Sand Diaries
The latest news, updates and fundraiser content straight from the dunes of Morocco.
From the World’s Toughest Row to the World’s Toughest Footrace: Yorkshire Armed Forces Captain takes on Marathon Des Sables challenge to support veterans
By Media Team on
On 3 April 2026, Captain Sheridan Lucas MBE, Unit Welfare Officer at the Defence School of Transport in East Yorkshire, will compete in the Marathon des Sables (MDS) ultramarathon in Morocco, raising funds for Walking With The Wounded.
The Marathon des Sables is a six-day, 250km ultramarathon that takes place across the Sahara Desert. Participants must be entirely self-sufficient for the duration of the race, with only water and communal shelter provided by event organisers.
Captain Lucas joined the Royal Logistic Corps in 2003 as a Driver with 14 Transport Squadron in Germany and completed a full enlisted career before commissioning in 2024.
In January 2026, she made history as part of the first all-female Armed Forces team to complete the ‘world’s toughest row’ — a gruelling 3,000km Atlantic crossing. Having conquered the ocean, she has now set her sights on her next challenge: the infamous Marathon des Sables ultramarathon.
Speaking about her upcoming challenge, Captain Lucas said:
“After conquering the Atlantic with the first all-female Armed Forces rowing team, I’m ready and excited to take on the desert in Morocco. The Marathon des Sables will push me to my limits, both mentally and physically, but every mile is for a cause close to my heart. Any challenge I face out there is nothing compared to the daily battles many veterans face after leaving the Armed Forces.”
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Mammoth team heading to Morocco to take on Marathon des Sables in aid of WWTW
By Media Team on
On April 3rd 2026, 22 ultra-athletes will take on the infamous Marathon des Sables (‘MDS’) to raise money for Walking With The Wounded.
Representing the largest charity team in this year’s event, and the biggest team ever fielded by WWTW for an ultramarathon, the group also includes a record number of female runners supporting the charity at the race.
The Marathon des Sables, dubbed ‘the toughest footrace in the world’, is a 6-day multi-stage ultramarathon that weaves through the Sahara Desert. Competitors are self-sufficient for the duration of the event as they tackle the 250km course.
First staged in 1986, over 30,000 have taken on the formidable challenge. This year marks the 40th edition of the MDS, and to commemorate the occasion,...