It started to get quite hard in month 9 of 2014 to think of some new memorable things that are realistic and within my ever draining budget range.
I have never been a sporty person as I believe I have already stressed. And that anti-sport sorta feeling isn't just in the active sense, even watching it makes me feel a bit nauseous and never captures my attention. Whether it is the Olympics, Wimbledon, World Cup I dunno, it just doesn't really tickle my fancy. But take a lonely girl in a lonely world with a bank balance looking quite thin and throw in a friend with a passion for football and well... there you got me, I'll try anything
Just before my birthday I was whisked away to Devon by my two lovely best friends. I always hate celebrating my birthday and refuse to throw a party or acknowledge it anyway.However, this year I had one of the BEST weekends filled with shopping, dancing and....kayaking.
Yup, you heard it, Kayaking!
We were so lucky to stay in my friends house that sits just above the Estuery in the little town of Newton Ferrers which is so quaint and beautiful and have the fortunate luxury to do a bit of kayaking in her families...kayaks. (nearly said boats )
July, what a dream a way that was. The sun was shining, office melting from the heatwave of the English summer. That lasted one week, I know ok but a girl gotta paint a pretty picture!
I know its took me a long time to catch up on these memorable moments but hey, I've just been having too much fun.
Now on this lovely July day the sun was actually not shining. It was the rain making a grand entrance with torrential rain on the one day my best friends and I decide to get active.
We travelled to Woburn's Go Ape & Safari park near Milton Keynes. Fashionably late after making our way through the unaccounted Safari (which you must visit first) to get to the Go Ape we were strapped up and ready to swing amongst the rainy trees. Of course, If you ever meet me and my friends it won't surprise you in our decision to continue with the course despite the many people fleeing the route drenched head to toe.
Optimistic and hysterical with laughter I then realised what I actually had to do. Swing, from trees, high up.
Erm, yeah, I'm scared of heights did I mention that?
June saw the unthinkable. The unimaginable. Minds boggled at hearing what I had chosen for June's memorable moment.
The Wolf Run.
The Wolf Run is a 10K off road obstacle course that is made of man made and natural obstacles and....a lot of mud.
Now anyone that knows me knows that this is obserd. I am not the sportiest person out there. Infact, I only went to my first and last sports day out of pure dislike for anything competitive. May I add, running is a particular dislike of mine. Now, I have warmed to it in the more recent years, done a little jog here and there but honestly, I just can't do it.
In a moment of spontaneity (and optimism) my friend and I signed up for the Wolf Run. For a little taste, watch the video below.
June soon came around and after a failed attempt at training due to a mixture of laziness, busy schedule and well lets face it, fear the day was soon upon us. Pushing to the back of my mind the fact I could barely complete 4 miles two days before, I went energetic.
People go as 'packs' (yes a witty pun on The Wolf Run title) and you are then put into time slots. We watched all the packs before us in fear. I remember thinking, why are they already walking? as I watched people slowly emerge from the first obstacle, a river.
After a warm up session with the coaches I was already concerned about what was ahead. But too late we were running and jumping into the river. I emerged, shell shocked at the weight of the water pulling me back down and looked up to find my friends already out screaming at me to come on.
Lets be honest, I had it coming.
I have no fitness capability and no upper body strength which was tested at the next hurdle of jumping over some big tractor wheels. My calves were pulled as I yanked my leg out of sinking mud and trembled as I watched people loose their shoes under the swap.
Drinking water wasn't in sight until half way and I have never been so happy to see little white cups filled with clear H20 (and an excuse to stop without looking like the unfit one of the pack).
Moving swiftly on I remember being faced with a wall that I had to climb not long after yet another muddy meeting. The wall only had two slots for your feet. The wall was made up of curved wooden poles and was covered in mud from the previous obstacle making it impossible to get any grip. No upper body strength and a fear of heights I thought I really had met 'the wall'. My friends soon helped me up and after balancing on top of what felt like bloody mount everest when you are afraid of heights I dropped down and high fived my friends with immense happiness. It really spurs you on knowing you are achieving something and you have the support of everyone around you.
The middle section got easier. admittedly I was still pretty awful but I was running more than I ever had before and was just getting on with it. It's hard running through all the mud when you are slipping all over the place trying not to twist your ankle. Even if I finished 5 hours later, I wanted to finish.
Other obstacles included a water slide where everyone jumped head first and dodged the camera man who conveniently stood in the middle of the track to film you. More mud appeared, rivers, climbing walls, hay bales and fields that seemed to stretch far further.
When it came to the end I started to feel 'the wall' again but told myself, this is a race for myself (what all losers say haha). I stopped when I needed to and pushed myself when I could.
Unfortnately there is noway you can take pictures on the way round. People lost shoes so I don't think my Samsung Galaxy would have made the cut.
Finishing was a feeling I haven't felt for ages. Wading through the last river hand in hand with my friends seeing the finish line was so amazing. I can certainly remember the adrenaline rush I felt for the rest of the day, the pure sense of achievement and overwhelming happiness. I definitely should have trained more but knowing what I had just endured was incredible.
I can honestly say this was the best memorable moment yet. We finished in just over 2 hours and for someone who could barely complete 4 miles before is an amazing achievement. Make it all better I raised £220 for Help For Heroes, a charity I really think help makes a difference. Despite the moments I thought I would never finish, was up to my waist in mud, sat at the top of a wall fearing I would break my neck and all bumps and bruises , I will always remember it as a great experience.
It has really highlighted to me what you can do with just a little fitness and what I could achieve if I had and do do more. It really is something everyone must experience and as for Team Wild....WE DID IT!
