To commemorate 80 years since the Battle of Britain, the Royal Air Force Museum has launched the Hurricane 80K Challenge, encouraging keen runners and novices alike, to run 80K in 80 days. 
The Hurricane 80K Challenge is a virtual race that commences on 21 April 2020 and runners have exactly 80 days to run, walk, swim or bike 80K in a location of their choice. Participants will have access to a downloadable log sheet to record their 80K before being rewarded with a bespoke, commemorative 80K Challenge medal.
As a virtual race, the 80K challenge can be completed anywhere in the world. Online registration is now open and runners from across the UK and as far as Germany and Norway have already signed up. Participants have 80 days until 10 July, poignantly the start of the Battle of Britain, to complete the challenge.
Entry costs £20 per person and all proceeds from the Hurricane 80K Challenge will go towards the RAF Museum, registered charity 244708. Limited edition Hurricane 80K Challenge t-shirts are also available to purchase when registering online.
RAF Museum London Public Events Manager, Ella Hewitt said: “The Hurricane 80K Challenge is an opportunity for people across the globe to challenge themselves and pay respect to ‘The Few’ who served and lost their lives during the Battle of Britain 80 years ago. 80K in 80 days is quite a task, but it can be completed anytime, anywhere, and we’ve already had lots of interest from abroad and RAF bases across the UK. It’s great to see people getting behind the challenge.”
The Hurricane, often overshadowed by the Spitfire, was the number one fighter plane during the Battle of Britain, inflicting the most losses and causing the most amount of damage to the Luftwaffe during the engagement. Having fought in all major theatres of the Second World War and playing a crucial role in protecting Britain during the summer of 1940, the Hurricane 80K Challenge is giving the aircraft the spotlight it deserves.
To register for the Hurricane 80K Challenge, please visit rafmuseum.org. Entry costs £20 per person, or £32 per person with the souvenir t-shirt. Additional booking and postage charges apply for overseas participants. All proceeds will go towards the RAF Museum to enable us to continue telling the story of the RAF and the thousands of service men and women who served in it.
The annual Spitfire 10K will also be returning to the RAF Museum London on 29 August and RAF Museum Cosford on 30 August 2020. All runners will be given the name of a Battle of Britain RAF pilot to wear with their race number, in memory of those who defended our skies during the summer of 1940. Spaces are limited and filling up fast. For further details or to register you place visit rafmuseum.org.
Richard Mallory Allnutt's aviation passion ignited at the 1974 Farnborough Airshow. Raised in 1970s Britain, he was immersed in WWII aviation lore. Moving to Washington DC, he frequented the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum, meeting aviation legends.
After grad school, Richard worked for Lockheed-Martin but stayed devoted to aviation, volunteering at museums and honing his photography skills. In 2013, he became the founding editor of Warbirds News, now Vintage Aviation News. With around 800 articles written, he focuses on supporting grassroots aviation groups.
Richard values the connections made in the aviation community and is proud to help grow Vintage Aviation News.
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