Sadly I was unable to take part in my last challenge, the Tri-Adventure Sprint, which was supposed to be my eighth challenge. This was due to having surgery on my wrist to repair some torn cartilage which I have been suffering from for the last two years. I will now be looking to double up and take on two challenges in one month later on towards the end of my year of ultimate challenges.

This is something I was extremely disappointed about, as I was looking forward to the triple challenge of mountain biking, trail running and navigation. However, lucky for me and you, that event was the start of their new Spring series, with a Summer series not far behind, so I will endeavour to take part in one later in the year. If you are interested in the Tri-Adventure challenge, visit www.triadventure.co.uk

It wasn’t hard to get me out of my post-op gloom, as I have a lot to look forward to in my next challenge, which is truly a once in a lifetime experience - The National Lottery Olympic Park Run!

The National Lottery Olympic Park Run’s five-mile course weaves its way through the Olympic Park, allowing the participants to make sporting history, and be the first the cross the finish line in the Olympic Stadium.

The route will pass iconic, world-class venues like the Velodrome and Aquatics Centre and culminates in the first public access to the Olympic Stadium - the centrepiece of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

On the day, a host of past and present Olympic and Paralympic stars will be present, both participating and offering support, as the 5000 runners achieve their own sporting glory on the road to London 2012.

Bring on the Olympic track!

To kick off my challenges in the New ‘Olympic’ Year, I shall be taking on the Tri-Adventure Sprint for my eighth challenge on 19 February.

Adventure Racing is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK and is quickly gaining momentum as more and more people discover it. The Tri-Adventure Sprint combines trail running, mountain biking and navigation over a 2 hour course. You have to use your provided map to navigate yourself around as many checkpoints and cover as much distance as you can within the 2 hour limit. There is a maximum of 20 checkpoints set over the course of approximately 12km trail run and 18km mountain bike.

These events are perfect for beginners new to adventure racing like myself. So far in my year of ultimate challenges, I have taken part in two obstacle adventure events, the London Spartan Race and the London Urban Rat Race Adventure. The Rat Race involved a fair amount of navigation, so hopefully that little bit of experience should help me through. However the navigation was around the urban streets of London, not involving two hours worth of trail running and mountain biking! I do have some experience of mountain biking, but very little experience in trail running, so this will be a very new and exciting experience for me.

Tri-Adventure run a number of different adventure races to get stuck into. All the events are held an hour from London, catering for beginners through to elites and perfect for adventure racers, trail runners, orienteers and mountain bikers:

- The Trail is an exhilarating 1 hour trail run with navigation.
- The Sprint is a fast paced adventure race incorporating three disciplines, off road running, navigation and mountain biking over a 2 hour course.
- The Tri-Experience and Tri-Challenge events are held in the summer months of June and July, combining off road running, mountain biking and navigation over 3.5 hours and 5 hours.
- The MTBO will test your stamina, navigation and mountain biking over 3 hours. Events are run in June and July of each year.

If you are interested in taking part in the Sprint event with me, or any other Tri-Adventure events, visit www.tri-adventure.co.uk

Happy New Year! Or more appropriately - Happy Olympic Year!

This decade has been hailed Great Britain’s ‘Golden Decade of Sport’, where across Britain we will see a number of major sporting events take place on good old fashioned British soil. Even better, an increased number of major women’s international sporting events too. So far we’ve had the Women’s Rugby World Cup, the International Children’s Games, the ATP World Tour Finals and the World Lacrosse Championships.

Yet, still to come we have the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014, followed shortly in 2015 by the World Orienteering Championships, the World Artistic Gymnastic Championships (and for the boys – the Rugby World Cup) concluding with the IAAF Athletics World Championships in 2017.

However, the event that paved the way for these successive successful bids to our little but mighty island, the biggest sporting event on earth, will be taking place THIS year – the London 2012 Olympic Games. The Olympic year is finally upon us and the next seven months are going to be exciting times in the build up to an event that many of us today will never see return to the UK again in our lifetime.

