On deployment, the average weight that a soldier carries is 40kg - in snow, in rain, in blazing sunshine. Wherever and whenever they are deployed. Imagine 40 bags of sugar that you have to carry with you whenever you do anything, not a nice thought!

I did the London to Brighton a couple of years ago and enjoyed the challenge (if enjoy is the right word). The Thames Path Challenge being in September will hopefully allow it to go ahead in these uncertain times.

SSAFA are a worthy cause and, like most charities, have seen a drop in funding since Covid-19. As they are an armed forces charity, I thought I'd give my challenge an extra twist... I will be doing the challenge in a weighted vest to simulate some of the load that a soldier would have to carry if the Thames Path Challenge was a deployment. Depending on how my training goes, the vest will weigh between 10-20kg, alongside my rucksack.