Stage 1 of the 2nd edition of MDS 120 Cappadocia kicked off under the early light of an Anatolian sunrise, with 25 km’s of raw terrain waiting to test the field. A race drawing runners from 25 countries, with 62% of the field made up of women, the stage offered more than just a test of fitness. It celebrated resilience, international camaraderie, and the wild beauty of one of Earth’s most spectacular landscapes.
At 08:00, runners surged forward through soft dust and rising heat, chasing not just the finish line, but the promise of the valleys, ridges, and canyons that make Cappadocia a runner’s dream.
A perfect introduction to this region’s surreal terrain. Cappadocia’s sculpted rock formations and ancient pathways aren’t just scenic, they’re alive underfoot. The ground shifts from soft tuff to jagged stone without warning. Trails wrap through fairy chimneys, drop into hidden valleys, and climb ancient volcanic ridges that defy rhythm and punish pacing mistakes.
In Sword Valley, the finish line was framed by tall rock blades that towered like silent spectators. But before that moment of glory, runners had to earn it, through a twisting, relentless route that refused to give them anything for free.
This stage, at 25km’s, may have been short by ultra standards, but it made up for that in technicality and vertical grind.
“That climb? That was a truth serum to the CP,” said one British runner, laughing between gulps of water.
“I’ve raced ultras all over the world, and I’ve never seen terrain like this,”
This was only the opening round, but already the stage has shaped expectations for the rest of the MDS 120 Cappadocia: With deeper valleys, hotter days, and longer distances on the horizon, strategy will start to matter even more. Pacing, hydration, and mental grit will be required in abundance, especially with increasing hotter temperatures.
Equal parts brutal and beautiful, it gave runners a taste of what’s ahead: unpredictable terrain, and heat. The landscape demands respect. The heat punishes the arrogant. And the first finish line felt like a small rebirth.
One stage down. Two to go. Cappadocia has opened the door and it’s not letting anyone through without a fight.
The MDS Cappadocia returns for its second edition, bringing trail runners back to one of the most visually surreal landscapes on Earth.
Set across three demanding stages over four days, this is not your typical desert race, on the contrary, it’s a technical, high-impact trail event through ancient terrain steeped in history and visual splendour.
Runners choose between 70km, 100km, or 120km of total distance, stages 1 and 3 are the same for everyone, stage 2 participants choose 20/40 or 60km.
Each course is carved through a landscape that feels pulled from another planet.
This isn’t a race of endless dunes, Cappadocia stands unique in the MDS format with no sand. It’s a test of grit over rock, gravel, and dust trails, winding through steep valleys, high plateaus, and narrow chimney-like formations.
The terrain shifts constantly. One moment you’re powering up a canyon, the next you’re cruising past thousand-year-old cave dwellings.
Cappadocia’s late summer weather is unpredictable. Days can scorch above 30°C (86°F), while nights drop sharply in temperature. As with all MDS events, participants will sleep in individual tents in a stunning location set within an amphitheatre of rock.
The sky, often cloudless, fills at dawn with dozens of hot air balloons, silent giants drifting above the rock spires and carved cliffs. Arguably, one of the most unique and memorable sights in any MDS event.
Whether you’re going for the 70km or pushing through the full 120km, MDS Cappadocia strips away distractions and puts the challenge squarely on participant versus the trail: raw, remote, and unforgettable.
The sand is settling, the 2025 and 39th edition of Marathon des Sables The Legendary is over.
Quite simply, a hugely successful edition with 95% completion rate and good time vibes felt throughout the Sahara and beyond.
OVERVIEW
Cyril and Olivier with Michael from the USA – Photo by Ian Corless
The transition from 2023 to 2024 was not an easy one. The take over of MDS from Patrick Bauer and into the hands of Cyril and Olivier had created some concern and anxiety. Most certainly, the build up to the 2024 (38th) MDS had many concerns for participants that were vocalised on social media. However, after the 2024 event, all these worries and concerns were extinguished with an incredibly successful event and high finish rate. You Can read Marathon des Sables – The Legendary : 2024 Summary HEREshould you wish.
Nothing like a MDS start – Photo by Ian Corless
From May 2024 to April 2025 the build up to the 39th Legendary edition was seamless. The successful running and completion of MDS (3-stages over 4-days at 70/100 or 120km) events in Cappadocia, Fuerteventura, Jordan, Morocco, Atlantic Coast and the introduction of Trek and Handi only confirmed the growth, development, upward learning curve and the MDS team bonding and progression.
All of the concerns and worries for the 38th edition of Legendary played out on social media were not present for the 39th edition. There is a couple of reasons for this I believe:
The 38th edition had been a huge success and therefore worries and concerns were answered.
The pro-active communication from the MDS team improved considerably.
Runner testimonies from the 2024 event confirmed that the ‘new’ MDS team and the changes made were all positive.
Evolution, not revolution was the quote that Cyril Gauthier had used in 2023 this was played out in 2024 and then consolidated upon in 2025.
Arrival in the desert – Photo by Ian Corless
THE 2025 EVENT
Welcome to the Sahra – Photo by Ian Corless
Post-race questionnaires are extremely important for the MDS team. Cyril and Olivier very much take all the comments, absorb them, digest them and then move forward with new plans. If a new plan does not work and the participants confirm this, then it is changed. If a new plan works, it is retained. There are no one-stop easy solutions, MDS is an ever-growing and ever-changing event that must constantly be a chameleon to the ever-changing demands and needs of participants.
