Fire fighting and running.

Matt Barker, a WWII enthusiast and part time firefighter from Hampshire, regales us with his Project 65 training...

I got involved with Project 65 due to an unhealthy obsession with WWII military history books in order to find out what my grandad did in the war and an even unhealthier obsession with running further and further to find my limits.

I am an ordinary family guy with a long-enduring wife, Nicola, a 12 year old son called Ethan and a new baby called Euan. All of whom seemed to have accepted the fact that I have to do insane things occasionally (although the in-laws remain slightly bemused)!

My main goal in this blog is to show that bog standard Joe Bloggs can train for an ultra whilst having a busy family and work life. OK, so I don't actually know if this is possible as it is my first one but so far so good and I did do the London Marathon last year in under 4hrs for Diabetes UK which gives me something to build on.

I have very little structure to my training. I have to fit runs in around everything else but I am managing to go out most days. I can't do mornings yet but will start once it gets lighter. I do have a basic plan I follow though which worked for the marathon. I don't run on Mondays as I have firefighting drills on these days which can knacker you out (even lectures take it out of you). I then spend weekdays doing runs from 3 to 10 miles depending on time and how I feel. Then I do the mandatory long weekend run which is up to 26 miles this weekend.

If I had to give advice it would be don't fight your body, go with how you feel - learned from experience by pushing to hard to early and tearing my meniscus!! So if you aren't feeling up to a run, rest because you will probably feel better the next day and run better and further as a result. This is my mantra and it works for me and my training hasn't slipped as I love running.

Finally, on a serious note, I think Project 65 is an amazing opportunity to show surviving veterans that many of the younger generations have not forgotten what they went through. I feel very honoured to be part of it. It is fantastic motivation to get your trainers on!

So that's the introduction over and if I survive the next long run I shall be back with tails of dogs, cyclists, rude people, fire fighting, injuries and much more. How exciting!

Ham and bloody Jam!