Armagh soldiers break running record in Afghan heat

Two Co Armagh soldiers have broken a Guinness World Record for running – in the blazing heat of the southern Afghanistan front line.

Major Christine Marshall, from Markethill, and Captain Nicholle Dunlop, from Lurgan, and 10 colleagues ran on a treadmill and cracked the record for the number of miles run in 24 hours by a team of 12 females.

Temperatures soared to 45C during the attempt earlier this month but Capt Dunlop, 30, said it was worth it.

“It is a combination of elation and exhaustion. It is fantastic and we are all exhausted but so proud of ourselves,” she said.

“We thought it was achievable and after the early stages we thought we would break 300km but 317.66km (197 miles) is absolutely fantastic.”

The event was held at the headquarters of the UK task force at Lashkar Gah in Helmand Province.

The team of soldiers, sailors, airwomen and one civilian raised more than £5,000 for the British Limbless Ex-Service Men’s Association (BLESMA) and the Afghan Appeal, a charity that promotes awareness of the plight of Afghanistan’s people and raises funds for specific projects such as schools and equipment.

The women are serving as part of 19 Light Brigade, which has the emblem of a black panther. The team nicknamed themselves “The Pink Panthers of Lashkar Gah”.

Maj. Marshall, 41, was the oldest member of the team while Capt. Dunlop recently celebrated her 30th birthday in Afghanistan.