TRAVEL
Photo by Ian Corless
A key change for 2025 was in transportation. Two key points:
The core MDS team, based mostly in Paris, travelled to Morocco via train, boat and coach, taking 3-days and not using airplane travel. For 2025, this was a one way journey, a test, to see how feasible and practical this form of travel is. The general consensus from those who did it is/ was extremely positive. General comments were around this being an adventure in its own right, a brilliant opportunity to share more time with colleagues, a great opportunity to work while travelling and so on… I think we may well see this grow into something bigger for 2026!
In 2024, plane travel arranged by the MDS organisation was reduced to a minimum. For 2025 it was eradicated all together. Therefore, participants could no longer take the option of a MDS charter plane but had to arrange flights themselves. This is no big deal with so many flight options available, especially with MDS offering a free transfer coach service from Marrakech to Ouarzazate and post-race, a free transfer service back to Marrakech.
SELF-SUFFICIENCY
Photo by Ian Corless
Catering by the MDS organisation once in the Sahara was removed in 2024, this was reasoned for 2025. To clarify, when the buses leave Ouarzazate for the desert, self-sufficiency begins for the travel day, the fist night in bivouac, the following day (admin day), the evening and then, the following day, the race starts and ‘race’ self-sufficiency begins. There is a difference between the two forms of self-sufficiency as the travel day and admin day you can bring as much or as little as you like. Quite simply, it’s not part of the mandatory race minimum requirement of 2000 cal minimum per day. You can bring tinned food, drinks, wine, beer, caviar…. Whatever you wish! It’s a no brainer to be able to look after your own food requirements and quite simply it greatly reduces the possibility of food related health issues that could potentially ruin a race.
ADMIN DAY
Photo by Ian Corless
The procedures for admin day were changed for the 2024 edition and they were a huge success. This system was retained for 2025 making the process seamless, fast and considerably less painful than the procedures that had gone before.
Photo by Ian Corless
BIVOUAC
Photo by Ian Corless
In principle, it may well look the same, however, there are changes for the very observant. Firstly, the circles that make bivouac are smaller and tighter making the camp much more of a community. In 2025 there were new ‘women only’ tents for those who would prefer this option. On some days, in the middle of bivouac, yoga/ stretching was possible, circle of legend talks and yes, even a big fire.
WATER
Photo by Ian Corless
The provision of water was drastically changed in 2024 and this was retained for 2025. During the race there is no rationing of water. As you arrive at a CP, water is decanted into your bottles via MDS blue jackets who pour the water from jugs. This water comes from large 5ltr bottles. Quite simply, you can have 2x 750ml bottles filled, you can then drink one and it will be refilled if required – a game changer.
Photo by Ian Corless
Post-race you are provided with 1 large 5ltr bottle, the is rationed. So, this water must provide hydration post-race, be used for dinner/ breakfast and it must be used to fill your bottles to take you to CP1 the following day.
ICED WATER
Photo by Ian Corless
CP’s have MDS orange or blue jackets who will pour iced water over your head to enable cooling. It’s a small simple step that makes a huge change that ultimately helps facilitate completion of the Legendary.
ORANGE AND BLUE JACKETS
Photo by Ian Corless
The MDS would not happen without this amazing team of people. The energy, the enthusiasm, the constant good vibes make the runner the number one priority and YES, these people make the difference between finishing and not finishing. They are 100% switched on with the sole purpose to get every runner across the line. You can get a feeling of how important the blue and oranges are by taking a look HERE on Facebook.
Photo by Ian Corless
Orange jackets are the medical team who make sure that participants are looked after 100%. They are there for you, no matter what the issue. You will see them on the course at CP’s, in fast response vehicles, in 4×4’s and of course in the medical tents in bivouac.
SAFETY
Photo by Ian Corless
Any MDS event has risks associated with it. We are often in harsh environments, in challenging conditions, we have varying climate conditions and of course, we have runner’s and staff pushing the limit of what is humanly possible. Safety is taken very seriously and how safety is managed is an ever-changing and developing process.
Countless 4×4’s – Photo by Ian Corless
Legendary had more fast response vehicles, more medical professionals on course, there were 10 medical professional runner’s who did the course and there was a new mobile medical unit for 2025 which is state of the art. There was also the inclusion of the ‘Orange Squad’ – a medical team who do the course the opposite way so that they are able to see runner’s coming toward them and should there be a problem, they can help immediately.
Fast response – Photo by Ian Corless
Each runner is issued with a Spot Tracker and this allows the MDS team to monitor each runner on the course and importantly, they have an SOS button which if pressed, will receive a medical response vehicle in minutes.
Fitting SPOT – Photo by Ian Corless
Feet are always an issue and of course, the medical tent is there to facilitate foot repair in bivouac. It’s important to be self-sufficient and look after your feet yourself, however, as and when necessary, a medical professional is always there to help.
RACE BRIEFINGS
Race start times are very important and pre 2024, the race start time was somewhat unpredictable. This changed in 2024 and was upped to another level in 2025 with every stage starting exactly on time! It may sound like a small thing, but knowing you will be underway as scheduled makes planning so much easier. If it says 0600 start, you know it starts at 0600.
