A year after a record-breaking journey to the South Pole, young Scots adventurer Luke Robertson is training for a challenge at the opposite end of the mercury scale.
On January 13 last year, 30-year-old Luke became the first Scot and youngest British person in history to ski 730 miles to the South Pole in a remarkable 39-day feat of endurance.
In a few months, Luke, who has an artificial pacemaker and has undergone brain surgery, and his wife Hazel will be taking on the gruelling Marathon des Sables – a tortuous 150-mile multi-stage race through the Sahara Desert, billed as the toughest footrace on Earth.
Water is rationed daily during the race and entrants must be self-sufficient, carrying all food, sleeping gear and other equipment needed for the six-stage race.
Backpacks weighing at least 7.5 kilos include anti-venom pumps in case competitors are bitten by deadly scorpions, snakes or spiders.
Luke, who grew up in Stonehaven, and Hazel will be on their feet for up to 18 hours a day as they make their way across the terrain, with the longest stage covering a massive 80km.
Through Luke’s polar expeditions and a 140-mile Arctic Ice ultra marathon Hazel undertook last year, they both have significant experience in polar climates where temperatures can drop to -50°C.
This next adventure could see the couple facing temperatures of up to 50°C as they race through the largest sand desert in the world.
As well as the searing heat, the couple will also have to battle steep and rocky dunes, as well as sand storms which can create zero visibility in a matter of seconds.
In 1994, a sandstorm disoriented a competitor, who was discovered nine days later more than 100 miles off-course.
For Luke, this race is even more impressive given that only a few years ago he was undergoing surgery to remove a suspected brain tumour, which turned out to be an extremely large and rare enterogenous cyst, and also has a pacemaker fitted after suffering complete heart block in his early twenties.
Luke 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 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.”
“We’re hoping that we can continue to inspire others to achieve goals that they think might be beyond them but are really within touching distance.”
Hazel said: “This is a legendary race with a fierce reputation and I am so excited to be a part of it.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing how the difficult dry and dusty conditions this year compare to the ice of last year’s Arctic ultra marathon. Luke and I work so well as a team, so I know we’ll help each other through the unforgiving desert environment.”
