Four Army personnel and Robert Rinder, TV personality and barrister, are taking on the gruelling Marathon des Sables for The Army Benevolent fund (ABF).
The team consists of Robert Rinder, as the face of the campaign, Olympic champion and Royal Artillery Officer Heather Stanning OBE, Infantry Colonel Mark Nooney MC, Army Corporal Natalya Platonova and the British Army’s most senior soldier – Army Sergeant Major Paul Carney.
Starting on 12 April the team will run 250km in six days over one of the toughest terrains on earth, the Sahara Desert. They will cover the distance of approximately six regular marathons.
The ABF helps every soldier, whether you’ve been in for four or 24 years. The military is very intertwined in your personal life, so when you exit and become detached from that, it can feel quite alien. People sometimes just need help to learn a new language, apply for jobs, that sort of thing and the ABF do an amazing job at that.” PAUL CARNEY, ARMY SERGEANT MAJOR
Army Sergeant Major, Paul Carney, part of the elite team, is also a trustee for the ABF, so when they reached out with the idea of Rinder’s Run, he couldn’t resist.
The ABF is celebrating 80 years of ‘helping soldiers, veterans and their families for life’. Paul’s main motivation for completing this year’s race is his admiration for the charity and the work they do to help soldiers.
Paul said:
”People don't know where to go for help and don't know who's there to support them. We train, educate, and develop very proud people, so getting them to reach out for help is sometimes difficult.
”The ABF helps every soldier, whether you’ve been in for four or 24 years. The military is very intertwined in your personal life, so when you exit and become detached from that, it can feel quite alien. People sometimes just need help to learn a new language, apply for jobs, that sort of thing and the ABF do an amazing job at that.”
The Rinder’s Run campaign has raised £25,000 so far and the figure continues to grow. Part of the funds raised were comically spearheaded by the Army’s new appearance policy. Fill Your Boots (a military banter page on social media) encouraged their audience to donate with the slogan ‘For the Beards’.
Paul said:
”It was a great way to get our charitable fund moving and create awareness. So, I loved it.
“The good thing is I didn't need to promise to keep my beard at the end of this for the money!”
Training for a marathon alongside his role has been difficult for Paul, but with 27 years deploying in the toughest terrains, he hopes he has the experience and fitness to tackle the Sahara Desert.
I think the aim is to start together, but because of the type of event it is, we’ll almost certainly break off, run our own race and then look after each other in the evenings." PAUL CARNEY, ARMY SERGEANT MAJOR
Paul has also linked up with Chichester University, who helped him understand the physical effects he will go through during the six-day ultra running challenge.
Paul hopes to draw on past experiences, such as running the New York Marathon, the Cateran Yomp and The Trailwalker.
He says:
”I've tried to engage in endurance events because I think it sets a good example for our soldiers.
”I think that’s why I wanted to do this, not every soldier is going to be able to do the Marathon Des Sables, but if they can do challenges like the Cateran Yomp, then there isn’t much they can’t do mentally.”
The elite team hasn’t managed to train together, but they have kept connected via a WhatsApp group, ‘Rinder’s Run.’
Paul continued:
“I think the aim is to start together, but because of the type of event it is, we’ll almost certainly break off, run our own race and then look after each other in the evenings.
"We’re all downplaying ourselves and our levels of fitness. On the chat, if you listen to the group, you'd think none of us are going to finish it!.”
Paul hopes his mental resilience will keep him going, alongside his motivation to raise money for the ABF.
The mental resilience you build up in the military is almost my secret weapon." PAUL CARNEY, ARMY SERGEANT MAJOR
He said:
”The mental resilience you build up in the military is almost my secret weapon.
”The team isn't just us going out there. I feel I'm representing the Army, and then it's all those people that have donated money for us. They put their hands in their pockets and I want to show them that we can do what we promised.”
Paul says he is ready for the challenge:
”I'm excited about the adventure. I think there is something which sits in most soldiers’ minds about being pushed to our limits. There's something good about that adrenaline that makes you feel like you're still alive.”
For more information on Rinder’s Run and how the ABF helps soldiers, go to: Rinder's Run - Army Benevolent Fund
