EXCLUSIVESpencer Matthews will complete a gruelling 30 desert marathons in 30 days to feel 'closer' to his late brother Michael who went missing while climbing Mount Everest
Spencer Matthews says he's completing the gruelling Great Desert Challenge, which will see him run 30 marathons in 30 days, to feel closer to his tragic brother.
The former Made In Chelsea star's elder sibling Michael never returned after scaling Mount Everest aged 22 in 1999 and Spencer has since filmed a Disney+ documentary about his mission to find and retrieve his body.
Taking on such an epic challenge gives Spencer a connection to his brother he wouldn't otherwise feel, as he tells how Michael remains his biggest inspiration.
Spencer embarks on the Guinness World Record attempt in the Arabian Desert later this month and dedicated himself to an intensive training regime, which has already seen him pick up an injury, delaying his running preparation by six weeks.
But speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Spencer, 35, says he will be using his brother's memory as motivation to complete the 786-mile challenge.
Spencer Matthews says he's completing the gruelling Great Desert Challenge, which will see him run 30 marathons in 30 days, to feel closer to his tragic brother
The former Made In Chelsea star's elder sibling Michael never returned after scaling Mount Everest aged 22 in 1999 and Spencer has since filmed a Disney+ documentary about his mission to find and retrieve his body
Taking on such an epic challenge gives Spencer a connection to his brother he wouldn't otherwise feel, as he tells how Michael remains his biggest inspiration
Spencer was just 10 years old when his older sibling went missing but says he 'feels close' to Michael when he completes adventurous challenges
He said: 'Michael serves as an inspiration for me, especially when I do something like this.
'I think about him a lot and feel close to him when I do these kinds of things.
'There's something called thin space that I love. I learnt about it when filming Pilgrimage for the BBC.
'It's that feeling or moment between heaven and earth where you see something really beautiful or a gust of wind or something like that.
'When I do these kinds of challenges, I feel like I'm in thin space quite often, depleted, tired, and you can feel very beautiful and transformational – and I feel close to him in those moments.'
Spencer will be running in soaring temperatures, sometimes exceeding over 45 degrees, and the trek is the equivalent of running the entire length of the UK, only through desert.
And each marathon must be completed within six hours and entirely on sand to be eligible for the record.
Spencer explained: 'The idea for the challenge came around Christmas/New Year last year.
'At the time the idea was to run 30 marathons in 30 days in the Sahara Desert because it's where the Marathon des Sables was and I had a really wonderful experience there, it was really tough at times but ultimately I really enjoyed it.
'That's deemed the toughest footrace on earth but this is roughly five times the length of that and it's basically the same conditions.
His transformation into an ultramarathon runner is made even more impressive given he was one of London's most notorious party boys during his Made In Chelsea days
That life is very much behind him, now he's married to Irish model and presenter, Vogue Williams, and is a father to children Theodore, Gigi, and Otto
Spencer is looking forward to being joined at the finish line by wife Vogue, who will be flying out to cheer him on with Theodore and Gigi
'I was getting faster and stronger throughout that experience and I was far less prepared than I am now so I'm really keen to push the boundaries of what's possible and compete with myself.
'It's a world first, I'm not going after someone else's record. I'm keen to set a bar and encourage people to run and show them it's possible with a bit of determination.'
His transformation into an ultramarathon runner is made even more impressive given he was one of London's most notorious party boys during his Made In Chelsea days from 2011 until 2015.
That life is very much behind him, now he's married to Irish model and presenter, Vogue Williams, and is a father to children Theodore, five, Gigi, three, and Otto, two.
Indeed, Spencer, who's now teetotal and the owner of alcohol free drink brand CleanCo, admits he's 'ashamed' of how much he previously consumed.
He said: 'I have come from having a shocking relationship with alcohol and feeling quite ashamed of myself actually to now being in a position where I'm really happy and comfortable.
'The things that have made a big difference to my overall health are hardly ever drinking, minimal amounts of alcohol, exercise, good sleep and proper supplements.'
Spencer says his wife and children act as a further incentive to complete the challenge and he dreams of celebrating with them at the finish line.
Spencer will be running in soaring temperatures, sometimes exceeding over 40 degrees, and the trek is the equivalent of running the entire length of the UK, only through desert
To feel as fit and able as possible ahead of the challenge, Spencer has been taking Heights Supplements, and credits the product for helping to fuel his recovery
A former cynic, Spencer admits he has only just started to believe in the benefit taking supplements can have on your body and says he can literally feel the difference
He told MailOnline: 'I take Heights, my coach advised it, Vogue takes them and it's a supplement for your brain as well as your gut'
By that time, he hopes Vogue, 38, may have stopped worrying about him.
He said: 'Vogue is very concerned. I have reassured her across a number of levels that I will be supported.
'I actually swallow a pill every morning that via Bluetooth sends my internal body temperature to the car ahead of me so they will have a live reading of where my body temperature is and when it hits 40 there will be a signal to change my breathing and slow down and try and bring it back down to 38/39. We are very well prepared for this.'
Spencer added: 'Vogue is planning to come at the end with Theodore and Gigi hopefully. Group hug at the end will be awesome, I'll probably cry for the first time in years.'
To feel as fit and able as possible ahead of the challenge, which begins at the end of July, Spencer has been taking Heights Supplements, and credits the product for helping to fuel his recovery.
A former cynic, Spencer admits he has only just started to believe in the benefit taking supplements can have on your body and says he can literally feel the difference in the three weeks he has been taking Heights, who he has partnered with to achieve the marathons.
He said: 'I have started supplementing as well, which I never really believed in. I always thought multivitamins and fish oils were rubbish and not something I would really need.
'I have never had to perform at this level and you can understand why professional athletes supplement because it's a necessity to recover well and sleep better.
'I take Heights, my coach advised it, Vogue takes them and it's a supplement for your brain as well as your gut. You do feel a massive difference. I feel my recovery is much better. I feel that extra 10 per cent. I started taking Heights three weeks ago and I can already feel the difference.'
Spencer is raising money for Global's Make Some Noise, who work with a number of small charities up and down the country.
- To donate £30, text SPENCER30 to 70766, 100 percent of donations will go to Global's Make Some Noise
- Donating £30 – £1 for every marathon – could mean a vital support session for a pre-school child with a physical disability from a dedicated specialist worker
