Gym owner Brian Foley is set to run the 'Marathon des Sables' next week across 250 kilometres of desert and “sweltering heat”.  

Over the course of six days, Foley and other participants will race across the Moroccan Sahara carrying a backpack filled with food and sleeping gear. 

Mr Foley is racing to raise money for Pieta House and Youth Suicide Prevention Ireland.  

Mr Foley told The Anton Savage Show that he got inspiration to complete a marathon over the COVID-19 lockdown.  

“I just needed to push my limits a little bit and find something within myself. I've become a little bit listless and kind of lost a bit of direction,” he said.  

Mr Foley said he will be racing in 50-degree heat during the day, with highest temperatures expected to be 52 degrees around midday.  

The longest run Mr Foley will complete in one go is approximately 80 to 95 kilometres on the fifth day of the marathon.  

Participants have to stay in front of a herd of camels in order to remain in the race – Mr Foley said he is hoping the camels are moving slowly over the six days.  

Mr Foley has never done anything “on this kind of scale before”.  

He said: “I guess the biggest concerns are obviously dehydration and heatstroke, and then obviously, your feet running around in sand.” 

“Carrying a bale of briquettes” 

Those running the marathon also must carry a backpack with all their food. Mr Foley said he is organising the bag “meticulously, gram by gram”. 

“It's going to be in the region of about 10 kilos, so half of that is my food for the week. As I go on that we get a little bit lighter, obviously as I'm using that food, so that's one bonus,” he said.  

A 10 kilogram bag is equivalent to a bale of briquettes – Mr Foley said he should have contacted Bord na Móna for “sponsorship”.  

Mindfulness 

Mr Foley said part of the “allure” of the marathon is the opportunity to be alone with your thoughts in physical exercise.  

He said: “You probably find out the difficult questions you're going to ask yourself when you get to that pivot. I don't know what I'm going to be thinking.” 

“I guess a lot of it is just trying to stay in my head and keep things positive and just get one foot in front of the other." 

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