Music

One of the pieces of equipment that I will absolutely need to take with me to the desert is my iPod. Actually, the plan is to take several cheap ones, since I won’t be able to charge them and not sure how well they will do in a sandstorm. But how do you fill up 4 or 5 iPods? I can’t come up with that much music so I’m asking for some help. Can you recommend a song that has inspired you or one that has kept you going? If so, please post a comment and tell me what it is.

I’ll be making the request on a regular basis over the next 5 months so keep me posted on anything new you hear.

Thanks for your support!

My First Follower

Hello Sarah, I'm so happy to see you. Thanks for joining

I Need Your Help

So how can you Help? Of course the first course of action is to follow this effort on the blog. I'll make posts along the way regarding training, equipment, leaving to eat freeze dried food (yuk!), running with a 20 pound pack on my back, trying to mimic running in 125 degree weather, etc... And then I'll provide updates along the way while racing. As my blogging friends, you can share in the pain and pleasure of running across the Sahara Desert!!! I would love to hear from you with suggestions and words of encouragement. Keep the crazy talk to yourself :-)


Secondly, I would love your support for Girls on the Run (GOTR). Please go to the following link to learn a bit more about GOTR International as well as the organization in your area: http://www.girlsontherun.org/. If you are inspired then please go to the following link and make a donation to GOTR in honor of the Marathon de Sables: www.active.com/donate/teamtiara2009/dwillia873.


Finally, share this with your friends; those you think would benefit from the experience. The more the merrier.

The Cause: Girls on the Run

Because of the positive impression that running has made in my life, I have chosen Girls on the Run as a benefactor for my participation in this race. Girls on the Run is a non-profit prevention program that encourages preteen girls to develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running. Their curricula address all aspects of a girl’s development, her physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual well-being. Team Tiara is the charity running leg of Girls on the Run (GOTR). GOTR is a life-changing, experiential learning program for girls age eight to thirteen years old. The programs combine training for a 3.1 mile running event with self-esteem enhancing, uplifting workouts. The goals of the programs are to encourage positive emotional, social, mental, spiritual and physical development. GOTR’s mission is to educate and prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living.

The Event

Marathon Des Sables, or Marathon of the Sands, is a 7-day, 156-mile self-sustained endurance run across the Sahara Desert. The race typically has over 800 participants from all over the world, each one running for a cause that is near and dear to their hearts. Some run for a illness that has touched their lives; some run to bring awareness to a cause that they want to bring to the attention of anyone who will listen; and some run for the sheer challenge of running across the Sahara Desert. As part of the challenge, each participant carries their own food, water, clothing, sleeping gear, cooking gear, etc. The run takes participants over salt flats and sand dunes, through small villages, through the day and into the night. Each day is a different distance typically ranging between 20 to 24 miles. The fourth day is 50 miles that takes you well into the night with only your headlamp and a laser beam off in the distance to guide you. The temperatures range from the lower 30s at night to upwards of 125 degrees during the day. There are no showers, outhouses, or convenience stores to support you. You battle sand storms and blisters and sleep in a three-sided tent with up to 20 of your closest friends. It is appropriately named “The World’s Most Grueling Race.” To get a sense of the race, click on the video link below:
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4714647

Welcome to my Blog!

This is my first post on the Sahara Marathon blog. I wanted to set up a place where I could provide information about my upcoming event and race charity, Girls on the Run. My name is Daphne Williams, and I live in Simpsonville, SC. I began running to save myself from myself; I was making some poor life choices with no direction and little self confidence.I stared to run with my golden retriever back in 1986, and with every mile I ran and every race I raced, my life began to change. Running became more than just a form of exercise, it became a lifestyle. I dug myself out of a life of substance abuse and put myself through college and then graduate school at Auburn University (WAR EAGLE). It was no longer acceptable to just get by; I wanted to make something of myself, challenge myself, accomplish something. 23 years of running has brought me pleasure, pain, and purpose. It has allowed me to believe I am capable of accomplishing anything! It has changed my life. That is the message I want to share: how empowering the simple act of running can be.