THREE Royal Navy friends have signed up to test their limits even further by embarking on a 20-day run from John O’Groats to Lands End, all in the name of mental health.
Warrant Officer Rob Cozens from Wellington, will be joined by Leading Hound Duncan Fraser and Able Seaman Connor Davidson to take on the 865-mile journey.
Starting on March 9 they hope to raise £10,000 for multiple local and nation mental health charities.
By ‘pushing their bodies to breaking point’, the group hope to ‘shine a light on mental on the health struggles that so many men and women face daily’.
Rob and Duncan have been preparing and organising the trip for the past year and have chosen Men’s Mental Health Mandown UK, Big Moose, Hattys Fund and RNRMC to raise money for.
Rob, father of three, from Ashbrittle, said: “Duncan and I know firsthand what it is like to experience poor mental health and help others going through the same thing.
“There have been times where I have hit rock bottom, but I have always come out the otherside.”
Rob hopes that by accomplishing the impressive feat, it will encourage other men and women to speak up about mental health.
He continued: “There are a lot of men out there who do not feel confident enough to put their hand up and say ‘I’m broken’, and it took me until December 2025 to speak up.
“It is a horrible feeling but there is help available.”
Rob will be joined by Duncan from Ipswich, also a keen ultra runner, who has done a lot of work with the mental health charity ‘Big Moose’, and Connor from Ipswich, who Rob described as the ‘youngster’ of the group.
Despite the blisters and inevitable rain, they are hoping to cover 40 to 45 miles a day.
Friends of the trio have agreed to join for various legs of the trip either on bike or foot, which Rob described as ‘amazing motivation to push forward’.
“Nerves are still high as the run will not only be a physical test but a mental one.
“But I am looking forward to passing through Somerset the most. By the time we get there, we will be over half way which will motivate me even more.”
Rob hopes that his wife and three children Shannon, 20, Paige, 14 and Rowan, nine, will be at the finishing line in Cornwall to celebrate with him after completing his achievement.
“I am doing this for my family. I am getting stronger day by day but still experience step backs. I am lucky to still be here here thanks to the help of close friends to help me fight through the dark days.”
Rob, Duncan and Connor will document their 20-day journey on their instagram account @Bobby_sailors_top_to_tail
So far, the trio have raised £2,000. To donate, visit: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/duncan-fraser-1?utm_medium=CF&utm_source=CL
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