By Marie Torto, Boston.com Staff

Liz Byron will run what has been called the hardest footrace in the world, the Marathon des Sables in the Sahara Desert, as part of her promise to raise $50,000 for new laptops for the Gardner Pilot Academy in Allston.

A 29-year-old special education teacher, Byron signed up for the race in 2009 while she was working in various schools. Once she received confirmation that she would be a registered participant, she began to raise money for her cause, Run For Laptops, providing up-to-date technology for the students at GPA.

Byron said she wanted the most challenging race she could find. The 155-miler requires runners to carry all of their necessities with them during the duration of the race, and only provides them with three gallons of water a day. Byron said she hopes the students will take something away from her dedication to her training and the grueling 6-day race through the desert.

"I hope they [the students] realize how much I care, how much all of their teachers care, because we care about them more than they will ever know and that's why I do what I do."