Running for a chance to fly in space

Canberra marathon runners have the opportunity to win a trip into space if they raise money for a national charity supporting youngsters with a rare disease.

The Mission Massimo Foundation supports children with Leukodystrophies and their families and is fundraising for more scientific research.

It's named after four-year-old Massimo Damiani from Melbourne.

The condition affects myelin, which insulates nerve fibres in the brain and nervous systems.

When myelin is not produced properly the nerve fibres short-circuit preventing the transmission of electrical signals leading to a progressive loss of senses and often premature death.

The Canberra marathon is on April 12-13.

Participants have the opportunity to go in the running for a space flight on board the Space Expedition Corporations XCOR Lynx Mark II craft if they raise $1000 or more for the charity.

There are 250 raffle tickets up for grabs and the more money raised the more tickets individuals will be allocated.

The raffle winner will take a sub-orbital flight and will experience breaking the sound barrier and reaching Mach 2.9, feeling weightlessness and the force of 4G.

* Participants can fundraise at https://runningfestival2014.everydayhero.com/au/sign-up selecting the Mission Massimo Foundation.