Banstead endurance runner Kevin Duffy has many abiding memories of the Marathon Des Sables – most notably of his blistered feet.

The 54-year-old completed the 156-mile, seven-day desert race in 51 hours nine minutes 40 seconds, raising £1,300 for the Alzheimer’s Society in the process.

His time placed him 766th out of the 1,237 who completed the gruelling course – while 92 runners fell by the wayside and did not finish.

And after only a week’s rest and with feet he describes as a scene of “carnage”, Duffy was not only back at work as an electrician, he was also back on the gym treadmill.

However, the over-riding memory is of friendships forged in the searing heat of the Sahara, and the moment the finish line came into view.

He said: “It was a brutal event and every bit as seriously tough as I thought it was going to be.

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Vista: Kevin Duffy, left, and co with the Sahara desert stretching out behind them

“But it was nice to be with like-minded people, and we all helped each other along. We had good days and bad days, and everyone pitches in to help each other out.”

He added: “The worst moment was day four when you do a double marathon.

“You get two days to do it, but you have to sleep rough at night, so the idea is that you push on and try to do the whole thing in one hit – it took 21 hours in the end.”

He added: “By the time you’ve got to the long day, you’ve already completed three marathons and your body is starting to kick back, so you’re being sapped mentally and physically.

“But finishing was amazing. It was almost like a religious experience, you’ve spent your whole week focussed towards that finish line and when you see sight of it about 5km away, you get quite emotional.”

If crossing the finishing line was an emotionally tearful moment, then the blisters were a physically tearful moment.

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Unhappy feet: Kevin Duffy and his bandages

However, Duffy was not alone in his discomfort.

“Everyone suffered with bad blisters – you’re in 50 degree heat in the Sahara sand, so everyone was drawn together by the common factor that everyone’s feet were in a very bad state,” he said.

“You had to fix your feet every evening just to get through the day.

“The top of my feet were not as bad as the bottom, I don’t think a picture of the bottom of my feet could be printable because it was carnage.”

Duffy will be taking a well-earning break from endurance racing for the next few months, until he finds a tougher challenge – if there is one.

To donate to Duffy’s chosen charity go to his just giving page.

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Downhill: Duffy's desert race took in dunes and mountain sides, but all under a burning sun