Boston born Royal Air Force Regiment Officer and dog lover Flight Lieutenant Aaron Eyett from RAF Coningsby is running the London Marathon for Spaniel Aid UK.
Flight Lieutenant Eyett commands the Lincolnshire Station’s Regiment Training Flight, which keeps uniformed personnel up to date with their core military skills. Aaron has been in the RAF for six years but had originally intended to become a teacher.
He said: “I went to university but quickly realised that teaching wasn’t for me. My mum had served in the RAF, and we spoke to a mutual friend and then arranged a visit to RAF Honington and it all went from there. And no regrets about my career choice.”
The London Marathon sounds like a challenge for an experienced runner, but Flight Lieutenant Eyett only started running recently. His chosen sport is football, which he plays to a high standard, and he is a member of both the Royal Air Force and UK Armed Forces teams.
But why choose the London Marathon? Aaron said: “I always said that if I was going to run a marathon, it was only ever going to be the London marathon – I was in London watching a friend do the London marathon and I entered the ballot and got in.”
An occasional companion on Flight Lieutenant’s training runs is his spaniel, Stanley. Spaniels were a permanent fixture in the Eyett family home, and Aaron grew up with two. His chosen charity for the London Marathon is Spaniel Aid, which aims to help these dogs find the best possible home in which to spend the rest of their lives.
Aaron said: “We got our first spaniel through someone we knew, and they’re beautiful dogs. Our Spaniels just had an energy level which matched our family; they’re always on the go and they are very affectionate and loyal and obsessed with making friends and being sociable.”
This year’s London Marathon will be the 45th and will be held on 27th April. Flight Lieutenant Eyett is looking forward to it. He said: “You have to treat this with respect and put the training in, and I’m not looking to break any records, but it’s going to be a memorable day.”
Aaron’s just giving page can be found here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/aaron-eyett-1
Wing Commander Nick Startup is Officer Commanding Base Support Wing, of which Regiment Training Flight is a part, and a dog lover herself. She said: “Running the London Marathon takes commitment and resilience, qualities fundamental to the RAF Regiment so I’m sure Aaron will smash it. We are a nation of dog lovers and it’s great to see that he has chosen a charity which is personal to him and helps to rescue and rehome spaniels. Well done Aaron, good luck!”
