SIMON Moran began his running career the wrong way round.

Instead of building up to a marathon, he went straight to the toughest test of them all - the ultra marathon.

Now the former army medic is preparing for his toughest test yet, by taking on the gruelling Marathon des Sables, which sees competitors run 150 miles across the Sahara Desert in searing temperatures for five days in April.

“I’ve gone about things a bit different,” said Mr Moran, 43, who lives in High Street, in Rowhedge.

“I never used to run because it was part of my job, but since I left the Army in April, I thought I’d set myself a goal, so I went with the des Sables.”

Mr Moran is running the testing marathon for Mencap, which supports people with learning disabilities, and is aiming to raise £9,500.

“I’ve got £650 at the moment, so I’ve got some way to go but I’ve got a great fundraising team behind me and I’m confident I can get there,” he said.

“In terms of completing it, I will be really driven by the fact I’m doing this for someone else, not just for me.”

To contribute, go to uk.virginmoneygiving.com/SimonMoran.