Amateur local athlete James Le Gallez conquered fatigue, injury and extreme heat to cross the finish line of the gruelling Marathon des Sables ultra-marathon at the weekend, raising thousands of pounds for charity.
James, an operations manager with Channel Islands compliance and governance specialist Redwood Group, took on the challenge to raise funds for three Channel Islands charities: Autism Guernsey, the Guernsey Society for Cancer Relief and Jersey Hospice Care.
He completed the challenging 253 km six-stage race across the Moroccan Sahara in an impressive 51:45 hours, placing 458 out of 842 runners.
In addition to tackling the extreme desert conditions, including intense heat of up to 46 degrees Celsius and plunging temperatures at night, James has had to contend with infected blisters, a persistent ankle injury and ongoing muscle fatigue throughout the race.
Speaking of the challenge, James said: “This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it was a very humbling experience being around people who were so much stronger and faster than me. I spent a week with some of the most incredible athletes on this planet and it truly made me realise how far the body can go.
“At first, it was scary, but then it became inspiring and made me push through my ankle injury. Knowing that finishing it would help make a difference to well-deserving charities kept me going when I thought I wouldn’t make it.”
