Injured soldier smashes 4th Tough Mudder

A formerly injured soldier has completed his fourth World's Toughest Mudder, raising money for Help for Heroes. Mark Holloway successfully crossed the finish line after the 24-hour extreme obstacle course that covers a five-mile stretch in Las Vegas.

The challenge sees elite athletes try to finish as many laps of the obstacle course as they can within the allocated time, pushing them to their limits.

Mark was previously injured while serving in Afghanistan, resulting in permanent damage. However, he was lucky enough to be able to recover well and fairly quickly, allowing him to continue his military career.

He received some aid from Help for Heroes, which made him realise that not all of those injured while serving in the Armed Forces are as lucky as him. This inspired him to challenge himself and raise money for the charity.

Mark pushed himself a lot to train for the event, with the last year being taken up by preparing for the event in order to beat his previous records. Each year, he has built up the number of laps he has completed, managing 60, 65 and 70 miles during his last three Toughest Mudder challenges. He decided that this year he would complete at least 80 miles, which equates to 16 laps.

While he struggled through the first six hours with stomach problems and leg cramps, however, he managed to push through. Even when Mark pulled his shoulder and thought about pulling out, he managed to keep going and changed how he was tackling certain obstacles.

He managed to complete a total of 17 laps, equating to 85 miles in total, meaning he finished 12th out of 1,200 contestants. Out of the British male challengers, Mark came in first and was fifth in his division.

Mark also served as a Help for Heroes Tough Mudder Ambassador during the event, spreading the word on the great work the charity does.