Another change was the addition of an English speaking announcer – yes, it was me! This was the idea of Cyril and we instigated and tested this at Atlantic Coast in January, it worked. So, for Legendary and moving forward, an English briefing will take place and then be translated into French and not the other way around. Stage 6 race briefing may well go down in history as the best. Mood was already high with the final stage ahead, nut hen we had participant, Reujen Lista join us on stage for a ‘live’ version of Highway to Hell – it was epic!
Highway to Hell ‘live’ – Photo by Florian
WEATHER
The weather took its toll – Photo by Ian Corless
As always, weather plays a key part in any MDS event. However, we are most definitely feeling the impacts of ever changing climatic conditions. It was always assumed that MDS will be hot and unbearable, history is showing that is not the case. Recently, particularly in Morocco, we have experienced difficult weather: MDS Morocco in October had torrential rain and flooding, the recent MDS Atlantic Coast in January had cooler temperatures, some rain and the last day had full-on sand storms. The 2025 Legendary started calmly and tranquil, it was looking to be a classic race, it was sunny, hot, but not too hot and the winds were relatively calm. That all changed come stage 4 (the long day) with cloudy skies and cooler temperatures in the day. During the night the winds increased, rain came and without doubt, from 2100 hrs the conditions were difficult and challenging. Especially for those who were moving through the night looking to get the long day done. CP’s had cold participants taking shelter looking to get warm and continue the journey. This weather continued through the rest day. Stage 5 had a mix of everything but the heat never came and stage 6 was cloudy, cool and with intermittent rain. There is a very big lesson that needs to be learned, I did say this before Legendary, but now, post-race, I can only say it more, you need to be prepared for bad weather! A good jacket is now essential, so much so, I do think that it should be added to mandatory kit. I also think it wise to make sure that you are able to keep key items, such as sleeping bag, dry during bad weather. Many had wet sleeping bags during the long day which can effectively make them useless, depending on what filling is inside.
THE ROUTE
Photo by Ian Corless
Legendary is now 6-stages over 7-days and this is a huge difference. Pre 2024, the race was 5-stages and stage 6 was a non-times ‘solidarity’ stage for charity. It’s hard to argue against the charity side of this, however, a non-timed 6th stage was pointless.
Photo by Ian Corless
The race is now 6-stages timed and raced.
Photo by Ian Corless
For 2024, the ‘long day’ was moved to stage 3. For 2025, it was moved back to stage 4. The main reason for this was due to the course and the start/ finish point.
Photo by Ian Corless
2024 participants, as always, tried to stress that the 2024 edition was/ would be harder than 2025. Of course it’s nonsense. Comments like, ‘Argh, but here was more vertical gain in 2024!’ were unfounded as the people who made these comments had obviously not done due diligence, the reality is the 2024 Legendary was 252.9km’s and the 2025 event was 250km. Vertical gain was almost identical, 2024 was 2788m+ and 2025 was 2710m+
Photo by Ian Corless
In many respects, the 2025 edition was more ‘classic MDS’ with a marathon after the rest day.
Photo by Ian Corless
The route was notably different for some key reasons. The Sahara is vast and of course, needs to be explored more. Due to runner demand and logistical reasons, certain features have become almost ‘essential’ when running Legendary. However, Cyril and the team wanted to change that and therefore, there was no Jebel El Otfal in 2025, there was a return to Merzouga Dunes and while the route travelled in similar areas of the Sahara, the track was approximately 80% new. There were some great ‘new’ additions such as the huge dune on stage 4 and the stage 5 route was very special.
Photo by Ian Corless
THE RACE
Rachid – Photo by Ian Corless
Rachid El Morabity once again took victory securing his 11th and in the process he set a record for the most victories. It’s an incredible achievement to have this level of consistency over so many years. It’s fair to say, the level of competition at the front end of the race was less in 2025. The only real person who could upset Rachid was Hamid Yachou, he unfortunately withdrew mid-race with injury. We could argue all day if Mohamed El Morabity could beat Rachid, the simple fact is, it would not happen. However, as we look ahead to 2026, will Mohamed take over the Rl Morabity reigns? Mohamed is 10-years younger than Rachid and therefore, he has great potential ahead. Also, the inclusion of the 3rd and younger El Morabity, Mbark, should not be looked over.
Maryline – Photo by Ian Corless
For the women, 2023 Legendary champion, Maryline Nakache returned and she was on fire. No, she was untouchable. For perspective, Maryline finished 3rd on GC for the long day and at the end of the race, was 4th on GC with the closest time to Rachid, by a woman, in the history of the race. Quite incredible. Aziza El Amrany won the race in 2024 and for 2025 she was 2nd, she looked great throughout, despite an arm injury, however, she was no match for Maryline. Tomomi Bitoh placed 3rd, she has placed 3rd before. However, Annelies Brak would have placed 3rd had she not received a 2-hour time penalty for non-compliance of mandatory kit.
Rachid completed the race in 20:55:47 and Maryline in 23:57:20. A total of 847 participants crossed the finish line, the last male Tomohito Hirai in 75:49:27 and the last woman, Nemoto Yuzuki in 74:31:01.
Reujen Lista rocking the awards – Photo by Ian Corless
Transfer back to Ouarzazate was easy and seamless with coaches filling with participants and leaving asap. Of course, a hotel, many showers, buffet food and a nice clean bed always feels amazing after the Sahara. The awards dinner turned into an impromptu rock concert with a participant, Reujen Lista, singing 3 songs on stage, the last, of course, was Highway to Hell. It was a fantastic way to end what was a legendary LEGENDARY.
The 2025 and 39th edition of MDS The Legendary came to a conclusion with a 21.1km stage under cloudy skies with occasional rain.
A hard won reward – Photo by Ian Corless
The weather did not dampen the spirit of the runner’s though, they were elated, excited and happy knowing that no matter what, today, they would cross the final finish line and receive a medal.
The atmosphere on the start line was electric, especially with an unplanned live version of Highway to Hell by Reujen Lista.
Aziza 2nd – Photo by Ian Corless
The stage concluded at the iconic Merzouga Dunes and in reality, all the racing was done, at least for the top-3 positions in the men’s and women’s races.
Rachid El Morabity would be crowned champion for the 11th time, a record!
Maryline – Photo by Ian Corless
Maryline Nakache would be crowned champion for the 2nd time, this year though, her victory is extra special, she ranked 4th overall, an incredible result. Also notable, her time, was just over 2-hours slower than Rachid, 23:57:20 to Rachids’ 20:55:47.
Mohamed, Mbark and Rachid, unstoppable brothers – Photo by Ian Corless
For perspective, the last finisher was Tomohito Hirai in 75:49:27 and the last female finisher was Sarah Thomas Britton 74:01:23.
Tomomi 3rd – Photo by Ian Corless
An incredible 847 were crowned ‘Legends’ when they crossed the line, a 95% success rate.
Emotion – Photo by Ian CorlessEmotion – Photo by Ian CorlessEmotion – Photo by Ian Corless
The 39th edition will be remembered for a calm ‘classic’ MDS start, temperatures were good, the wind was low and the skies were blue.
Photo by Ian Corless
However, on stage 4, the long day, the winds increased under what was a cooler and cloudier day. By 2100 hours the wind was roaring, sand was blowing everywhere and suddenly heavy rains came making the conditions horrific for those out on the course and difficult for those in camp.
Photo by Ian Corless
The cooler weather stayed for stage 5, however, it did brighten in the afternoon only to become windy once agin.
Stage 6 was cloudy and wet at the start and it remained that way for most of the day. The rain came, went, and came back again.
Photo by Ian Corless
In brief summary, the 39th edition route introduced competitors new areas of the Sahara and stage 2 was considered the hell stage with a great deal of soft sand. Conditions were variable, despite the strong winds and some rain, cooler temperatures certainly made the race more manageable.
The emotion on the finish line was electric, as always, from first to last, a whole rane of emotions were witnessed, the glow of a medal making the 6-stage, 250km journey a memorable life changing one.
The awards ceremony in Ouarzazate, may well have been the most memorable yet. The film was shown to a huge applause and then, we were all treated to a live performance by Reujen Lista who performed three songs, the last one, of course, Highway to Hell!
Photo by Ian CorlessPhoto by Ian CorlessPhoto by Ian Corless
The rest day allowed participants an opportunity to relax, look after their bodies and recharge ready for stage 5. However, sand storms throughout the day caused consistent problems, gladly, they eased when darkness came.
Photo by Ian Corless
With 2 starts for stage 5, 0630 and 0800, bivouac awoke early with the eagerly anticipated marathon stage.
Enthusiasm was high with the long day done! It may sound crazy, but the minds of the runners now think, ‘it’s only a marathon today!’
Photo by Ian Corless
The early part of the day was cloudy and cool, allowing for some great running temperatures.
Photo by Ian Corless
Around 0900 the sun started to appear but was constantly arriving and disappearing and on occasion, small amounts of rain would fall. As the day progressed, once again the winds increased for some challenging conditions.
Photo by Ian Corless
The route, new for MDS took participants through 3 key sections, Znigui Dunes, a mountain pass j. el Beg’e and finally a return to Znigui Dunes.
Photo by Ian Corless
The men’s race was as expected, not a race. The top-3 contenders ran together for much of the day. It was only in the latter stages that Rachid and Mohamed pulled away from Ahmed to finish in 3:26:15 and 3:26:55 with Ahmed 4:26 later for a finish of 3:30:41.
Photo by Ian Corless
For the women, Aziza pushed hard from the front, constantly fighting and never giving up.
Photo by Ian Corless
However, Maryline looked calm and relaxed, she is in incredible form this year. Eventually she caught and passed Aziza to open up a gap of 03:37 to finish in 03:45:27.
Photo by Ian Corless
Aziza crossed the line in 03:39:04 and as expected, Annelies Brak charged looking to get back time after a 2-hour penalty and regain the 3rd position. She finished 3rd on the stage in 04:14:22.
Photo by Ian Corless
Tomomi Bitoh who is in 3rd overall finished 6th losing time to Annelies and 4th place on GC, Francesca Canepa had a tough marathon stage finishing 12th in 05:00:08 which has now moved Annelies to 4th on GC.
Photo by Ian Corless
With 21.1km’s tomorrow, Tomomi has a substantial 40-minute lead over Annelies. Can Annelies do something remarkable?
The mood in bivouac was incredible after stage 1. Many happy runners felt relaxed with the race started and one completed stage. With nerves and anxiety settled, everyone was eager to continue the journey with stage 2.
Photo by Ian Corless
With 40km’s and 614m+ the day was going to be a considerably harder challenge with 8km’s extra and almost double the vertical of stage 1. For the front of the race this would equate to one extra hour, for those towards the back, considerably more time on the feet.
Photo by Ian Corless
Wiyh an 0700 start and a slight wind from the east, the runner’s were treated to cooler temperatures for the first 3-hours and then heat started to rise and by mid-afternoon, the temperatures hovered around 30-degrees.
Photo by Ian Corless
Early action came from Mohamed El Morabity for the men and Aziza El Amrany for the women. Of course, the main protagonists were not far behind.
Photo by Ian Corless
Maryline Nakache, Ragna Debats and Gemma Game followed Aziza.
For the men, Hamid and Amed ran side-by-side and then Rachid was in 4th just a minute back.
Photo by Ian Corless
Passing through the early CP’s it was between CP2 and CP3 that Rachid made a move for the front and he pulled away.
Behind, Hamid was in a Mohamed and Amed sandwich, he was marked constantly and of course, Rachid continued to move ahead, reclaim lost time from stage 1 and win convincingly to provide enough margin to lead the race.
Photo by Ian Corless
With 2-stages covered, the top-3 men are ranked:
Rachid El Morabity 05:54:35
Mohamed El Morabity 05:55:53
Hamid Yachou 05:59:40
Photo by Ian Corless
Maryline Nakache is on fire this year, the 2023 champion started slowly but once in gear she was on fire, so much so she dominated the stage for the women and finished 6th overall and is now 6th on GC too – impressive.
Photo by Ian Corless
Aziza El Amrany, the 2024 champion, battled hard, but it was impossible to match the pace of the French woman.
Previous MDS champ, Ragna Debats was in 3rd place ahead of Annelies Brak and Gemma Game.
Photo by Ian Corless
With 2-stage complete, the women’s top-3 is as follows:
Tomorrow, stage 3 is 32.5km’s and no doubt, for the majority, will be a day to move easily and efficiently saving as much energy as possible before the intimidating long day for stage 4.
The wait was over, after 2-nights in bivouac, nearly 1000 participants were released into the Sahara at 0730am to the sound of ‘Highway to Hell!’ The 2025 MDS The Legendary was underway.
Photo by Ian Corless
Anticipation was high and the enthusiasm electric on the start line. For many, the MDS The Legendary is a life time dream, reflected with 80% of the start field first time participants at the event.
Photo by Ian Corless
With 32km’s to cover and 312m+ of vertical gain, the stage was designed to ease the participants into the 39th edition, the time allowance, 9-hours and 10-minutes.
Sunrise was spectacular and wind blow the participants from behind for the first half of the course, sadly, it would be a headwind for the return.
Photo by Ian Corless
As expected, Rachid El Morabity lead the charge from the line with Hamid Yachou close. For 2025, Aziz Yachou will not race, Rachid’s greatest rival.
Rachid leads Hamid early on – Photo by Ian Corless
Behind, Amed Ouikhalfen, Mbark El Morabity and Mohamed El Morabity followed.
For the women, the 2024 Legendary champion, Aziza El Amrany set the pace at the front.
She was followed by the 2023 Legendary champion, Maryline Nakache with Gemma Game and Tomomi Bitoh following.
Tomomi – Photo by Ian Corless
The pace at the front was fast, very fast and the main contenders were at CP1 in close to 30-minutes. Rachid pushed the pace opening a gap and constantly looking behind to asses the damage.
Mohamed – Photo by Ian Corless
Rachid’s brother, Mohamed, was now moving through the field looking to make contact at the front.
Aziza was pushing hard, but Maryline was closing the gap having settled into her pace. Ragna Debats, 2019 Legendary champion was also easing into the race looking to gain ground on Gemma Game.
At the front, coming into CP3, Mohamed was now running with Rachid and Hamid was chasing, the brothers, once again were playing the tactical game to secure another victory for Rachid.
Rachid and Mohamed – Photo by Ian Corless
In the closing kilometers, Mohamed opened a gap and won the stage in 02:20:29, Rachid finished in 02:21:37 and Hamid 02:23:11.
Hamid – Photo by Ian Corless
I would read nothing in the victory of Mohamed, it is not a reflection of greater ability over his brother Rachid, purely a tactical game to secure victory for the elder brother and a record 11th title.
Aziza – Photo by Ian Corless
Maryline and Aziza ran side-by-side matching each others stride perfectly approaching CP3, would the elastic snap?
Maryline – Photo by Ian Corless
Yes! Maryline opened a gap and pushed the pace winning in 02:58:22 and 6th overall.
Ragna – Photo by Ian Corless
Aziza faded in the final km’s and crossed in 03:08:12.
Photo by Ian Corless
Ragna finished 3rd in 03:17:14, and with this podium, we have 3 past MDS Legendary champions battling for the 2025 title.
Photo by Ian Corless
The terrain of the day was classic Sahara, a mix of flat rocky plateau, small sand and rock climbs and a mix of small dunes. A great introduction.
