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Oct 29 - Karl And Sarah’s Gruelling Sahara Challenge

Local doctor Karl Alvarez and his partner Sarah are undertaking a unique challenge for charity that will see them run several marathons across the Sahara next year – a gruelling event known as the Marathon des Sables. The couple are raising money for HOPE for Children, a registered charity that helps orphaned, poor and exploited children in some of the world’s poorest regions.

Karl has made a pledge to raise £14,000 for Hope for Children to help give children the chance they need to reach their full potential.

Please show your support by visiting Karl’s Just Giving page and donating whatever you can. Every penny you donate will go directly to HOPE for Children. Please follow this link: www.justgiving.com/karlandsarahrunmds

Motivational Music

Karl is also urging those who donate to leave a motivational message with a song recommendation that people think will help him and Sarah lift their spirits at the worst possible moments. Karl will download this song and add it to a playlist on his shuffle, which he will then listen to during training and during the event.

Sizzling Temperatures

Here are some fun facts about his training and the Marathon des Sables (MdS):

·       Temperatures during the MdS can exceed 55ºC….sizzling!!

·       Water is the only item that is provided by the organizers of the MdS – everything else Karl will need to carry from the start! This will include all his food for six days, sleeping kit, emergency kit, clothes, and a torch to run with through the night!

·       Water that is provided rationed to around 10L per day. If you ask for extra water you suffer a time penalty. Do this more than once and you are disqualified from the race!

·       Despite drinking 10L per day it is likely that he will not pee more than once per day due to dehydration!

·       The MdS will be the longest Karl will ever go without a shower – 7 days of sand, sweat, and probably some other bodily fluids!!

·       Karl’s baseline weight is 83Kg. For the race he is currently dieting to be as light as possible, aiming to weigh 72kg for the actual event. This is a total 13% weight loss!!

·       During each day Karl will be running a calorie deficit of around 3000kCal

·       You can follow Karl’s training progress on Twitter: @KarlandSarah