Ok, so this week I have been a little lazy, so I decided to take myself out for a cheeky 3 miles along the Thames at lunchtime... I can seriously tell I haven't run for a month because of a bit of knee swelling.

Gonna Gym it tonight some conditioning work and then I am away the weekend doing commando trainingso I will be dead.

Plus I haven't packed my bergen for the weekend joy

Soooo... timeframes, I will be undertaking the course bar injury in November 2012. The tests I have to pass are as follows,

"This intense phase ends with a series of tests which have remained virtually unchanged since World War II. Again, these tests are done in full fighting order of 32 lb (14.5 kg) of equipment.

The Commando tests are taken on consecutive days and all four tests must be successfully completed within a seven day period; they include;

• A nine mile (14.5 km) speed march, carrying full fighting order, to be completed in 90 minutes; the pace is thus 10 minutes per mile (9.6 km/h or 6 mph).

• The Endurance course is a six mile (9.65 km) course across rough moorland and woodland terrain at Woodbury Common nearLympstone, which includes tunnels, pipes, wading pools, and an underwater culvert. The course ends with a four mile (6 km) run back toCTCRM. Followed by a marksmanship test, where the recruit must hit 6 out of 10 shots at a 25m target simulating 200 m. To be completed in 73 minutes (71 minutes for Royal Marine officers). Originally 72 minutes, these times were recently increased by one minute as the route of the course was altered.

• The Tarzan Assault Course. This is an assault course combined with an aerial confidence test. It starts with a death slide (now known as the Commando Slide) and ends with a rope climb up a thirty foot near-vertical wall. It must be completed with full fighting order in 13 minutes, 12 minutes for officers. The Potential Officers Course also includes confidence tests from the Tarzan Assault Course, although not with equipment.

• The 30 miler. This is a 30-mile (48-km) march across upland Dartmoor, wearing full fighting order, and additional safety equipment carried by the recruit in a daysack. It must be completed in eight hours for recruits and seven hours for Royal Marine officers, who must also navigate the route themselves, rather than following a DS (a trained Royal Marine) with the rest of a syndicate and carry their own equipment.

After the 30-mile (48 km) march, any who failed any of the tests may attempt to retake them up until the seven day window expires. If a recruit fails two or more of the tests, however, it is unlikely that a chance to re-attempt them will be offered.

Normally the seven to eight day schedule for the Commando Tests is as follows:

• Saturday - Endurance Course
• Sunday - Rest
• Monday - Nine Mile Speed March
• Tuesday - Tarzan Assault Course
• Wednesday - 30 Miler
• Thursday - Failed test re-runs
• Friday - Failed test re-runs
• Saturday - 30 Miler re-run if required

Completing the Commando course successfully entitles the recruit or officer to wear the green beret"

(From Wikipedia)

I have 8 months of training to get to this standard, I shall be going on one Commando Training Weekend every month with the TA and training nights once/twice per week. All other training will be completed in my own time at night and at the weekend. 

Just a few other things, the views and opinions expressed on this blog are my own thoughts and do not reflect the thoughts of any organisations I am a member of or important people I know.....

I suppose I should start by introducing myself, I'm a 30 year test analyst who works full time commutes 15 hours a week has a pregnant wife at home and has taken the crazy notion of wanting to complete the Reserve All Arms Commando Course!! Call it an early mid-life crisis or some bizarre last grasp of achieving something before I am confined to a life of nappies and school plays.

This is a little crazy because of the fitness levels required to pass the course are somewhere near that of an elite level athlete, massive CV fitness with great upper body strength.

As I stated earlier I am 30 years old I do have some military experience I spent 5 yrs in the Army but I got out over 7 yrs ago, since then I have played rugby, crossfitted, been to University, got fat, lost a bit, put it back on and toyed with Triathlon.

I am by no means a fit lad but that's why I am writing this blog to have a means of capturing and documenting my progress, successes and failures in my hopeful completion of the course.