Update: 9th January 2022

TLDR: I did it! And with over 30 seconds to spare. 😊

How did it go? Let’s wind the clock back a bit.

My last training run was 15th December. I did 6 miles with full weight. Setting off just before sunset it was full dark halfway round. I had to switch up my route as I didn’t have a torch and needed to stick to the roads. It was a close thing, the last mile I was doing extra jogging and crossed the virtual finish line with only a few seconds to spare. I felt a hot-spot on my heel for the final 2 miles. Getting home it was clear my zinc oxide tape had come adrift, and I had quite a sizeable blister on the back of my heel. I was glad I’d got out a few days early as I had 10 days to heal before the main attempt.

I was quite concerned over the timings and could only take solace in the fact it was dark and I couldn’t see the road surface well enough to jog in some areas where I needed to. The challenge would be at dawn, but still, I didn’t want to take any chances. I got some Sorbothane insoles, though I was a tad concerned that my boots didn’t have a ‘factory’ insole that I could remove. On Christmas Eve I was up at 0550hrs, to have 2 glasses of beetroot juice and eat a pasta-based breakfast. My blister was mostly healed; the skin was unbroken just a bit on the soft side. I put Compeed on the blister site, and then covered it in zinc-oxide tape, along with my usual taping up of key areas.

As I started the attempt, I found the insoles lovely and springy. The shock absorption was going to be really helpful, especially on the jogging sections. However, I very quickly thought there was a bit too much movement around the heel. I needed to average 9mins 19 per kilometre to be on target to complete in 2 hours. First kilometre split was just over 9 mins, which I was disappointed at as usually I get a sub-9 in the bank first off. Blister was feeling itchy. Kilometre 2, only another 4 seconds banked. Blister now feeling sore. As I trotted up Crow Tree’s Brow, Kilometre 3 split came in; I’d slowed down so much I’d not only used up all my banked time but was now behind. That was time I needed for later. I tried to jog on the downhill, but the blister became pain.

Now I’m no stranger to blisters, and have driven through them many times, however I was only on mile 2 with 6 more still to go. I probably could’ve pushed through, but I would be way off pace, and that was a key part of the challenge. And to what cost my feet. So, I made the difficult decision to abort before I got too far from home should I have got into serious difficulties.

After I’d limped home, I found my left boot lace had worked undone. Not something you can see when wearing trouser-twists, and not something I’ve ever fallen foul of before. That explained the movement and the rubbing. As I took the sock off, the zinc- oxide tape came away with the sock, the Compeed came away with the tape, and a layer of skin came away with the Compeed. Ow ow ow! (You can guess my language was uncharacteristically profane).

So fast-forward to today. Suitably re-healed. This time with 2 full weeks, the heel was solid skin, about the right colour, albeit a bit soft. I binned off the insoles and went back to just boots. No Compeed this time, just zinc-oxide as normal, including directly over the blister. I was very careful to smooth out any folds and use extra length to anchor it around the top of the ankle. New socks and new laces. I re-tied down at the station after my feet had settled in, and double knotted this time, just in case.

I didn’t push off too hard, but I just kept banking bits of time. This time, climbing Crow Trees Brow, my kilometre 3 split time came in, not just negative but comfortable slow. 3 in a row meant I had more than 30 seconds in the bank, with a long downhill section right in front of me. West Bradford to Eaves Hall was a steep climb, and a bit of a killer. I lost 17 seconds but made it back over the next 2k. At Waddington I had about 80s banked and I could allow myself a split without jogging. I wasn’t familiar with the next section to Edisford Bridge, but I knew I had some hills to climb. Whilst I initially lost a bit of time, I banked another negative right before the bridge.

Now on the home straight, just a yomp back to town. I had time in the bank but there were still some gradual uphills to do, and when I hit them I could feel cramp starting. I put in a couple of jog sections on the flats to keep ahead of target. And that was enough, I saw the watch click 12.88km and I was around 30 seconds to spare.

