A STUDENT is facing the challenge of a lifetime when he embarks on his first marathon.

Zakir Lorgat, 21, of Revidge Road, Blackburn is running for Children with Leukaemia after being moved to tears watching a BBC documentary last summer called Children Fighting Cancer.

The series followed the families of nine children with leukaemia - the most common childhood cancer with around 500 cases diagnosed each year, accounting for one third of all childhood cancers.

The mathematics student at the University of Central Lancashire has been juggling between studies, work and training to run the 2008 Flora London Marathon.

He is currently running 13 miles a day and his longest run so far has been 18 miles, completed in two hours 27 mins.

His goal is to run the 26 mile marathon in less than four hours and raise at least £2,000 for the charity.

The former Jamia Tul Ilm Wul Huda Islamic boarding school pupil, based in Moss Street, Blackburn, said: "When I saw the programme it reduced me to tears so I contacted the charity and asked if I could do it to raise funds for them.

"Children with Leukaemia receive no funding from Government.

"They rely entirely on donations, so I am asking people to help me to raise awareness and money to fight this childhood cancer."

Zakir, the son of Audley ward councillor Salim Lorgat, is living off a diet of pasta, jacket potatoes and piles of rice to help fuel his mammoth training sessions.

He sets off every other day from his home and can be seen pounding the pavement to either Darwen or Preston.

He said: "I used to eat just two meals a day, now I'm eating six times a day, my mum can't keep up she's having to make loads of food to keep me going."

His proud dad added: "He has been training really hard, running to Darwen and Preston and back every other day.

"It's been hard work but I want him to do well and finish the course and get the best sponsorship for the charity he can.

"I used to do a lot of work for the Lions and I want my kids to be involved in charities and actively do something for good causes.

"It's important for the Asian kids to promote what we stand for; we want to be part of the broader society.

"It's about young Muslim boys like Zakir putting in that effort for a greater cause.

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