One of the reasons I was inspired to take on and start my year of ultimate challenges in June 2011, was so I could finish in June 2012, in time to put my feet up after a exigent year, and watch the professionals do it properly at the Olympics. As I began in June, and I am taking part in 12 challenges, I am due to finish in May. Ideally, I would like to finish my year of challenges in the same month as I started.

Therefore, I have decided to miss January out as a challenge month for this, and a number of other reasons. I have picked up a wrist injury from hockey (you can see me playing above), which I am awaiting results from an MRI scan. I would rather avoid aggravating it further until I know the correct diagnosis.

Another reason I have picked to remove January as a challenge month is due to the limited challenges and events available at this cold time of year when event companies avoid hosting events due to the probability of cancellation from weather disruptions. This allows me to finish my challenges in June, the same month a year ahead from when I began, on my biggest challenge yet which will be revealed in May.

I will be revealing details of my February challenge shortly. As always, if there is a challenge you would like to see me do then e-mail Sportsister with your recommendations!

Let’s hope that now we are entering a major sporting year, where champions across the world will be competing in our back garden, that the nation will be inspired and a legacy of youth and adult increased participation will be Great Britain’s best result (as well a host of medals for out fantastic home grown GB talent of course!)

#makeitcount

Image credit: Andy Smith

This month, I joined hundreds of other Santas to take part in the Stroke Association’s Santa Run in the stunning setting of Richmond Park as my seventh challenge. To make this event that extra bit special, I was joined by my hockey team, the Surbiton Hockey Club Ladies XI who were kindly supporting me in my year of ultimate challenges and using the opportunity to raise money for Surbiton Hockey Club.

When we arrived, my friends and I were delighted by the fact we received a free Santa running outfit including a Santa suit, hat, belt and beard. This instantly got us in the festive spirit. We put on our outfits so we blended in with the rest of the jolly crowd, and waded our merry way to the start area to get a view of the course we were about to run.

Getting dressed into our Santa outfits

The event location within the beautiful setting of London’s largest Royal Park, Richmond Park, was perfectly fitting for a Christmas running event. The park’s majestic woodlands, beautiful gardens, magical ancient trees and 650 free roaming deer made the event that extra bit more festive.

The race distance was a manageable 5 kilometres, with the option to run or walk your way around. There were runners of a variety of abilities and ages, allowing families to participate together dressed as Santas, with some of the more creative persuasion arriving in reindeer, elves and Christmas tree running outfits. One family even brought the family dog along with his doggy Santa costume to run too. There was also a 2k Santa’s Little Helpers course for children if they wished to participate on their own.

It was a nice flat course, with no hills, making the run perfect for beginners. There were areas where the paths met roads that were still in use, however there was very little traffic and this was all controlled by marshals who gave priority to the runners. Each kilometer was clearly signposted by fantastic event staff dressed as elves, Christmas trees and puddings. Despite the cold conditions, they provided brilliant support and were smiling all the way round. After the race finished, everyone received their medals from Santa’s elves.

Santa run completed!

This was a great event to take part in as my year of challenges. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the girls from Surbiton Hockey Club who took part with me. I would also like to advise anyone who wants to take part in a running event as a beginner in a relaxed and fun environment, where you can be as competitive as you like, that Santa Runs provide a. excellent opportunity to do this. They also provide a great opportunity to burn off some of those holiday calories at a time of year when everyone feels the pinch of their Christmas belts!

I shall be taking a couple of weeks rest from hockey training and my challenges over the holidays to spend time with family. This will hopefully allow my body to recover and reduce any chance of injury, in preparation for challenge eight in the New Year.

Merry Christmas, and a have a Happy New Year!

After spending the last few months scrambling through mud, abseiling off tall buildings and fighting gladiators, I thought my next challenge could return to slight normality and that I would take part in a running event of some type. As Christmas is fast approaching it seemed fitting to take part in a run with a festive twist. As a result, for December’s challenge I will be joining hundreds of other budding Santas to take part in the Stroke Association’s Richmond Park Santa Fun Run 5k.

The event takes place in the largest Royal Park in London, Richmond Park. The park covers around 1000 hectares of stunning hills, woodlands, ponds, gardens and grassland set amongst ancient trees and has around 650 free roaming deer; the perfect setting for a festive run. The event is a 5k adult course as well a Santa’s Little Helpers 2k run for children.

