Marathon des Sables: Inside the Legendary Race with Cyril Gauthier

With its various formats spread throughout the year, the Marathon des Sables stands apart. It is no longer just the legendary 250 km, self-sufficient race completed over six stages. Since 2017, the MDS Legendary concept, which will celebrate its 40th edition in April 2026, has grown into something much bigger, while keeping its core purpose firmly in place: “giving meaning to running, sharing and connecting”, whether at a bivouac among the desert dunes or at altitude, at 1,850 m. The Marathon des Sables continues to expand through a multitude of formats, thanks to what Cyril calls “ultra-organisation”, while carefully preserving its DNA.

A one-off edition for the 40th anniversary

Less than a week after entries opened for the much-anticipated 2026 edition of MDS Legendary, the race was already sold out. It says a lot about the event’s reputation, which draws huge crowds every year. “The aim is for runners to get surprises almost every day”, explains Cyril Gauthier, who remains tight-lipped about what is in store. Clearly, the more than 1,000 lucky entrants “know there are things going to happen. But they will discover them when they get on the bus taking them into the desert.” For now, plenty of questions remain unanswered: “It can’t be shorter than 250 km, but will it be longer? And where exactly?” One of the major changes over the past two years has been the removal of the charity stage, “which was compulsory, but would get you disqualified if you didn’t take part”, replacing it with a tough half-marathon that genuinely counts as a full day of racing. More announcements are expected.

While waiting for April, it is worth remembering what really drives MDS Legendary. “What I love is that people talk to you. It doesn’t matter if someone is ten times better than you: they give you their opinion, and you give them yours on another subject. You can share the experience with people from 40 different countries”, says the event organiser. Sport creates that human connection. In these ultra-running formats, the rush of endorphins opens people up to one another in a way everyday life rarely does. “Being under a tent, completely connected with nature, whether in the Jordanian or Moroccan desert, or in the mountains at Courchevel or La Rosière, facing this majestic nature that dominates everything, is incredible”, Cyril recalls.

MDS Crazy Loops, a format like no other

From July to August, the resorts of La Rosière and then Courchevel served as testing grounds for a very different kind of trail event: MDS Crazy Loops. The two pilot races attracted around 250 participants in total, with a target of 1,000 finishers at each venue next year. These three immersive days in the mountains have a character all their own. On a course of around 5 km, runners race for 24 hours, day and night, completing as many loops as possible. They are pushed to their limits, but above all encouraged to help one another.

Three to five Handi teams, each made up of a person with a disability, a puller and a pusher, shared the course with the other runners. The organisers could hardly believe they had managed to get wheelchairs through the sand, and then took on the mountain challenge, which soon gave way. “No one imagined getting a wheelchair around the highly technical course used by ultra-runners. And yet, thanks to the helping runners, it worked. They would stop for 25 seconds or five minutes, lend a hand and set off again. Even the elites helped. It was fantastic. It touched everyone.”

© Ian Corless

Although performance was not the point, some impressive efforts were recorded, not only by the elites but also by the Handi teams, who “challenged themselves to complete as many laps as possible, even at night.” Over those three days, the freedom was total. “Some people barely stop and are truly taking the ultra-running approach. Others had never run more than 15 km, then end up covering 50 km in the mountains. It’s seriously tough. They discover abilities they never knew they had.” None of it would be possible without the detailed set-up put in place for the event, and above all without the energy of the teams on the ground. “The organisation is everywhere. When people keep calling you by your first name, you feel supported and cared for.”

This August, the organisers have been looking back at the positives and negatives of the two events. “What we are focused on now is looking at everything that was magical and everything that needs improving. But it was a huge success with the runners, the Handi teams, the local councils and our own team, who saw that there are events to organise in summer too.” Inclusion is truly at the heart of their approach: “We want to show that running with Handi teams, even in an ultra that is extremely difficult, changes everything.” Currently based in two locations, the format will almost certainly spread to France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and beyond. Since the tests ended, the organisers have received numerous partnership requests from resorts, underlining the success of this first step.

