Feeling a Moment - Feeder

Don't let it go...

Moments in life slip through our fingers like grains of sand. Ordinary days blur into one. Conversations we have are quickly forgotten and things we promise to remember, we simply forget. But then there are moments that are different. They make us stop in our tracks. They can be completely overwhelming and these moments matter.

The truth is, we can’t choose the moments that change you. And to remember such moments, you must first be in the ‘now’.

Without question, we live in a constantly changing world. What’s next? What’s better? What’s trending? It’s rapid alright. We end up replaying yesterday’s regrets whilst fast-forwarding through tomorrow’s worries, yet the present moment is the only place where life actually happens. Not in the past. Not in the future. Right here – right now.

Memory isn’t just a mental recording it’s an emotional imprint. We can’t remember every detail of our lives, but we can remember how moments felt and if you want to remember the moment, let yourself feel it fully. 

Sometimes remembering the moment means putting down your phone. It means resisting the urge to capture everything on film and instead experiencing it for yourself. A photo can remind you of a place, but presence allows you to relive it. There is a difference between recording a memory and creating one.

It’s also important to remember that not every meaningful moment is happy. Some are more difficult, uncomfortable, and bittersweet. In the future, what feels ordinary now may be the very thing you long to revisit. So, take a deep breath and look around. Feel your feet on the ground and let a moment really register.

Life isn’t made of years – it’s made of moments. And the ones you choose to capture are the ones you will carry with you forever.

One of mine is looking down from Jebel Otfal in the Marathon des Sables in 2017 a year after being paralysed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome. A place I thought I’d never be able to see in the dark days of recovery.

What’s yours?

1,236 Marathons - 291 Ultras - 10 GWR - 18 MDS - 1 Moment

Road to Nowhere - The Talking Heads

My preparation for MdS is all about planning and adaptability. Early on in my career, I was far more ‘gung-ho’ learning lessons the hard way, during races. Over the years and with the help of my wife’s Jen’s attention to detail at the race, my preparation became has become more of a science with precise packing and smarter training plans.

It’s more about the value of learning from experience rather than following fads in running gear or the latest training gimmicks. My approach respects how your body reacts over longer distances. Lessons about footcare and injury prevention came from years of trial and error, success on the road and in the desert rather than from other people’s ideas and strange footcare potions.

 

The MdS mindset is that completion matters more than competition. I’ve started over a thousand marathons and ultramarathons and have never failed to finish one. This isn’t down to speed or natural talent, but my persistence and resilience. For me, success isn’t measured by where I finish, it’s about crossing the line, no matter how tough the conditions are. 

The MDS teaches one patience, perseverance and the power of pushing on through when the mind wants to quit.

 

When I coach someone for the MDS, the first thing I tell them is simple, this race will expose your preparation. The desert doesn’t reward bravado. It rewards honesty, discipline, and patience.

My coaching approach comes from experience.. I’ve made mistakes out there, so others don’t have to. Early on, I thought toughness was enough, well it isn’t. Toughness without structure leads to injury, panic, or a very long week in the Sahara. What gets you through MDS is calm decision-making under stress and that starts months before the race.

I focus heavily on the fundamentals. Training isn’t about smashing yourself every session. It’s about consistent time on your feet, learning how your body responds when it’s tired, hot, and under-fuelled. Back-to-back runs, steady pacing, and long hours moving matter far more than chasing speed. If you arrive at the start line already broken, you’ve lost before you begin.

Kit selection is another area where people overthink and under-test. I coach runners to be boring with their gear. Nothing new. Nothing unproven. Your pack, shoes, socks, and food should feel familiar before you ever set foot in the desert. The MDS is not the place for experiments.

 

Comfort, efficiency, and simplicity win every time.

The race is long, very long and the sand is unforgiving, I encourage runners to focus inwards, manage their own pace, their own energy, their own problems. If you can stay calm when things start to unravel, you’re already ahead of most of the field.

