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Conflict zone runner highlights children’s plight

Jordan Wylie

Fundraiser Jordan Wylie has completed the second in a series of running challenges to help educate children growing up in war zones.

The soldier-turned-entrepreneur tackled blistering 44°C heat and rising local tensions to run a half marathon in Iraq.

Through his Running Dangerously project, Jordan aims to raise £100,000 to give three children access to schooling through the charities Darlington Gacmadheere Foundation, Unicef and War Child.

Potential risks

He has already competed in Somalia and will run a full marathon in Afghanistan later this year. Having served or worked in all three countries, the former British Army officer and maritime security expert is well aware of the potential risks. For the Iraq run, Jordan relied on a team of security and risk management specialists to manage all the logistics, and carried an IsatPhone 2 satellite phone provided by Inmarsat.

Having had to run just hours after arriving in Baghdad, Jordan said: “The Iraq Half Marathon was by far the toughest run I have ever done to date in my life. The heat, humidity, lack of sleep and food only added to the challenges I had to overcome. I found the whole experience though extremely rewarding.”