Rowing the Atlantic (in 1986)

We heard how Mike commissioned a hand made boat, practiced extensively on the Thames for, all of 2 weeks before heading out into the Atlantic to dodge shipping containers and also narrowly avoiding a container ship!

Not to mention the Portuguese man o war, shark and flying fish hitting you in the middle of the night.

From rationed baked beans and sausages to only 1.5 pints of water a day, we heard about the grit, determination, resilience and sheer stubbornness to complete this journey when only 23 others in the world had ever done it, successfully!  Incredible.

Lanzarote Ironman

A special evening hearing directly from Simon as he spoke about how he trained, dedicating time, money & extreme effort to the cause of doing the Lanzarote Ironman. Then how he absolutely smashed the event coming top 10 in his age group qualifying for the Worlds Ironman competition in 2023.

From acclimatising to the hills and sections of the course in the build up, to seeing his setup on the bike.  Simon shared it all.  What a performance!

Trans Caucasian Trail

Alex shared how he tackled 500 miles through Armenia from Lake Arpi to Meghri.

He didn't just walk it; he set a new self-supported Fastest Known Time (FKT) by just over a day.

He did it while navigating searing temperatures of 40 degrees and diminished water sources.  He had heart-racing encounters with bears, snakes, territorial (and massive) dogs, wild horses, golden jackals, wolves and porcupines!  He climbed up to altitudes of 4,000m and along tracks that simply ended whilst traversing steep sided, 300m deep gorges, this wasn't a walk in the park!

He told us about the sheer perseverance required when the FKT looked like it slipping away and how he regrouped and kept moving. 

Slovenia trekking from mountain hut to hut

Jennie shared her story of a long distance trek through the high mountains of Slovenia.  Meeting people, experiencing extreme environments and overcoming fears.  This was a a talk of passion, intrigue and steep learning curves thrown in alongside terrifying ascents and descents.  Access to incredible sights was only gained using the via ferrata routes, testing the nerve by crossing icy, snowy slopes and dodging tumbling rocks.  But, this was also a story of knowing your limits and knowing when to turn back when faced with inhospitable landscapes.   The mountains bring much joy, but must also be balanced with respect and wisdom.

parkrun - a global movement

Kirsty, the Global Head of Communications at parkrun, shared her insights and thoughts from her role.  She was super knowledgeable and it was an absolute privilege to hear Kirsty's story, a truly heart warming and positive message from a wonderful organisation.  The stats are staggering:  ~11 million people signed up worldwide, with ~450,000 people running each week across 23 countries and 2,700 events!!  But, at the centre of it all are the incredible people, the volunteers, the relationships, the smiles and encouragement.  What an evening we had.

Paddle boarding coast to coast

Neil shared his inspiring and entertaining adventure story as he paddle boarded 162 miles from Liverpool to Goole.  91 locks, 9 days wild camping and countless swan attacks, Neil captivated our attention having turned an activity that many people do for leisure, into a multi-day adventure. 

Ausangate Trail

Maths teacher turned outdoor instructor, Will Legon fast tracked us through his career and journey from the security of paid work to launching his own company.  From trekking all over the world, we were treated to the adventures of the lesser known Ausangate Trail in Peru and the not so desirable impacts of altitude sickness!  Will's parting comments however, 'take the first step to make an initial change whatever that may be for you'.    

Great Norse Run

Joe Harding treated us to the highs & lows of his 350km Great Norse run across Iceland, the land of ice and fire.  Completing it in 10 days, Joe battled the elements in addition to providing medical support throughout the adventure as part of an organised trek. 

Winter Montane Spine Race

Completing 268 miles on foot, non stop is no mean feat!  Doing this in the middle of winter is astonishing.  We heard from Jenny, Richard and Liz as they recalled their time on the Pennine Way as part of the Winter Montane Spine Race.

Kuksay

Scaling a previously unnamed Himalayan peak, we roped up and buckled in to this fascinating conquest of John Allen and his buddies.  Ascending to 5000m this adventure was not for the timid!

Honduran Jungle

Kicking off a water theme, we were transported to the Honduran jungle and scuba diving in the ocean with Rory Allen.  From spiders to sleeping in hammocks and swimming with turtles, this talk was sure to whet your senses to explore central America. 

English Channel Swim

World Championship swimmer Amber Keegan made a splash as she shared her journey from teenager to Olympic hopeful, turned channel swimmer.  She was definitely our champion as she spoke about the great sense of achievement from swimming the English Channel in 2024 in a record time of any gender.

Te Araroa Trail

These boots are made for walking, so that's what Alex Bullivant will do!  Gripped by the bug of hiking long distance trails, Alex shared wisdom, insights and the challenges he had to boot away through his days and weeks on the go, culminating in completing the great Te Araroa trail in New Zealand.