Doctor prepares for Gobi Desert challenge (From Swindon Advertiser)

Doctor prepares for Gobi Desert challenge

8:30am Sunday 11th April 2010 in

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A GP will swap his surgery for the sands of the China desert to raise funds for a Swindon charity.

Dr Steve Rhodes, who has worked at the Hermitage Surgery in Old Town for the last 25 years, will be running in the Gobi March 2010, a 150-mile five day stage race across the Gobi Desert at the end of June.

He hopes to raise £5,000 through sponsorship for the Prospect Hospice in Wroughton.

The challenge, which is on the China/Mongolia border, will require between 20 to 55 miles running a day over 12 hours, in 40 degree heat and carrying a 12 kilogram bag.

Mr Rhodes, 51, from Cricklade, said: “I have done the London Marathon and the New York Marathon and a marathon’s a marathon. You’re looking at doing something else.”

The father-of-two, who has been running for the last 15 years, will first fly out to China on June 25 and then on to the city of Urumqi to start the marathon a few days later.

The race is run using checkpoints that provide water, but all clothing and food for the five days must be carried by the runner. At the end of each day all the runners must reach the specified camp for the night.

Dr Rhodes said he was most worried about the risk of dehydration, strong desert winds and falling in the sand.

He admitted the majority of the 200 people competing are likely to be aged 20 to 40 and are often ex-forces, but said he is taking the race element seriously. However, he must make sure he meets the race guidelines to prevent being disqualified, including reaching the day’s checkpoints in time and not being given more than one IV fluid treatment for dehydration. Dr Rhodes, who has been a member of Highworth Running Club for five years, is a veteran of 10 marathons, including the London Marathon, which he has done six times.

He completed the 250-mile Marathon des Sables in 2004 and the Himalayan 100 mile Stage Race in 2007, raising over £7,500 for local charities.

He has been using the David Lloyd leisure club’s facilities free of charge to train up to 50 miles a week.

“I do running because I was rubbish at everything else. I like to play football, but I’m not good at hand eye coordination,” said Dr Rhodes.

“Running is walking, but a bit faster, there’s not a lot of skill involved.

Dr Rhodes said he had chosen Prospect, which provides end of life care for people around the Swindon area, because of his contact with the charity.

To follow Dr Rhodes progress visit www.4deserts.com/gobimarch and to sponsor him visit www.justgiving.com/Steve-Rhodes-Gobimarch-2010.