Melksham man to take on 270km desert run for local hospice

A Melksham man will tackle a 270km run across the Sahara Desert in southern Morocco next month in aid of Dorothy House Hospice Care. 

Liam Ralph will compete in the gruelling Marathon Des Sables in April to support the hospice which provided palliative care to his uncle when he died of Motor Neurone Disease.

The event will see Liam run approximately 270km over just six days in the Moroccan Sahara Desert, with temperatures expected to reach 50 degrees.

He will carry 10kg of equipment in a rucksack including food, cooking equipment, water, hygiene items, first aid and clothes. At the end of each leg, Liam will stay in provided tents in the desert before heading out early the next day to complete the next phase.

Liam will tackle six stages, including 32km, 40km, 32.5km, a 100km stage, a marathon-length stage and a half marathon, covering 270km in total. The terrain is described as brutally diverse, ranging from endless sand dunes and rocky jebels (mountains) to salt flats and dried riverbeds.

To prepare, he has been training in and around Melksham and has also trained in Tenerife.

“I am feeling extremely nervous, especially about the 100km stage,” he said. “Running in such hot temperatures is the only thing I haven’t been able to prepare for. The heat is a big worry, with some points expected to reach 50degrees. I’m hoping to run 60% and walk 40%, with some stages in sand dunes.”

Liam has previously taken part in endurance events for Dorothy House, including the Great Wall of China Marathon and a charity survival challenge. “All of my events have been for Dorothy House Hospice Care because of the amazing care they gave to my uncle,” he said.

The Marathon Des Sables is in its 40th year. Liam, who turns 40 in April, said it felt like fate. “It is something I have always wanted to do. Now I have the time and the money, and with my 40th coming up, it seemed like fate.”

To support Liam’s fundraising, visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/liam-ralph-1