Woman makes history as first runner to complete double marathon in desert
A runner, Philippa Morris, 33, has etched her name in history by becoming the first woman to complete a gruelling new double marathon event in Jordan's Wadi Rum.
This feat occurred in April in Jordan, where Philippa ran across the desert in two days, completing two consecutive 26.2-mile runs.
Philippa is an architect working in Margaretting, Essex. She said her motivation for participating was to train herself and she also raised money for a children's charity in the process. Though her fellow runners dropped out due to scorching temperatures and concerns about running across the desert alone, Philippa admitted to feeling anxious but continued.
The Jordan Ultra Challenge, held at the end of April, required competitors to run two marathons in two days. The event organisers confirmed to the BBC that Philippa Morris was the first female to accomplish this challenging feat.
"My experience from day one to day two was very different. I initially embraced the atmosphere a lot and there were more of us running, so you were engaging with people, and I really enjoyed it,” Philippa said.
"A lot of people had got heat stroke or were too anxious about running alone in the desert. The next day I carried a lot of other people's fears and became anxious. It went from complete isolation to people everywhere congratulating me," she added.
Philippa completed the first marathon in six hours and 52 minutes, improving her time by 24 minutes on the second day. Her fundraising efforts have exceeded £2,800 for the Ordinary 2 Extraordinary charity.
