RUNNER Lionel Morris hopes to get some top training tips as he prepares for his first marathon - from his superstar relative Christian Malcolm.

The 47-year-old, a cousin of the Newport-born champion athlete, is hoping the running gene has also been passed to him, so he can show a clean pair of heels to the competition.

He might not quite have Christian's talent for the track but he is hoping his athletic quest will be successful. But while his cousin is a star of the sprint, the Newport businessman is setting his sights on a longer distance.

Father-of-three Mr Morris, of St Julians, is in training for this year's London Marathon on April 18. He took up running some years ago and in 1996 won two Welsh veteran titles. "I started to run with Newport Harriers just to lose weight and stay fit."

Mr Morris, who owns go-ped business Goopee in Chepstow Road and works as a taxi driver, is hoping his efforts will raise pounds for charity and help him to lose pounds at the same time.

He would like to raise at least £5,000 for the RNID - the largest charity representing deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK - and reduce his weight from 16 stone to 13 stone 10lbs.

Mr Morris also has one other ambition: "I would like to complete it in under three hours. I haven't run a marathon before competitively, but I have run the distance in sub three hours."

It appears that running does, well, run in the family - two of Mr Morris' children, Noleen and Jonathan - are both talented young athletes and have represented their country.

Christian Malcolm, a 200m sprint ace, is currently training in South Africa, and wasn't available to comment on his cousin's ambitions.

But meanwhile, Mr Morris has devised his own training programme and intends to build up his distance running over the next three months. He chose the RNID because his wife works for the charity.

The organisation aims to improve the quality of life for the nine million people it represents by campaigning and lobbying, raising awareness of deafness and hearing loss, providing services and through research.