Royal Marines Begin the Final Stage of Their Epic Challenge

One hundred and forty Royal Marines set off from Southsea on Monday on a gruelling 1,664 kilometre run across England, Wales and Scotland.

The marathon is the last phase of an epic cross-Europe challenge which marks the 350^th anniversary of the Royal Marines and aims to raise thousands of pounds for the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund.

The RM1664 Challenge began in February and has so far involved four phases – skiing across Norway, sailing to Cadiz in Spain, cycling from there to Normandy and kayaking cross-Channel to Southsea.

A small parade and ceremony marked the start of the run at the Royal Marines Museum. Runners marched along the esplanade to Canoe Lake led by the Royal Marines Band, before starting the first leg of their marathon along the coast to Poole.

There will be at least 20 runners on each leg of the marathon including six who are doing the whole challenge from start to finish. One of them is 25-year-old Corporal Anthony Fairclough. He said: “For me the Royal Marines 1664 Challenge represents all that is great in the Corps.

“We need to have high standards of fitness, plenty of determination, but most of all cheerfulness in the face of adversity. I believe that a combination of all these elements can help a body of men through anything.”