Monthly Archives: January 2010

Red Arrows to run London Marathon

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Charity Red Arrows Running TeamThe Red Arrows have announced their participation in the 2010 Virgin London Marathon by exchanging their famous red flying suits for running kits at RAF Scampton.

The ‘Reds Run 4 RAFA’ marathon team, which comprises all nine Red Arrows display pilots and members of the Red Arrows support group, hopes to collect more than £40,000 for the RAF Association (RAFA).

Some of the wives and partners of the pilots will join the run which will take place on April 25.

The money gathered will be used to provide extra telephone talk time for troops deputed on overseas including Afghanistan. Currently, a RAF personnel gets 30 telephone minutes per week.

The RAFA, which provides friendship, help and support to both past and present members of the Royal Air Force and their families, believes giving more telephone minutes to soldiers will reduce the pain of separation from loved ones.

Red 1, Squadron Leader Ben Murphy, Officer Commanding and Team Leader of the Red Arrows, said: “We are extremely proud to be running the Virgin London Marathon to raise money for RAFA.

“All Red Arrows pilots have served on operations, including Iraq and Afghanistan, and so recognise the vital work and enormous support that RAFA provides for personnel and their families.”

Akabusi fronts Army fitness podcast

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Army FitnessAn Army fitness podcast has been unveiled for those in need of some no-nonsense motivation to get them moving and losing those post-Christmas pounds.

The ‘Army Fit: Personal’ podcast features the kind of tough talking techniques used by the Army Physical Training Corps in a bid to keep listeners motivated to shift their holiday weight and get fit for 2010.

The podcast also features the unique motivational talents of athletics legend Kriss Akabusi, a veteran of the Army Physical Training Corps, whose trademark “Awooga!” catchphrase and ebullient presenting style earned him a place in the nation’s hearts.

According to a recent survey, cost, time and motivation are the three main hurdles that face Brits who take on the challenge of getting fit and, more importantly, staying fit.

Akabusi said: “This research shows how much us Brits need some free and easily available support to motivate them to keep fit, and who better to do this than the British Army. I loved my time with the Physical Training Corps and I’ve never forgotten all I learnt about motivating people, awooga!”

Rowing star Hunter back in training

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Mark HunterOlympic rowing champ Mark Hunter has said he is surprised at his own fitness after spending a year off the gruelling training routine.

After winning gold in the lightweight double sculls with Zac Purchase in Beijing in 2008, Hunter went to the US to coach female rowers at University of California Los Angeles for a year.

The 31-year-old says he relished the chance to just be normal and said having a beach at the end of his road was also a bonus.

But the sunshine and beaches of LA are now behind him and have been replaced by waking up in the dark and training in the wind and rain along the Thames.

He is back in training with the team and is just 1.5 seconds off his 6 mins 08.3 second personal best for the 2,000m on the ergo machine.

Hunter, who received an MBE in the 2009 New Year’s Honour list, said: “Physically, I am doing really well. I am bit surprised really..

“I know that if I was one of the other guys I would be worried that this person, who has been out for a year, is doing these sorts of times and he is not even fit yet – that is what I would be thinking anyway.”