My New Year ambition for 2006: complete the Atacama Crossing.

The Atacama Crossing is 150 miles or 250 kilometres long and is divided into six stages, lasting seven days, with distances ranging from 10-50 miles (20-80 kilometres) per stage.

You might think that this will be a walk in the park. After all, I did the Marathon des Sables in 2003.

However, the Atacama Crossing takes place in the Atacama Desert in Chile, high in the Andes. The minimum altitude will be around 9,000 feet. It’ll be hot. Competitors are required to be fully self-supported throughout the event and must carry all their own food, gear and clothing that they will wear for the week. That’s about 12 kilos in my rucksack. And, just to make it a little bit harder, I wouldn't even contemplate doing this without the extra burden of the desert-adapted rhino costume (the first time ever that a wild rhino will have been seen in South America). That’s another 8 kilos.

This week of unmitigated joy is being paid for entirely by me - £970 for the flights and another US $2,500 for the privilege of taking part.

Just in case you still think this is a cinch, please bear in mind that I  did the London Marathon on 23 April (very slowly, had awful flu) and the Edinburgh Marathon on 11 June as part of the training programme.

But I'm not doing the Atacama Crossing just to win the worst blister prize, nor to spend quality time with my darling husband Kenneth, who is doing the event with me, as are five other intrepid Save the Rhino runners who will take it in turns to wear the costume. Rhinos, despite my best efforts, still badly need saving. The money we raise by doing the Atacama Crossing will be given to rhino- and community-based conservation projects in Africa and Asia. We support lots of great projects, and we want to do more!

For anyone still unimpressed by any of the above, then maybe this will surprise you: I gave up alcohol on 23 January and won’t drink again until after the end of the Atacama Crossing – that’s over six months!

So please sponsor me, for one of the reasons above or for any other reason that tickles you. Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Save the Rhino International will receive your money faster and, if you are a taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

I am sure there will be moments before and during the race when I wonder what on earth I have let myself in for. Please do what you can to reassure me that running in absurd ultra-marathons is worthwhile.

x Cathy