STEVE SHAPLAND tackled searing heat, mountains, sandstorms, injuries and illness to complete “the toughest race on the planet”.
The 38-year-old from Lower Loxhore is home after running the six-day Marathon des Sables, which crosses 151 miles (243km) of the Sahara Desert in Morocco.
He had to carry a 16kg backpack over sand dunes, steep rocky climbs and seemingly endless flat salt lakes.
Steve had a strong personal motivation to finish the gruelling challenge. He was raising money for Yorkshire Cancer Research in memory of his sister Tina Shapland, of Bratton Fleming, who died of the disease in 1996 aged 24. The day before he set off for Morocco he learnt that Tina’s daughter, Zara Brooks from South Molton, was pregnant.
“That was one of the things I was thinking about,” said Steve. “The cause I was doing it for was her mum and the next generation is on its way.”
Thoughts of his wife Chantal, who was following his progress on the internet, and three children Aaron, 7, Emma-Grace, 5, and Xavier, 2, kept Steve going through difficult times in Africa.
“I had done a lot of training on the coast paths around Lynton and Lynmouth,” he said.
“I have been tired, knocked about, bruised and cut the physical side was OK.
“It was a mind game as much as it was physical.”
The race was run over six stages, starting at 21 miles (34km) and peaking at a 51-mile (81.5km) overnight fourth stage.
Steve shared a tent, open on two sides, with other runners and would cook the food he carried in his backpack with pans and a stove that were also part of the heavy load. Water was strictly rationed.
“If we needed more we got time penalties,” said Steve. “And if you had more than two extra rations you got disqualified.
“I went into it with my eyes open it’s known as the toughest race on the planet.
“The peak temperature was 52C (126F) it was like running into a hairdryer. At night you can’t believe how cold it is.
“We had a few sandstorms. Sometimes they would last half an hour, other times overnight. One night everything inside the tent filled up with sand. “At the end of the second day I lost my first toenail. The Sahara was a lot stonier than I thought it would be and you end up with impact wounds. “As the week went on it got worse. I ended up with the big toenail on my right foot having to be drilled to get the blood out.
“I’m in the course of losing four toenails at the moment.
“The hardest part was the overnight double marathon on stage four. “The following day was a normal marathon stage and I don’t know whether I picked up a bug overnight but I was chronically ill. I had stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhoea you name it, I had it for 24 hours.
“That was immensely hard because it was baking hot about 45C (113F) and I was physically drained. It was hard just to keep moving. “The willpower to give up was nearly as big as to keep going, to the point where I had to walk, there was nothing left in the tank.”
Steve’s cause gave him “an extra bit of responsibility when I was feeling down” and he completed the race in 37hrs 14mins 56secs 192nd out of more than 800 finishers.
He has raised more than £5,000 but has set a target of £10,000 and is already thinking about his next challenge.
Running from Land’s End to John o’ Groats and swimming the English Channel are among the options.
To find out more visit www.charitysahararun.co.uk
or make a donation at
www.justgiving.com/Steven-Shapland0
Any groups who would like Steve to give a presentation about the Marathon des Sables can call him on 01271 850420.
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