned. For that reason, what he does away from the trails is just as important as what he does on them. 'I do my mobility and my activation stuff in the morning before training, but around that typically if I'm not training I'm not training, so I'll sit on the sofa with my recovery boots on and basically just chill,' he says. 'I think that's one of the great things about being a professional athlete; you have the time to do those things.' Evans will also incorporate strength training exercises into his week such as plyometrics and heavy weighted step-ups to strengthen the tissues in his lower limbs and 'coach the body into recruiting as many muscle fibres as possible'. 'The more workers you have, the quicker the job can be done, so my strength work is very much on trying to recruit as many muscle fibres as possible,' he explains. Sleep is another important tool in Evans' recovery armoury, and thanks to his military background Evans says he can do it any time, anywhere – even while standing up on some occasions. He aims for roughly 10 hours each night, leaving his phone outside the bedroom and donning a sleep mask to improve the quality of his slumber. 'I also try to have a nap every afternoon,' he adds. People say you should get eight hours of sleep per night, but I try to get an extra eight hours of napping over the course of a week. That's a rule of thumb for me, and I've found it works quite well.' However, when we spoke he was weeks away from becoming a father for the first time. His daughter Phoebe Evans arrived on May 13. 'I'm sure with a baby the napping is going to be a little bit more tricky, so I'm banking my sleep now and letting the interest run on it, although I'm told it doesn't really work like that,' he jokes. What's next for ultra runner Tom Evans? The obvious answer to this question is fatherhood – a prospect Evans describes as 'a cause for congratulations and also bloody terrifying at the same time'. But speaking to him, it quickly becomes clear that he has unfinished business with one race in particular: the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc. 'We'll have a baby, and from there I'll stay at home for a little bit,' he says. 'Then I guess my big goal for this year is UTMB in Chamonix at the end of August. 'It's been a race that's eluded me so far. I'm very meticulous in race planning and race strategies, and a lot of the time I get it right. Whereas with this race I've never got it quite right. 'It's definitely a big itch to scratch. I'm planning to have a better race this year, and I have a couple of new strategies that we will implement in the race and add into training to try and get the result I'm searching for.'
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hallucinations and starvation: Meet the man who ran ultramarathon in Sahara Desert
HALLUCINATIONS, sandstorms and starvation were just some of the things Grant Smith wrestled with when he completed the Marathon des Sables. The 157-mile route in the Sahara Desert in Morocco sees participants run six marathons in seven days, while carrying their own food and survival equipment. Smith, 46, from Brize Norton, needed more than half a year to get into the physical shape required for such a challenge. READ ALSO: Hoops learn what division they will be in for 2025/26 season He told this newspaper: 'I'd never done this one before. I'd done half-sized ones previously, but this was the full one. 'I've been running for 20 years because I find it helps with work stresses and life pressures, but for this, you ramp it up and before you know it, you're running in the desert. 'Training-wise, I was doing 10 to 12 hours a week, carrying 10kg of weight. One of the furthest runs was from Brize to Broadway in Worcestershire on the back of doing a couple of 10-milers in the week and various strength and conditioning exercises. 'The preparation was over six to eight months, with the focus being able to carry that sort of weight for a long period of time. 'I wore a sweatsuit during my training. I would go on the treadmill in a room with the doors shut and the radiator on before then going out.' Grant Smith completed the Marathon des Sables (Image: Grant Smith) For all Smith's training, there were some things that Brize Norton and its surroundings couldn't prepare him for. He said: 'The temperatures get to over 40 degrees, and for one part, there was a horrific sandstorm which blew up, and there was lightning in it. That was scary, but amazing as well. 'I always knew it was going to be the hardest thing I'd done to date. I've climbed Kilimanjaro, but this is the Everest of running. 'In the race, I was conscious that people were hallucinating, and you lose all sense of reality. I hallucinated that people were running past me the other way. 'You have to self-medicate your feet, so that included daily trips to the triage tent to inject your feet and sort out blisters. 'The weight loss is quite considerable. We're burning from 4,000 to 8,000 calories a day, so starvation kicks in. 'I've got a knee problem which I've had to manage for a long time, but I had to get through it. There are the usual aches and pains, which is where the training helps you deal with it.' Upon his return to Oxfordshire, having made a vow for 20 years, there was only one thing for Smith to do. He explained: 'I've never had a tattoo before, and I'd always said if I did this that it would be the only time I would get one. 'The first thing when I got back, my wife, kids and brother got me into the shop, and I got the logo on my ankle.'
