Ok, where were we??

yes.. part 2 of my 5 Most memorable bits. Am having to rush this one today, I am literally just about to leave the house to take part in the OMM up in the Lake District. The OMM is the original mountain marathon and I am competing with 4000 other nutters, you, your mountain partner, a map, compass and the elements etc.. you get the idea right??

Anyway, so here’s number 4.

4. THE MUDFLAT RUN

That mudflat run was so tough. I mean really tough… I was moving so slowly yet my heart was beating like the clappers. That too is so energy sapping… absolutely draining. You start off really quick, and as you get further into the mud, you just start to sink deeper and deeper.

Once you get stuck, it really is so hard to get your body out. The mud encloses you and pulls you down. It really is like stuck in the mud. You can try and run over it, butthe easier option is to get on all fours and almost skate across it on your hands and knees.

I never felt like I wanted to give up on that one, but it is so blinking knackering! The one thing I thought was a shame was that I thought it could have been better if they had strapped us up to a heart rate monitor… so the public can see exactly how tough it was, even though your moving as slow as pond water!

5. THE DUNKER.

The helicopter dunker for me holds strong memories. That has been the toughest thing I have ever done in my life so far..

That was completely mental. You just had to stay calm(or not as I quite often did). I felt completely out of control, in a very male dominated environment, and absolutely petrified.

People have asked me if I have overcome my fear of water since.. Post being in the Royal Navy I was more scared of going back into the water than ever before.. my fear had gotten worse.

However, since that,  I have got back into the water and am now swimming 3/4 times per week. I still don’t like water going up my nose, and quite often I swallow water and start to choke, panic that I’m going to drown, and then have to stand up and calm myself down before I carry on.

I achieved alot on that day… yet I also felt so vulnerable and out of control… but I’m a believer that doing things that scare you makes you grow as an individual and is character building. You do not grow or learn as an individual from experiences that are comfortable.. it is the testing tough times that really make you sink or swim.

Different people have different fears… no matter how big or small they are. Fear is natural but facing up to those fears and being able to dig deep inside to get through is what makes you stronger… that’s the real test isn’t it?

Gotta dash… the mountain marathon awaits…

Bye for now x