An inspirational former Royal Marine Commando turned primary school teacher hopes to inspire his pupils and raise vital funds by completing an epic ultramarathon in the Sahara Desert.
Mike Chauffour is taking on the energy-sapping Marathon Des Sables (MdS) – a six-day, 250km (156-mile) event regarded as the toughest footrace on Earth – for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH).
It is approximately the distance of six regular marathons, and the longest single stage is an eye-watering 100k.
The 39-year-old is a former Commando but left ten years ago and now teaches Year Six youngsters at Trinity Primary School, in Stowmarket.
“I’m no stranger to big challenges and enjoy pushing myself to the limit, both physically and mentally,” said Mike, who lives in Ipswich.
“Our school motto is ‘nothing is impossible’, and I want to show that to my pupils.
“I hope to inspire them and prove that by persevering and putting your mind to something, you can achieve great things and make a difference.
“By working hard, you get rewards, and, in this instance, that means raising as much money as possible for EACH.
“That’s why I’m doing this, and it’s a very special cause – one that does incredible work in our community, providing vital care and support to children and families.
“Part of me wanted to keep quiet about it. However, I realise that to achieve my fundraising target, I need to shout from the rooftops and tell as many people as possible. That pressure acts as fuel.”
French-born Mike is setting himself an initial goal of raising £5,000 but says the ‘sky’s the limit’ and has printed leaflets to distribute at school, for children to hand out at their sports clubs, Cubs, Scouts, Brownies and Guides. His pupils are avidly monitoring his total every day.
“One of the children in my class used to go to school with a girl who has a brain tumour and receives care,” he said.
“Even though the rest of us don’t know her, we wanted to show our support and raised funds from a cake sale.
“We’re a Christian school, so always look to promote kindness and be positive and proactive.
“I also have a colleague here and know lots of other people who have been supported by EACH.
“I have three daughters of my own, so can’t imagine how parents must feel if their son or daughter has a life-threatening condition.
“It makes me doubly determined to do whatever I can to help.
“Any pain I feel will be short-term and a drop in the ocean compared to what those children are experiencing, and they’ll be at the forefront of my mind when the going gets tough.”
The Marathon Des Sables, which gets underway on 3rd April, is held every year in southern Morocco.
It equates to roughly a marathon a day for the first three days and then a double marathon on the fourth.
After a rest day, hardy participants then do another marathon before finishing with one last half-marathon.
It is a self-sufficiency race, so participants carry their own belongings. The only thing they are given is water, which is rationed.
They sleep in open-sided tents, which are big enough for seven or eight people.
“In France, everyone knows about this challenge,” said Mike, who, during his proud military career, served in Afghanistan in 2008 and 2009.
“It’s something I’ve always been aware of, and it’s on my bucket list of crazy things to do.
“I’ve done all kinds of things in the past, and, last year alone, as part of my training, I did a marathon, two 50k events and the 100k London to Brighton ultramarathon.
“I’d never describe myself as ‘super-fit’, but know how mentally strong I am and that’s my biggest asset.
“I’ll never give up, and I’m not scared by the thought of being physically destroyed. If I finish on my knees, then so be it. It’s all for a fantastic cause.”
Mike was featured in Saturday’s Ipswich Town matchday programme, and his fundraising has also been reported in a newsletter produced by his daughter’s school – Royal Hospital School, in Holbrook.
To show your support and sponsor him, head here.
