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 Runners taking part in an around-the-world non-stop relay were pounding
London's streets to raise funds for safe drinking water projects in developing
countries.
The 95-day Blue Planet Run crosses 16 countries, circumnavigating the
Northern Hemisphere.
It started at the United Nations headquarters in New York last week, where it
is due to finish on September 4, and passed through London yesterday.
The relay team consists of 20 "citizen athletes" from 13 nations who range in
age from 23 to 60.
Representing the UK in the run is Paul Rogan a 37-year-old father of four
from Scotland, who ran the leg into London with his 14-year-old daughter,
Kirstie.
Mr Rogan and the other runners will have to do the equivalent of more than 29
marathons each in order to complete the gruelling 15,200-mile challenge.
Mr Rogan said: "Doing these types of events can bring up lots of different
emotions, knowing that in some cases you are making the difference between life
and death by raising money.
"When people ask why I am doing it, my response is, 'don't use any water
supplies for a few days and see just how difficult life becomes. Now imagine
that's how it is going to be for the rest of your life. Then you can understand
what this cause means'."
Events are being held in cities and towns along the route to educate local
residents about the water crisis and inspire action through donations via the
Blue Planet Run website at www.blueplanetrun.org.
Jin Zidell, founder of The Blue Planet Run Foundation (BPRF), the non-profit
group that created the run, said: "The lack of universal safe drinking water is
one of the most far-reaching challenges facing the human family today, but
solutions are within our reach.
"The need for safe drinking water is so important that, for more than three
months, everyday citizen athletes will act as messengers, carrying the news on
foot to communities around the world."
More than 1 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water,
according to the Water Supply and Sanitation Council.
Almost 2.2 million people, most of them children, die each year due to
diseases associated with unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanitation and poor
hygiene.
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