2026 100k Challenge for Combat Stress

Off to a Flying Start!

When I first announced that I would be taking on the 2026 100k Challenge – Race to the Stones, I knew it would be a big commitment — but I don’t think I fully expected the reaction.

The messages, comments, and support I’ve received in the first few days have been genuinely uplifting. It’s reminded me of something important: while running 100km may be an individual challenge, fundraising never is. It’s a shared effort — and I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has taken the time to donate, share the page, or send encouragement.

In the first week, we’ve already raised £508.

That’s 5% of the total target in just 3 days.

It’s an amazing start, and I want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has contributed so far. Every donation represents far more than money — it’s a sign of support for veterans and for the vital work of Combat Stress.

The fundraising momentum is brilliant — but now comes the part that can’t be done with a click or a share.

Now comes the hard work.

From this point on, the training has to become consistent and purposeful. This isn’t a short event — it’s 100km, and I’ll be completing it in ‘combat order’ to raise awareness for Combat Stress. That means not just running further, but also gradually training in boots and kit, building strength, resilience and endurance over time.

And of course, this is the time of year when training isn’t always inspiring. The runs aren’t always sunny and scenic — they’re often in the dark, the cold, and the wet. They’re the runs where motivation is low, but commitment matters most.

In a small way, I think those difficult training runs are an important reminder of the wider purpose behind this challenge.

Because for many veterans, the hardest part isn’t the physical effort — it’s what comes after service. It’s the invisible burden. The sleepless nights. The difficult days. The ongoing work of recovery.

That’s why Combat Stress matters so much.

Their work doesn’t stop after one week, or after one campaign, or when things get difficult. They provide specialist support to veterans living with PTSD and other mental health challenges — and they do it day after day, often quietly, but always with impact.

To everyone who has supported this already: thank you. You’ve helped build momentum and belief right at the start of this journey.

If you’d like to keep supporting, the two biggest things you can do are:

• Donate, if you’re able

• Share the page, so others can see what we’re trying to achieve

Every bit of support makes a difference.

Because their burden is ours.

I am raising vital funds for life-changing mental health treatment for veterans.

Why I’m Taking on the Challenge

Over the last 20 years, I’ve taken on a new challenge every five years to raise money and awareness for Combat Stress — a charity that does vital work supporting veterans living with mental health conditions such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

This year, I turned 50. To mark that milestone, I decided to take on something that felt both personal and meaningful: 50 kilometres for the life I’ve lived so far, and 50 kilometres for the life still ahead.

The 2026 100k Challenge – Race to the Stones felt like the perfect event, a 100km ultramarathon along the ancient Ridgeway, finishing at the historic Avebury stone circle. I studied archaeology at university, and many of the landscapes and ancient sites along the route are places I know well.  This also reflects the great link which I want to explore more; the work of Combat Stress and that of Operation Nightingale, a Wessex Archaeology initiative that uses archaeological projects to help veterans recover from PTSD by rebuilding confidence, purpose, and camaraderie.

However, to truly make this a challenge I’ll be completing the 100km in ‘combat order’ — boots, uniform, body armour, webbing, and helmet, as I did for the Bath Half Marathon in 2015 and the London Marathon in 2021.

Running in full kit may seem foolish to some — and it certainly won’t be easy — but it represents the burden that many servicemen and women continue to carry long after their service ends.

As a veteran myself, that burden is not abstract.  Their burden is mine, and this is my way of doing what I can to help lighten it.

Any support — whether through donating, sharing, or following the journey — is hugely appreciated and helps make a real difference. 

Because their burden is ours.