Hi everyone, my name is Francis Ballyntyne, (DSAR Pilot)

In May 2027, I’ll be taking on one of the biggest, toughest, and most dangerous challenges of my life — The Great Silk Run — a 10-day, 350km journey across the ancient Silk Route, from the Afghan border to Kyrgyzstan.

This isn’t your average run. The Silk Route is one of the most remote and unforgiving places on Earth. The air is thin, the terrain brutal, and civilisation is almost non-existent. If you get hurt out there, a helicopter is six hours away — if the weather even allows it to reach you. It’s so isolated that people have died on this route and still lie there, unclaimed, a stark reminder of just how fragile life is out there.

And that’s exactly why I’m doing it.

Why I’m Doing This

I served 18 years in the Parachute Regiment and later the SRR. Since leaving, life has been an entirely different kind of battle. I live with severe PTSD, and some days, just getting out of bed feels impossible.

But when I do, and when I push myself into challenges like this, something changes. Running gives me balance. It gives me focus. My mental health is only really steady when I’m doing stupid stuff like this — testing my limits, facing fear, and rediscovering that sense of purpose and pride that defined my years in service.

Two years ago, I had a heart attack, and now I’ve got seven stents keeping me alive. I’ve also got a six-year-old son, and though I know I may not live to see him become the man he’s destined to be, I want him to remember his dad doing something extraordinary — refusing to quit, living fully, and making every moment count.

Why Dogs

I’ll be honest — I love dogs more than people. I HATE people!! Dogs are my therapy, my grounding, my peace. They’ve never judged me, never let me down, and they’ve given me a reason to get up and keep going on the darkest days.

That’s why I’m raising money for Drone SAR For Lost Dogs UK, an incredible team of volunteers who use drones to reunite lost dogs with their families. They bring hope, comfort, and love to people when they need it most — and I want to help them keep doing that.

How You Can Help

Every donation — no matter how small — will help Drone SAR For Lost Dogs UK, continue their vital work: funding their equipment, drone batteries, fuel, and training so they can keep searching and saving.

Please donate if you can, or share this page to spread the word. Every bit of support means more than you can imagine.

This run isn’t just about endurance.

It’s about finding purpose, pushing limits, and living while I still can.

It’s about dogs, heart, and hope.

EDIT: With a training period of 12 months required the date has been extended to 2027 as there isn’t enough time medically to enter the 2026 event.