Lisa is a Primary School teacher from Luton, below you can hear about how she concurred her fears and took on her biggest challenge!
Tell us about your most memorable event?
My most memorable event would have to be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. It is something that I had always wanted to do, but until recently never had the confidence or courage to attempt. The feeling of accomplishment, euphoria and relief upon reaching the summit was the most amazing feeling in the world!
What made you choose to take part in an active challenge?
Growing up, I was never into sports and was as far from athletic as you could imagine. I was the type of person always picked last for teams during PE lessons. It made me insecure about myself in many ways. One day I decided that I didn’t want to let feelings from the past hold me back from living life to the fullest I wanted to challenge my body and see what it could do. I wanted to have memories and stories to tell future generations and what better way to do that than by climbing the World’s highest free standing mountain!
Did you raise money for a charity and if so what made you choose the charity you did?
On this occasion, I didn’t raise money for charity as it was something that I felt I needed to do for myself, however in the past, I ran the London Marathon for the British Lung Foundation in memory of my Dad raising around £1500!
Did you have any fears or worries about the challenge? And if so have you got any advice on how you overcame them?
I had so many fears and worries about the climb, the biggest one being would I be able to acclimatise to the altitude or would I get altitude sickness and have to quit the climb before reaching the mountains peak. To overcome those fears, I hiked many hills in the lead up to my trip and also attend the Altitude Centre in London where my ability to breathe at altitude was tested. My advice to anyone thinking about climbing Kilimanjaro would be to go in with a positive, can do attitude, listen to your guide and take the climb slowly, there’s no prizes for being the first to the top, the slower you take it, the more time your body has to adjust to life above the clouds.
How has the event changed your life?
As clichéd as it sounds, Kilimanjaro has changed my life for the better. Spending a week with people that you don’t know whilst pushing your body to its absolute limit, has given me more courage and confidence than I ever dreamed possible. Living for 8 days out of a backpack containing the bare minimum, has made me appreciate the little things in life and made me realise that life is about memories and adventures more than it is about material possessions.
What would you say to someone who is toying with the idea of taking on a challenge?
If you’re thinking about taking on a challenge, my only piece of advice to you would be to do it. Embrace the unknown, embrace the fear and think of how incredible you will feel when you have completed it. The body is capable of so many amazing things. Don’t put limitations on what you can achieve because the possibilities are endless, trust me, I’ve been there!
Schools' Active Community Coach 