Women’s participation surges to unprecedented levels

“The record we broke, and the one we are proudest of, was reaching 60% women at MDS 120 Cappadocia”, says the head of the Marathon des Sables. “Across all MDS 120 races, we have never had fewer than 50% women on average, which is unprecedented in ultra-running.” Those impressive figures did not happen by chance. A great deal of work was done beforehand to reach them. From the launch of MDS 120 in 2017, communications focused on women, with the aim of building their confidence in their own abilities: “Stop believing that ultra-running isn’t for you. It is for you, and we are going to prove it.” To turn those words into reality, specific measures were introduced so women could feel fully included in the race. Every event provides all the menstrual hygiene products they need. Now, “we no longer pretend that men and women are the same.” Since 2024, MDS Legendary has offered women-only tents, while every participant in MDS 120 has an individual tent. These measures help women feel more comfortable and secure throughout the race.

This drive for gender equality aims to challenge the assumption that “women aren’t made for ultra-running and can’t carry a backpack.” In 2017, the idea that women could perform as well as men in this discipline was laughed at, and women accounted for just 10% of participants. “Today, as far as we are concerned, that battle is almost won. We will reach parity without any problem, because within the Marathon des Sables no one can doubt anymore that women are just as capable as men.” At MDS Legendary, the aim is to reach 50% women within the next three to five years, up from just 27% this year. Cyril remains confident: “Once we prove through women’s stories that it is possible, they dare to give it a try.” And they are not merely taking part: they are finishing among the best, as Maryline Nakache did with fourth place overall at MDS Legendary 2025.

The human side is what matters. It is powerful, it is real. You feel it right in the gut.

A strong commitment to adaptive sport

In October 2024, ten teams lined up for MDS 120 in Morocco. Their participation was unexpected, but “it was an absolute success because the runners loved it.” Judging by the reactions of the 600 to 700 able-bodied participants, the organisation realised that “running with people with disabilities was much more powerful. It sparked a completely different desire: the desire to help and share.” That discovery proved to be a real treasure, prompting the organisers to make their mark in this area.

The future MDS Handi, scheduled for 2026, will bring together no fewer than 50 teams. To ensure these races run smoothly, as well as the other formats welcoming adaptive athletes, the organisation is making a total commitment. After purchasing 60 wheelchairs, MDS has become the biggest investor in this area. Together with Société Bretonne and Vipamat, it developed a reinforced wheelchair designed to be virtually indestructible. Even so, should something go wrong on the course, everything is in place: “We have a wheelchair workshop, with spare parts and technicians at the race, so everyone is on an equal footing and no one has to worry about breaking a wheel.” Their only focus should be performing, whether in the dunes or the mountains. The mission of including participants with disabilities is long and expensive, but the organisation has no intention of backing away. “Our vision is to show that inclusion has a place in running, and that it makes the race even more beautiful: you can run standing up, but also sitting down.”

© Ian Corless

Forty years later, the Marathon des Sables is more relevant than ever. With its twelve formats, from the original Legendary to the Ultra, a single 100 km or 100-mile race offering runners the chance to enjoy the desert’s brilliant winter skies, limited to 200 competitors and scheduled for January, as well as Raid Namibia, 120 Handi, Trek Morocco and Crazy Loops, it dominates the ultra-running scene, though not necessarily for the same reasons as its Alpine counterparts. It continues to pursue the original concept: sharing an adventure together, not to battle the elements or prove one’s existence, but to have fun, enjoy the experience and come home with eyes shining with wonder. MDS challenges the preconceptions surrounding it. It is not just the heat and sand that define the race, but “above all, the human warmth” it creates.

