UPDATE: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! Captain Powers completed The Battle Back 1000 event in June 2012. So far donations have exceeded £6,000 and the event has raised the profile of Battle Back across the UK.
The ‘Battle Back 1000’ is the name of the Captain Powers’ fund raising event. Having participated in Iron Man and triathlon events for years, Captain Powers sees this as his ultimate challenge, 1000+ miles swimming, cycling and running over a 14 day period starting June 2nd 2012.
The challenge will start with a 21 mile swim in a lake in Cornwall – the equivalent of a cross-Channel swim. On completion of this, Captain Powers will then head down to Lands End in Cornwall, the extreme south western point of England and the starting point for his epic 870 mile bike ride to John ‘O Groats, the furthest point in the north east of Scotland. From here, he will travel by car to Workington to start the final leg of his ultra-triathlon – a 140 mile coast-to-coast run. A grand total of 1031 miles.
10 hours a day for up to 14 days
For Captain Powers this is uncharted territory. The most gruelling event he’s completed up to now is the Tour of Cyprus Road Race and Ironman UK. The Battle Back Challenge takes things to a totally different level, requiring 6 months of dedicated preparation. As part of this he is travelling to the Himalayas, up to Everest Basecamp and also plans to tackle the daunting Bob Graham Round the 72 mile, 27,000 foot circuit of 42 of the highest peaks in the English Lake District within 24 hours.
Captain Powers knows that managing his Type 1 Diabetes will be a key factor in whether he completes the challenge or not. He also knows about the importance of looking after his body generally, so he’s enlisted the help of a group of sports scientists to give him every chance of completing the challenge.
“I get up at 5.00am for training. Some days, it’s a half marathon or 60k bike ride. Then it’s off to the day job. There are times I think ‘can I really do this?’ ‘Will my body hold out?’ Have I committed for something I can’t deliver.’ It’s scary stuff. But then I think about the guys at Battle Back and that gives me fresh motivation – I’ve got to do it for them.”
You can read about Captain Powers’ preparations in the Battle Back 1000 blog where we’ll be posting regular updates and videos showing his preparation.
"I get up at 5.00am for training. Some days, it’s a marathon or 60k bike ride. Then it’s off to the day job. There are times I think ‘can I really do this?’"
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This is not an official Battle Back activity
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Battle Back is a Ministry Of Defence led initiative in partnership with and funded by both The Royal British Legion and Help for Heroes. Battle Back is an Adaptive Sport and Adventurous Training programme for wounded, injured and sick personnel from across the Armed Forces, including mobilised reservists. Battle Back is also available to Veterans but funded separately.
Battle Back programmes are designed to promote confidence and independence and help accelerate physical, psychological and social recovery (mind, body and soul) - inspiring the wounded injured and sick to focus on those things that they are able to achieve.
Battle Back programmes and activities can be delivered from any of the Defence Recovery Centres and other establishments. Currently they are formally run out of the Battle Back Centre Lilleshall (Defence Adaptive Sport and Adventurous Training Centre), the Defence Medical and Rehabilitation Centre, Headley Court and the Personnel Recovery Centres at Tedworth House, Tidworth and Phoenix House, Catterick.
