17/02/2026
FEATURED | To celebrate his upcoming 40th birthday, Hereford's Sam Cochrane will take on the Legendary Marathon des Sables - a 250km, self-sufficient ultra-marathon across the Sahara Desert to raise funds for a 13 year old boy, who is suffering with a rare and progressive neurological condition.
Sam told us "I’m doing it for a 13-year-old boy I call "Little Sam", and to raise awareness and funds for Alex TLC - a charity that supports children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, and their families, across the UK.
Little Sam is living with adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a rare and progressive neurological condition. Despite the challenges he faces daily, he shows humour, courage, and resilience far beyond his years. Watching that strength up close has been deeply humbling. When training becomes uncomfortable or overwhelming, I remind myself that I get to choose this hardship - he doesn’t.
Alex TLC (the UK’s only Leukodystrophy charity) works quietly in the background, providing practical, emotional, and financial support to families navigating devastating diagnoses. Their work often goes unseen, but the difference they make is enormous. My aim is to shine a light on their work, tell Little Sam’s story with dignity, and raise funds that directly support other families facing similar battles.
The Marathon des Sables is widely regarded as one of the toughest endurance events on earth: six days, extreme heat, heavy pack, and complete self-sufficiency. Preparation involves months of disciplined training, managing injuries, and balancing work, family life, and my military reserve commitments - all while keeping the real "why" front and centre"
You can donate below.
https://www.justgiving.com/page/forlittlesam
