Running 4 Paws: July Training Diaries
On 1 August 2026 Lee Harker will set off on a 4,500km running challenge across Europe to raise money for the Paws4ever project.
Here we check in on how things have gone during Lee’s final month of training and pre-challenge preparation.
Remember to visit Lee’s Facebook Page for updates, and his GoFundMe Page to give a donation!
Meet Lee Harker: a Paws volunteer and passionate dog lover, who this summer will be undertaking an incredible fundraising challenge, which he has named Running 4 Paws.
On 1 August 2026 he will set off to run 4,500km in 126 days, at an astonishing rate of 42km every single day!
From Skagen in northern Denmark all the way down to Tarifa in southern Spain, this journey will see him crossing Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Spain.
He is doing this to raise money for PAWS Xaló, and in particular the new Paws4ever project which aims to give elderly dogs a loving, safe, and comfortable place to spend their final years.
In today’s first project update we check in on Lee’s preparation for this great adventure!
Lee’s main focus during the month of July was on walking a fine tightrope between getting himself to the start line well-trained, with his body prepared for the rigours of running a marathon a day for months on end, and making sure that he avoids picking up any illness or injury that could jeapordise the whole project.
And this was made a whole lot more difficult when July turned out to be one of the hottest and most humid months on record in the Marina Alta!!!
Check out some of his video diaries from this block of hot-weather training in the beautiful countryside around Jalon:
Surviving the heat has not been the only challenge facing Lee this month. He has also had to purchase and trial all of the equipment needed for this adventure, including finding a camper van that will act as the rolling headquarters during the run. And, somehow, he even found time to appear on the radio to promote his adventure!
At this rate Lee will be happy to get started so that he can narrow his focus down to just putting one foot in front of the other… many, many times!
Remember that any support you can give - whether it’s a donation, sharing this page to other potential supporters or donors, or just cheering Lee on along the way - will mean the world to Lee, and even more to the dogs who will benefit.
Remember to visit Lee’s Facebook Page for updates, and his GoFundMe Page to give a donation!