Photo by Ian Corless
Mood throughout the race was high, everyone was happy to have just started the 2025 journey, the anticipation high for the 5-stages to come. The youngest competitor 18, the oldest 76, a true reflection of everything that is great about the sport.
Tomorrow, stage 2 is 40km’s and we leave the bivouac of the last days to a new bivouac in a new part of the Sahara. A point-to-point day that will test everyone with a great deal of soft sand.
It is race week, the 39th MDS The Legendary is just days away. Today, Tuesday April1st, for many, will be the last full day of preparation before travel starts. Use the time wisely and use this post Countdown to MDS The Legendary 2025 – Three as a place to start to make sure you have everything.
You may be wondering what the race will look like in regards to distance in 2025? If you know where to look, distances are online and as below:
Stage 132km with 312m+ and 0730am start
Stage 240km 614m+ and 0700am start
Stage 332.5km 468m+ and 0730am start
Stage 4 82.2km 690m+ and 0600am start
Rest Day
Stage 542.2km 424m+ and 0630am start
Stage 621.1km 202m+ and 0630am start
Total 250km and 2710m+
You may be wondering how the 2025 distance and vertical compares to 2024, well, it’s almost identical – 2024 was 252.8km and 2788m+ – The long day was on day 3, so, the order was different, however, daily distances are +/- the same.
The only thing you need to do now is go through the following:
Get your checklist and go through everything and make sure you have all you need.
If possible get some heat exposure – Bikram yoga, heat chamber, sauna, hot bath or similar.
Move – your training is done but your body will appreciate some movement, this can be just walking or some easy running with some short strides to loosen up.
Travel with MDS pack and all equipment (ex poles and knife) and wear race shoes.
Take extra clothing and items in check-in luggage so you can fine tune equipment when in the Sahara.
Remember you are self-sufficient in the desert for the days before the race, have enough food and any drinks you require. Water is provided.
You are in the final 2-weeks for MDS The Legendary.
With this in mind, we follow up the conference calls that took place on Friday March 21st with a summary.
First and foremost, the conference calls were recorded and you can view them on YouTube, the english version is as below.
SUMMARY NOTES AND KEY POINTS
The adventure will be here soon, do not worry, keep calm, 80% of you are first time participants.
Here we will go over the key information about the race.
Logistics
Passport – keep it handy and make sure you don’t forget it! Make sure you have at leat 6 months validity.
Wear race clothing for travel including shoes and gaiters.
Take RACE PACK with all contents as carry-on luggage, this includes the food. The only items you must check-in are poles and knife/ scissors etc.
MDS admin send you a procedure via newsletter in case your checked bag gets lost.
There will also be a pre-race shop at bivouac if needed, this will not have an exhaustive amount of equipment, but it may help in an emergency.
What happens when you land in Marrakech?
At the airport as you exit, after baggage collection, there will be a welcome area on April 2 and 3rd look out for the MDS team wearing orange and blue gilets.
Board your bus
Bus schedule:
KENZI ROSE: April 2 & 3 – 7:00 AM
RAK AIRPORT: April 2 & 3 – 10:00 AM
RAK AIRPORT: April 2 & 3 – 12:00 PM
The drive to Ouarzazate is approximately 4-hour ride + mid-way break MDS will provide a snack. If you have special dietary needs, you should have submitted that on our website. You’re welcome to bring your own snack if that makes you feel more comfortable.
Drop-off at hotels in Ouarzazate – all buses stop at all hotels:
El Baraka
La Perle du Sud
Berbère Palace
Karam Palace
You’ll spend 1 or 2 nights there depending on your booking. Our staff will be present in the main hotels in Ouarzazate if you need anything.
April 4
Transfer to the bivouac
Meet at 7:30 AM in Ouarzazate to board the bus from either:
Karam Palace
Berbère Palace
6-hour transfer
1 break during the ride, lunch pack will be provided BUT I recommend you purchase items in Ourarzazate to take with you, remember dta 1 and day 2 in bivouac is self-sufficient.
REMEMBER you are self-sufficient with food BEFORE the race starts. So, you need to take adequate food, snacks etc. There is no restriction here as you carry this in your luggage.
➤ Arrival at the bivouac with your suitcase and all your gear
➤ You’ll be assigned an 8-person tent – tent numbers will be shared next week
➤ Arrival briefing
➤ Sleep
IMPORTANT – You have luggage with you this night, a great opportunity to fine tune what you will take when racing. If it is cold, you can pack extra layers. If hot, you can maybe take less.
April 5
Technical checks stay in your bivouac tent and a member of the MDS team will come to your tent and tell you when to go. Expect this to take approximately 1-hour.
You will drop your luggage at the technical check. you will not see or have access to luggage until AFTER the race when you return to Ouarzazate.
Rest in camp and prepare for the race.
April 6–12
Race Stages You’ll discover the stage details in the roadbook, given to you when boarding the bus on April 4.
The long stage will be the 4th stage.
The race will be 250km’s over 6-stage / 7-days.
A typical stage:
Early starts so you will be getting ready in the dark.
Checkpoints every 10km (+/-) with unlimited water
We recommend carrying an extra soft flask for flexibility – but remember, you carry it!
Each CP has shaded rest zones
Orange-vest staff to help if needed for any medical issue
Cold water available to cool your neck (bring a neck gaiter!)
