Ten soldiers serving with the 39 Engineer Regiment in Cambridge are getting ready to take on 10 marathons in five days as part of the St Dunstan’s Forces Challenge.
The attempt, which begins on November 1, will test squaddies’ limits of endurance as they tab (quick march) through day and night in winter weather carrying backpacks weighing 39lbs.
Money raised by the team will go to the St Dunstan’s charity which provides lifelong support to blind service and ex-service personnel.
The challenge is the brainchild of Staff Sergeant Jim Offord, who has set himself an additional target of completing a series of treadmill marathons as he trains for the event.
SSgt Jim Offord said: “A march of this magnitude has never been attempted by the Regiment before and I’ve picked a strong team as they need to be physically and mentally fit to complete two marathons. Especially wearing the 39lb Bergen’s and doing a marathon through the night. The squaddies vary in age and experience, but they have already come together as a team.
“We will cover a distance of 266 miles in total, which means we will complete a marathon every six hours, followed by six hours recovery. We will tab, which is short for Tactical Advance to Battle, at a rate of 4.5 to five miles per hour, which exceeds the standard Army fitness levels, which is to complete eight miles in two hours.”
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