OVER £2000 HAS been raised after RAF Lossiemouth personnel completed a gruelling 24-hour physical challenge on the Moray base.
Run by the station’s Physical Education section, the challenge aimed to test the mental and physical reserves of participating personnel – and raise much needed funds for CLAN and the RAF Benevolent Fund.
Personnel supported the effort by dropping in for nine, seven or 12-hour sessions as well as shorter periods throughout the day. The real test fell to those who competed throughout the 24-hours involving men and women from a wide spread of units on the base.
One of the base PT Instructors who completed the event, Sergeant David Wood, is also a member of the ‘Healthy Working Lives’ team at RAF Lossiemouth and was instrumental in setting up the challenge.
He said: “Our 24 hour challenge was one of several events we hold at RAF Lossiemouth that link in with the Healthy Working Lives initiative we are part of.
“Our Station’s fitness motto is ‘Get Fit, Stay Fit’ – we need a sustainable, fit and healthy workforce to support our role as providers of Quick Reaction Alert and supporting global operations.
“As well as providing a great challenge for some of our very fit personnel it gave others a chance to try out different sports and fitness classes.
“Seventeen people completed the entire 24 hours, but the people who were able to join us for just one or two classes helped keep all of our spirits up and encourage us to keep going. We had plenty of support from the Combined Mess who were able to provide the nutritionally appropriate food throughout the day and night.
“There were also two medics on site to keep an eye on everyone, ensure we all stretched, and carried out the classes correctly. We also made sure everyone was advised on appropriate aftercare.”
For many participants the toughest challenge proved to be a 2am multi-stage fitness test – but it was the positive mental attitude and personal motivation of all the participants that saw them through that as well as circuits, spinning, core classes, kettlebell sessions, swimming, running, the RAF Fitness Test, boxercise and Battle PT sessions.
Almost 50 people turned up for the final class of the challenge which was followed by a healthy breakfast in the Mess. To date the event has raised £2050.