Feminine hygiene products available at bivouacs and on course
Minimum pace is 3.5 km/h – no stress, go at your own rhythm.
End of the stage: You can refill your bottles + get a 5L water bottle to last to CP 1 the following day.
EQUIPMENT
Review the list of mandatory equipment
First night at the bivouac: Good opportunity to test how cold it gets.
Bring a proper sleeping bag,
Have with you warm layers, light down jacket, etc.
Sleeping mat is highly recommended
Make sure you have tried and tested shoes with gaiters
Foot care – trim your toenails before the race – not too short, not too long. A pedicure can be a good idea.
Bring socks you’re used to, and maybe a spare pair.
Foot care during the race:
Clean and let your feet breathe after each stage.
If you feel a blister or small injury, go see the medics immediately – don’t wait!
Rain?
Keep a rain jacket and a rain cover for your bag in your WAA pack – just in case.
Protect yourself from the sun: Hat, sunscreen, sunglasses – don’t neglect anything!
Clothing: Test your gear beforehand to avoid surprises One race outfit + one bivouac outfit is enough
Fire starter bricks – available in the pre-race shopMENT
Before the race: Food for the evening of April 4 and the full day on April 5 – whatever you like.
During the race: Plan 7 days of food: breakfast, lunch, dinner. For the last stage, only breakfast + snacks for the stage are needed. A lunch pack will be given on the return bus.
So, you need roughly 20 meals, totalling around 12,000 to 14,000 calories minimum.
Strategy – Test your meals and drinks in advance! Don’t bring 3 or 4 of the same meal unless you’re sure you like it.
Backpack weight It adds up quickly – aim to be as close to the minimum 6.5kg as possible. This does NOT include water.
Medical Advice Hygiene rules:
Never drink tap water.
Don’t share bottles or cups.
Avoid raw vegetables at hotels or elsewhere.
Stick to cooked food before and after the race.
Your digestive system will be sensitive.
Heat and stress can also cause minor digestive issues.
Don’t panic – mild diarrhea is often just your body adjusting (and it might even make you lighter!).
Limit physical contact at the bivouac.
Wash hands frequently – especially before eating or after using the toilet.
Use hand sanitizer often.
Tips for a safe race:
No self-medication If you feel unwell, don’t self-medicate.
Avoid NSAIDs like ibuprofen, Voltaren, etc. – they can cause serious complications during intense effort.
Talk to the medics instead.
No COMPEED® for blisters They melt into your skin in the desert heat and make treatment harder.
Hydration Drink according to thirst – don’t over hydrate.
Drink two diluted bouillon cubes per race day.
MDS do not provide salt tablets as they’re not recommended.
Treat pain early The earlier, the better – avoid complications.
Listen to your body Fatigue, dizziness, pain – speak to an Orange Vest!
Medical Form One week before the MDS Legendary, you’ll receive a medical questionnaire from: no-reply@logicoss.net. Filling it out is mandatory to help the medical team take care of you during the event.
Race Tracking
Friends and family can follow you on the MDS website
Live tracking page
Live webcam
EMOTION BOXES
Satellite phone
There will be some connection spots – but we recommend disconnecting and enjoying the moment.
Final stretch:
Stop training. If possible get some heat acclimation – sauna, heat chamber, hot yoga etc
Don’t stress.
Once you’re in Morocco, we take care of everything.
Enjoy it!
Any questions? Call us.
A full recap will be emailed to you next week with all these details.
It is two weeks to go, finally the big target is in your grasp, MDS The Legendary 2025 is waiting! To all intents and purposes, your training is now done. You will not get fitter in these last 14-days, only more tired, more stressed and potentially injured. Accept that the work is done, other than some easy runs or walks to keep moving and some planned heat acclimation, use the extra time that would have been used for training as planning time.
DON’T PANIC!
If you have got this far, you are in a great place.
When you break the race down, here are my TOP 20 TIPS of what to focus on for Marathon des Sable – The Legendary.
Photo by Ian Corless
MEDICAL
Make sure you have all the medical requirements fulfilled and an up to date ECG as specified in MDS rules and regulations. There can be no compromise here. The MDS medical time, quite correctly, are adamant that all protocols must be adhered to. This is for your safety.
The organization provide a medical certificate which you must download and you must have a resting electrocardiogram (ECG) report plus graph, dated less than 30 days before the start of the race.
The original documents are to be presented during the administrative, technical and medical checks on the admin day in bivouac. Failure to present these documents will incur penalties (see ART.27 et 28).
Note:
The signature and the stamp of the doctor must be applied on them.
Only the original documents, dated and signed, will be accepted (photocopy is not valid).
TRAINING
Well, we are all individuals, we all have different abilities, we all have different goals, we all have different free time and the list could go on. Importantly, keep the balance of training days the same. If you typically run 5-days a week, maintain those 5-days and reduce the volume/ intensity.
The Taper:
Week 2: 40km or 4.8 hours
Week 1: 20km or 2.4 hours (race week)
Your body needs to keep alert and active. So make sure you add some stimulus in this taper period, short periods of faster running and/ or hill work are ideal. However, do all this with the priority not to get injured. Now is not the time to get a niggle, a sprain or a problem.
ACCLIMATE
In the final two weeks of taper you need to hone in on acclimation to heat and prepare the body.
