Des Linden is not easing into retirement. Less than a year after stepping away from professional marathon racing, the two-time Olympian is preparing for one of the toughest endurance events in the world: the Marathon des Sables, a six-day ultramarathon across the Sahara Desert.
Linden, 42, will line up on April 3 in Morocco for the race’s 40th anniversary edition. The event spans roughly 250 kilometers, or about 155 miles, and is widely regarded as one of the most demanding ultra races on the planet.
What Is the Marathon des Sables?
The Marathon des Sables is a multi-day ultramarathon held annually in southern Morocco, widely regarded as one of the world’s toughest endurance races. First staged in 1986, the event is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026.
The race covers roughly 250 kilometers, or about 155 miles, across six days in the Sahara Desert. Unlike a traditional ultramarathon run in a single effort, the Marathon des Sables is a stage race, with competitors completing a different distance each day. Daily stages typically range from about five miles to as long as 55 miles, including one extended “long stage” that can last through the night.
Runners traverse a mix of terrain, including sandy trails, hard-packed desert roads, rocky sections, and towering sand dunes. Temperatures can soar during the day and drop sharply at night, adding to the physical and logistical challenge.
Participants must be largely self-sufficient. Each runner is required to carry their own food, clothing, and safety equipment in a backpack for the duration of the race. Water is rationed and provided at checkpoints along the course and at the temporary desert camps where runners sleep each night. Medical support is available, but outside assistance is not allowed.
The combination of heat, distance, self-sufficiency, and cumulative fatigue has made the Marathon des Sables a defining test in ultrarunning, attracting elite competitors and amateur runners from around the world.
A Radical Shift After the Marathon
For Linden, who built her career on roads and track, the appeal lies in how different the challenge is.
Speaking to Trailhead Media, Linden said, “I ran it by a lot of people in the trail world and several people said, ‘Why on earth would you do that one? That’s crazy! But I think it’s just so different that it was kind of a fun way to be excited about it and just try something completely out of the norm.”
She added that learning to run with a pack and manage fueling over multiple days has brought a fresh sense of curiosity to her training. “There are just a lot of fun new elements to tackle,” she said.
Linden is best known for winning the 2018 Boston Marathon in brutal weather and for representing the United States at the Olympic marathon in 2012 and 2016. She also holds the women’s world record for 50 kilometers, set in 2021.
Running With a Trusted Partner
Linden will not be alone in the desert. She is racing alongside Magda Boulet, a close friend and one of the most accomplished ultrarunners of her generation. Boulet won the Marathon des Sables in 2018 and has victories at the Western States 100 and Leadville 100.
The idea to run the race together took shape last summer during a six-day hut-to-hut running trip in the Swiss Alps. Their friendship dates back nearly two decades, to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials marathon in Boston.
“She has the right attitude and mental fortitude that it takes to embrace challenges along the way,” Boulet said of Linden. “There are going to be plenty.”
Boulet pointed to Linden’s calm under pressure as a key strength. “She’s very calm in stressful situations, and I think that is going to be her superpower and a secret weapon that she brings to this phase of her running,” she said.
Learning the Ultra World
While the Marathon des Sables marks a major leap, Linden is not entirely new to trails or ultra distances. She has spent years training on trails and has taken running trips to New Zealand, Japan, and Switzerland with Boulet and other elite runners, including ultrarunning champion Ruth Croft.
Still, Linden says the learning curve is steep. She has joined the GU Athlete Team and will rely on guidance from Boulet and Roxane Gonzales Vogel, GU’s director of research and education, to fine-tune her fueling and hydration strategy.
“I certainly have fitness,” Linden said, “so we’ll see what we can do with it.”
Before heading to Morocco, Linden will race the Black Canyon Ultras 50K on February 15 in Arizona. That weekend will also feature fellow Olympian Molly Seidel, who is set to run the Black Canyon 100K after recently winning the Bandera 50K in record time.
Looking Ahead to Bigger Goals
Linden’s ambitions stretch beyond the Sahara. She has expressed interest in marquee events such as the Western States 100 in California and South Africa’s 90-kilometer Comrades Marathon. She paced ultrarunner Joe McConaughy at Western States last year and closely followed the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc races from home.
“It definitely seems like trail running is really growing,” Linden said. She cited standout performances by athletes like Jim Wamsley, Courtney Dauwalter, and Ruth Croft as reasons for the sport’s rising profile. “It’s just thrilling racing,” she said.
Boulet agrees that trail and ultrarunning are entering a new phase, with more elite road runners crossing over. “It’s exciting to see people stretch their heads as runners and not consider themselves as just road runners,” she said.
As Linden prepares for final gear decisions with Brooks and last training sessions on hills and sand, she says the move is about exploration as much as competition.
“For me, it’s just kind of getting out of the marathon bubble for a bit and exploring new things,” she said. “It’s really its own unique sport. I don’t know if it’ll be a smooth transition or if I’ll have any success, but I’m excited about it.”
