The challenge....

Complete 6 marathons in 6 days in the Sahara desert carrying all my own kit.  

This is the Marathon des Sables 

aka "The Toughest Footrace on Earth."

Temperatures of 50°C.  Longest day's distance 87km.  Carrying a 20lb pack.  Total distance 251km.

This is something I have always wanted to do and it will be a huge challenge (some might say a little crazy…my wife says this a lot) but I also feel it is such a fantastic opportunity to raise money for my chosen charity, Hope for Children. It is an organisation that is very close to my heart.

My father is from Sri Lanka. A beautiful country with a huge heart but many families live in complete poverty. These people have no homes, no food, few clothes and for their children the fight for survival is a daily reality.  As a father to a little boy I find this heart breaking and as a parent I wish I could help every single one.

385 million children worldwide live like this. Every penny that is donated to this amazing charity helps these children. We have so much to be thankful for. I just want to help other children to enjoy being children.  To know happiness and to know that there is hope.

I'm by no means a natural runner and this challenge will take every bit of strength and determination I have!  Knowing that I am raising money for such a good cause will inspire me and keep me motivated both through the cold long winter days of training as well as on the challenge itself.  To reach my target I need the equivalent of £40 for every kilometre I run.