To make this event that extra bit special, I shall be joined by my hockey team, the Surbiton Hockey Club Ladies XI who are kindly supporting me in my year of ultimate challenges and using the chance to raise money for Surbiton Hockey Club. It should also make our coach happy as we can claim it as fitness for the training bank! Even if it involves us having a few mince pies afterwards.

If you are interested in taking part; visit www.stroke.org.uk/fundraising/fundraising_events/santa_fun_run.html

Last weekend, I faced my fears and took on my sixth challenge; the Stroke Association‘s High Voltage Abseil event, and marked the half way point of my year of ultimate challenges! So far I have cycled hundreds of kilometres through the mean streets of London under moonlight, ran a hilly half marathon around San Francisco, stand up paddle boarded, jumped, abseiled, boat hopped, climbed and orienteered my way around London, fought off gladiators, jumped through fire, crawled through mud and ice around the hills of Surrey, and after the weekend, abseiled 100ft down iconic industrial landmark that is Battersea power station.

We were blessed with fantastic weather, clear and sunny, which made the views from the top that little bit more special. After I arrived, I was greeted by lots of other nervous participants and smiling event staff reassuring us we would enjoy it once we got going. We were kitted up with our special abseiling boots, harness, helmets and gloves and grouped together to make our way up to the top of the building.

The climb up through the building was eventful enough, and actually the more dangerous part of the day. It certainly justified wearing the helmet and protective gear as we had to wind our way up through the derelict (and in some parts crumbling) building. It was a unique chance to see the interior of a building that is part and parcel of London’s central sky line along the river.

Once at the top we had the chance to absorb the stunning views along the river, taking in the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, the Gherkin, Oxo Towerand much more. Initially, the view provided a great distraction, but then I came to my senses and started to put into perspective how high up we were.

At the top we were strapped into the safety ropes and given a brief albeit clear and informative instruction on how to make our way safely down. That first initial step that took me off the ledge onto the brick wall was incredibly nerve wracking, however once I started to get my rhythm I was off bouncing down the side, picking up pace and even turning my head to make the most of the views around me.

The abseil took around two minutes for me to make my way down at a fairly steady pace, a lot quicker than I had anticipated. Once at the bottom I was reunited with my friends and feeling very high after the adrenaline rush on the way down, and proud that I had managed to make it down without a fuss. We were then awarded with a certificate and free t-shirt for completing the abseil.

As this is the half way point and six months into my year of ultimate challenges, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that has been involved and supported me through running, biking, climbing, stand up paddle boarding next to me, and those that have supported from the side lines too! I am doing this in memory of my father and to raise money for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, so if you can I would appreciate any donation, large or small to support them. You can sponsor me on my JustGiving page. Thank you.

Spartan Race have made videos of all the Spartan Sprints that have taken place around the UK, and have just released the London Spartan Video.

For a visual event review for October’s challenge, take a look at the video below and see if you can spot me and Sportsister’s editor, Louise Hudson!

For further Spartan Race videos, visit www.spartanrace.com

For my next challenge, I shall be leaving the comfort of the ground and descending 100ft down Battersea Power Station as part of the Stroke Association’s High Voltage Abseil event.

I chose this event as I am not great with heights, and as well as raising money for The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, I wanted to show some support for The Stroke Association charity as my father passed away from a stroke, and they are a fantasatic charity.

I did my first ever abseil in my September challenge, the London Urban Rat Race Adventure, which was only a mere 18ft down the Oval Cricket Ground in London. So, I have very little experience and found 18ft quite daunting. I am not quite sure how I will feel about 100ft, but I am certainly excited about it!

The event is taking place on 19 and 20 November. If you are interested in taking part, visit: http://www.stroke.org.uk/fundraising/fundraising_events/highvoltage.html

Last weekend, Sportsister’s editor Louise Hudson, joined me and some friends to take part in my fifth challenge – the London Spartan Sprint. This was a challenge I was both very excited and nervous about. This was because precise course details were being held in the utmost secrecy until participants met them face to face. However, after watching the promotional video from my last blog post, I had a fair idea of what might be expected.