Don’t leave this to the last minute, plan ahead, especially if using a heat chamber. Heat chambers are limited and obviously, time slots are limited.
If you do not have access to a heat chamber think of other options: sauna, hot baths, bikram yoga, adding layers when running, or if you are lucky with time, arrive in Morocco early and taper in a real situation.
EQUIPMENT
You will have been mulling over equipment for months and you may well have tweaked and changed your choices. Now, with 2-weeks to go, this is the time to make sure you have everything you need and also understand what it all weighs.
Clothes must be comfortable and not rub.
Shoes fit perfectly, give no hot spots and are suitable for the desert environment and have gaiters.
You need a minimum of 2000 calories per day. Lay food out for each day and have a spreadsheet that itemises everything and shows the weight and calories.
Where possible, re-package food in smaller and lighter packaging. Particularly important with dehydrated meals. Read HERE
TRAVEL
Runner’s are required to be at Ouarzazate Airport on the morning of Friday April 4th. Travel is for you to plan, flights are no longer provided by the MDS organisation, however, they do offer a free transfer service from Marrakech.
To get to Morocco and Ouarzazate, you can arrive at various airports:
Ouarzazate airport – Fly to Ouarzazate before the race and spend one or more nights in a hotel (at your own expense), then come to one of the meeting points on the morning of April 4. You must arrive no later than April 3.
Marrakech airport – Shuttles will be organized on the morning of April 2 and 3, 2025, between Marrakech and Ouarzazate (5-hour journey).
Travel in your run clothing including your run shoes with the gaiters. Yes, you are going to look somewhat ‘special’ at the airport but trust me, luggage goes missing and you do not want to be the person standing in the Sahara watching your dream slip away because of lost luggage.
Take your run pack with all contents for the race as carry-on. You can take pretty much take everything: food, sleeping bag, essentials etc. The only items you cannot take are run poles and knife-
Take spare items in your hold/ ckeckin luggage. MDS varies considerably in temperature, we get hot and cold years. Never assume it will be hot. You have the opportunity in bivouac to fine tune equipment before admin.
Purchase food and drinks at the airport to take on the plane. Also consider when you land in Morocco, you will have an approximate 6-hour bus journey to bivouac 1, take food and drink with you for this trip. However, MDS do ptovide you with a packed lunch.
Have cash with you, depending on which airline you use, card payments are not always possible, also, in Morocco, cash is king.
ARRIVAL
Runner’s are required to be at Ouarzazate Airport on the morning of Friday April 4th see above.
Runners will then fill buses, road books will be given and then you transfer to the desert. Expect 6-hours.
At bivouac you will find your tent and settle in.
REMEMBER food is now NOT provided and you therefore need to feed yourself on arrival day and admin day. There are no restrictions on weight or calories here, so, take as much as you want and plenty of variety, this includes drinks. Only water will be in camp.
As mentioned above, until admin, you have your luggage with you, so, you can have more layers, a more comfortable inflatable bed and some luxuries – consider what will make these days more pleasurable and comfortable. Importantly, you can fine tune your race pack with more or less layers based on the weather forecast and conditions.
ADMIN DAY
On admin day, prepare all your kit and make sure you have everything prepared and ready. Also make sure you have all mandatory and essential kit. Once you have passed through admin, your luggage is taken away and you will not see it again until after the race when you return to Ouarzazate.
Race self-sufficiency actually only starts the following day with stage 1.
Admin used to be a long and lengthy process, however, the system changed in 2024 and it was fast and seamless. Make sure you have a drink and snacks while waiting. A top tip is carry an umbrella to protect you in case of a very hot day.
RACE
The race will be 6-stages over 7-days. The distance will be 250km’s and the long day will be stage 4. There will be no Djebel El Otfal and Merzouga Dunes are back. Cyril Gauthier described the route as very beautiful and very tough. There will be a great deal of soft sand. Listen to a podcast where this is all discussed Countdown to MDS The Legendary 2025 – Two
“…and for sure it will be tough, I am not going to tell you that it will be easy! The distance will be 250km’s, I am little unhappy because I cannot put the long stage in the third position, I loved this last year, but according to our plan, we need to move it to the fourth stage. It will be tough, very tough and really beautiful. We have some amazing places planned, 80% is new tracks. You will see places never seen before in any MDS. There will be no El Otfal, there will be lots of sand and yes, Merzouga will return.” – Cyril Gauthier
Ease in to the race. Respect the challenge ahead. A slower and calmer pace on stage 1 and 2 will be rewarded on stage 3 and especially on stage 4, the long day. Remember after the long day you have a rest day. Stage 5 will almost certainly be a marathon, stage 6 a half marathon, plan for this physically, mentally and make sure you eat well to have the energy.
AFTER THE RACE
You will cross the finish line and be given a medal.
You will then be requested to board coaches that will be waiting for you. As each bus fills, it will depart for Ouarzazate, expect a 6-7 hour journey. A packed lunch will be provided.
On arrival in Ouarzazate, you will go to your hotel, your luggage will be waiting and then you have free time, dinner will be at your hotel.
The following day is a free day. In the evening it will be the awards ceremony.
Departure day, please make sure you check details for transfers to Marrakech if that is applicable for you.
Interested in another MDS event in 2025?
A full calendar of dates and destinations are available HERE
IAN CORLESS 