Decorated Bridgend boxer tests his toughness with IRONMAN Swansea and Llanelli Half-Marathon for armed forces charity

On Sunday, the 25th of February Ashley will be running in the Llanelli Half-Marathon. He has previous experience in long-distance running, having completed the Great North Run as well as the Cyprus International 4-Day Challenge. The Great North Run is the largest half-marathon in the world, and the 4-Day Challenge features a multi-terrain half-marathon in the middle of the schedule. Ashley feels these events have prepared him for the Llanelli event this Sunday.

Along with being a decorated boxer, Ashley is in his 15th year in the Army, serving in the 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh. He began boxing 11 years ago, well into his time in the military, and feels strongly about helping service personnel and their families. He also plans on entering the Half-IRONMAN in Swansea this summer, again participating for SSAFA.

Ashley spoke about running the Llanelli Half-Marathon for SSAFA: “It’s to keep my mind active and help me with goal setting and preparing for my Half-IRONMAN… I heard about SSAFA and how they were holding places for the Half-IRONMAN… so why not raise money for a charity that helps the military and hit one of my goals while doing it?”

The course will take a different route than previous years, starting and finishing at Festival Fields. The route will snake along the Millennium coastal path and around the Machynys Golf Centre, offering a mostly flat terrain and scenic views throughout. The half-marathon will start at 9:00 AM, and the 10k that follows a similar route will start at 9:30 AM.

You can donate to Ashley’s charity page on fundraising site, Just Giving.