Richard Dunwoody announces his next Challenge - to walk 1000 miles in 1000 hours

The ex Champion Jockey and Polar explorer Richard Dunwoody MBE has announced his next challenge to raise money for his charities - Alzheimer's Society, Racing Welfare, SPARKS, and Spinal Research.

Starting on the 29th May, Richard will attempt to walk ‘1000 Miles in 1000 Hours for 1000 Guineas’. Richard will attempt to walk 1 mile in every hour for 1000 consecutive hours – that’s 24 miles in 24 hours (almost a marathon a day) for 42 days and nights. If Richard walks back to back miles in different hours, it will only be possible for him to sleep for one hour and 15 minutes at any one time!

The challenge will take place in Newmarket, where Richard will stay at the Bedford Lodge Hotel and will walk the same mile 999 times. The final mile will be on the Newmarket racecourse along the home straight just before the Darley July Cup.

This challenge dates back 200 years to the first attempt in Newmarket in 1809 by Captain Barclay for a 1000 Guineas bet. Back then it was hailed as ‘one of the greatest human feats ever attempted’.

Richard said “my South Pole expedition last year was tough, but this might take it to a completely different level!  42 days with very little sleep could drive me to breaking point, but we’ve set ourselves an ambitious fund-raising target…and that’s what this challenge is about.”

The challenge starts at 11.30am on 29th May, and will finish 42 days later on 10th July at approx 2.30pm on Newmarket Racecourse. You can follow Richard's progress on his website www.dunwoody1000mile.com