But it wasn’t over. I still had the castle climb to do. After a traditional Combat Fitness Test, the 8-miler is immediately followed by some ancillary tasks to complete, as it’s more than just getting there, you need to be capable when you do. In the absence of the required truck, ditch and person to carry, I set a target of climbing to the castle keep, up the steps side. I took my time up Parson Lan to the gates, as much worse to come. As I turned onto the staircase, first foot and cramp shot through my calf muscles. So close, I wasn’t giving up. I pushed through and turned the corner. Whilst I still had a few sets of steep steps to go, I knew the gradient flattens as you approach the castle. I made it through the keep, just steps down to the café and into the garden of remembrance. A final spasm of cramp as I took the last steps up to the cenotaph, but it was over. I gingerly made my way out, to my waiting car.

The aftermath? Pretty good actually. Legs very stiff indeed, as expected but that will pass in a day. I forgot to tape up my left shoulder, so there's fresh strap-burn. Left heel is pretty much as it was before the taping. Right has a couple of new blisters but they are tiny and hard, not the soft bursty painful sort. Fronts of toes have taken a pounding. I’ll let things sort out then treat myself to a decent pedicure. Not sure whether to book in with a podiatrist or a farrier!

I'll keep this fundraising page 'live' until 21st January, then I'll finalise and split the donations to the 4 charities. Thank you so much to everyone who has donated. The current total of £1,145 is more than 5 times what I thought I could raise. Thanks also for all the messages of encouragement, especially when things went off piste and I was feeling a failure. Today was a cracking good fight back and I'm so happy to have completed this. I can go back to being a 50-year old now.

ORIGINAL POST: On my upcoming 50th Birthday (Christmas Eve) I will undertake the primary part of an Army Combat Fitness Test (CFT). This essentially involves marching for 8 miles, carrying full kit, completing the course in under 2 hours. As a civilian, the weight of the rifle will be added to my bergen (backpack) total weight being carried = 50lbs. This isn't just a bimble. In order to maintain the pace, I need to jog for 2 minutes within each mile.

I appreciate that the army are on with changing the annual test to something more appropriate to role. I'll just stick to what I, and many others know.

At age 50, this is not a whimsical undertaking. This was hard when I was in my twenties! The reason for the late posting of this fundraising page is due to the high risk of calling it off. I've been managing a few long term leg injuries of late. I've done enough training sessions to build up the conditioning required to reckon I can even attempt this. More importantly I've learned where the blisters are appearing.

I'll post the details of the 8 mile course closer to the time but I'm intending to start from Clitheroe Fire Station, head out across the River Ribble and finish at the cenotaph at Clitheroe Castle. I'll be monitoring the weather as the day approaches but the only thing that will make me change the date will be ice underfoot.

This is an individual 'crowdfunding' page as I want to split any donations equally between 4 charities. (a standard Just Giving fundraiser can only deliver 100% to a single charity).

About my Charities:

The Firefighter's Charity - https://www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/ Provide health and wellbeing support for the firefighter community; serving, retired and families. In particular I have visited their Jubilee House site at Penrith and seen the work undertaken to provide rehabilitation for some, respite for others.

MIND https://www.mind.org.uk/ The charity have significantly raised the awareness of mental health within the emergency services. This both supports individuals and has educated employees and colleagues about mental health. They've made it okay to not be OK.

Help for Heroes - https://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/ - I'll never forget when a close friend of mine was urgently med-evacuated from Afghanistan. He ended up in a UK hospital, 250 miles from home, with nothing more than the uniform on his back. Help for Heroes were on site and provided him with civilian clothes and toiletries. Small comforts in this case but they made a huge difference.

The Royal British Legion - https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/ - as a proud poppy wearer, I'm always amazed by the Rememberance Day parade held in my home town. The work done by the local branch of the RBL really helps bring it together and makes the day truly memorable.

Each charity will receive 25% of my final fundraising amount.

Target tracker:

8th Dec - Page Launch - Initial target £500.

15th Dec - £500 reached. New target £800

18th Dec - £800 reached. New target £1,250