Gower tackles toughest race on earth for Cancer Research
By Toby Porter
A runner has been bidding to conquer the toughest foot race on earth across the Sahara in a bid to raise money and awareness for Cancer Research UK.
Gower Tan, 51, from Herne Hill, Lambeth, pictured, has been attempting to complete the gruelling ultra endurance event, the legendary Marathon des Sables.
The challenge has seen him running for six days, for more than 250 km (156 miles) in one of the world’s most inhospitable environments.
The race, labelled by the Discovery Channel as the ‘toughest foot race on earth’, is the equivalent of six marathons, crossing endless sand dunes, rocks and white-hot salt plains.
It requires competitors to carry everything needed to survive day and night, from food, an anti-venom kit to a sleeping bag, in temperatures that will reach over 50C.
As a long-term supporter of Cancer Research UK, Gower has run numerous half marathons, marathons and ultra marathons all over the world, and completed challenges including an abseil off the Francis Crick Institute and a skydive.
For this year’s challenges, Gower completed a 100-mile non-stop ultra marathon across the South Downs from Winchester to Eastbourne in June, and recently finished his eighth Great North Run, narrowly missing out on setting a Guinness World Record for the fastest half marathon dressed as a scientist. Boffin heck.
Gower said: “Research is a bit like running: sometimes you get a breakthrough, and very often you don’t. But you carry on trying until you do.”
As part of his final preparation for the Marathon des Sables, Gower shaved off 14 months of lockdown hair, live-streaming it and donating his locks to the Little Princess Trust, to make wigs for people having chemotherapy.
Gower is hoping to have raised about £10,000 to help fund research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Lynn Daly, spokeswoman for Cancer Research UK in London, said: “We never cease to be amazed by Gower’s constant and incredible challenges to raise money for Cancer
Research UK.
“He’d done a huge amount of preparation and we’re sure he’s having an amazing run. We can’t thank him enough for the part he plays in helping to beat cancer and wish him all the very best on his extraordinary challenge in the Sahara.
“Cancer Research UK has made enormous progress in the fight against the disease.
However, we have only been able to do this thanks to the dedication and commitment of volunteers and supporters like Gower without whom we would not be able to fund our life-saving work.
“One in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime. All of us can support the research that will beat it.”
To support Gower, go to: www.justgiving.com/
To support Cancer Research UK’s work go to cruk.org or call 0300 123 1022.