The 3 Peaks Challenge
Pushing the limits of body and mind
I’ve been told I talk a lot, so what better place to take advantage of that trait than in Toastmasters? Following visits to different clubs, I attended a meeting of the Bloomsbury Speakers, in London, England. Impressed with the enthusiasm, skills and warmth displayed by members of this yearold club, I immediately signed up. I wanted to improve my speaking skills because I realized they are crucial in so many areas: giving business presentations, running meetings, performing well in interviews, pitching ideas and communicating effectively in my personal life.
Toastmasters helps me run my business, The Thought Gym, where I help others achieve their weight management goals using psychology, not just physiology. I deliver presentations about my business and talk about it at networking events; Toastmasters gives me abundant opportunities to practice so I can gain confidence.
I decided to spread the word about Toastmasters during a recent adventure. In June 2011, I undertook a challenge to hike the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales within a 24-hour period. The aptly named Three Peaks Challenge is well-known in the United Kingdom (UK). In addition to hiking the peaks, we also had to get between them by driving on the UK’S congested motorways!
Our challenge started at 6:15 a.m. on a Friday. After little sleep the night before, we stood at the base of Ben Nevis in Scotland; at 1,344 meters (4,409 feet) it is the highest mountain in the British Isles. Luckily we were greeted with glorious weather, which helped with visibility as we climbed by sheer drops near the summit. The whole team made it up and down the peak in five hours, and with no time to spare — even for a bit of soup — we jumped into the van and began the six-and-a-half-hour journey toward Scafell Pike in northwestern England.
Setting off for the 978- meter ( 3,209- foot) summit around 6 p.m., we wanted to make it up and down before sunset, because Scafell Pike is notorious for sending people wayward. Fatigue had set in by this stage, and with injuries plaguing the team, we missed our four-hour target but still managed to be on the road to Snowdon by 10:30 p.m.
With some efficient driving by our designated driver, and some attempted shut-eye, we reached the base of Snowdon in North Wales at 2:30 a.m. At 1,085 meters (3,560 feet), Snowdon is the easiest of the three peaks, but we would be worn out, sleep-deprived and climbing in the dark. The target was to reach the summit in less than two hours, which would give us an hour and a half to descend.
After an hour, it became evident that despite my efforts to keep the team together, we had to split up in order to allow some of us to complete the challenge in time. Four of us set off to reach the summit and we managed to make it back to the foot of Snowdon within the 24- hour deadline — with 30 minutes to spare! All in all, we had traveled 765 kilometers ( 475 miles) and climbed 42 kilometers ( 26 miles) up and down three mountains.
Completing the Three Peaks Challenge was a difficult and hugely rewarding experience that tested me in new ways, much like Toastmasters has. Because of my passion for Toastmasters and how it has aided my personal development, I took the Toastmaster magazine with me on this mountain- climbing journey. When I asked my teammates to photograph me with it, they all expressed interest in joining and have since attended my club meetings.
• The article was published in the January 2011 issue of the Toastmaster magazine.