My name is Alastair MacLeod and I am a Royal Naval Officer.
From 4-14 April 2014 I shall be completing the Marathon des Sables, known as 'the toughest footrace on earth'.
This is a gruelling multi-stage ultra-marathon in the Sahara desert. In temperatures of over 50 degrees centigrade (122 fahrenheit), days are spent running across saltpans, up desert-mountains, through ruined towns and the occasional sand storm.
The Marathon des Sables, is the equivalent of five and a half marathons in six days and a total distance of some 251 km (156 miles).
In completing the Marathon des Sables, I am raising money for several worthwhile causes that are very close to my heart.
The first of these is the Royal Navy Royal Marines Charity. Having been to Afghanistan as a helicopter pilot with the Commando Helicopter Force on 4 occasions since 2009, I have flown the Medical Emergency Response Teams around Helmand Province evacuating severely injured casualties back to the medical facilities at Camp Bastion. I have been astounded by the scale of their injuries and the sheer determination of my colleagues to recover as quickly as possible and to lead as normal a life as they can. This chosen charity is integral to funding their rehabilitation and works closely with Help for Heroes.
Additionally I shall be raising money for several other charities. They are Macmillan Cancer Support, MIND, SANDS and the Campbell Burns Metabolic Trust. These have been chosen as they have supported me, close family members and very good friends who have lost parents, siblings and children in the past 6 months.
Please go to the following link and, if possible, make a donation:
