Q What was it that made you decide to take up this challenge?
A I was inspired by Africa itself. I’d fallen for it completely, head over heels. I came to Africa quite late. South America had been my chosen place – I lived there for four years – but Africa has since hijacked my life, and it’s a major love affair. Another inspiration was Chris Moon, a bomb disposal expert who lost a leg in the course of his work and decided to run the race in 2001 to raise funds for landmine victims. I was amazed by the pictures of this incredible man running through phenomenal landscapes. So I thought, if I ever run a marathon it will have to be the Marathon des Sables. I also wanted to raise money for the work of WWF in Africa, and put something back into the continent that I’ve enjoyed so much over the last few years.

Q Is the Marathon des Sables something that anybody could do?
A It’s not a feat to be taken lightly, but any marathon runner could attempt it. Of course you have to work harder than you do on any ‘normal’ marathon though, and at night, instead of being tucked up in a comfy bed, you’re sleeping on the sand under the stars.

Q How long did you train for the race?
A I didn’t find out I was doing it until two months before – so I had a very intensive training period. With hindsight, I’d never do this again. Some people had been training for months – one heart surgeon I met had been getting up at 3am to go running before work. That seems incredible but I now totally understand why people give up so much time to prepare, physically and mentally. England isn’t the best place to train though – even if you cover 10-15 miles a day you can never emulate the experience of running in the heat with a twenty kilo backpack on sand that feels like liquid. Some people have tried taking a treadmill into a sauna!

Q Were you running with professional athletes?
A There was a hardcore group of extreme enthusiasts who seem to spend their whole time flying round the world from one ultra-marathon to another. But most people were, I suppose you could say, ‘extreme fun-runners’. Men outnumbered women but not hugely – and a greater percentage of the women finished. There were army officers, tree surgeons, vets, dads, grandfathers – you name it. What made the race the most amazing experience was undoubtedly the people. There were many tears of laughter, I tell you. Sometimes you’d be running on your own, and then, often when you’re really flagging, somebody would catch up with you, like an angel dropping out of the sky, and you’d have a really good conversation with them, even though, with 700 people in the race, you’d never know when you might see them again.

Q Had you experienced the Sahara before?
A No, and I was surprised that the landscapes were mostly scrubby. But sometimes we’d be running through desert with a straight-out-of-central-casting backdrop of magnificent dunes under huge skies. You’re often alone and that gives you plenty of time to think. You have to know how to navigate but because I was usually near the back I just followed the footprints!

Q Was it very hot?
A Yes. But at least it was a dry heat. You have to take a sip of water every few minutes – the analogy being watering a plant in a pot. If you don’t keep adding water it’ll wither and die and you’ll never be able to bring it back to life again, even if you pour a whole bucketful over it.

Q Was the race as hard as you expected?
A Physically, it was much harder. I wasn’t prepared for the debilitating pain in my feet. Your feet swell by two sizes in the heat. Everybody suffered from blisters but I think I got more than most. The medical team cut them off and they ended up like open sores. And then the sand got in. I was living on a concoction of painkillers.

Q Were there any times when you thought you wouldn’t make it?
A I think everybody had those. But only fifty or so entrants dropped out, mostly for medical reasons. If you lose more than three layers of skin from your feet then the medical team don’t let you continue. Also, if you exceed the time limit for any leg of the race you’re disqualified, which is terribly disappointing, particularly because everybody invests so much time, effort and money in preparing. Sometimes I’d be getting back from an eight-hour leg with just fifteen  minutes to spare – and those last kilometres were extremely hairy, I can tell you.

Q Was there a key item of kit you wish you’d had?
A Gaiters. They were a big talking point on the race. They’re essentially knee-high leggings which turn trainers into wellies. People make them out of parachute material – goodness knows where they get that from – to keep the sand out. Lots of wives and mothers must have been roped into sewing gaiters before the race, in a tremendous array of different colours. I wish I’d got my girlfriend or my mother to make some. I had to borrow a pair and they were already, shall we say, well used. As for camping kit, you can’t just take normal stuff, because it’s all about weight. There are items you’re required to carry such as food, medical kit and flares. I bought a new backpack which seemed to cost a fortune – it was super-small and super-lightweight. But some people had obviously spent lots of time and money on assembling their kit.

Q Was there time for any après-run at the end of each day?
A Absolutely not. All you do is gobble your food and then sleep. You’re so dehydrated and exhausted, you have to rest. You collapse under an awning and it’s so cold in your lightweight sleeping bag that you literally shake yourself to sleep.

Q What would be your first piece of advice to somebody who’s thinking of running the race?
A Prepare your feet and plan your kit. You can be as fit as Paula Radcliffe but if you haven’t toughened up your feet you’re going to suffer. I would train by running barefoot along a sandy beach. You need to get trainers that are two sizes too big, blister-proof socks, and, of course, gaiters. And you should try to enjoy yourself. It’s supposed to be a fun experience. Don’t get bogged down. Take a camera. You will be spending time in the desert in a very pure way.

Q Is there any truth to the rumours that Prince William and Prince Harry are going to enter?
A Well, we do have quite a few mutual friends who’ve done so. I know William and Harry are keen and I suspect they might take part one year.

Q And would you enter again?
A Yes, but not for many years. There was a couple in the race who were celebrating their fiftieth birthdays and that made me think, what a great way to beat the aging process! I’d like to do it in nineteen years time and reminisce about what it was like to run the same race at the age of thirty. In the meantime, I already have memories that will remain with me all my life and I don’t want to dilute those by repeating it.

Q What for you was the best moment of the whole experience?
A Crossing the finish line, without a doubt. Everyone cried. The tears flowed for many, many reasons. It was very emotional, very special. We had all gone through so much together and the feeling of camaraderie had been just fantastic. On the bus back to Ourzazate, everyone was dead to the world for the first hour, and then somebody piped up, “So, anyone want to climb Everest?”