Story
<p>Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.</p>
<p>Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.</p>
<p>So please dig deep and donate now.</p>
<p>I am running in the 27th Marathon Des Sables in April 2012. Organised by the French this is billed as the toughest footrace on earth. Full details of the race are at <a href="http://www.darbaroud.com/index_uk.php">http://www.darbaroud.com/index_uk.php</a> </p>
<p>Briefly, it is a footrace of 250K or thereabouts run in a series of marathons over 6 days in the Sahara, save for day 4 which a run of about 80K. Competitors carry their own kit which must include food for the duration being a minimum of 2000 calories a day, medical kit, cooking stove, compass and apparently a venom pump! The only kit not carried by the competitors is water (rationed at checkpoints) and a tent.</p>
<p>Daytime temperatures are in the range 80-120F.</p>
<p>Having paid all the entrance, travel and associated costs from my own funds all the monies you donate will go to the Weldmar Hospice Trust. Every penny and pound really does help. You don't need me to tell you about how very important their work is and what it means to the patients and families that they support. Please do take the time if you can to look at the hospice website. </p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>Ben</p>