Scotland here we come!
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Maria and I have been best friends for a quarter century!! We've been through so much together...she moved to South Africa from England with her family when she was very young, we met during our first year of high school and became almost inseparable. Our teenage years seem so long ago, but we still remember so many of the great times we had together. Speech and drama class was our favourite class at school, we grabbed any opportunity to mimic 'Patsy' and 'Eddie' from our favourite show "Absolutely Fabulous" and we'd always take part in our school's annual play so we could hang out and have a good laugh.
We often chat about how she'd have to let go of her fears when she came over to visit me because she'd always end up having to do things she'd never had to even consider doing before she came to Africa...climbing over wobbly, worn, wire fences in order to "escape" into the torrid African bushveld- an adventure filled with the possibility of crossing paths with a grumpy Black Mamba or treading on a lazy Puff Adder in our pathway, coming face-to-face with the multitude of huge Golden Orb spiders who resided in our garage or her even bigger phobia of bumping into one of the the millions of moths attracted to our night-lights that would blaze in the pitch blackness in our home in the middle of the no-where...also, we both clearly remember the one time she tried learning to ride a bike with me and the giggling-fit it ended in! Needless to say our adventures together remain on foot for now. Over the last decade, we have remained in contact throughout our independent journeys around the world and somehow, we find ourselves once again living within 20 mins drive of each other... only this time, we're in England. Our lives have changed dramatically, we're now responsible adults/wives/mothers with very little time to ourselves and both find that our lifestyles have caused us to experience high levels of anxiety, that's debilitating at times. The fear of something happening to our children, the fear of something happening to ourselves or our respective spouses, not being there or not being able to raise our children, all this fear inhibiting us from experiencing life as wholeheartedly as we should be! |
The world has become a scary, scary place, modern times with social media enhances our fears and so we have both found ourselves living a life less and less to its full potential and ironically more and more at risk of a stress induced illness or heart attack.
Our bond of friendship has stood the test of time though and whilst out for a walk recently, during our usual plotting and planning our days of retirement- sipping cocktails in a beach hut somewhere nice- we dreamed up the fantasy of being able to escape it all; of going on an a little adventure together that would push us out of our near middle-age comfort zones and force us to face and hopefully overcome some of our fears, as we had done as children- with bravery and courage and...together. We both went home after that 3 hour walk in the breezy British elements with a sense of duty in our hearts to make this idea become a reality, for ourselves and each others mental and physical well-being, and for our respective husbands and children who need us and deserve to have us at our best, so we can lead and support them through their own adventures of life... and so our 7 day dream- an adventure in Scotland was born and we're thrilled to say, will soon become a reality! (As long as Covid stays out of it!)
Our trip will be filled with personal challenges to face and overcome; leaving, letting go and trusting our children will be safe without us while we are away, pushing our bodies to their limits; climbing and reaching the top of Ben Nevis- the highest mountain in Britain, feeling alive and trying new things boldly; canyoning down rivers, and travelling and camping in the breath-taking, culture-rich Scottish landscape with our very sexy Defender- "Morven" (Scottish meaning: "big peak") courtesy of @bigskycampersscotland
I am so looking forward to going on this adventure of a lifetime with you Maria, its going to be life changing and without a doubt... Absolutely Fabulous! We hope to raise funds for the John Muir Charity that takes care 'of some of the finest wild places in Scotland including the summit of Ben Nevis and part of the Cuillin on Skye' both of which we plan to explore, document and share with you all, so please donate towards this great cause and stay tuned for the updates, let the preparations begin!!
Our bond of friendship has stood the test of time though and whilst out for a walk recently, during our usual plotting and planning our days of retirement- sipping cocktails in a beach hut somewhere nice- we dreamed up the fantasy of being able to escape it all; of going on an a little adventure together that would push us out of our near middle-age comfort zones and force us to face and hopefully overcome some of our fears, as we had done as children- with bravery and courage and...together. We both went home after that 3 hour walk in the breezy British elements with a sense of duty in our hearts to make this idea become a reality, for ourselves and each others mental and physical well-being, and for our respective husbands and children who need us and deserve to have us at our best, so we can lead and support them through their own adventures of life... and so our 7 day dream- an adventure in Scotland was born and we're thrilled to say, will soon become a reality! (As long as Covid stays out of it!)
