Inspirational army trainer completes 5,000 burpee challenge for the NHS

Glen Robson, 29, from decided to use his fitness for a good cause when he embarked on the challenge in aid of City Hospitals Sunderland.

Working in the Physical Training Corps (RAPTC) of the Royal Army, being in shape is part of the job, but the burpee challenge was one of Glen’s toughest yet.

His aim was to complete a mammoth 5,000 burpees at his home in just 24 hours.

Starting at 12pm on Easter Sunday, April 12, Glen managed to finish the 5,000 burpees in just 25 hours and eight minutes.

Live streaming his effort on Facebook, the challenge raised an incredible £1,127 for the charity.

Glen, from Hartlepool, said: “It was hard.

"In my head I had wanted to do the 5,000 burpees in 24 hours but I managed it in 25 hours and eight minutes.

“I wanted to reach the 5,000 total so I just kept going.

“It’s not an exercise I enjoy doing, but it was an indoor exercise that I thought I could do to raise some money and to also show people that they should stay indoors.”

Glen decided to raise the money for City Hospitals Sunderland as girlfriend Beth Stewart, 24, works as a nurse at Sunderland Royal Hospital after recently qualifying to take up the role in March.

Since then her role has seen her doing shifts as long as 13 hours as she works during the coronavirus pandemic.

Glen said: “My girlfriend works at the hospital which has around 5,000 staff so that is where the number of burpees came from.

“I said that if I managed to raise over £1,000 I would do the last 100 burpees dressed as a traffic cone which was a costume I had already from a stag do.

“It was a bit of fun and I think a lot of people watched the last live stream for that.”

He added: “I didn’t enjoy doing it and am in quite a lot of pain at the moment as my muscles are really sore.

“But once the soreness goes and I have recovered I will be able to have some reflection.”

To donate visit: https://bit.ly/2yk1AYd

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