The Best Guide for the Neston Area

Neston Air Cadet Leader Takes on Sahara Challenge

In April of this year, Flight Lieutenant Paul Thelwell of 2375 (Neston) Squadron Air Cadets, took on the hardest challenge of his sporting career so far - the Marathon Des Sables (MDS).

Flight Lieutenant Paul Thelwell during the MDS

The MDS is an endurance race across the Sahara Desert, 156 miles in 6 days. His previous challenges have included cycling across America, Jordan, South Africa, swimming the English Channel, albeit as part of a relay team, and, numerous Ironman/Triathlons.

Flt Lt Thelwell was successful in gaining a place in the 30th Anniversary of the MDS competition, in June 2014. As this was his greatest test to date, he took five months out of cadets, starting serious training in September, and calculated he had covered over 1000 miles during training.

The 2014/15 winter was not the ideal conditions for getting ready for the Sahara Desert, some mornings going out when the temperature was below zero, not realising that the temperature in the race would get up to 51°c.

All his equipment had to be carried in a rucksack, and the only thing that was provided at the end of each day was a tent and supplies of water. Each tent housed 8 contestants in total.

Paul said: "I didn't realise that there was more to a desert than just sand, as I had to cross mountain ranges and uneven rocky terrain."

The race equated to 6 x 26 mile marathons, but one stage was 58 miles, which meant travelling through the night with just a head torch and compass. This definitely was his hardest challenge to date.

Paul said of his experience: "Having achieved what was the second to last item on my bucket list, I have just one more to go - top of Everest!

"As for the MDS, all that hard training paid off, and I will have memories and friends for life."

Report this article as inappropriate

Comments

You need to log in before you can do that! It's only a quick registration process to join the AMA network and completely free.