An Isle of Wight woman has completed two back-to-back marathons in the Sahara Desert for the East Cowes-based charity MAD-Aid.
Kate Couch, 48, undertook the Saharan Ultra Challenge and did a marathon on Friday, October 13, in the Draa Valley in Morocco, followed by a second marathon in the same area the following day – a total of 84km or 52 miles of racing.
She encountered searing temperatures of up to 39 degrees in the desert and ran or hiked over a vast range of terrain, from rocky areas in the shadow of the High Atlas Mountains to sand dunes.
Kate was among just under 100 participants, some of whom had to pull out due to heatstroke, injuries or severe blisters during the event.
Fortunately, there was a team of medics on hand.
The remoteness of the area meant the nearest hospital was a six-hour drive away, and Kate had no phone reception during her double marathon in the desert.
She was aiming to raise £1,000 for MAD-Aid's latest project, to renovate the neonatal unit at the main children's hospital in the Moldovan capital of Chisinau, which has not been upgraded since 1986.
Kate said: “Both the high temperatures and the rocky terrain were quite difficult to cope with, but the landscape was incredible, and it truly was an epic challenge.
“I went fairly slowly on the first marathon, but I felt good afterwards, so on the second day, I pushed a bit harder and finished the second marathon about an hour quicker.
“I have been fundraising both online and offline, and I have collected just under £900 so far. My JustGiving page will remain open for a while longer for donations.”
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