• Blindfolded runner Hugo Palmer trains with his marathon team.

BICTON’S Hugo Palmer will try to break the world record for the fastest blindfolded marathon on Sunday (December 12) to raise money for The Leukaemia Foundation.

Guided by three runners without blindfolds, Palmer will attempt to smash the four hour world record on the athletics track at Challenge Stadium in Mt Claremont.

Palmer says running blindfolded is disorientating.

“It’s really challenging to run in a straight line, so despite running a 42.2km race I will more likely end up running 45km with all the bouncing from side-to-side,” he says.

“During a race like a marathon you need nutrition to keep you going and taking on nutrition whilst blindfolded is very challenging.

“All in all, I have an amazing team around me who make these challenges easier than they would otherwise.”

Palmer isn’t an experienced runner with only a half marathon under his belt, but he is a fitness fanatic and recently came fifth in his age category in the Busselton half ironman.

After training hard for the record-breaking attempt at Scotch College Oval, he is confident of completing the marathon in three hours and 15 minutes.

Palmer will be running alongside Bomber Markwell, Harry Sinclair and Patric Beaven, who lost his father Jeremy to blood cancer 10 years ago.

At the time of going to print, the boys had raised $19,000 of their $25,000 goal for The Leukaemia Foundation.

To donate go to fundraise.leukaemia.org.au/fundraisers/hugomichea-palmer/running-a-f-a-r–aimless-for-a-reason-

The marathon starts at 5.30pm and there will be live entertainment, food trucks and raffles to raise further funds.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK