Help for Heroes’ latest Arch to Arc weekend ‘not for fainthearted’

Help for Heroes recently ran their third training weekend for the upcoming Arch to Arc challenge, with around 30 wounded, injured and sick service person heading to Yorkshire for a weekend that was ‘by no means for the fainthearted’.

>>> Help for Heroes trains hopefuls for Arch to Arc Challenge

Around 30 participants had to complete over a mile in the pool, followed by a 15mile bike ride and 4×4 training on the running track. Following lunch there was a question and answer session about the challenge, and then back to the pool to complete a few more miles. Sunday did not see any change in tempo, another early 5.30am pool session followed by a cycle lesson and spinning session.

Help for Heroes is putting together a team to take on the challenge of running 87 miles from Marble Arch in London to the Dover coast, then swimming across the Channel, finishing with a 181 mile bike from Calaid to the Arc de Triomph in Paris. It has never been attempted by a disabled team before – something the charity is planning to rectify this September.

One participant in the latest training weekend was former soldier Caroline Buckle, who fell ill with depression in 2008 while on operations in Iraq on her second tour. “Help for Heroes have given me so much help and support. There was a time you would be lucky to hear a peep out of me. This challenge has helped me make new friends, helped my confidence no end and generally start to find my old self.

“Still a long way to go, but the lifelong support my husband and I receive help us both to understand me more and grow in confidence. Sport gets all of my good endorphins running and means my medication works better to keep me balanced, it also has helped me get back into sport and find a new way to run and laugh.”

The next training weekend will be held at the end of April off the coast of Plymouth. For more info head to www.helpforheroes.org.uk.

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