Our trip will be filled with personal challenges to face and overcome; leaving, letting go and trusting our children will be safe without us while we are away, pushing our bodies to their limits; climbing and reaching the top of Ben Nevis- the highest mountain in Britain, feeling alive and trying new things boldly; canyoning down rivers, and travelling and camping in the breath-taking, culture-rich Scottish landscape with our very sexy Defender- "Morven" (Scottish meaning: "big peak") courtesy of @bigskycampersscotland
I am so looking forward to going on this adventure of a lifetime with you Maria, its going to be life changing and without a doubt... Absolutely Fabulous! We hope to raise funds for the John Muir Charity that takes care 'of some of the finest wild places in Scotland including the summit of Ben Nevis and part of the Cuillin on Skye' both of which we plan to explore, document and share with you all, so please donate towards this great cause and stay tuned for the updates, let the preparations begin!!
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The London Triathlon 2019
I SURVIVED... and therefore succeeded at attaining my own personal goal!
If ever there has been an event to recommend to anyone... this is it! The organisation of this event was fantastic, the buzz and hype leading up to the start was truly awesome and from the second we entered the Excel Centre (kids and hub in tow of course!!) we were greeted by the smiles and friendly, excited chit-chat of fellow athletes who were either finished their race (we all started at different times in batches) or on the way to the start area to begin their race. Once I had given last kisses and hugs to my little supporters I rushed to find my transition zone and I quickly went off to the safety briefing... Here is where the nerves really kicked in but wore off quite substantially by the end of the safety assembly, thanks to a brilliantly executed and humorous delivery of what not to do, which brought on nervous giggles all round and helped us all to focus on our own personal bests while supporting others. |
We were then ushered out and down onto a floating barge in full view of all our wonderful, cheering spectators (thank goodness wetsuits were compulsory!) who were in great spirits and lead by a very enthusiastic race commentator and hyped up tunes on loud speaker!
I lingered here for as long as possible, I wish I could say it was to absorb the atmosphere but in reality, I was concerned about the amount of time I could last treading water before the race started!
Thankfully, I have swum in open, dirty water in South Africa before and so this was not too much of a concern for me, however, this was indeed my very first time swimming in a wetsuit... and I discovered during that 750m swim... that this indeed is something which requires a bit of experience beforehand! As a wetsuit somehow keeps you semi- buoyant it also seems to put pressure up onto your lungs you see and considering I was expecting to use the maximum capacity of my lungs for the oxygen I required to complete a swim such as this that I had up until this day been training for without a wetsuit in an olympic pool where you can rest at each side...I was, well, basically nearly drowning! I was extremely grateful that the event was so well organised that there were a number of life rafts surrounding us swimmers and following us around to ensure we made it to the end, although I did make the mistake of unzipping the top of my suit to allow for breathing space which in turn allowed for half the river to flow in and add to the weight of my swim-journey which ended with a complete wash out all over the platform when I was required to unzip and strip off the suit upon completion! Im sure the spectators were not expecting such an interesting show to say the least!
Transitions are always tricky and with the nerves of it all, trying to get wet cloths off and into dry things isn't a breeze, but it was nice to share a few words with fellows competitors before rushing off onto my favourite part.. THE BIKE!!!
This really was my favourite part of the triathlon and this is mainly because I have allot of experience on the bike and feel confident but the one thing that was slightly worrying me was that the tyres were so extremely thin! Yes.. thats because I was not riding my trusty old mountain bike no... I was on teeny -tiny "slicks" of my road bike with its strangely- positioned breaks and handlebars, but I have to say riding 20km on the smooth tar was a winning experience and caught me up by nearly 100 positions!!! How nice! (but my heart will always belong to the bush! )
By the time I got to complete the last leg of the race, the run, I was pretty exhausted and knowing that running is not my strong point I did the best I could to keep moving at more than a walk speed, so mostly I felt as though I was jogging on the spot for the entire run as many many runners caught me up and passed me with ease.
