Veteran and father runs 50km ultramarathon after overcoming life-changing injury
“I felt an immediate connection with Scotty’s because of everything I’ve been through myself. I didn’t have children at the time of my accident, but I’ve got three boys now and I can’t imagine how they would cope if I wasn’t here.”
Veteran and father of three, Gavin Osborne, recently undertook a punishing 50-kilometre ultramarathon for Scotty’s Little Soldiers, the charity for bereaved military children. The childcare worker and fitness instructor, who suffered severe injuries during his time in the Army, completed the 31-mile run in an impressive seven hours and 22 minutes – over an hour and a half faster than this target time.
“I didn’t know how difficult it would be as I’ve never done anything like it before,” said Gav. “It was much tougher than I had expected! When I crossed the line, I felt quite emotional.”
Gav taking part in the 50km Yorkshire Challenge
Gav set himself a fundraising goal of £396, but by the end of the race he had raised an incredible £835 - over double his original target.
“I’m over the moon with the amount raised,” he said. “I’ve done a few charity events in the past, but as a veteran, the moment I heard about Scotty’s I felt this connection to them. I knew I wanted to do something straight away.”
Gav is currently in the process of becoming a personal trainer. As a result, he was able to work his ultramarathon training sessions into his existing routine – going on longer runs and focusing his gym time on extensive endurance and stamina training.
Gav enjoying a post-race burger
This confident, can-do mindset is something Gav has cultivated over time. In 2003, he suffered severe injuries in a driving accident. He was a Private serving in the Royal Logistic Corps.
“We were getting ready to be deployed to Iraq. I was based in Catterick and went on a refresher driving course for a type of truck, but as my vehicle went up a hill, the back wheels lost traction and it rolled back down and into a ravine.”
The accident resulted in crush injuries to Gav’s face and right leg and he required three years to physically recover. His mental health dipped, but through exercise and setting himself fundraising challenges he was able to recover his positive mindset.
Gav in his Scotty's vest
“I couldn’t imagine doing this challenge five years ago, just because of my state of mind. I was close to 19 stone, but over the last few years I’ve lost five of those and now I exercise almost every day. I’m a gym instructor and training to be a personal trainer. It’s like therapy for me. I love challenging myself and believe anyone can do anything they set themselves to. Your mind is the only thing holding you back.”
This experience, alongside his time spent working with young people, is another reason that Gav chose to fundraise for Scotty’s Little Soldiers.
“I know a lot of children who’ve had loss in their lives or experienced trauma. It affects them. For some children, it can change their whole personality, but Scotty’s promotes so much positive thought and energy. When you read about all the children who have had help from Scotty’s, you just get it’s an amazing charity. I’ll definitely be raising money for them again.”
Gav at the race site
Scotty’s Little Soldiers is a charity dedicated to supporting children and young people (0 to 25 years) who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.
Inspired by the experience of Army widow Nikki Scott, following the death of her husband Corporal Lee Scott in Afghanistan in 2009, the charity, which was set up in 2010, provides support and guidance to hundreds of bereaved military children and young people throughout their childhood.
Services offered to Scotty’s members include access to child bereavement support, guidance to parents and carers, personal education and learning assistance (including grants), and fun activities such as holiday respite breaks and group events. These are all designed to remind the children and young people supported by Scotty’s that they are not alone.
Gav's medal and race number
Scotty’s Little Soldiers’ founder, Nikki Scott, said: “Gav’s achievement is incredible and every penny he’s raised will help ensure we can continue to provide the support that bereaved military children need. As a veteran and father who experienced a life-threatening injury while serving, Gav knows how quickly a military child’s life can change and we’re extremely grateful for his support.”
