The HMNB Clyde team who undertook the 25-hour CrossFit Challenge. Pictures by Leading Photographer Stevie Burke
By Gavin Carr
A MIXED team of Royal Navy sailors, Royal Marines and civilian support workers recently completed a 25-hour CrossFit challenge for three charities.
The CrossFit challenge started at HM Naval Base Clyde’s Sportsdrome. Consisting of a mix of aerobic, body-weight and weightlifting exercises, the team completed 25 of the workouts non-stop over the 25-hours.
Benefiting from the arduous challenge were The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC), Cancer Research UK, and St Luke’s Cheshire Hospice.
“The toughest part had to be when my hands started to hurt from pull-ups,” said Leading Physical Trainer (LPT) Elise Broughton (30), one of the event organisers.
“I knew I had a fair few workouts left that consisted of bar work and more gymnastic movements on the frame. Also, when my body started to cease and even basic movements like an air-squats started to become challenging.
“The highlight was watching everyone keep smiling and laughing even though we were all so tired,” she continued.
The team fought through the fatigue and muscle cramps, being cheered along at the end by HM Naval Base Clyde staff. Each one of the team members who began the challenge made it successfully to the finish.
The youngest member of the team, Able Rating Supply Chain (AB(SC)) Ellie Evans (18) said: “It’s been really hard, we have been completing a workout every hour for last 25 hours. It wasn’t so much the workouts that were difficult, it was how tired I was especially in the early hours of the morning.”
LPT Elise Broughton summed it up: “It’s only my first time doing something like this,” she said. “I have only been in the Royal Navy for six-months and I am really happy I completed the challenge. This is what I joined the Royal Navy for, to challenge myself.”