OUR COMMITMENTS
"We do not inherit the earth from our parents, we borrow it from our children."
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Since its creation, the MDS (MARATHON DES SABLES) has never stopped evolving. From an adventure designed for a handful of ultra-runners, it has become a movement open to everyone, driven by values of inclusion, responsibility, and solidarity.
Our commitments are built around three priorities: making the adventure accessible, reducing our environmental footprint, and cooperating sustainably with the territories that host us.
OUR 3 PILLARS
Inclusion
& Accessibility
Enabling everyone to live the adventure, regardless of age, level, or condition.
Environmental Responsibility
Reducing our carbon footprint and preserving resources in fragile environments.
Local
Cooperation
Working hand in hand with residents, institutions, and local stakeholders for a positive impact.
ENVIRONMENTAL
RESPONSIBILITY
Preserving the environments that host us is an absolute priority.
In 2024, a leaner organization made it possible to reduce the carbon footprint of the MDS Legendary by 50%. The end of charter flights, the reduction in the number of vehicles on site, and the downsizing of bivouacs marked a decisive step towards a more responsible model.
In 2025, we chose to go further. We know that transport remains one of our greatest challenges, and that the road ahead is still long. That is why part of the organization took on a new challenge: reaching Morocco by train and boat. More than 2,500 km covered in three days… Because at the MDS, challenging ourselves is part of our DNA, even when it means rethinking the way we travel.
INCLUSION &
ACCESSIBILITY
Born as a self-sufficient ultra-trail for a few pioneers, the MDS has gradually evolved so that, while still demanding, the adventure is now accessible to a wider audience. Alongside the MDS Legendary, shorter formats such as the MDS 120, the MDS Raid, or the MDS Trek now allow each participant to find a challenge suited to their abilities.
Originally conceived as an exceptional ultra-trail, the MDS has progressively evolved to make the inaccessible accessible. This philosophy gave birth to the MDS Handi in 2023, enabling mixed teams including athletes with disabilities to experience the desert adventure. By 2024, ten teams had already registered, confirming the lasting place of this inclusive format in the history of the MDS.
But the inaccessible is not limited to the desert: the mountains also offer a field of challenge for athletes with disabilities. In this continuity, the MDS Crazy Loops were created: a festive, inclusive, and sporting format that also welcomes handi teams.
This event reflects the desire to offer new ways to experience the MDS, in a spirit of openness and conviviality. Each year, the bivouac brings together runners and walkers from 15 to 86 years old, beginners and experts alike, representing more than 70 nationalities. This diversity lies at the heart of the MDS identity: an adventure that unites far beyond differences.
WOMEN'S
INCLUSION
The MDS is one of the events in its category that gathers the highest proportion of women among participants. In 2015, women represented only 10% of the participants. Today, they account for more than 50% in most formats (except the MDS Legendary).
This evolution can be explained by concrete measures implemented since 2017 to improve comfort and peace of mind for female participants: individual tents at MDS 120, women-only tents at the MDS Legendary, availability of sanitary products, changing rooms, and adapted toilets. Since the very first edition of the MDS Legendary, prize money has been equal for women and men.
In just a few years, the MDS has thus become a true space of sporting empowerment: an adventure where women, just like men, can surpass themselves, assert themselves, and leave their mark on the history of ultra-endurance.
Aware of the environmental burden posed by plastic in desert environments, the MDS has implemented several concrete measures to limit its use. Individual bottles have now been replaced by large capacity containers for resupply, thereby reducing the number of packages. These containers are recycled or reused by local communities.
Finally, waste management itself reflects this responsible approach, with fully biodegradable sanitary waste bags designed to withstand desert conditions.
Reducing meat consumption, favoring raw and local products (fruits, vegetables, dried fruits). Staff meals are prepared fresh each morning from a buffet, helping to limit food waste.
Organization teams use reusable cutlery kits, eliminating disposable plastics at meals. Volunteers receive reusable bottles to avoid single-use plastics.
The MDS is lived from within, with no stands and no crowds. Here, there are no spectators or artificial shows: only the participants, the teams, and the local people who host us make up the scenery.
This strong choice ensures an authentic experience and preserves the territories crossed by limiting disturbances and human impact. Every step, every effort, every emotion is shared in the bivouac, at the heart of a community united by the same adventure.
LOCAL COOPERATION
& POSITIVE IMPACT
The MDS would be nothing without the territories that host it. Each edition is built in partnership with institutions, service providers, and residents. For several years now, the organization has worked to delegate as many tasks as possible to local stakeholders, convinced that no one knows the terrain better than they do.
Beyond logistics, the MDS generates a direct economic impact: accommodation, meals, transport, storage, and equipment rental are entrusted to local providers. The goal is clear: to limit long-distance transport, reinforce local benefits, and support families. But cooperation is also human: valuing know-how, creating temporary jobs, and transmitting respect for the land and its people. Each edition is conceived as a collective project, where success is shared.
Finally, we have a strong commitment: to leave no trace. Because our events take place in protected natural environments, special attention is given to cleaning bivouacs and courses.
At the MDS, inclusion, responsibility, and cooperation are not just words: they are concrete actions that make each edition both a human and a sustainable adventure.
