Des Linden is stacking one of the most demanding race schedules of her career, even by elite standards.
On Wednesday, the 42-year-old Olympic marathoner announced that she plans to race three iconic events in April 2026, combining ultrarunning and road marathoning in a compressed, three-week stretch. The schedule includes the Marathon des Sables in Morocco, followed by the Boston Marathon and the London Marathon.
Linden shared the news on the latest episode of Nobody Asked Us, the podcast she co-hosts with fellow Olympian Kara Goucher.
“First stop, Black Canyon Ultras 50K as a buildup for the main event for the spring, Marathon des Sables,” Linden said in a social media post promoting the episode. “Plus, I’ll sprinkle in some road marathons just for funsies. Looking at you Wave 1 Boston Marathon and London Marathon.”
A Rare Combination of Trail and Road Racing
The centerpiece of Linden’s spring is the Marathon des Sables, a six-day, 250-kilometer stage race across the Sahara Desert that requires runners to carry their own food and equipment. Linden is set to race the event from April 3 to April 13, marking her first attempt at the legendary ultramarathon.
Just one week later, on April 20, she plans to run the Boston Marathon, where she famously won in 2018 under extreme weather conditions. Six days after that, she is scheduled to race the London Marathon on April 26.
The back-to-back-to-back schedule is highly unusual, even among elite athletes. The Marathon des Sables alone is considered one of the most physically demanding endurance races in the world, with competitors covering long daily stages through sand dunes, rocky desert terrain, and extreme heat.
Still Racing, Even After Retirement
Linden retired from professional marathoning in 2025 but has remained deeply involved in competitive running. Earlier this year, she announced her shift toward trail and ultrarunning, including her entry into Marathon des Sables and her participation in trail events like the Black Canyon Ultras 50K, scheduled for February 15.
Despite stepping away from full-time road racing, Linden has made it clear she is not done challenging herself.
The April schedule underscores that approach. Rather than choosing between trail and road, Linden is doing both, in rapid succession, at some of the sport’s most storied events.
A New Phase, on Her Own Terms
Linden, a two-time U.S. Olympic marathoner and the women’s 50K world record holder, has described her post-retirement racing as an opportunity to explore new formats and races that previously did not fit into a traditional marathon cycle.
The combination of a self-supported desert ultramarathon followed by two World Marathon Majors reflects that freedom, and a willingness to embrace uncertainty late in a decorated career.
For Linden, April will not be about chasing titles or rankings. It will be about seeing how far experience, durability, and curiosity can stretch across radically different forms of racing, all within the span of 23 days.
