Six marathons, scorpions, snakes and flesh-eating spiders - BHA employee takes on Sahara charity challenge

BHA employee Di Farrell-Thomas is about to tackle a red-hot charity challenge that will require her to complete six marathons in five days across the Sahara while attempting to avoid scorpions, snakes and bloodthirsty spiders.

The governing body's diversity and inclusion project manager is one of around 1,200 courageous competitors in the Marathon des Sables, which she begins on Sunday, striving to raise funds for the Cambridgeshire hospice that cared for her father, Flat jockey Taffy Thomas, in the final days of his life.

The popular lightweight rider died in January last year at the Arthur Rank Hospice, whose vital work Farrell-Thomas is seeking to support by embarking on what most would consider to be a horrendous prospect. As well as concertinaing 157 miles into 120 hours, she will be running in temperatures that could reach 50C and additionally must carry all her food, water and equipment.

"I'm desperate to get out into the Sahara and I would love to raise as much money as I can for the hospice," said Farrell-Thomas. "When I'm in the desert I want to have the resilience, passion and drive showed by the hospice staff – although nothing I do can be comparable to what they do every day."

Di Farrell-Thomas is tackling the Marathon des Sables to raise money for the hospice that looked after her father, lightweight Flat jockey Taffy ThomasCredit: Chris Bourchier

Although set to take a supply of Kendal Mint Cake for refuelling purposes, Farrell-Thomas will encounter few other home comforts as she makes her way over rocky salt flats, stretches of soft sand and mountainous sections.

"It's going to be a completely different world," she said, mindful that some of the local wildlife might not be entirely friendly.

"Sometimes there are snakes in the dried-up river beds, and we're supposed to sing in those areas to make them disappear, but I'm told flesh-eating camel spiders are more common, so we have to be careful of those. The other potential problem could be scorpions, which tend to go in people's shoes when it gets cold. That means you have to tap your shoes when you wake up and it's also mandatory to carry anti-venom pumps."

Anyone wishing to help Farrell-Thomas's fundraising effort can do so at justgiving.com/fundraising/di-farrell-thomas. She can be tracked through the race as runner number 1065 in tent 99 at live.marathondessables.com/en/

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