Des Linden and Magda Boulet on Running the Marathon des Sables

In this episode, we are joined by Des Linden and Magda Boulet, who recount their adventure competing at the Marathon des Sables—a seven-day, 168-mile stage race across the Sahara Desert! This conversation focuses on the science of training, adaptability, and how runners respond under stress.

Des Linden represented the United States in the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics in the women’s marathon. In 2018, she became the first American woman in 33 years to win the Boston Marathon. She holds the women’s 50K world record of 2:59:54, set in 2021.

Magdalena Lewy-Boulet represented the U.S. at the 2008 Olympic Marathon. She’s winner of the Western States Endurance Run (2015) and winner of the 2018 Marathon des Sables. Born in Poland, she immigrated to the U.S. and became a citizen in 2001. She is a sports scientist and President of GU Energy Labs.