Team Sweatmonsters can't train under Sahara desert conditions here in Scotland, but don't be surprised to see us cycling or running past you sometime soon, despite the rain!

We will, of course, be posting photos and updating this section on a regular basis to let you know exactly how we're getting on.

Click here to see Neil's British Ultra Race Report

Over the coming months we're going to have a lot of training to do to get ready for what the Marathon Des Sables 2009 will throw at us. For such a physically demanding event, we need to vary the types of training that we do in order to be ready to meet the challenge ahead. Our preparation for the marathon will include plenty of cross-training activities, such as hill walking, climbing, running, swimming, and cycling.

Click to see photos of Roddy and John training in the Pentland hills

Click here for a detailed team training schedule.

The Marathon Des Sables is renowned for being the toughest footrace on earth, and it will take all of our drive and determination to reach our goal. We know that we will achieve what we have set out to do, when we look at the courage and inner strength of people who have achieved great things under almost impossible circumstances.

One of the people we, as a team, admire and are motivated by, is the world famous cyclist Lance Armstrong. Lance survived cancer, despite the odds, and then went on to win the Tour de France for a record-breaking seven consecutive years from 1999 to 2005 when he retired from the sport. Below are words of encouragement that Team Sweatmonsters has received from the Lance Armstrong Foundation:

We now ask that you click on the Just Giving button opposite and give us your donation along with your own words of encouragement. Any donation you can make is greatly valued by our team.