Tom Wilkinson a member of the Walking With The Wounded MDS2020 team
As the countdown for the Marathon des Sables 2020 is on, Sean Clark chats with some of this year’s Walking With The Wounded Team Members. Looking into each member’s reason for embarking on this incredible challenge and how they’re preparing for April, Sean dives deep into what running the Marathon des Sables as part of the WWTW team means to everyone.
In this episode, Sean interviews Tom Wilkinson, a coaching psychologist who is also running the Marathon des Sables in April. Tom’s passion for running started in 2008 when he ran his first marathon, using it as a fundraiser for an alzheimer’s charity in honour of his grandfather.
Tom explains how he trains for marathons at altitude in his preparation for the Jungfrau Mountain Marathon, and how the terrain of a marathon can really affect its difficulty. He shares a past experience that demonstrates the importance of testing your food before embarking on an ultra marathon challenge.
Tom shares his main reasons for running the MdS 2020 with Walking With the Wounded, which include his grandfather, wanting to give back to the military and setting himself a personal challenge. In fact, Tom clearly loves a personal challenge- he’s even jumped out a few planes in his time!
Sean and Tom discuss what they’re most looking forward to in this ultra marathon, with enjoying the present moment at the top of the list. However, Tom also gives an insight into his main concerns for the event, including navigation and how to navigate. A thin mattress, a pillow and recordings of his son are on his list of luxuries for the event, getting him through the challenge.
“Do it” is Tom’s advice for anyone who wants to embark on a challenge like this, and explains how a combination of quality training and yoga for both the mind and body is the perfect place to start.
If you want to know support the team and this brilliant cause, you can donate at www.walkingwiththewounded.org.uk/. You’ll find information about how the charity supports ex service people, as well as preparation for MDS 2020 and other events.
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