Brixworth dad's training hots up for desert race

Lynton Dawson will compete in what has been described as the toughest footrace on Earth, The Marathon des Sables - a six-day race through the Sahara Desert.

Through a Facebook group which pairs up volunteers, Lynton was buddied-up with four-year-old Hannalise Sanders Smith from Oregon in the USA.

The I Run 4 Michael(IR4) group provides a different motivation for runners and athletes by giving them the opportunity to provide hope and excitement for those who can’t be as active, by taking part in different events.

In 2017, the year he turns turns 40, Lynton will join 1,000 other runners in southern Moroccan desert to race across the Sahara, the equivalent to running six marathons in six days in temperatures touching 50 C.

Lynton, whose daughter Bella is the same age as his IR4 buddy, said of the challenge: “It provides me with an opportunity to raise some money and awareness for the familiesforHOPE charity - a non-profit organisation for families and children diagnosed with holoprosencephaly (HPE) and related brain malformations.

“Only 3% of all babies with HPE survive to birth and the vast majority of these infants do not survive past the first six months of life.”

“One of the goals I have set is to present my finishers medal to a young girl who I am in contact with who suffers with this condition.

“She will turn four in 2017, as she continues to defy odds with her enthusiasm for life and courageous approach to living it to the fullest.”

He added: “ My wife Melany thinks that I am totally mad for taking on the challenge.”

Lynton, who trains fitness instructors is hoping to raise £10,000 for familiesforHOPE with a raffle and through his Just Giving page.

Support Lynton at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/lynton-dawson or anyone would like to offer any prizes please email him at [email protected]