Cyril Gauthier has been at the helm of the Marathon des Sables for almost five years, continually expanding its line-up of extreme events to meet growing demand from trail runners and adventure seekers alike. From the success of MDS Legendary, the iconic 250 km race across the southern Moroccan Sahara, to new formats such as MDS Handi, launched in October 2024, and MDS Crazy Loops, which debuted this summer in the mountains, the multicultural team behind the project is building a broad range of events centred on inclusion, accessibility and community.

With its various formats spread throughout the year, the Marathon des Sables stands apart. It is no longer just the legendary 250 km, self-sufficient race completed over six stages. Since 2017, the MDS Legendary concept, which will celebrate its 40th edition in April 2026, has grown into something much bigger, while keeping its core purpose firmly in place: “giving meaning to running, sharing and connecting”, whether at a bivouac among the desert dunes or at altitude, at 1,850 m. The Marathon des Sables continues to expand through a multitude of formats, thanks to what Cyril calls “ultra-organisation”, while carefully preserving its DNA.

A one-off edition for the 40th anniversary

Less than a week after entries opened for the much-anticipated 2026 edition of MDS Legendary, the race was already sold out. It says a lot about the event’s reputation, which draws huge crowds every year. “The aim is for runners to get surprises almost every day”, explains Cyril Gauthier, who remains tight-lipped about what is in store. Clearly, the more than 1,000 lucky entrants “know there are things going to happen. But they will discover them when they get on the bus taking them into the desert.” For now, plenty of questions remain unanswered: “It can’t be shorter than 250 km, but will it be longer? And where exactly?” One of the major changes over the past two years has been the removal of the charity stage, “which was compulsory, but would get you disqualified if you didn’t take part”, replacing it with a tough half-marathon that genuinely counts as a full day of racing. More announcements are expected.

While waiting for April, it is worth remembering what really drives MDS Legendary. “What I love is that people talk to you. It doesn’t matter if someone is ten times better than you: they give you their opinion, and you give them yours on another subject. You can share the experience with people from 40 different countries”, says the event organiser. Sport creates that human connection. In these ultra-running formats, the rush of endorphins opens people up to one another in a way everyday life rarely does. “Being under a tent, completely connected with nature, whether in the Jordanian or Moroccan desert, or in the mountains at Courchevel or La Rosière, facing this majestic nature that dominates everything, is incredible”, Cyril recalls.

MDS Crazy Loops, a format like no other

From July to August, the resorts of La Rosière and then Courchevel served as testing grounds for a very different kind of trail event: MDS Crazy Loops. The two pilot races attracted around 250 participants in total, with a target of 1,000 finishers at each venue next year. These three immersive days in the mountains have a character all their own. On a course of around 5 km, runners race for 24 hours, day and night, completing as many loops as possible. They are pushed to their limits, but above all encouraged to help one another.

Three to five Handi teams, each made up of a person with a disability, a puller and a pusher, shared the course with the other runners. The organisers could hardly believe they had managed to get wheelchairs through the sand, and then took on the mountain challenge, which soon gave way. “No one imagined getting a wheelchair around the highly technical course used by ultra-runners. And yet, thanks to the helping runners, it worked. They would stop for 25 seconds or five minutes, lend a hand and set off again. Even the elites helped. It was fantastic. It touched everyone.”

© Ian Corless

Although performance was not the point, some impressive efforts were recorded, not only by the elites but also by the Handi teams, who “challenged themselves to complete as many laps as possible, even at night.” Over those three days, the freedom was total. “Some people barely stop and are truly taking the ultra-running approach. Others had never run more than 15 km, then end up covering 50 km in the mountains. It’s seriously tough. They discover abilities they never knew they had.” None of it would be possible without the detailed set-up put in place for the event, and above all without the energy of the teams on the ground. “The organisation is everywhere. When people keep calling you by your first name, you feel supported and cared for.”

