A POWYS man is taking on a marathon this summer but he’s having to train slightly differently to most people in his position – including going for runs in 30+ degree desert heat.

Kenny Price, from Newtown, is running the Magna Carta Summer Marathon in Surrey in July. However, the 33-year-old lives in Kuwait, so he is warming up for the event by running in the melting pot of the Middle East.

On top of that, he’s been training during the holy month of Ramadan – which means between sunrise and sunset you are not allowed to eat or drink in public.

Kenny is running the marathon to raise funds for the MS Society, as both his late grandfather Evan Price, from Rhayader, and dad Dave have battled MS.

“In a moment of madness I decided I would train to run a marathon this summer,” said Kenny, who is head of sixth form at a school in Kuwait, where he has lived since 2018.

County Times: Kenny is head of sixth form at a school in Kuwait, where he has lived since 2018. Kenny is head of sixth form at a school in Kuwait, where he has lived since 2018. (Image: Kenny Price)

“My main motivation is to raise money for the MS Society. This is because my late grandad had MS for many years and my dad was diagnosed with MS in 2021.

“One of the many symptoms my dad has is getting pain in his legs which can be excruciating. He has to live with this so I see the pain while running as more short term, where I should be able to see it through.”

The marathon takes place in Runnymede, Surrey, on Saturday, July 13. It is called the Magna Carta Marathon as it is close to the site where the Magna Carta treaty was signed by King John in June 1215.

Training in Kuwait has its pros and cons. There are plenty of public footpaths and tracks to run on, which are flat, but the heat means he has to run early in the morning or late at night.

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“The heat in Kuwait is a big challenge,” said Kenny, who is up to about 12 miles in his training plan.

“Last week I began running at about 6.45am and it was already 26 degrees. By 9.30am it was 33 degrees. Going in the evening is not much better and it is only going to start getting hotter too.

“As my runs start to get longer I will need to wake up earlier and earlier. However, it is all worth it for the cause.

“I have previously run a couple of 10km events and a half marathon. I’m not a total novice but I’m definitely not built like a runner either, but this is all part of the challenge, to grind it out.”

Living in an Islamic nation is also something affecting his training. Ramadan, in which Muslims fast for a whole month between dawn and sunset, this year took place between March 10 and April 9.

County Times: The heat means Kenny has to either train early in the morning or after the sun goes down. The heat means Kenny has to either train early in the morning or after the sun goes down. (Image: Kenny Price)

While non-Muslims do not have to participate, they are expected not to consume food or drink in public.

Kenny added: “Ramadan is law in Kuwait which means between sunrise and sunset you are not allowed to eat or drink in public.

“This added a layer of challenge because it meant after I left my apartment I could not drink any more water until I got back home.

“This requires a bit of careful planning. Some of the shorter runs I was able to wait until after sunset.”

For the final three weeks of his training, Kenny will be back in the UK, so he’s looking forward to the much cooler climate.

He has set up a JustGiving Page, which you can visit at https://www.justgiving.com/page/kenny-price-1707385828416.