We were warmed up by the BMF (British Military Fitness), which not only involved warming up our muscles, but also our voices with Spartan warrior cries - AROO! The course was 5km long, and included 20 unique obstacles that tested our strength, ingenuity and animal instinct along the way. The obstacles were all quite demanding but exhilarating and fun to tackle, giving us all a great sense of achievement overcoming them, with a little help from our adrenaline.

The first obstacle involved ducking under some horizontal pillars and then a series of vertical walls to jump and climb over. The last of these was extremely high and encouraged Spartans to stick together and work as teams to help each other over. This was then quickly followed by embracing the warrior within, and diving into cold mud pools and scrambling along the floor under a ceiling of barbed wire.

After being caked head to toe in mud, our group proceeded to scramble up several steep climbs, perform countless amounts of burpees directed by BMF Spartans (the scariest of all instructors), lift logs with rope pulleys, clamber over slippery muddied cargo net walls to eventually reach the tyre hurling station. We had to attempt to hurl a heavy tyre over a wooden pole, failing miserably resulting in more burpees.

The next set of obstacles included going through a second mud and barbed wire tunnel scramble, this time a lot further, and then take part in a spear throwing contest. After which, followed two climbs up another two steep hills; the first one carrying a sandbag, the second a tyre. This all may sound hideous, but looking around you would be pushed to find any participant without a huge grin or look of enthusiastic determination across their muddied (and sometimes bloodied) face.

Feeling quite pleased with ourselves, we then realised we were coming close to the finishing section, and then remembered what we had in store. In the final set of obstacles we had to scramble through a dark tunnel, followed by a scramble over ice cubes under a ceiling of barbed wire and then balance our way across some buoyant barrels, tied together with rope before jumping into a freezing cold lake and swimming under some more barrels.

After emerging wet (but a lot cleaner) the next obstacle involved jumping over fire, climbing over a slippery wall using ropes, and some tyre hopping. Then taking a minute to compose ourselves we braced ourselves for the one obstacle we had heard of – the Gladiators. Two giant muscle-clad Spartans armed with gladiator batons attempted to stop you passing by using their (padded) batons to knock you off your feet. Then last but not least, the final obstacle involved you using your hands to form a circular ring to follow some wire to the end. However, the small problem was that it was electrical wire and if you touched it you were in for a nasty shock!

This was definitely the best event for me so far, as I felt I overcame a lot, pushed myself out of my comfort zone and embraced my inner warrior within. It was also a hell of a lot of fun! The group I did it with made it the fantastic experience it was. I would certainly advise everyone and anyone to register in one of the Spartan Races across the UK in 2012. It is a great one to do as a group as experiencing it with friends makes it that little bit more fun.

To find out more about my experience of the London Spartan Sprint, check out Sportsister’s features section for the event review coming soon!

AROO!

For my next challenge, I shall be leaving the mean streets of London, to take on another adventure racing course, however this time – rural style! I shall be revealing my inner warrior and taking part in the London Spartan Sprint in the meaner hills of the Surrey countryside, alongside Sportsister editor - Louise Hudson.

The event adopted its roots from the popular fantasy action film 300, retelling the story of the battle of Thermopylae between the Spartans and the Persians. This event is an opportunity for participants to have a taste of what it is like to be a mighty Spartan (minus the eight pack chest).

The Spartan Sprint is designed to test participants’ resilience, strength, stamina and ability to laugh in the face of adversity. The unique obstacle course includes spear throwing, fire jumping, barbed wire crawls, battling giant Spartan gladiators and much much more. The course will demand every ounce of strength, ingenuity, and animal instinct you thought you lost centuries ago. Precise course details are held in the utmost secrecy until competitors meet them face to face.

The Spartan Race Series is designed for all participants, beginners to hardcore warriors and marathon runners alike, to challenge themselves, have fun and cross the finish line while smiling from ear to ear, for “the” ultimate fun experience! The event organisers advise on needing a little physical conditioning, but more importantly a taste of adventure!

In the mean time, I shall get training, practice my warrior cries, and prepare for glory - Aroo!

If you are interested in taking part in the London event, or events in other areas of the country, visit www.spartanrace.com