'˜Dexam Dudes' to race 90km against the sun

And one team is rising to the challenge to raise cash for Action Medical Research.

The ‘Dexam Dudes’ team is made up of four colleagues, Tom Roberts, Penny Coventry, Rebecca Anderson and Edward Caughey from the kitchen company, who are planning to tackle the 90km race on Saturday.

Race the Sun is a challenge that sees teams of four attempt to complete cycling, climbing and canoeing challenges starting at sunrise and aiming to finish by sunset – racing the sun.

They will cycle 47 miles, hike to the summit of the highest mountain in South Wales – Pen y Fan at 2,907ft (886m) and canoe a 3km course on the Pontsticill Reservoir.

Tom said: ‘I haven’t been involved with the charity before but it’s for Action Medical Research for children who were born prematurely or suffer from disease.

‘I recently had a healthy baby boy who is now three months old and it’s made me realise that some people aren’t as lucky so I want to raise as much as possible to help.’

This year the Dexam Dudes are hoping to complete the challenge in around eight hours.

Last year’s winner completed the course in 6hrs 6mins.

‘The whole race will be a struggle,’ Tom said.

‘We’re training every day on bikes and on hills to prepare ourselves, we check on each other every day to make sure we are keeping everything in check.

‘We hope to complete the course in eight hours but it will be a struggle.

‘The worst part I reckon will be the cycle after the hike, because after you’ve done the 12km hike then walked back down you have to cycle home.’

The only rules that apply are that the team starts at sunrise and must finish by sunset.

Action Medical Research has been funding medical research since 1952.

To sponsor the team go to action.org.uk/sponsor/dexamdudes