The icing on Dubbo athlete Josh Strahorn’s birthday cake will be raising enough cash to help Kenyan kids.
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Yesterday, as he began a seven-day and 420-kilometre fundraising run from Wagga Wagga to Dubbo, the young man celebrated turning 27 and having already collected $10,000.
He needs to pull in another $5000 to reach his target and help build classrooms and a second toilet block for the 200-strong Kenyan village in the community of Giriami.
Josh knows of the needs of the village through sponsor child, Martin.
The landscape gardener is using his passion for running to support a good cause, reports wife Belinda who is driving a support vehicle until Sunday.
Going the extra mile for a community far away has required Josh to put in the hard yards.
“Josh has been running 14 kilometres each morning from Tuesday to Friday, and doing big runs on Saturday and Sunday,” she said.
One week he clocked up a staggering 180 kilometres, the equivalent of running from Dubbo to within reach of Bathurst.
The upside for the runner with a “sweet tooth” has been the ability to devour all manner of treats and still stay lean and mean.
He will need that edge as the endurance event of 60 kilometres a day begins to take its toll.
“He knows it will get tough at some point,” said Belinda, who has her running shoes in the car.
She and other family members will hit the road when spirits need lifting.
Josh and his support crew are travelling on back roads for safety reasons.
Between Wagga Wagga and Dubbo, they will pass through Junee, Temora, West Wyalong, Forbes, Parkes and Peak Hill.
Members of the Dubbo Triathlon Club will accompany Josh into Dubbo on Sunday afternoon.
He is working with Compassion Australia to make a difference to the lives of others.
To help Josh raise money go to www.everydayhero.com.au/josh_strahorn.
