250km Across the Sahara: How Alfie McIntosh Conquered Marathon des Sables Legendary 2026
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There are endurance races, and then there is Marathon des Sables Legendary.
Six self-sufficient stages. Around 250km across the Sahara Desert. Competitors carry almost everything they need for the week on their backs, battling relentless heat, sand dunes, rocky trails and sleep deprivation. It's often called the toughest footrace on Earth.
For Highland Fuel athlete Alfie McIntosh, the challenge was never just about finishing. It was about preparing properly, executing a disciplined race plan, and proving what the body and mind are capable of when training and nutrition come together.
Building the Engine
Alfie signed up on 15th September 2025, giving himself 28 weeks to prepare.
The first three months focused on building a strong aerobic base, averaging around 45km per week, with almost all of the training done at low intensity on trails.
"The theory was simple: build baseline fitness first. Most of the running was Zone 1 and Zone 2, and almost all of it was on trails."
As the race approached, mileage increased significantly. During his biggest training block, Alfie averaged around 85km per week, peaking at an impressive 127km in a single week while keeping the intensity low enough to avoid injury.
A key part of that phase was the Fitmas Challenge, running the equivalent calendar day in kilometres throughout December.
"It was great for getting the body used to running on tired and fatigued legs."
His training wasn't all about mileage either. Knowing the Sahara would be unlike anything he'd faced before, he deliberately sought out sand, completing a 44km run at Merthyr Mawr to experience running over dunes.
Balancing Training, Life and Heat Preparation
Like most endurance athletes, Alfie wasn't a full-time professional. The training had to fit around work and everyday life.
Most weekday runs happened after work, with the longer sessions saved for weekends. A week skiing and other life commitments reduced training volume mid-block, but in hindsight it became a benefit rather than a setback.
"It actually allowed me to absorb the training I'd done really nicely."
Around nine weeks before the race, the focus shifted to heat adaptation.
Treadmill sessions were completed wearing extra layers, including a base layer, jumper and woolly hat, while carrying a weighted pack loaded with 5–10kg. Four weeks out, he added 20-minute hot baths, three times a week, to further acclimatise his body for the desert conditions.
Fuelling the Sahara
A huge part of Alfie's success came down to his fuelling strategy.
During training, he aimed to take in around 50g+ of carbohydrates per hour, training his stomach to tolerate the exact nutrition he planned to use during race week.
His typical setup included:
- 50g of Highland Fuel Nutrition BareFuel per hour, mixed into 500ml of water.
- Precision Hydration chews or bars for additional carbohydrates.
- Precision Hydration 1500 electrolyte tablets for extra sodium.
- The occasional morale boost from a handful of jelly babies.
Importantly, this wasn't just about hitting numbers.
"I'd struggled with GI issues before, but ever since switching to Highland Fuel I haven't had any problems."
A Race Planned Down to the Gram
Marathon des Sables is as much an exercise in logistics as it is endurance. Every calorie has to be carried, every gram of pack weight considered, and every stage planned in advance.
For Stage 1, Alfie knew exactly what he would need before he even stepped onto the start line.
📏 Distance: 32km
⏱️ Planned Time: 4hrs 12mins
🏃 Target Pace: 8:00/km
🧂 Estimated Sodium Requirement: 2,800mg (700mg/hour)
His race-day nutrition included:
- Expedition Foods Granola for breakfast.
- An extract coffee bag to start the day.
- 4 scoops of Highland Fuel BareFuel, delivering 100g of carbohydrate.
- 3 Highland Fuel Salt Tabs, adding 900mg of sodium.
- A Precision Hydration gel and chew.
- Half a Phoenix Bar.
- Beef jerky and whey protein for recovery.
- Expedition Foods freeze-dried meals for lunch and dinner.
By the end of the day, his planned intake looked like this:
| Total Calories | 3,035 kcal |
| Total Carbohydrates | 389g |
| Total Sodium | 7,936mg |
| Total Food & Fuel Weight | 775g |
Rather than trying to eat constantly throughout the day, Alfie kept things simple. His strategy was to front-load his Highland Fuel while temperatures were cooler, then rely more heavily on water and solid foods once the desert heat became oppressive.
"I drank both 500ml bottles within the first two hours while the weather was cooler and I was running faster. My aim was to make good progress early, then slow down as it got hotter to avoid my core temperature getting too high."
