Blind Dave 777 Countdown.................83 Days To Go

BLIND DAVE NAIROBI SAFETY FEAR

15-01-2008

Riots in Kenya which have left hundreds dead could force West Brom marathon runner Blind Dave Heeley into a rethink of the Nairobi leg of his 777 challenge. The Foreign Office is currently advising against non-essential travel to the country in the bloody wake of the recent election.

Dave – who’s running seven marathons in seven days on seven continents – has already had to juggle the African leg of his expedition twice before.

First choice destination Cairo was written off because the plane travel schedule didn’t work out, then Johannesburg was dropped because of security fears. Nairobi was ideal on both counts – until the recent protests.

“We’re going to have to sit tight for a couple of weeks and see what happens, but yes, we are looking for a Plan B, just in case” Dave said.

“The way I look at it, people in Kenya aren’t going to have the airport closed because they need the tourism, so from my point of view I’ll be able to get into the country and I’m sure I’d be OK.”

Guide Dogs For The Blind who are supervising the entire trip are unlikely to take any risks though, so unless the situation is resolved shortly – and yesterday there were still riot police on the streets of the capital – an alternative will have to be found.

On a more positive note, Dave is back pounding the streets of the Black Country after an enforced lay off with a bad back (see link here)

Yesterday he and guide runner “Mad Mac” – Malcolm Wickes – ran 22 miles, after returning to training on Sunday.

Dave admitted, “This training schedule is really testing me.”

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