HISTORY

23 pioneers set off into the Sahara, laying the foundations of what would become one of the most demanding ultramarathons in the world.

Italian runner Mauro Prosperi gets lost in a sandstorm and wanders alone for 9 days. To survive, he drinks his urine and feeds on bats and small dead birds. He is eventually rescued by a nomadic family over 200 km away from the official route. His story became one of the most striking in MDS history and was later told in the Netflix series Losers.

Chris Moon, a former British deminer, loses an arm and a leg during a humanitarian mission in 1995. Barely a year later, he takes on the MDS and becomes the first amputee to finish the race. This story remains a symbol of resilience and self-transcendence.

A violent sandstorm with strong headwinds lasted for the entire week. To help participants, the medical team invented a “low-pressure cleaning device” to rinse the sand from their eyes. Despite these extreme conditions, there were few withdrawals, as the cooler temperatures paradoxically made the race more bearable.

In 2010, Lahcen Ahansal claimed his 10th MDS victory. Together with his brother Mohamad, a five-time winner, the two brothers accumulated 15 victories. Their exceptional journey embodies the legacy of great sibling stories in MDS history and highlights the race’s deep roots in Moroccan sports culture.

MDS reached another milestone in 2017 with the simultaneous launch of two major events outside Morocco. In September, the HMDS (Half Marathon Des Sables) debuted in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain, offering 70, 100, or 120 km over 3 stages. This format later evolved into today’s MDS 120.

Two months later, in December 2017, the MDS Peru was launched in the Ica desert: 250 km over 6 stages, a mythical edition that remains the only one of its kind outside the Moroccan Sahara.

In 2020, for the first and only time since its creation in 1986, the MDS was cancelled due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. A painful but inevitable decision, it remains the only interruption in nearly four decades of history.

With accessibility in mind, the MDS introduced its world-first “non-finisher guarantee.”How it works: if a participant cannot finish the race, they are invited back the following year, free of charge and under the same conditions, to become a finisher.

To date, 100% of those who returned after a first DNF have crossed the finish line. The “no-finisher” conditions are available at the bottom of the page.

During the 2022 MDS 120 in Fuerteventura, a rare violent cyclone struck the Canary Islands, forcing the organization to delay the start by 24 hours while 800 participants waited under the rain in a hotel. The bivouac, completely flooded, had to be urgently relocated.

To make up for the program, runners began with the long stage and had to complete all 3 stages without a rest day, on routes redesigned last-minute by the organizers.

Since 2023, in the MDS 120 formats, gender parity has been achieved, with at least 50% female participation – a milestone both in MDS history and in the world of trail running.

MDS launched the first-ever edition of MDS Handi, becoming the first wheelchair desert race. This unique adventure brought together mixed teams of athletes with disabilities and their companions. More than a sporting challenge, it symbolized the spirit of solidarity and openness at the heart of MDS.

The 2024 edition marked a true milestone in MDS’s eco-responsible approach. For the first time, the organization succeeded in cutting the carbon footprint of the MDS Legendary by 50%. This significant reduction was achieved through concrete measures: fewer bivouacs, a minimized fleet of trucks and vehicles, and especially the end of charter flights to the event..

In 2025, Rachid El Morabity won yet again, claiming his 11th victory in 12 editions. With this exceptional record, he became the most decorated athlete in MDS history. Hailing from Zagora, in the heart of the Moroccan desert, he has embodied excellence, perseverance, and the spirit of endurance for over a decade.

Building on the success of MDS Handi, designed to make the impossible accessible, a new format was launched: Crazy Loops. This time in the mountains, MDS created an unprecedented challenge. Over one weekend, able-bodied and disabled teams share the same 3 to 5 km loop, repeated freely for 24 hours, in an inclusive, athletic, and festive atmosphere.The first two editions were held in La Rosière and Courchevel, in the heart of the French Alps.