In April, myself and my wife, Grace, are heading to the Sahara desert to take on Marathon des Sables - the Worlds Toughest Foot Race! 

It is a six day ultra marathon, covering over 250km through the Sahara desert. We will face sand storms, temperatures of over 38*C and the notorious "long stage" which comprises a non-stop 91km. 

During the race, we have to be totally self sufficient, carrying everything we need such as, food, sleeping bag, clothes and survival kit. Oh, and to top it off, water is rationed throughout the race. 

Having never run further than 12km, this is going to be a huge test of endurance and a challenge of a lifetime. I'm use to carrying Grace's bags during her Ironman endeavours but this time I'm carrying my own. Swapping my rugby boots for trail shoes, I excited to push my limits in aid of an incredible charity; Walk Once More. 

Walk Once More are a charity focused on spinal cord injury and finding a cure. Currently, once the spinal cord is damaged it is irreparable meaning a life of paralysis and associated problems. It has now been proven in animal models that the spinal cord can indeed be regenerated, and this needs to be translated for use in patients as soon as is safely possible. A severe lack of funding still remains a major roadblock in moving these promising therapies from the laboratory to human clinical trials. Walk Once More are committed to supporting the bridging of this gap, and a cure is closer than ever. 

Imagine being given a second chance to walk?