Chris Moon to tackle Badwater ultra marathon

A Lanarkshire man who lost an arm and a leg while supervising mine clearance in Mozambique is to run one of the world's toughest ultra marathons.

Chris Moon, 50, who lost his limbs in 1995, is in the US to take part in the 135-mile Badwater run in California.

He will run through Death Valley to Mt Whitney in temperatures of up to 55C (130F).

Mr Moon, who was born in Wiltshire but lives in Strathaven, said he wanted to "challenge the concept of limitation".

The race, which gets under way on Monday, pits about 90 of the world's toughest athletes - runners, triathletes, adventure racers, and mountaineers - against one another and the elements.

Mr Moon has run the race before - in 53 hours - and wants to cut 10 hours off his best time.

He is running to raise funds for a group of charities - including O2E, which helps disabled and disadvantaged children.

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

In September 2010 he became one of a handful of people to run more than a marathon a day for 30 days continuously, covering more than 1,000 miles.

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

"I am looking to take 10 hours off my best time.

"I know more about running and artificial legs have got a lot better."

He said he hoped to keep running such events into his 70s.

"I want to overcome physical challenges and show that I have not been weakened by the unfortunate things that sometimes happen," he said.

"I run further now than I ever did before I was blown up.

"I am driven by all sorts of things - what is life without aspirations?".