
by Ray Zahab
On 1 November 2006, former pack-a-day smoker Ray Zahab set out on an epic expedition to cross the Sahara Desert by foot with two other runners. 111 days and 7,500 KM after leaving the coast of Senegal, they completed their journey, stepping into the Red Sea. The trek–which the National Geographic tracked by web–had the trio running an average of 70 KM a day, without a single day’s rest; actor Matt Damon and Academy Award-winning director James Moll captured the journey in an effort to raise awareness for the drinking water crisis in Northern Africa, a crisis so profound that it inspired Ray to leverage his future adventures to raise awareness and funds for causes he supported and believed in.
In 2008, Ray and two other Canadians broke the world speed record for an unsupported expedition by a team to the South Pole, which took them from Hercules Inlet to the South Pole by foot and snowshoes. Students and classrooms from all over North America joined the team as they trekked to the South Pole on a daily basis, communicating through the use of interactive technology. This expedition was completed in partnership with Impossible2Possible, an organization founded by Ray with the goals of inspiring and educating youth through adventure learning.