It was a small detail, but one that paid huge dividends over the course of the week.
Race Week Nutrition
Being self-sufficient meant every gram counted. Alfie packed approximately 18,000 calories for the week, although true to the spirit of MdS, he ended up giving around 1,000 calories away to competitors who had underestimated their own food requirements.
Alongside Highland Fuel BareFuel and HFN 300mg Salt Tabs, his pack included:
- Expedition Foods freeze-dried meals.
- Beef jerky.
- Phoenix Bars.
- Protein powder.
- Coffee bags for the mornings.
Rather than constantly grazing, he adopted a disciplined three-meal strategy:
- Breakfast: 450-calorie porridge or granola meal.
- Lunch: 450-calorie freeze-dried meal.
- Dinner: 1,000-calorie freeze-dried meal.
- During running: 50g of carbohydrates per hour.
The routine worked brilliantly.
"Most days I was finished before lunch, so it allowed me to settle into a normal eating routine, replace as many calories as possible and maximise recovery."
The Race Strategy That Paid Off
One of Alfie's smartest decisions was to front-load his nutrition and effort before the desert heat became overwhelming.
He drank both of his 500ml bottles of Highland Fuel within the opening two hours of each stage while temperatures were lower and he was moving faster. As the day heated up, he deliberately eased off the pace, relying more on water and solid foods while keeping core temperature under control.
It was a simple but highly effective strategy that allowed him to avoid the energy crashes and stomach issues that often derail runners during MdS.
His disciplined approach also extended beyond nutrition. Careful management of pack weight, sticking to the same routine every day, and being meticulous with kit maintenance all played a huge part in the success of his race.
The Toughest Moments
For all the preparation, Marathon des Sables still finds a way to test you.
The hardest point came on the penultimate stage — the marathon day.
After around 36km, Alfie completely hit the wall. With only around 4km to go, the route crossed a seemingly endless stretch of sand dunes.
"There was about 4km of straight dunes to the finish. I literally cried my way over them. I was completely done."
Then came one final challenge.
Going into the last stage, Alfie sat in 99th place overall. There was only 60 seconds separating him from 98th place, with another runner just six minutes behind in 100th.
He emptied the tank.
"I absolutely buried myself on the last day to make sure I secured a top-100 finish."
The Little Things That Matter
Looking back, there were only a few things Alfie would change.
He should have packed more fire-lighting blocks after running out towards the end of the week. A leaking zip-lock bag ruined several of his electrolyte tablets, and he admits he probably attacked the opening stage a little too aggressively.
His advice? Don't underestimate the basics.
- Be disciplined with pack weight.
- Stick to a routine.
- Look after your kit.
- Bring ear plugs and a buff for sleeping.
- And if you ever use a soft flask for a protein shake… don't try to drink water from it afterwards!
"I feel like I executed an almost flawless race. Being militant and disciplined with pack weight, routine and kit maintenance really helped."
More Than Just a Race
Beyond the miles and the heat, what stood out most was the atmosphere.
The camaraderie between tentmates and neighbouring camps, the encouragement from the famous blue and orange jackets, and the unbelievable scenery made a lasting impression.
Even the simple tradition of receiving a cup of mint tea at the end of every stage became one of Alfie's favourite memories.
When asked for the biggest lesson from the entire experience, the answer was simple.
"The body and the mind are capable of so much more than you think they are."
Would He Go Back?
Surprisingly, probably not.
"It feels special to say that I've completed it, so I probably wouldn't do it again."
Although, if he ever did return to the Sahara, there is one thing he'd pack differently.
Poles.
After spending hours trudging through deep sand where running wasn't possible, he reckons they would make a huge difference.
Alfie's Marathon des Sables 2026 by the Numbers
250km across the Sahara Desert
28-week training block
Peak training week: 127km
Heat acclimation started 9 weeks before the race
50g of carbohydrates per hour during training and racing
18,000 calories carried for the week
Fuelled with Highland Fuel BareFuel and HFN 300mg Salt Tabs
Finished inside the Top 100 overall
Congratulations to Alfie on an incredible achievement. Marathon des Sables Legendary is a race that strips endurance back to its simplest form: movement, resilience and smart decision-making. This was a masterclass in preparation, disciplined fuelling and sheer determination.
We're incredibly proud that Highland Fuel was able to be part of the journey.