Better by the dozen

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12 Ultra-marathons in 12 months to raise £12,000

Royal Marines Commandos, local Royal Marines Association Branch members, and motorcyclists from the RMA Riders from Aberdeenshire and Angus, will be out and about supporting Ultra marathon runner, Heather Crawford on Friday (26th May 2023). She will be running the fifth of 12 Ultra marathons from HorseBack UK (HBUK) in Dinnet, to RM Condor as part of her daunting ’12 in 12 for 12′ challenge to raise funds for RMA – The Royal Marines Charity.

Heather Crawford during her third Ultra-marathon run at Woodbury Common – the site of the RM training ground, and part of the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines based at nearby Lympstone in Devon.

Heather chooses to run at locations which have special connections to the Royal Marines, honouring a location, landmark or event that is in some way symbolic to the Corps.
Her start-point at Dinnet is the home to HBUK, which delivers personal development programmes, encouraging individuals to acquire new coping strategies, life skills and build lasting resilience using horsemanship and outdoor activities.
 
“I am just an ordinary person and what drives me is that I believe with a deep passion in everything the Charity does for the Corps Family” Heather says, “The 12 core values of the Royal Marines are those I try to live my life by.”

She adds: “Ultra running is not just about physical capability, but mostly about mental battles, determination, humility, adaptability, respect and overcoming. My runs are not fast, and often involve lots of walking, but I am bloody-minded enough to finish.”

Heather’s 50+mile route includes the challenging climb to the top of the 1,473ft Cairn O’ Mount before descending down into Angus for the run into RM Condor, near Arbroath.

Numerous veteran Royal Marines Commandos have had their lives turned around after being sponsored by RMA – The Royal Marines Charity, gaining qualifications through HBUK courses. One of these is Jay Hare, who – after life-changing injuries sustained in Afghanistan – is now their Course Director.