Matt Everett will be taking on the toughest footrace on earth, the Marathon Des Sables in aid of the JTYAF and Prostrate Cancer UK.

The Marathon Des Sables takes Ultrmarathons to a new level. 156 miles across the Sahara Desert under the scorching Moroccan sun in just 5/6 days.

Matt will be facing five and a half marathons in five or six days in temperatures of 50 degrees centigrade. He will have to be self-sufficient, carrying everything on his back except the water that he will need to survive. He will be given a place in a tent to sleep at night, but will carry his sleeping mat, sleeping bag and any other equipment and food.

Matt is not really a 'runner' but has wanted to take on the Marathon Des Sables (MdS) for a very long time. He explained that it is the first time that he has felt completely focused and driven to achieve a goal and that he expects it to be a life changing experience. No one can deny that finishing the MdS is an incredible accomplishment. Matt will walk away with a new slant on life knowing that he can achieve anything that he sets his mind to do.

On top of all his training and planning for the challenge Matt is also organising fundraising activities to help with his sponsorship. He trains at Crossfit and has enlisted the help of Martyn Lever to arrange a competition for members with proceeds going to his selected charities. He is also encouraging supporters to 'Buy a Pint for John' where they will donate the money that they would spend on a pint or a cuppa to his funds. He is looking for support from local pubs and wants to organise this for 28th and 29th March.

Matt flys out on the 3rd of April and we wish him every success for his challenge. Please support him. It's surely worth a quid or two! Visit Matt's fundraising page or text 'HEAT75' and your donation amount eg £20 to 70070.

This is my declaration to every donor who supports me in my challenge...I will do everything I humanly can to get to the end of "the toughest footrace on Earth" - the Marathon Des Sables. I can't promise I will finish. Some of the best ultra-runners in the world have become victim to one of many factors associated with running an ultra-marathon in the Desert. But I promise you this - I will keep going. I will keep putting one foot in front of the other until I'm face down in soft Saharan sand or I'm hobbling over the stage finish line. I will put in such an effort that I can walk off that course will my head held high, whatever the outcome.

Follow Matt's blog and join his Facebook page.

Go smash it Matt!