THE first Scot to ski to the South Pole unaided is training for a red-hot marathon challenge just one year on.
Luke Robertson was the youngest UK citizen in history to reach the landmark one year ago today. Now he and wife Hazel are in training for the 150 mile Marathon des Sables through the Sahara Desert.
Described as the toughest footrace on Earth, the event requires entrants to carry their gear all the way, spending up to 18 hours a day pounding the sands across six stages.
Anti-venom pumps are a must in case runners are bitten by deadly scorpions, snakes or spiders. The Edinburgh couple, who married last August, set off in just a few months.
Luke, 32, said: “One year on from reaching the South Pole, I can’t wait to test myself in a completely different but another incredibly challenging environment. I’m definitely more used to trekking for hundreds of miles through snow and ice, and I’m under no illusion as to how deep we’ll have to dig to ensure we make it through the Sahara Desert. Give me penguins over snakes any day.”
It took Luke almost 40 days to reach the South Pole last year after dragging 130kg of equipment behind him in winds of up to 70mph and chills of -50C.
The feat is all the more remarkable given Luke’s health battles. A heart condition saw him fitted with a pacemaker at the of 23 and in 2014 he underwent surgery to remove a large mass from his brain.
Doctors had feared the mass was cancerous but tests revealed it was not and Luke spent weeks in hospital recovering.
As well as the distance and temperatures of up to 50C, the couple will have to tackle dunes and sandstorms on the desert run.
Hazel took on the 140 mile Arctic Ice Ultra Marathon last year and the couple also completed the first ever 250 mile eight-day Cape Wrath Ultra Marathon.
However, they agree this is their toughest ever test and are taking part to aid the Marie Curie cancer charity. Hazel said: “This is a legendary race with a fierce reputation and I am so excited to be a part of it. “Being able to raise money for Marie Curie is such a motivation to succeed. Having seen first-hand the amazing work carried out by the nurses, staff and volunteers, we’ll both be doing our best to put in a good performance and help to raise both awareness and donations for such an inspiring charity.”
Luke said: “Running this race as ambassadors for Marie Curie is a great honour.”
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