4 Deserts, Namibia: Parr puts running in perspective with children’s charity – ‘it may be miserable, but it’s a privilege’

Regional director of CSM Sport & Entertainment puts suffering of ultras in perspective with children’s charity SPARKS

Ten years after winning his first 4 Deserts race, he returns to compete in the ‘race of champions’ competition

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Dan Parr on his way to winning the gruelling RacingThePlanet Gobi desert race in April 2010. Photos: Handout

Published: 8:00am, 17 Apr 2019Updated: 9:33pm, 17 Apr 2019

Dan Parr is heading to the desert almost 10 years after his first multi-stage victory, but as times have changed, he is armed with the new perspective of having children.

Parr will compete in Namibia 4 Deserts by RacingThePlanet, a 250-kilometre six stage, which doubles as the ‘race of champions’, as everyone who has ever won a 4 Deserts event has been invited to compete.

Parr won in the Gobi in 2010 and in the Sahara the next year. Back in the infancy of his running, he raised money for the charity SPARKS, which focuses on research to prevent child diseases and pregnancy difficulties. And once again, he will be collecting funds for them.

“When you have to wake up and lug four kilos of rice around for four hours before work [for training], any grain of motivation can help you,” he said.

Gobi, 2010 – Dan Parr worries that his ability to recover between days may not be what it once was.

During the race, there will be an inevitable low moment but it is never as hard as the struggles of a parent of a sick child, he said.