One of the most important strategies I teach is breaking the race down. Never think about the full distance. Never think about how many days are left. Think about the next checkpoint. The next hour. Sometimes the next few steps. 

Above all, I coach runners to respect the race - I do.

My job as a coach is to prepare people so that when things get hard, they recognise the moment, manage it, and keep going. That’s how you finish the MDS and that’s what stays with you long after the desert is behind you.

1,234 Marathons - 290 Ultras - 10 GWR - 18 MDS - 1 Direction 

Approach - U2

People often ask me how I approach the Marathon des Sables, as if there’s a secret formula. And if there is it’s ‘respect the race, respect yourself, and never underestimate the desert’.

I’ve completed the Marathon des Sables many times now, and every edition has taught me something new. No matter how experienced you are, the Sahara doesn’t care about what you’ve done as it strips everything back. Out there, there are no egos, and it’s you, alone with your pack, and alone your thoughts.

My approach has changed over the years. In the early years, I was far more gung-ho. I believed toughness alone was all I needed to get through. Toughness matters, of course, but what really gets you to the finish line is preparation and patience. These days, I obsess more over the basics – kit choice, pack weight, foot care and nutrition nothing glamorous, but all super important as small mistakes in the desert don’t stay that small for long.

Training for MdS isn’t about trying to destroy yourself every day. It’s about consistency. You build resilience slowly, stacking in the miles and time on your feet, learning how your body reacts when it’s tired, hungry, and hot. I want runners to arrive at the start line confident, not broken. The race will do enough of that on its own.

Mentally, I approach MdS with one clear objective - to finish. I’ve never been interested in racing other people out there. The real competition is the voice in your head telling you to stop. When things get dark as they can do I remind myself why I’m there. Most people who sign up are either running away from something or running towards something. Knowing which one you are, makes all the difference when you’re trudging through soft sand at 2am in the morning.

I break the race down into bite sized chunks. Never think about the full distance. Never think about tomorrow. Think about the next checkpoint. The next step. Sometimes the next ten steps. Momentum is powerful, even when it’s painfully slow.

One thing I’ve learned is that finishing strong doesn’t mean finishing fast. It means staying calm when things go wrong, because they will. Blisters, heat, fatigue, doubt. You don’t fight them; you manage them. You accept them as part of the experience.

The Marathon des Sables isn’t just a race to me. It’s a mirror. It shows you who you are when comfort is removed and excuses don’t work anymore. Every time I return, I’m reminded why I started running in the first place, not to escape hardship, but to prove I can work my way through it.

Crossing the finish line never gets boring. Not because it’s heroic, but because it’s honest. You’ve earned every step. And in the desert, that’s enough believe me.

1,234 Marathons - 290 Ultras - 10 GWR - 18 MDS - 1 Approach

Decade - Duran Duran

Ten years have slipped by since 2016, and it’s strange how both near and far that year feels now. Back then, the world seemed busy yet somehow familiar. Social media was still playful rather than exhausting and many of us still believed the future would follow a vaguely predictable kinda line. 

A decade later, that confidence now feels somewhat naive.

You see, since 2016 we’ve lived through events that’ve reshaped how we perceive time, trust and each other. The global pandemic paused everyday life and reminded us how fragile our world really is. Work moved into kitchens and spare rooms. Handshakes disappeared overnight and words like ‘lockdown’ and ‘social distancing’ became part of daily language, and the idea of ‘normal’ quietly changed meaning.

Technology has accelerated everything. We are more connected than ever, yet many people feel lonelier. At the same time, awareness has grown around mental health, inclusion, climate, and the importance of speaking out. 

It’s been a turbulent passage of time, yet we have become more reflective.

On a personal level, the years since 2016 have left their own scars. I’ve aged, adapted, and learned resilience I didn’t know I possessed.

And as this decade passes into memory, it leaves behind a quiet challenge. Not to romanticise the past or fear the future, but to take what I’ve learned about empathy, patience, and perspective and use it wisely.

