Bahrain-based British expatriate Mark Gordon is making waves in the UK after he led a group of Royal Marine veterans on a gruelling 1,490-kilometre march to raise money for charity.
The members of the squad began their run, calling it the ‘Bootneck Yomp 25’, on October 31 from John O’Groats, Scotland, and ended last Saturday, November 8, at Land’s End in Cornwall. This iconic route – which wends its way across the entire length of the UK – is a challenge that many people take on each year.
“Although we’ve each done previous charity marching and running events, as well as marathons, the idea for this ‘Yomp’ came about when one of my colleagues said, ‘Let’s make it harder than anything we have done in the past’ and for this one, we decided to support both military and civilian charities,” 53-year-old Mr Gordon, who resides in Amwaj Islands, told the GDN.
At the Commando Memorial in the Scottish Highlands
“Bootneck is our slang term for the UK Royal Marines – equivalent to leathernecks in the US Marines – and whenever we have a march carrying a lot of gear, we call it a yomp, hence the name ‘Bootneck Yomp 25’ was perfect!”
The team was comprised of 15 runners and 13 logistics and support staff, with each runner carrying 20 pounds (9kg) of equipment and a minimum of two on the road at any given time.
Most of the squad had served together at some point, with many of them having been deployed across the GCC before they retired.
Mr Gordon retired from the Royal Marines more than a decade ago, after serving for 14 years. He now works around the world while being based in Bahrain.
Supporting the runners were two motorhomes or RVs, equipped with beds for runners to rest or sleep, as well as a mobile kitchen.
“Our support crew was comprised of very experienced soldiers, who decided to help out by driving, cooking, doing laundry, coordinating the crew’s nutrition and hydration - they were just as crucial to making our yomp a success as every runner!” Mr Gordon added.
“Since the average age of the group was 49, we even had a masseur to help us recover from some of the injuries.
“Although we are trained veterans and soldiers, the gruelling nature of this march included running continuously through heavy torrential rain for four days straight, which was a bit like being back in training.
The route for the march
“The terrain was also constantly changing, so we went through mountains, coastlines and countryside.
“Along the way, when we needed to rest or sleep, we usually just bunked in the RVs or set up tents nearby.
“Getting enough sleep was one of our biggest challenges – some nights I would end up sleeping just a couple of hours, since there was so much to do between the running itself and coordinating logistics for the team.
“And since we were running up to 64km every day, the right nutrition was also crucial. We were burning 6,000 to 8,000 calories every day and had to ensure everyone was eating nutritious clean meals, with no junk food.”
Nutrition was key to completing the challenge
All the planning paid off, with the squad completing their march 90 minutes ahead of schedule.
In order to prepare for the ‘yomp’, the Belfast-born Mr Gordon trained by cycling and running across Bahrain, between Adliya, Amwaj, Juffair and Zallaq, in addition to strength-training several times a week with a focus on squats and back training.
Crew members have so far managed to raise £200,000 (BD99,000) out of their goal of £500,000 (BD247,000) for a range of UK charities.
The charities they are donating towards include Combat Stress which provides specialist clinical treatment and support for veterans from the British Armed Forces focusing on those with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, The Royal Marines Charity, Papyrus, dedicated to the prevention of suicide amongst young people, Alzheimer’s Society and Cancer Research.
Amongst the donations they have received are £40,000 from online donors, £30,000 in sponsorships, £80,000 in pledges and £100,000 from a single donor for a specific charity.
The team ran through gloomy conditions along their route
The squad also had a film crew following them and have partnered with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to televise the documentary, with negotiations underway with other major streaming and distribution platforms.
The group was also featured across UK media, including TV and newspapers, as they passed through various towns.
All the money raised will go towards the charities mentioned.
“We had such incredible support from every town we passed through,” Mr Gordon recalled. “It was heartwarming – in some places, people who were tracking our progress would wait until late night to greet and welcome us with tea, coffee and biscuits.
“Some even ran with us! In Crewe, the whole town came out and ran with us, while in Devon, people were stopping beside our convoy and giving us money.
“It really kept us going. Each of us is also very passionate about the charities for whom we are raising money - some of us have had cancer, we all know someone who committed suicide, so the cause is very close to our hearts.
Mr Gordon
“The ‘yomp’ was also filled with moments of camaraderie and bonding, in selfless positivity, while in the face of doom and gloom.”
The group are hoping to build on the momentum from the ‘yomp’ and organise similar charity events semiannually.
Mr Gordon is also hoping to organise a similar event in Bahrain and the GCC next year.
Visit www.bootneckyomp 25.com for more details and to support the charitable initiative.
naman@gdnmedia.bh
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