54 gruelling miles inside 20 hours is going to stretch me to my limits (again!) I think.  Supported and accompanied by members of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, I'll be setting of at dawn on Thursday 2 May from Gairlochy north of Fort William with LCpl David Millar and LCpl Greg Ritchie, before joining the West Highland Way on its route south through the Highlands, all the way to the finish line at Strathfillan, four miles beyond Tyndrum.

All the money raised from this challenge will support the Rangers Charity Foundation's special Armed Forces Fund, which this season will assist The Coming Home Centre in Govan, SSAFA, Poppyscotland and a number of other forces and veterans related good causes.

An equal, if not more difficult part of this challenge, is working hard to stay motivated and use all the miles of training and fresh air to try and stay positive mentally.  My training is already well underway with two personal training sessions each week with Army PT LCpl David Millar and a long series of training walks is about to start.  It would be great to have company on these walks, especially if they help give people a fresh air boost and sense of wellbeing.

I have previously shared some challenges which I have faced over the years with my own mental health and by talking about these episodes of depression during the lead up to this challenge, I hope it will help further highlight the importance of understanding and supporting each other, as well as celebrating exercise and fresh air as a way of boosting positive mental health.

It is not always easy to talk about, and I'm no different.  It is something which I am trying to talk more honestly about, without guilt or embarrassment.  Lots of people are affected by this, and at the same time, everyone's experience is different.  For me, recognising the signs of depression, being able to be open about how I am feeling and using physical exercise as a way to recover my inner glow is all really important.

I can't wait to get stuck into this challenge and I'm looking forward to all the training ahead.

If you're able to make a donation of support, share some words of encouragement or even join me for a training walk that would be brilliant!

THANKS!

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