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After an ill-considered exchange of boasts, they agreed to run six marathons in each of five of the hottest, coldest, driest and windiest parts of the planet.

鈥淚f he could do it, we said we could do it too,鈥� says Gavin, pointing at Steve. 鈥淗e didn鈥檛 look like a marathon runner to us.鈥�

In fact, Steve had run 157 of them. And when Gavin, Colin and Paul woke up the next day, the seriousness of their position was obvious. But of course, nobody would chicken out first.

So far, they鈥檝e run one of the races 鈥� the Gobi Desert 鈥� which leaves the Sahara, the Atacama, the White Desert in Egypt and, of course, Antarctica.

So, while the rest of the country is preparing for a season of drinking and merriment, you鈥檇 expect the Sandblasters would be following a strict training regime. But it seems there鈥檚 no stopping the fearless four.

鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to enjoy Christmas,鈥� says Colin, 鈥渁lthough every glass of wine comes at a price and means you have to work harder.鈥�

It seems none of group really considered their physical condition when signing up. Gavin had recently broken his leg and only Steve had any experience of this extreme sport.

In fact, Gavin thought it would be a bit like a holiday. 鈥淗e took along a bunch of men鈥檚 magazines in his backpack,鈥� laughs Steve.

鈥淚 thought I鈥檇 have time to read in the evenings,鈥� Gavin explains.

鈥淲e really had no idea what we鈥檇 let ourself in for,鈥� says Colin.

The reality was, Steve says, 鈥渙n par with marriage or your father dying鈥�.

Although they won鈥檛 admit if anyone cried 鈥� 鈥淲e were too tired to cry,鈥� says Colin evasively 鈥� Gavin describes it as 鈥渟oul destroying, with nothing to look forward to except food that tastes of wallpaper paste and the odd jelly bean鈥�.

鈥淭he landscape becomes your prison,鈥� he adds, poetically.

Then, there were the blisters.

So, why do it?

鈥淲e were all conscious of getting older,鈥� says Colin, 44. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a sense of the clock ticking. This proves we鈥檙e still capable of pushing ourselves.鈥�

And of course there鈥檚 the money 鈥� they want to raise 拢1m for children with cerebral palsy.

鈥淭o raise money for charity you have to half kill yourself,鈥� says Steve, cheerfully. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e doing.鈥�

So, why the 鈥淪andblasters鈥�?

鈥淚ts construction-related,鈥� says Colin. 鈥淧lus, other website names were taken 鈥� we could only get sandblasters.org.uk!鈥