1,234 Marathons - 290 Ultras - 10 GWR - 18 MDS - 10 Years

Faith - George Michael

Here’s a clear thought for the day.

Belief in the people you surround yourself with is a quiet act of trust. You give your time, your loyalty, and your care, hoping it is met with the same reliability and love you offer. 

 

Some people rise to that standard effortlessly; others reveal themselves only when tested. It’s worth asking whether those closest to you show up consistently, speak honestly, and protect your wellbeing as you protect theirs. 

 

Belief should not mean blind faith. The right people steady you, challenge you kindly, and stand firm when it matters. Mutual belief is where real connection lives and lasts.

Who do you have faith in?

1,234 Marathons - 290 Ultras - 10 GWR - 18 MDS - 1 Mind

Reach out I'll be there - Four Tops

2026 is already shaping up to be a pivotal time in a lot of the lives of the I’m working with – people that have simply REACHED OUT. People that have been STRONG enough to acknowledge that some guidance and different thinking might be all they need to get things straight in their lives once more.

I say STRONG because REACHING OUT is all too often thought of as being WEAK or FAILURE. I know only too well myself as I felt totally defeated and ay my lowest ebb when I REACHED OUT for help myself all those years’ ago. The funny thing was that as soon as I shared my predicament – my world took a turn for the better and it felt like the light started to shine on me once again.
 
In general Men want help becoming STRONGER and FASTER whereas Women want to be VALUED and HEARD – a very PHYSICAL:EMOTIONAL equation. Maybe it’s down to a confidence issue in both sexes. Men need the uplift in times and performance to give them the edge to take on the world and Women need their confidence reinstated after years of Male suppression. Every Woman I coach is STRONG, CLEVER and AWESOME – it’s just a shame they find it hard to ACCEPT, ACKNOWLEDGE and ANNOUNCE and when they do, I find it most refreshing (YOU know who you are).
 
I also find it refreshing when Men REACH OUT publicly and announce that they are in fact MORTAL and are finding life tough (YOU know who you are) as it’s cool – VERY COOL in fact as PEOPLE LOVE to help other PEOPLE. You might find that LOVE comes from the PEOPLE you might least expect and not from those nearest to you. 
 
But then, LIFE is FULL of SURPRISES and you might SURPRISE yourself and those around you if you feel lost and about to give up because your best just ain't good enough.
 
And your feel the world has grown cold and you're drifting out all on your own…
1,234 Marathons - 290 Ultras - 10 GWR - 18 MDS - 1 Voice

Three Little Birds - Bob Marley and the Wailers

Every little thing is gonna need alright - Marley

With 60 days to go until the 40^th Marathon des Sables, your focus should now shift from building endurance to refining your training. Your level of fitness is largely in place and what matters now is to sharpen the things that will carry you through the desert when things get tough.

Firstly, prioritise your exercise specificity. Long back-to-back runs will mimic race conditions as closely as possible. Running on tired legs with steady pacing, and time on feet is more important than chasing PBs. If possible, train in heat, but do it sensibly. This is about adaptation now, not about being a hero.

Secondly, lock in your kit choices. Shoes, socks, pack and gaiter choices should now be made. Practice packing your rucksack exactly as you’ll race with it and get comfortable moving with that weight on your long runs. Small annoyances now can become big problems in the Sahara.

Thirdly, work on fuelling and hydration. You should know what you’ll eat, when you’ll eat it, and how your stomach responds under fatigue. Test, test and test again.

Just as important is your mental prep. Visualise low points and rehearse how you’ll respond. Break stages into bite sized chunks and decide in advance how you’ll talk to yourself when things get hard - it will.

And finally, protect your body. Sleep well, manage niggles early, and respect recovery. Fitness gained now is minimal, fitness lost through injury could cost you getting to the start line.

Sixty days out is about confidence, clarity, and consistency and most of all ENJOY this time - it’s meant to be fun.

1,234 Marathons - 290 Ultras - 18 MDS - 10 GWR - 0 Worries