A HAMPSHIRE father and daughter are facing a monster challenge this weekend.

Dean and Lisa Bailey are running in the 56-mile Race to the King ultra marathon for the second year.

Last year they raised £1,400 for the British Heart Foundation after completing the 53.6-mile marathon, which starts at the Slindon Estate in East Sussex and finishes at Winchester Cathedral.

Dean, 59, who served in the British Army, and Lisa, 31, a personal trainer, have been racing together since 2011.

The pair completed last year’s race in 14 hours and 45 minutes, and Dean said: “There can’t be many dads who get to run an ultra of this class with his daughter.

“Seeing our family at the end was just brilliant and once again we were filled with elation having done the distance and raising so much for the British Heart Foundation.”

They have previously raced in the Bupa Great South Run, raising over £600 for Cancer Research UK, as well as the Adidas Thunderun and Mizuno Endure24 events. Just last year, Dean ran more than 1,000 miles.

Dean is aiming for a better finish at Race to the King this weekend but this time they are running for fun: “I will take a bit less kit this time around as I know the course. I will also tape my feet this year – the blisters for the last ten miles were very sore and I might not run as many hills. That said, my challenge this year is to train harder to get to the finish in daylight.”

More than 1,000 people are expected to take part and are given the opportunity to complete the event over the course of one or two days.

Runners will be following the route through the South Downs, passing historic monuments such as the Devil’s Jumps, HMS Mercury and Winchester Cathedral.

Dean said: “I can’t wait to stand on the start line again, a year older and race wiser.”