 Believe
it or not, Sandys story begins in the womb. Her pregnant mother
was taking Thalidomide to combat morning sickness. The drug was pulled
from the market when it was found to cause birth defects. When Sandy
was born, the relatives were all called and told the baby was healthy,
with 10 fingers and 10 toes.
Sandy spent her formative years in Europe. Her father was a fighter
pilot and so the family lived a nomadic lifestyle, moving all over
the world. The lifestyle has stayed with her to this day. She believes
her fathers love of adventure, and desire to live life on the edge
has been passed on to her.
Life has not been easy for Sandy. She ran away from home in high
school. She tried to put herself through University, but ended up
dropping out after a couple of years. Sandy almost ended up on the
streets, because she had nowhere to go, and no money. She also experienced
problems with alcohol, and smoked like a chimney.
Fortunately, she was able to pull her life together, and put herself
through college. Sandy graduated with a diploma in Radio and Television
Arts. She spent the following 13 years in the television industry,
working as a news anchor and reporter.
Finding herself in a rut, she quit her job, and hoped she would
find her true calling. Running has always been one of Sandys
passions, and she decided to combine this with her love of travel. She has been to Africa numerous times now to race in ultramarathon competitions". This has paved the way for her current adventure, a camel trek across the Sahara
Desert and back. It will be the first time in history that a western
person will circle the entire desert in one trip.
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