Breaking The Curse Of 2018!

2018 was a year full of highs and but mainly lows for me.

It was great when I felt my fitness and training was going right I had 3 massive challenge hikes to get ready for and I felt that nothing could stop me well that was what I thought until February when the horse I was riding decided to take a tumble with me along with her breaking my ribs in the process!! 🙄

But after some rest and recuperation I was off again hiking and back in the saddle you just can’t keep a bad girl down!!! 😜

it was April that year I took part in my first ultra challenge hiking 25 km for my chosen charity all went exceptionally well and I finished in a great time although I had back ache from my still healing ribs I also had a new piece of bling to prove that all you need is determination and you can do anything 😘

Next came my 2nd challenge walking the 100km Cotswold Way again for charity everything was going so well with no signs of my previous injuries I reached the 50km mark after 11 hrs and was feeling pretty up beat about the last 50km that was until I went through the woods at 3am scared myself stupid because I was all alone then took a tumble in the dark down a load of shale damaging my right hip but I was determined to keep going and made it to 64 km before I got stuck trying to go over a style; my legs had given up working and I ended up looking like a turtle who had got stuck on a pile of stones trying to get over the thing!!

Broken and having to admit defeat I let the trek masters arrange a pick up for me so I could get some medical help.

Luckily I had just grazed and pulled my hip muscles so with some more rest time I’d be ok.

After a a few months physically I was fine but mentally I was not doing so good.

It was with a push and to keep a promise I had made to my charity I picked myself up a third time and entered the Chiltern 50; 50km over the Chiltern countryside. Everything went really well until I had an incident with an exploding bottle of Lucizade at which point I had a complete melt down at 42km and wanted to go home!!

Now this is where support comes in because I had the support of a great lady who I had only meet the night before I was able to pick myself up once again and keep going.

We finish that challenge with to most joy I’ve felt in a long time!

Now you’d think that was the last of my troubles for the year I mean I had broken bones damaged muscle and nearly had a mental break down but no 2018 wasn’t quite finished with me yet!!!

So on the 1st October I’d just finished riding my horse where upon arriving back at the stables discovered I had lost my keys to get in; now a normal person would have waited for someone to come and let them in but no not me I’m far too impatient for that! So thinking it would be easy (after all I had seen a 60 yr old man doing it!!) I climbed to the roof and started to slide down the inside of the building just as I was sliding down the metal bars I was holding on gave way and down I came with a thud!!

Laying in a pile I realised something was wrong with my left leg only to discover I have dislocated my knee!!! 😳😳

Now i’m In Egypt so know very well the ambulance service can take time to arrive 45 mins later the ambulance and my family turned up to help me at which point I found I was in a right mess 🙄

So whats happened since October well! I am still mending and still hiking and horse riding although a little slower than before so far I have completed my first Ultra hike of 2019 of 40km and am in the process of training for a 100km hike in the Peak District in July

So what have I learnt out of all of this?!

Well the mind is an amazing tool you can achieve anything as long as you put your mind to it.

Although my case is a little extreme I think I have shown that you can over come any hurdle as long as you work hard and change that mind set 😊

It is also vital to ask for help when you need it don’t be shy about it it’s never a sign of weakness asking for help and you never know you may just meet some amazing people along the way! 😊

So what you waiting for get up and get out there theres adventures to be had!!!!!

Until next time

L xx