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Dubai: Running a marathon is a tough challenge for anyone. Running seven marathons in seven days on seven continents is another matter - let alone completing a challenge like this with a disability.
Dave Heeley is not letting anything stand in his way - not even the fact that he is totally blind.
Nicknamed "Blind Dave", Heeley is just one day from completing his record-breaking challenge and if successful, he will be the third person ever and the first blind person to ever take on such a feat.
Heeley lost his sight through hereditary eye disease 20 years ago, and runs with sighted guide Malcolm Carr. The challenge team also includes physiotherapist Phil Glasgow.
Gulf News caught up with Dave on the physiotherapy table, before the fifth leg of his challenge at Safa Park.
"I'm feeling fine at the moment - a few aches and pains," Heeley says.
"The support in Dubai is fantastic. The other mara-thons have gone very well actually - with the Falklands being cooler than the temperatures we're used to, it was fine. Rio was quite a lonely run, but this run in Dubai certainly isn't going to be lonely. Rio was hard work though - well, two marathons in one day within eight hours of each other is hard work! LA was good support-wise, weather-wise and course-wise and Sydney was a bit hotter."
Heeley is running to raise funds for Guide Dogs for the Blind in the UK. He is being supported in Dubai by Foresight - a non-profit organisation that raises awareness and funds for blindness and eye disease research.
Timeline
April 6: Heeley completes first marathon in the Falkland Islands
April 7: Second marathon takes place in Rio de Janeiro
April 8: Third leg of marathon in Los Angeles
April 10: (one day lost through travel) Heeley runs fourth leg in Sydney
April 11: Heeley has warm welcome from Dubai residents at the start of his fifth marathon in Safa Park, Jumeirah.
April 12: Heeley runs in Tunis
April 13: Heeley completes challenge by running the Flora London Marathon.
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