7:00am Monday 22nd March 2010
By Nigel Kerton
Silversmith and father-of-five Simon Benney, who has been running all his life, is preparing for the toughest race of all.
Mr Benney, 44, who lives at Brimslade near Wootton Rivers, is in training for a race that is six times longer than any marathon – he has to run the equivalent of six marathons in seven days with just one day’s break.
Moreover, the Marathon Des Sables takes place in the Sahara Desert in Morocco in April when temperatures will be in the high 30s.
“It’s going to be tough, very tough, but it’s something I want to do,” Mr Benney said “I am doing between 70-80 miles in training each week but it is difficult to find the time to fit it in.”
Mr Benney is the designer of the highly prized Benney Watches as well as following in the footsteps of his father Gerald by being an award winning silversmith.
He uses running to relax from his business life and the pressures of sharing a home with young children.
Mr Benney has plenty of choice of where to run with the Kennet and Avon Canal towpath close to his home and many footpaths and other off-road rights of way.
“Over the last three years I have done a lot of marathon running,” said Mr Benney who competed in the London Marathon in 2004.
His average time to complete the 26 miles is about four hours.
The Marathon Des Sables has about 7,000 runners, of whom 250 are British.
Mr Benney hopes to raise a total of at least £60,000 for his two favourite charities, the Prince’s Trust and the Wiltshire fast response medic service SWIFT Medics.
Last year SWIFT doctors helped his son Todd, then aged seven, who was knocked over and severely injured by a car outside Marlborough Rugby Club.
Mr Benney has already raised £30,000 from a fund-raising dinner held at the Goldsmiths Livery Hall in London.
His wife Sukie and five children, all of whom go to St Francis School at Pewsey, will not be going to Morocco to watch the run but will monitor the results daily on www.saharamarathon.co.uk.
Donations can be sent to Mr Benney via his website: www.benneywatches.com
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