Jenny LingMultimedia Journalist·Northern Advocate·2 Aug, 2026 12:00 AM4 mins to read‌Ralph Mays endured all sorts of pain during this year’s Marathon des Sables event, one of the toughest ultramarathons in the world.Northland athlete Ralph Mays braved “killer” sandstorms and relentless heat to complete a “miserable but beautiful” ultramarathon race across the Sahara Desert in Morocco.

At 57, Mays also became the oldest New Zealander to complete the legendary Marathon des Sables event, widely regarded as one of the toughest ultramarathons in