Day 3...Halloween. (A Scary day instore)

The day that is traditionally is reserved for ghouls and spooks to rise from the dead, accurately describes how the team looked this morning. The excess of the previous nights exertions are beginning to catch up with everyone, as "Paddy" Mac complained constantly of his bad back from his previous nights dancing escapades!




Today had been a tough test with a total of 63 miles covered by the team and thankfully the weather has been good for the three days, which is more than can be said of PO "Terry" Coggley`s "Dits" and "Robbie" Roberts map reading!


The public of Shaftsbury where extremely generous, donating over £150 in just 2 hours outside Tesco`s.

AB "Rushie" Rush leads the way into Andover.

The Lads are beginning to feel the strain of the run today. Even "Crazy Wiggy" Bennett, who recently ran over 200km through the Amazon rain forest, is feeling the strain.


"My legs are stiffening up, it wasn`t this bad in the jungle!"


The squad arrived on schedule at Andover and after a quick shower and food at Trenchant Lines military base the majority of the team had an early night, as legs and feet struggled to cope with the grueling punishment they have received so far.

Above; the squad pictured in Andover after completing day 3, with recruitment team.

Day 2... and the legs are stating to ache

After the success of the first days effort we settled down in Exeter and and took up an invitation at "The White Ensign Club" for a few refreshing pints. Some of the younger lads discoverd the delights of line dancing and enjoyed the female companionship this brought even if some of the women where older than their Grand Parents!

We owe all the patrons of the "White Ensign Club" a great thanks for their donation to chaity and their hospitality.

Day Two began with a beautiful clear and crisp morning to greet the first runner. We made good progress and arrived in Yeovilton on time, despite the runner and support wagon losing their way for an hour! We received a few curious looks from farmers as a runner, in fluescent training top and mini bus, with fashing amber light slowly passed their farm yards.

The bus had to make a few unschedued stops for members of the team who where, "caught short" and in need of releif

The team spent Tuesday night at RNAS Yeovilton and a big thank you must go to the Leading Hands and Corpral`s mess who organised a halloween party for us, with all proceeds going to the South West Children`s Heart Circle. The bar really got into the swing of things with some fantastic fancy dress. The winner of the scaryist costume award must go to CPO "Mac" Bayliss whose "civies" looked like somthing out of a 70`s horror movie!

With females in the bar, the young lads could only watch in awe as "Paddy" Mac strutted his stuff and got close and personnel with "cat woman" and a "sexy nun."

A big thank you to the Mess president, Keith Armitage and vice president Hayley Smith and their staff, for taking the time and effort to organise the party for us.

With sore heads and aching limbs it is on to day 3.....

We are under way!

Day 1 over and so far, so good. We arrived at Exeter well ahead of schedule and without picking up any injuries! The weather has been fantastic and the support we have received from the public has been encouraging.

The squad set off on time from HMS Raleigh at 08:00 and covered the 42 miles to Exeter at a faster then expected pace. The whole squad covered at least 5 miles of rough terrain over Dartmoor.

Our accommodation for Monday night is at Exeter Sea Cadets, and food was served piping hot by two of our senior runners by PO "Franky Fat Legs" Harris, and CPO "Tan in-a-Can" Woods.

So no aching legs, no heart attacks and moral is high entering day 2. But for now it`s off to the British Legion for some "Team Building".

Good luck to the team tomorrow.

The SMQ (South) Running & Support Team Squad

Final preparations are now being made for SMQ (south)'s challenging relay run from HMS Raleigh in Cornwall to Westminster Abbey. At 08:00 on Monday 29 October, WO(COXN)SM Robbie Roberts, who conceived the idea of the run, after suffering a heart attack last year, will set off on the first leg. The Runners will be sent on there way by CDR Rob Dunn, OCRNSMS.

