Royal Marine's Running Success: 10 Marathons In 10 Days

Cover Image: Colonel Simon Chapman completes marathon challenge (Pictures: Royal Navy)

A Royal Marine has completed 10 marathon distances in just 10 days - finishing with the London marathon.

Colonel Simon Chapman, Captain of the Base at Devonport, completed the 26 mile run in London in three hours and 16 minutes.

He's on course to raise £10,000 for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and The Brain Tumour Charity.

Colonel Simon Chapman said: "What a way to finish a gruelling week. My fastest time and all the more special, given an epic longer than planned trek of 29 miles up the Thames the day before, not the ideal preparation for a marathon race today. But all my training came together when it mattered.’’

He said he could not have done it without his support team of Royal Naval personnel Jason Jay, Kriss Young and Rhys Tanner.  

He thanked all other supporters: “I am very grateful to the support from friends, family and colleagues across the Navy and Devonport Naval Base and the well-wishers who supported me en-route or on-line.

"It was a huge boon to know so many people were backing me."

"They have also helped me raise a lot of money for two good causes.’’

The 49-year-old said his personal military fitness training and Royal Marine ethos got him through the challenge.

"I was looking for a personal challenge, something that would test me as well as perhaps encouraging others to get involved and help me raise some money for charity at the same time."

But it was more than just achieving a personal goal, as sadly he lost his sister-in-law after she suffered from a brain tumour.

"I have a strong personal motive - my sister-in-law died from a Brain Tumour aged 33 and I thought raising some funds for brain tumour research would be a fitting tribute.’’

Colonel Chapman trained for over 30 weeks, where he was building up the distances and intensity.

Since Christmas, he's been running 60-70 miles a week, regularly completing over 20-mile training runs and culminating with 10 half marathons over 10 days at the end of March.

To get through the challenge he's has had to draw on his military training to get through the varying weathers.

“Being a Marine certainly helps with the mental and physical extremes."

"I’ve been training since September last year and I’ve needed to draw on some of my military training to help me get through the wettest winter for years. I’ve seen Dartmoor, where I train, at its worst, particularly during the snow in March."

“In some ways running the actual challenge is easier - most of the ground is new to me (rather than the monotony of running the same old training routes) and the landscape and some of the views in Devon and Dorset have been glorious. People I’ve passed on the way have been very supportive.’’