Nevertheless the pumping tunes and steel-drum band along the way made this a super fun ending of a bucket-list experience and when I finally came through onto the finish line, I was so relieved and filled with joy in my heart to hear my babies calling out "MAMMA!!!" as the medal was placed over my head and I was given my T-shirt of completion and I was smothered with hugs and love from my family x
Thanks to my-mate-Mike again for sponsoring us this experience.. he did way better than me of course but we wont go into that too much..but I will say
next time I plan to train to race and hopefully I will give him a good run for his money ;)
I lingered here for as long as possible, I wish I could say it was to absorb the atmosphere but in reality, I was concerned about the amount of time I could last treading water before the race started!
Thankfully, I have swum in open, dirty water in South Africa before and so this was not too much of a concern for me, however, this was indeed my very first time swimming in a wetsuit... and I discovered during that 750m swim... that this indeed is something which requires a bit of experience beforehand! As a wetsuit somehow keeps you semi- buoyant it also seems to put pressure up onto your lungs you see and considering I was expecting to use the maximum capacity of my lungs for the oxygen I required to complete a swim such as this that I had up until this day been training for without a wetsuit in an olympic pool where you can rest at each side...I was, well, basically nearly drowning! I was extremely grateful that the event was so well organised that there were a number of life rafts surrounding us swimmers and following us around to ensure we made it to the end, although I did make the mistake of unzipping the top of my suit to allow for breathing space which in turn allowed for half the river to flow in and add to the weight of my swim-journey which ended with a complete wash out all over the platform when I was required to unzip and strip off the suit upon completion! Im sure the spectators were not expecting such an interesting show to say the least!
Transitions are always tricky and with the nerves of it all, trying to get wet cloths off and into dry things isn't a breeze, but it was nice to share a few words with fellows competitors before rushing off onto my favourite part.. THE BIKE!!!
This really was my favourite part of the triathlon and this is mainly because I have allot of experience on the bike and feel confident but the one thing that was slightly worrying me was that the tyres were so extremely thin! Yes.. thats because I was not riding my trusty old mountain bike no... I was on teeny -tiny "slicks" of my road bike with its strangely- positioned breaks and handlebars, but I have to say riding 20km on the smooth tar was a winning experience and caught me up by nearly 100 positions!!! How nice! (but my heart will always belong to the bush! )
By the time I got to complete the last leg of the race, the run, I was pretty exhausted and knowing that running is not my strong point I did the best I could to keep moving at more than a walk speed, so mostly I felt as though I was jogging on the spot for the entire run as many many runners caught me up and passed me with ease.
Nevertheless the pumping tunes and steel-drum band along the way made this a super fun ending of a bucket-list experience and when I finally came through onto the finish line, I was so relieved and filled with joy in my heart to hear my babies calling out "MAMMA!!!" as the medal was placed over my head and I was given my T-shirt of completion and I was smothered with hugs and love from my family x
Thanks to my-mate-Mike again for sponsoring us this experience.. he did way better than me of course but we wont go into that too much..but I will say
next time I plan to train to race and hopefully I will give him a good run for his money ;)
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GO TEAM!!! Fish4tech's first ride and what a great ride it was! Gorgeous weather always helps for a start, sunny with a cool breeze, I arrived late ...as usual- life with kids, right? haha! I arrived and literally chucked on my shoes and rode like a crazy person to the start where my-mate-Mike, was looking pretty anxious waiting for me at the start line, as the rest of the riders had already set off! We had some catching up to do- no pressure ;/
My-hub-Mike, was designated baby sitter and always does such a great job at getting me sorted out for my MTBMUM adventures- and puts up with my lateness, love you hub!
We set off fast and as furious as the post- baby- bod would let me but nevertheless looking and feeling super smart in our new sponsored kit! The first few miles were very doable and enjoyable with a very short rode section to begin with followed by some long flat off-road sections, we could chat and catch up a bit and then the hilly sections began! They were tough, as they always are, but the beautiful meadows and fields distract you enough to get through them sooner than you think, the sun was baking at this point and at one stage after a long, long uphill section I must admit.. I felt a bit ill from pushing myself a bit too hard trying to keep up my teammate- the photo with my back facing is at the top of this section are where I literally, nearly threw up ;/ never-mind I was determined to get through this challenge and prove my athletic capabilities to my-mate-Mike (didn't let on that I was holding back vomit of course- not competitive in the slightest I tell ya- lol) You’ll enjoy stunning views over the south coast from the top of Kingley Vale and St Roches Hill while out on the course.
