Every year in the UK, 38 in every 100,000 young male veterans die by suicide. It’s the highest-risk group in the veteran community, and the number is rising again after years of decline. Behind those statistics are familiar pressures: loss of identity after service, mental health struggles, and the isolation that often follows leaving the military.

The 38 exists to confront that reality head‑on.

During Mental Health Awareness Week, six men – three veterans and three civilians – will take on a running challenge designed to push them to their limits both physically and mentally. Veterans Brian Wood MC, Jay Morton, and Paul Haddock will run alongside civilians Sam King, Simon Gamble, and Cam Ashurst, covering 308km from Hull to Liverpool in 38 continuous hours.

This isn’t just an endurance event. It’s a deliberate attempt to create vulnerability and real conversation.

As Jay Morton puts it: “The 38 reflects a reality that’s uncomfortable, but necessary to face. A reminder of what happens when silence goes unchallenged.”

Why run for 38 hours?

Because extreme fatigue strips away the armour. Because when you’re exhausted, walls drop. Because conversation becomes honest when you no longer have the energy to hide.

The men will run in pairs – veteran and civilian – side by side, at the same pace, for the entire distance. No hierarchy. No leader. No one left to carry the weight alone.

For many veterans, this kind of openness doesn’t come naturally. In the military, pain is managed quietly and emotions are often pushed aside to get the job done. After service, that habit can become dangerous.

Brian Wood MC says it plainly: “Too many veterans carry the weight alone. The 38 exists because the cost of silence is still being paid.”

What this challenge is really about

The goal isn’t to force conversations. It’s to create the conditions where they can finally happen – between two people who would never normally share this kind of space. Over 38 hours, as the kilometres build and the body breaks down, the mind opens up.

Between two shores, the message is simple: you do not have to carry it alone.

Our official charity partner is Head Up Charity. To support the mission, visit our JustGiving page.

Thank you to our sponsors — Grenade for fuelling the team, and New Balance for providing the gear that will carry them through 308km.