Some of the squad are looking forward to the challenge, AB "Bruce" Lee said, "I am looking forward to it, my family are from London so it is going to be good to get back, as i really miss my mum.(lol)"

The team consists of; Runners: WO Robbie Roberts, CPO Woody Woods, CPO Mac Bayliss, PO Harry Harris, LWEA Bennett, MA Fred Perry, AB Ricky D'arcy, AB Bruce Lee, AB Ratty Rowland, AB Rushy Rush, AB Jamie Birse, AB Fraser Bricknell and logistical support: WO Paddy McElroy, CPO Pete Chapell, PO Terry Cogley, LET Marcus Sloan, CH Guthrie.

Route and times for Run: Obviously all times are approximate.
Day 1:
The recruiting stand and some of our team members will be in attendance behind M&S from 1100.
—0800 RNSMS HMS Raleigh
—0845 Torpoint Ferry
—0900 Stoke
—0950 Roborough
—1100 Yelverton
—1215 Princetown
—1400 Moretonhamstead
—1630 Exeter Shopping Mall/Behind Marks & Spencer's
—Total mileage 55 miles
—Drinks in Exeter British Legion from 1930.

Day 2: Tues 30 Oct. 2007
Recruiting stand in Quedam Shopping Mall from 1100
—0800 Exeter Sea Cadets
—0900 Exeter Airport
—1030 Honiton
—1200 Chard
—1330 Crewkerne
—1500 Yeovil (Quedam Shopping Mall)
—1630 RNAS Yeovilton
—Total mileage 59
—Drinks In RNAS Yeovilton L/hands and Corporals mess from 1930

Day 3: Wed 31 Oct 07
Recruiting stand outside Guildhall on High street from 1200.
—0800 RNAS Yeovilton
—0900 Sherbourne
—1100 Shaftsbury
—1400 Salisbury
—1500 Lopcombe Corner
—1630 Andover (Outside Guildhall)
—Total Mileage 61
—Drinks in Andover British Legion from 1930(tbc)

Day 4: Thurs 1 Nov 07
—0830 Andover
—0930 Whitchurch
—1100 Basingstoke
—1200 Hook
—1300 Camberley
—1400 Suningdale
—1500 Staines
—1630 Hounslow (& Feltham) Sea Cadets
—Total mileage 59
—Drinks Venue tbc

Day 5: Fri 2 Nov 07
—0900 Hounslow Sea Cadets
—1100 Hyde park corner
—1200 Trafalgar square
—1300 The Mall
—1400 The Embankment
—1415 Submariners Memorial embankment
Met By Commodore HMS Raleigh, Commodore Keegan, & London Reception Committee.
Drinks on HMS President from 1430-1530. All are welcome.

Submariners London Run

On October 29th, 5 instructors and five students from SMQ (south), intend to run from HMS Raleigh in Cornwall to Westminster over a period of five days, arriving at the Submariners Memorial on the Embankment at 1415 on Friday 2 November 2007. The team will attend a Service at Westminster Abbey at 1300 on Saturday 3rd November and take part in the Memorial Parade on the embankment on Sunday 4th Nov at 1100




The instructors and students have been training hard throughout the summer, in order to complete this mammoth task.

All participants have been following a rigorous training programme consisting of weight training, CV work and of course long distance runs. One of the instructors PO Harris has been pleased with his preparation, "The training has been tough, but I am sure I will be grateful come the week of the run."

The students taking part in the run are all currently under instruction to qualify as submariners. One of the instructors, CPO Bayiss, (pictured below with some of the students) said, "They are a great bunch of lads and are doing well on their course. I will be happy to serve with any of them on a submarine."

The students pictured are; AB(TSM) Lee Rowland, AB (CISSM) Jamie Birse, AB (WESM) Joe Rush and AB (TSM) Ricky D`Arcy who said, "I am looking forward to the run, its for a great cause and it should be a lot of fun."

Please support the submariners doing the run and the South West Children`s Heart Circle by sending as much money as you can to:

SMQ SOUTHEXMOUTH BLOCK
HMS DRAKE
PLYMOUTH
PL2 2BG

For further information or donate directly visit: www.justgiving.co.uk/submarinerslondonrun or telephone 01752 555396.