What goes up must come down, and there were some FANTASTIC long downhill sections which definitely made the climbing worth it– the last few rolling miles of bridleways and paths along the South Downs Way make this a must for any keen off-road rider.
Finished this race empty and with a clear mind!
It's always a great way to spend the day!
Hub and kids had their little bikes and enjoyed adventures and picnics at the finish area and are always so happy to see mommy come in after the big ride out and I'm always so happy to see their happy little faces and enjoy a well- deserved burger with them all while we discuss the adventure that was had... cant wait for our next adventure! 6 May 2018 - St Barnabas House - Hit the Downs MTB https://www.facebook.com/events/953103588171147/ Hope to see you there!
My-hub-Mike, was designated baby sitter and always does such a great job at getting me sorted out for my MTBMUM adventures- and puts up with my lateness, love you hub!
We set off fast and as furious as the post- baby- bod would let me but nevertheless looking and feeling super smart in our new sponsored kit! The first few miles were very doable and enjoyable with a very short rode section to begin with followed by some long flat off-road sections, we could chat and catch up a bit and then the hilly sections began! They were tough, as they always are, but the beautiful meadows and fields distract you enough to get through them sooner than you think, the sun was baking at this point and at one stage after a long, long uphill section I must admit.. I felt a bit ill from pushing myself a bit too hard trying to keep up my teammate- the photo with my back facing is at the top of this section are where I literally, nearly threw up ;/ never-mind I was determined to get through this challenge and prove my athletic capabilities to my-mate-Mike (didn't let on that I was holding back vomit of course- not competitive in the slightest I tell ya- lol) You’ll enjoy stunning views over the south coast from the top of Kingley Vale and St Roches Hill while out on the course.
What goes up must come down, and there were some FANTASTIC long downhill sections which definitely made the climbing worth it– the last few rolling miles of bridleways and paths along the South Downs Way make this a must for any keen off-road rider.
Finished this race empty and with a clear mind!
It's always a great way to spend the day!
Hub and kids had their little bikes and enjoyed adventures and picnics at the finish area and are always so happy to see mommy come in after the big ride out and I'm always so happy to see their happy little faces and enjoy a well- deserved burger with them all while we discuss the adventure that was had... cant wait for our next adventure! 6 May 2018 - St Barnabas House - Hit the Downs MTB https://www.facebook.com/events/953103588171147/ Hope to see you there!
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WIGGLE DEVILS
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South Downs Spring Trail Ride
SUNDAY 25 MARCH 27km
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Literally 2 mins in and you hit what seemed like the first of an endless hill climb!
Mentally, I was ready turn around after about 5mins, more than likely because I hadn’t done any warming up but mentally I just wanted to quit because I didn't think I was ready for this. I hadn’t gone on an outride in over 4 years and couldn’t wait to get out ono the trails on my new Specialised Mountain bike that my dear husband bought me for Christmas, and I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but this was tougher than I thought... knowing my kids and hub were there to cheer me on, I knew I couldn't give up and pressed on. How glad I was to continue the quest, the views from the top were superb! when I finally conquered that one massive hill I felt I deserved a break and I stopped to take a short video clip! About 1.5hrs in I eventually asked a bunch of riders who’d stopped for a snack alongside the path whether I was still on the short route as I feared I had taken the long route- I felt like I'd been riding for ages… but they assured me that the course had not yet even split so I still had a fare amount of riding to still do! There were a couple of nice flat grassy downhill sections which were very welcome, fast and enjoyable, however as I am so unfit and out of practice my arms were shaking and I just couldn’t trust them on the final technical section through a downhill, rutty, chalk and mud paths, so sadly I walked for about half of what Id say was probably the only downhill technical section in the ride, my favourite part :( I came toward the finish of the race feeling absolutely broken, but completely satisfied and proud of myself for enduring the pain! and best of all was to come in to the finish line to the warm welcome and cheer from my biggest fans; my over-tired kiddies and slightly relieved looking husband! I just love them!!! Awesome opportunity for families to get out and have healthy family fun days out in nature, would be nice to see more ladies out there! Next ride: DEVILS RAMPAGE Join me, if you dare! https://www.persevered.co.uk/events/wiggle-devils-rampage-persevered/ |
