A Father-Son duo take on the Marathon Des Sables, a gruelling 6 day marathon across the Sahara Desert.
West Lancashire freemason Ian Moore raised over £3000 during a gruelling challenge with his son in the Sahara Desert. Ian was initiated 32 years ago into Bootle Lodge and served as Master in 2005. He is now a member of County Palatine Lodge, which meets in Southport. Ian’s father, John is also a member of County Palatine Lodge and is a Past Assistant Provincial Grand Master of the Province of West Lancashire. Ian and his wife Siobhan have two sons George (18) and Harry (14).
Training
Ian’s son George was a Royal Marines Cadet and had ambitions to join the Royal Marines. As part of his ambitions, he wanted to take part in the Marathon des Sables (MDS), which according to the Discovery Channel is the 'toughest foot race on earth'. It was brought into wider public knowledge following the airing of a documentary when James Cracknell did it a few years ago.
After Ian decided to do the MDS with George, they trained for over three years. Fortunately living in Formby, near Southport, a wide expanse of sand dunes were close at hand! As well as training in the local sand dunes, Ian and George took part in numerous other multi-day ultra-marathons as well as heat acclimation sessions at Edge Hill University, in nearby Ormskirk. Keen and raring to go despite enduring no less than three race postponements due to COVID-19, they finally were able to compete this year.
Ian said:
'We ran the MDS because not only was it a once in a lifetime challenge and opportunity that tested us to our physical and mental limits. It was also the ultimate 'dad and lad' experience.” Ian continued: “But more importantly we ran to raise money for Sefton Royal Marines Cadets and we ended up raising over £3,000.'
The Marathon
MDS competitors have to battle across a 155 mile / 250 km course (including a 51mile / 82 km stage) over 6 days in the Sahara Desert in Morocco. In addition, competitors have to carry their own food, water and kit for the race and endure temperatures as high as 45°C (120°F). It’s the only race with compulsory repatriation insurance and a venom pump as part of the mandatory kit. Due to COVID-19 they had an interim MDS in October 2021 when it was particularly hot. So much so, 48% of people did not finish and it is believed there was one fatality and four people collapsed and had to be medivaced to safety and medical care.
To say the challenge is gruelling is something of an understatement. So much so that during the night of the double marathon stage, Ian’s son George collapsed twice, he was brought round once with saline, but the second time it was agreed that his race was over as he was shivering and his eyes were rolling. Father and son had a pact that the other would continue the race if one of them was laid low. Feeling confident that he'd be in safe hands knowing all the self-confidence and life skills he'd picked up from the cadets Ian put his duvet jacket on him and stuck him in two sleeping bags and pressed the SOS button to summon the medics, before racing on into the night.
A Lone Finish
Ian was full of praise for his son, never having seen anyone 'dig in' as much. He was in tears and staggering on but the conclusion that he might possibly make the next checkpoint but probably not the one after that forced the decision. Arriving home George was diagnosed with stress fractures in his pelvis, due to the constant running through the sand dunes of the Sahara carrying weight. Happily, George is now fully recovered and running again. Sadly, another past injury has subsequently precluded him from joining the Royal Marines.
Ian completed the MDS and had the obligatory tattoo. But George didn't. In his words:
'It is still like having unfinished business and I plan to go back after University in 3 years or so.'
Ian then commented;
'If that’s the case, I might go too along with Harry. Now that would really be the ultimate dad's and lads experience!'
