At the start of this month, Richie England cycled back into Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM), accompanied by his two sons as he finished the last 50 miles of his mammoth challenge. He was met by five members of the Corps of Drums, friends, family members and Hunter Coy, who clapped him back into camp. Richie decided to take on a gruelling challenge, to cycle 50 miles for 50 days. In his own words, Richie has given us a full account on how he not only took on the challenge but also what inspired him to keep going.
“As a celebration of my 50th birthday I thought I’d set myself a challenge. After careful consideration I committed to a mission. I intended to cycle 50 miles every day for 50 days around the Devon roads finishing on my 50th birthday. The challenge would cover a total distance of 2,500 miles to raise vital funds for my chosen causes which were the RMA – The Royal Marines Charity, Rock2Recovery, Naval Children’s Charity and Royal Navy Officers Charity who have all supported me and my family through some very tough times. This would be an excellent opportunity to give something back to the organisations that has nurtured me for so many years. I didn’t realise it then, but this was not the real reason for the challenge, but a good enough start point.
Cycling 50 miles daily may not be an incredible feat to some, but I am not a seasoned cyclist. After 28 years of gruelling service and a punishing rugby career, getting out of bed was starting to become a challenge. Jokes aside, I am generally in good health, but I do suffer with osteoarthritis in my neck, shoulders, and knees, and to add a small layer of complexity, I would be doing this with no additional help or support while I continue to work. I was under no illusion that this would not be easy, but I stared the challenge square in the face, and armed with optimism, some Sudocrem, and a reasonably priced bike, I was willing to give it a crack.
I completed over 1,000 miles of training rides and route reconnaissance over the summer break, and by day 1 of the challenge, I felt completely ready for what was ahead. The first 10 days of the challenge were a pleasure. The summer weather was dry and warm, the roads were clear, and the views around the Devon coast made the time pass effortlessly. Predictably, the situation quickly changed as I had to return to work, the weather started to become autumnal, in some cases biblical, and the nights started to draw in. The challenge had now taken on a new meaning. Mother Nature would not let me get away lightly, and with work-imposed restrictions, I would now encounter a much stiffer test and needed to step further outside of my comfort zone than I was comfortable with, but this was what I was looking for all along, right? I was a Royal Marine, so this should be just like any other day. I found a way and before I knew it I’d racked up 1,000 miles.
The middle weeks of the challenge saw my fitness levels starting to peak with my lungs turning from crisp packets to hot air balloons. Mentally, I felt strong as I started to build some real momentum. Morale only to be dented occasionally by the weather and some time management issues, which on occasion saw me finishing rides at 2200 hrs. At day 25, I realised the true purpose of my challenge, was actually a voyage of self-discovery. Living with PTSD in itself has been a challenge and one which has laid heavily on my shoulders for many years. Subconsciously, I needed the pressure test; I needed to look myself hard in the mirror and be happy with what I saw. I hadn’t really stopped to think why, but the prerequisite for this challenge was that I wanted to suffer, be uncomfortable, endure pain of long periods of time, and stretch myself beyond my established physical and mental limits. The realisation that there was a legitimate chance of success, and the fact that physically and mentally I still felt strong was confirmation that I was actually OK and caused an outpouring of emotion over a 10 mile stretch which was a total surprise but liberating. From this defining moment, the challenge was never in doubt. Equipped with this information, a fresh injection of energy, and total self-belief, I became stronger each day and felt indefatigable.
My DNA was forged in the fires of CTCRM, and I found comfort that my basic training instinctively came to me in my hours of need, underpinned by our Corps values and standards. The Commando Spirit and mindset should never be underestimated. I drew on all the skills that I had learned in Commando Training all those years ago. The coping mechanisms for stressful situations, resilience in adversity, being comfortable with the uncomfortable, the learned robustness through hardship, the de-service, reservice system to keep all kit & equipment serviceable and ready for the next day, time management and planning (The 7 p’s – proper prior planning prevents p*** poor performance), courage, determination and cheerfulness in the face of adversity. All these tools were freely at my fingertips and with a positive mental attitude, and a real sense of belief, I knew I could achieve anything.
To be honest, I wasn’t actually sure if I could complete the challenge. I have never actually cycled 50 miles in one go before, and even after 1,000 miles or more of training rides, still didn’t know if I could complete the task. But I suppose that is the nature of a challenge. Even though I didn’t fully know, I always had total belief that I could do it. Belief is a very powerful tool, and I had realised that without it I would not have succeeded. Through the feelings of pain, discomfort, being wet, cold, and fatigued it helped me realise I am truly alive. I actually started to thrive in adversity and the horrendous weather, potholes, bad drivers, dark evenings, and any other obstacles just fuelled my determination to succeed even more. My best mental victories came on the darkest days.
The final week saw me visit most of the Southwest-based Commando Units. Riding was starting to become painful and a bit of an inconvenience. I was starting to find excuses not to get on the bike, but when motivation was starting to fade, I clung to structure and routine and reminded myself of my purpose. With the enormously kind and generous donations still rolling in, there was still enough motivation to drive me through to the finish. Aside from some extreme weather, I felt physically strong. The final ride started and finished where it all began at CTCRM. It was possibly one of the most amazing experiences I will ever have, riding the last 50 miles with my son Tom, who, without any training and a bike he had never ridden, showed all the hallmarks of a future Commando, cracking it with ease whilst giving me words of encouragement. The grand finale saw me cruise through the main gate with Tom and his twin George, with the RM Corps of Drums leading the way, along with the Recruits from Hunter Coy and members of my family to clap me home. The whole experience was very humbling and one which I will never forget. I would like to extend thanks to all who donated, and all who supported me along the journey, it has been a blast. Does anybody want to buy a bike? (stabilizers included); I think I’m done!”
At the time this article was written the total raised over 50 days and 2,500 miles was approaching £9K including gift aid. There is still time to support Richie by using the button below.