The freezing weather may not be ideal for Andy Shirres but he is hoping to build up his resistance ahead of the six-day Marathon des Sables in March - and his intense training regime means he can eat anything he wants this Christmas.
The project manager, 27, from Stockport, said: "If I can cope with the mud and rain in this country then I'm hoping it's easier over there."
About 800 competitors from all over the world will brave temperatures of up to 40°C, running up to 40 miles a day. They have to carry everything they need (apart from tents and water) in rucksacks.
Andy said: "It is longer than anything I have attempted before. My aim is just to finish."
He has been running for several years and averages 40 miles a week. He said: "When you are running these distances you can eat what you want. I'm shovelling things in all the time, it just gets burnt off."
Andy is aiming to raise money for the Red Cross. To help him go to www.justgiving.com/andrewshirres.
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