This August, the organisers have been looking back at the positives and negatives of the two events. “What we are focused on now is looking at everything that was magical and everything that needs improving. But it was a huge success with the runners, the Handi teams, the local councils and our own team, who saw that there are events to organise in summer too.” Inclusion is truly at the heart of their approach: “We want to show that running with Handi teams, even in an ultra that is extremely difficult, changes everything.” Currently based in two locations, the format will almost certainly spread to France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and beyond. Since the tests ended, the organisers have received numerous partnership requests from resorts, underlining the success of this first step.

Women’s participation surges to unprecedented levels

“The record we broke, and the one we are proudest of, was reaching 60% women at MDS 120 Cappadocia”, says the head of the Marathon des Sables. “Across all MDS 120 races, we have never had fewer than 50% women on average, which is unprecedented in ultra-running.” Those impressive figures did not happen by chance. A great deal of work was done beforehand to reach them. From the launch of MDS 120 in 2017, communications focused on women, with the aim of building their confidence in their own abilities: “Stop believing that ultra-running isn’t for you. It is for you, and we are going to prove it.” To turn those words into reality, specific measures were introduced so women could feel fully included in the race. Every event provides all the menstrual hygiene products they need. Now, “we no longer pretend that men and women are the same.” Since 2024, MDS Legendary has offered women-only tents, while every participant in MDS 120 has an individual tent. These measures help women feel more comfortable and secure throughout the race.

This drive for gender equality aims to challenge the assumption that “women aren’t made for ultra-running and can’t carry a backpack.” In 2017, the idea that women could perform as well as men in this discipline was laughed at, and women accounted for just 10% of participants. “Today, as far as we are concerned, that battle is almost won. We will reach parity without any problem, because within the Marathon des Sables no one can doubt anymore that women are just as capable as men.” At MDS Legendary, the aim is to reach 50% women within the next three to five years, up from just 27% this year. Cyril remains confident: “Once we prove through women’s stories that it is possible, they dare to give it a try.” And they are not merely taking part: they are finishing among the best, as Maryline Nakache did with fourth place overall at MDS Legendary 2025.

The human side is what matters. It is powerful, it is real. You feel it right in the gut.

A strong commitment to adaptive sport

In October 2024, ten teams lined up for MDS 120 in Morocco. Their participation was unexpected, but “it was an absolute success because the runners loved it.” Judging by the reactions of the 600 to 700 able-bodied participants, the organisation realised that “running with people with disabilities was much more powerful. It sparked a completely different desire: the desire to help and share.” That discovery proved to be a real treasure, prompting the organisers to make their mark in this area.

The future MDS Handi, scheduled for 2026, will bring together no fewer than 50 teams. To ensure these races run smoothly, as well as the other formats welcoming adaptive athletes, the organisation is making a total commitment. After purchasing 60 wheelchairs, MDS has become the biggest investor in this area. Together with Société Bretonne and Vipamat, it developed a reinforced wheelchair designed to be virtually indestructible. Even so, should something go wrong on the course, everything is in place: “We have a wheelchair workshop, with spare parts and technicians at the race, so everyone is on an equal footing and no one has to worry about breaking a wheel.” Their only focus should be performing, whether in the dunes or the mountains. The mission of including participants with disabilities is long and expensive, but the organisation has no intention of backing away. “Our vision is to show that inclusion has a place in running, and that it makes the race even more beautiful: you can run standing up, but also sitting down.”

© Ian Corless

Forty years later, the Marathon des Sables is more relevant than ever. With its twelve formats, from the original Legendary to the Ultra, a single 100 km or 100-mile race offering runners the chance to enjoy the desert’s brilliant winter skies, limited to 200 competitors and scheduled for January, as well as Raid Namibia, 120 Handi, Trek Morocco and Crazy Loops, it dominates the ultra-running scene, though not necessarily for the same reasons as its Alpine counterparts. It continues to pursue the original concept: sharing an adventure together, not to battle the elements or prove one’s existence, but to have fun, enjoy the experience and come home with eyes shining with wonder. MDS challenges the preconceptions surrounding it. It is not just the heat and sand that define the race, but “above all, the human warmth” it creates.