Diego Yanuar Completes Extreme Marathon

JAKARTA - A runner from Indonesia who lives in the Netherlands, Diego Yanuar, has successfully completed the Legendary Marathon des Sables (MDS) in the Sahara Desert.

Marathon des Sables is an ultramaraton with an extreme race 250 kilometers away. The mission was completed by Diego on Saturday, April 12, 2025.

MDS Legendary began to be held since 1986 and earned a reputation as one of the most difficult marathons in the world. The participants had to follow the sandy terrain of the Sahara Desert in six stages with different distances.

Diego underwent a mission that tested the physical and mental limits for seven days. He managed to reach the finish line after spending 40 hours 44 minutes.

One of the interesting views on Diego Yanuar's journey to compete in the Sahara Desert is the footwear he wears. He prefers sandals over shoes.

Diego in the last seven years wore sandals prefer sandals when running because they are much more comfortable and minimalist. The sandals are also more suitable for a dry and sandy desert field like the Sahara.

This is Diego's first experience conquering the Sahara Desert in Monaco. However, he had previously challenged himself to complete various extreme missions.

One of them he had cycled from the Netherlands to Indonesia through 23 countries with his wife, Marlies Fennema, in 2018-2019. The trip carries the name Everything in Between.

This husband and wife couple carried out a social mission to raise funds for plants, animals and humans. They then arrived in Jakarta after almost a year of traveling.