Darren Wilson found his calling in life after he joined the Army.

DARREN WILSON joined the Army at the age of 19 and soon realised he was destined for a life of adventure. He served and trained in demanding places around the world and on his retirement continued to pursue the outdoor life he had become so passionate about.

In this fascinating interview Darren talks to us about his work as a personal trainer, dedication to raising money for those in need and explains more about the biggest challenge of his life.  

Could you tell us about your time in the Army and where it took you around the world?

I never knew what I wanted to do after leaving school or what sort of person I was, I had a couple of jobs but found they where just not for me. So I decided to joined the Army in the year 2000 at age 19. This is where I found myself, I found out I liked a challenge and a life with adventure.

While in the Army I had lots of challenges and adventures. Not long after passing my military training in Catterick I was deployed to Cyprus, after two years six months in Cyprus I was involved in various riots and other operations that opened my eyes to what a military life was going to be all about. I also served and trained in other places such as: Belize (jungle warfare and survival training), Poland. the Falkland Islands, Canada and Germany. There were also operational tours in Northern Ireland and Iraq.

You have described being in the Army as the time when you ‘found yourself’. What was it about this type of adventure that you became so passionate about?

I found I like to push myself to achieve my goals, to physically and mentally keep going. I was pushed far and became very fit and mentally strong, I particularly loved the training in Belize as this pushed me to work hard, the jungle is a very challenging place as you are constantly wet and fighting through the harsh undergrowth and only gaining little ground after hours of movement, it was physically draining.

I then got my place in the reconnaissance platoon which I wanted, here I was to push harder on covert surveillance courses.

After leaving the Army Darren has worked as a personal trainer and has also run military fitness classes.

Could you tell us more about your time as a personal trainer after you left the army and the success you had in opening your own gym and also running military fitness classes?

Leaving the Army was difficult as I wanted to carry on with the same adventure and challenges in life, I decided to train as a personal trainer and sports therapist. After working freelance at a local gym I eventually opened my own fitness studio and started outdoor military fitness classes, both very successful. While I could teach and help others to reach their goals in fitness I also had the military fitness side of life in the military fitness classes I did.

After a period of having given up your work as a fitness instructor you then set yourself the challenge run the Marathon des Sables. What inspired you to do this and could you tell us more about the race?

I wanted to do this race while in the military but never did, after I stopped my personal training work in December 2009 I lost the adventure and fitness in my life. Stopping training and doing any kind of fitness altogether I became very unfit. In November 2014 I felt lost and found myself in a position and asking the same question back when I left school; what can I do? So I decided I wanted to get running again and before long had a real passion to run the Marathon des sables (or MDS) So early in 2015 I booked a place to do so. The MDS is a week-long multi stage ultra race in the western Sahara desert, covering around 153 miles in up to 50 degrees baking heat and carrying all kit on your back. This is a challenge of physical fitness but more of a mental challenge and adventure.

Darren lives in the Lake District which gives him plenty of opportunity to train and work on his fitness levels.

What races have you since competed in and could you tell us about your plans to go to the Sahara in 2016?

So far my training races for MDS are Windermere Marathon which I completed in May 2015, the Cross bay challenge (a half-marathon on the sand), the Lakeland 50 (50 miles in the Lake District covering 9,000 feet of accent. I also recently completed a three-day multi stage race in Buckinghamshire called the Druid Challenge, this was good training for the MDS as it has a similar affect due to the terrain being sometimes ankle deep in mud and zapped the legs as I expect the sand in the desert will.

I live in the Lake District and most of my training runs I do up the mountains. My plan now for the next four months up to MDS is to run more back-to-back long runs and speed sessions, while doing strength training in the gym. I will train around five to six days a week and hopefully cover around 100 mile a week.

What charities benefit from your running and how can people support and donate to the causes?

I like to rise funds for children’s charities, the charity for the MDS is a Moroccan charity to help underprivileged children in supplying food , water, education and equipment for schooling, The charity is called Solidarite and was set up by the MDS race director. My aim was to rise £4,500 and I’ve had some really good support and donations towards this, most of this fundraising has been achieved by doing various things such as running on a treadmill for the day in my local shopping centre, charity dinner nights and quiz nights. I currently only stand £360 short of my target, so very nearly there.

If anyone would like to help me to reach this target they can make a small donation by visiting my page on Facebook at dwultrarunning and finding the details there or on my charity page, or just pm me for details.

If anyone wants to talk to me further about my challenge, fundraising or other subjects concerning my adventure feel free to email me at darrenwilson49@gmail.com.

Darren is currently training for the Marathon des Sables which is an ultra race in the western Sahara Desert.

How hard is it to keep motivating yourself and are there any other exciting plans or challenges in the pipeline?

I will admit It is very hard sometimes to keep it up, especially with the winter dark cold nights drawing in, but I keep focused on the task ahead. Focus and a mental attitude I think is the key thing when you take on a life with challenges and adventure. But my real motivator is my love for the extreme adventure.

I’m fully focused on the MDS currently, so as for future adventures or challenges I’m not 100 per cent sure. But I know I want to keep challenging myself and there will be something that I will take on. Maybe something Arctic, back in the jungle or something that may be pushes me to my extreme limits.

If you wish to follow my adventures and training for MDS, you can do so on Facebook at DWultrarunning Darren Wilson, Twitter @darrenwilson49, Youtube Darren wilson and Strava Darren Wilson.