MDS 120 Morocco

Results: 2026

296 runners finished.

The finisher count covers the 120 km course only; LiveTrail lists 99 finishers at 100 km and 66 at 70 km. Its event overview also lists 9 DNFs at 120 km, 7 at 100 km and 2 at 70 km; no starter total is asserted here. The longest course was listed as 110 km in 2025 and 120 km in 2026, so the winning times are not directly comparable.

Source: LiveTrail — official MDS 120 Morocco 2026 rankings. Checked October 10, 2026.

Event Overview

A three-stage, food-self-sufficient Sahara event with 70 km, 100 km, and 120 km options plus four nights in the race bivouac.

Course & Terrain

Three marked desert stages with a bivouac base and 70 km, 100 km, or 120 km total-distance choices.

Key course features to know before comparing this race:

• Sahara Desert
• Ksar Aït-Ben-Haddou

Why This Race Matters

MDS 120 Morocco is a three-stage, food-self-sufficient desert race organized by What An Adventure (WAA), the company behind the Marathon des Sables. The format grew out of the Half Marathon des Sables, first held in Fuerteventura in September 2017 with 70, 100 or 120 km options over three stages; a Moroccan edition followed in 2022, and the organizer describes 2026 as the fifth. Entrants choose 70, 100 or 120 km. The difference lies in the second stage, which is 20, 40 or 60 km long, while the first and last stages cover 25 to 30 km. Participants carry all their food for four days at a fixed bivouac, about 12 meals, and the organization supplies only water: at checkpoints every 8 to 12 km and 5 litres at each stage finish. Walking is allowed, with a minimum speed of 3.5 km/h. In 2025, LiveTrail’s final rankings listed 412 finishers across the three distances. Rachid El Morabity won the longest course, given as 110 km that year, in 10:50:03, and Julia Villanueva was first woman in 15:33:59.

Preparing for a Race Like MDS 120 Morocco

The stage race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:

• Stage race packing list: Mandatory kit, daily carry, camp bags, food and foot care.
• Walking strategy for ultramarathons: When and how to walk by terrain, effort and cutoffs.
• Hydration and sodium for ultramarathons: Fluid, sodium, thirst, sweat rate and hyponatremia risk.
• Blister prevention: Socks, taping, lubrication, shoe fit and hot spots.

Planning Notes

• Study the mandatory gear list early and rehearse carrying the exact pack weight you expect to use on race day.
• Heat, sun, and dry air require event-specific preparation. Test sun protection and cooling, drink in response to thirst, and remember that sodium cannot make overdrinking safe.
• The directory marks this as having comparatively simpler logistics. That editorial label is not a safety rating; verify cutoffs, terrain, support, crew access, and withdrawal procedures.

Related Preparation

• Compare this race in the full 2026 calendar
• Browse the multiday stage-race calendar
• Open the Stage Race format guide
• Compare all race formats
• Use the timed-race pace calculator
• Plan checkpoint arrivals and cutoff buffers
• Build a crew and drop-bag plan
• Build a race-specific gear checklist