Soldier wins his first ultra-marathon in 40°C+ heat to raise funds for mental health charities
Warning: This article discusses themes of suicide and struggles with mental health. Some of the details in the article may be upsetting for some readers.
A British Army infantry soldier used his 'strength from within', a motto of the Royal Anglian Regiment, and a desire to support those struggling with their mental health, to encourage him to win the brutal 2025 Sahara Ultra Marathon.
In an extraordinary display of resilience and fighting spirit in extreme desert conditions exceeding 40°Celsius, Corporal Simon Richardson of 1st Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment took on his first ultra-marathon – 100km over two days – and won, beating 300 other athletes.
Cpl Richardson overcame dehydration, vomiting and a dangerous heart rate of 190 beats per minute to raise "an astronomical lot of money" – more than £200,000 – for vital military charities Head Up, REORG, The Not Forgotten and Team Forces.
For Cpl Richardson, taking on this challenge to raise money for veteran-founded mental health charity Head Up in particular was incredibly personal.
Speaking to BFBS Forces Radio, he said: "I've lost three close friends over the last few years because of suicide.
"I think, especially within the infantry, a lot of people don't sort of talk about their mental health, especially [men].
"So I think that now needs to come to the forefront, because that can't be happening and needs to be talked about.
"I don't want to be seeing people taking their own lives, because it's absolutely heartbreaking."
Ultra 4 Charity
Also known as Ultra 4 Veterans Tunisia, the Sahara Ultra and the next three races, which will cover mountains, ice and the jungle over the next two years, were the brainchild of three former Senior NCOs from the British Armed Forces.
Jason 'Foxy' Fox from Channel 4 series SAS Who Dares Wins, Military Cross recipient Brian Wood, and former sniper commander Richard French set up Ultra 4 Charity, which has organised four themed races as a cost-effective way for fundraisers to run an ultra-marathon for charity.
Not a solo effort
Thirteen years ago, Cpl Richardson was diagnosed with tuberculosis, which resulted in him losing 20% of his left lung, but he wasn't going to let that hold him back.
The soldier knew that to be successful, he'd have to train hard – he ran 120km per week – and get the nutrition right so, six months ago, he hired a professional sports nutritionist whom he credits with helping him finish the race.
He also wants to thank the "top-class" medics and doctors who looked after him when he was at his lowest point.
He said: "At one of the checkpoints, they wouldn't let me leave because my heart rate was too high.
"And looking back now, that doctor that made the decision probably saved me because I think if I'd carried on the way I wanted to go in the heat, I don't know if I would have made it to the finish line."
The heat and brutal nature of the ultra-marathon meant it was difficult for Cpl Richardson to keep hydrated and he often vomited any food he tried to eat.
At one point, the temperature reached 41.3°C, and he was forced to stop if he had any chance of continuing.
How a British Army staple helped
After a rest in the shade and managing to drink some water with electrolytes, the soldier was raring to go and, thanks to a British Army staple, he had the energy to keep going.
To ensure he was taking in enough calories, Cpl Richardson relied on the good old-fashioned British Army ration pack.
He said: "I've used them for years, I know they're really high in calories, I know they're not going to upset my stomach, so I just stuck to what I knew my body is used to.
"There's nothing crazy, no spicy foods, no different foods. I knew these are probably, maybe not the best tasting after a few years of having them, but they got me through to day two."
Donations to Cpl Richardson's fundraiser can be made here.
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