Amputee from Lanarkshire set to run 135 miles for charity

By Cordelia O’Neill
Published on 15/07/2012 00:00

A CHARITY fundraiser who lost an arm and a leg clearing landmines in Mozambique arrived in the United States yesterday to take part in one of the world’s toughest ultra marathons.

Chris Moon, who lives in Strathaven, Lanarkshire, lost his right arm and leg in 1995. Today he will embark on the 135-mile Badwater run in California, a gruelling event that pits around 90 of the world’s toughest athletes against one another and the elements.

The race sees runners head through Death Valley to Mount Whitney in temperatures of up to 55C.

Moon, 50, has run the race before, in 53 hours, and wants to cut ten hours off his best time.

He is running to raise funds for charities, including O2e, which helps disabled and disadvantaged children.

He has been running marathons, ultra-distance races and raising money for charity for 15 years and is the first amputee to run 
the world’s toughest ultra marathons, beginning with the Marathon des Sables across the Sahara in 1996.

In September 2010, he ran more than a marathon a day for 30 days continuously, to cover 1,000 miles.

He said: “I am excited. I have done the training and I just want to get out there.”

Moon is accepting donations here