Penketh veteran diagnosed with PTSD takes on 100-mile challenge

David Gray, from Penketh, joined the army as a 16-year-old boy and toured Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan during his time in the services.

But sadly, upon returning from Iraq, where he was medically discharged, he was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

The 39-year-old veteran, who now runs his own property and maintenance business, decided this month to take on the original 8.2-mile challenge for the cancer charity, upping the stakes with a 100-mile goal instead.

This works out at 31 consecutive 3.1-mile runs every day during January.

David told of how he has taken on the challenge not only to raise money for a good cause – with prostate cancer on the up - but also to prove to himself he can still do it.

“It is something for my own sanity and to prove that I am not restricted by things in my past,” he said. “I want to inspire others who have had similar experiences.”

David Gray, from Penketh, is running 100 miles for charity (Image: Supplied)
During his service, David was in an accident and had to have operations on both his legs.

“They removed a portion of each kneecap, but it all healed well after the operation,” he explained.

“I spent 17 years in the army. I joined when I was just a boy, it was a complete culture shock when I came out, having to find my own feet in the world.”

The business owner, originally from Essex, moved to Penketh when he left the services in 2018 after meeting his Warrington-born partner in the Army when serving in Afghanistan.

He is currently clocking up the miles each day, doing runs around the local area with varying distances each time around.

While the army has had him well trained for a challenge like this, he has sustained a small injury during the month.

Summarising the challenge, he said: “It has been brilliant. It’s really good for your mind.

“I have always been fairly good at running. I used to be part of the army youth team. I used to do Snowdon five days a week for a month at a time,” David added, speaking of the days when him and his colleagues would train up youngsters and show they a day-in-the-life in The Army.

A funding page has been set up to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK – a charity that funds research into cures for the disease – and so far he has raised £1,625.

To donate to the page and support David’s challenge, visit this link runthemonthme.prostatecanceruk.org/fundraising/daves-run-for-life