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Issue12, December 2020 www.adventureshe.com
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Adventure She magazine, Issue 12, December 2020
www.adventureshe.com
Welcome From Our Editor rather than some other life. She very kindly gave me a very frank interview and well, I was totally inspired by her. It really is true, if we are not living the life we want to live, then what are we prepared to change, so we can work towards our dreams?
Welcome to the December 2020, the 12th issue of Adventure She magazine. Well despite the year we’ve had, with all its up and downs, we’ve made it to the holiday season. With a year of such magnitude now almost behind us, it’s a good time to reflect on what’s been, not just this last year, but throughout.
For Zoe Pye, she’s been working on her running and is currently living the dream. Ok, not quite the dream as there’s Covid 19 all around. But she’s making the most of life, doing her city job from Chamoinx in the French Alps. As for her annual leave, well this year she spent some of that exploring various Alpine trails. The mountains can of course be unforgiving, only a few weeks ago top Swiss ultra-runner Andrea Huser tragically died during an accident on a training run. Zoe doesn’t just share her journey with us, she also shares some of her thoughts on risk, risk assessment and risk management.
So in this issue we’re reflecting on themes raised in our previous issues. Some previous authors return, and there’s new ones too. Bea Meitiner writes about strategies she’s used for dealing with her mental health issues, which was the theme of our first issue. Our second issue had lots of articles on travelling with children. What better way to share the experiences of an under 18, than by having a minor write the story themselves? Enter Agata Stepinska who writes about her travels in Indonesia when aged 13 and written when 14.
Issue 6 of Adventure She was full of stories about women who had doubted, or who were refusing to give in to doubts, and who had gone on to conquer. Guess what, whilst many of our authors this time around might have faced challenges, or risks, or uncertainties, doubt wasn’t a feeling that really came to mind. We’re thrilled about that. Hopefully we’re all learning that rather than doubting ourselves, instead let’s focus on identifying our goals, then ascertaining what steps we need to undertake to reach our goals. Yes, let’s seize the moment to achieve our goals. Kate Lews shares how after having two children, and whilst working, she seized the moment to take up rowing. There’s a second seize the moment article too, this one’s about Cuba and how both Caroline Powell and myself separately seized the moment to explore Cuba by bike.
One barrier to appreciating our world and to making the most of our life, is fear. Fear can impact us by stopping us from doing things like climbing, or by crippling us so we under perform in an exam, or even from going for a new job. Another type of fear is fear of the changes that are happening to our planet. So, how would Nuraini Arsad deal with her fears for the planet and her fear of whether she could pass the tests to become a qualified eco-diver? Fear of change is actually what holds many of us back. Not so our cover person Nadhira Alharthy, who embraced change she of could a so lifetime bodylive the life of her dreams, 2
Adventure She magazine, Issue 12, December 2020
It’s fine to talk about goals and seizing the moment, but how do we react when faced with obstacles, challenges that really try to stop us. Caroline Bramwell faced a real health crisis. Her resilience and fortitude is amazing. Last time around we reviewed her book, but this time around Caroline has very kindly shared more of her story with us. I think we can all learn something from her. What Caroline did involved getting out of her comfort zone. Justine Hall did the same too, but in a very different way, by travelling across China on train, not in first of second class, but in hard sleeper (kind of third class). She may not have been rowing an ocean or cycling across a continent, but we certainly think her trip counts as an adventure. Her trip was in 2016. She makes some very interesting observations, on issues that are increasing appearing in the press, about the situation in Western China. Her article also illustrates that we can all get out there and do stuff, whether or not we are super fit or otherwise, that adventure doesn’t have to comprise some physical feat. This year Covid 19 has turned almost everyone’s life upside down. Some of you may have lost loved ones. To you, we extend our heartfelt condolences. Others amongst you may still be suffering the after effects of Covid 19 or might be ill right now. Still more of you might be in lockdown, as I am (ok technically it’s tier 4, but may as well be called lockdown). All too often in
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the past I have seen the glass as half empty, never half full. Working on Adventure She though has really helped me change my focus. Now it’s about being grateful for what I do have, rather than focusing on what I have lost, or would like but don’t have. Don’t worry, the article on gratitude, isn’t by me, but is a collaboration, Rhiannon Swannell’s story as told by her to Tracey Ashford. Rhiannon reflects with gratitude on her time with the mountain gorillas of the then Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Last time around Adventure She looked at leadership. We hope you like our articles on leadership, for Louise Kennedy writes about setting up a club for women who want to climb and mountaineer. Leadership is also why Sabrina Verjee is our December 2020 What A Woman. What she did this last summer, is a testament to her values. This issue extends to 145 pages, so probably our biggest issue to date. Given the articles by Zoe and Louise on the Alps, we’ve therefore held over the last part of our UTMB reports. Not ideal, but something had to go, or else the magazine would be too big to go on our website. I wish you all the best holiday season possible in the circumstances and if you are in a covid 19 free zone, enjoy it to the maximum, for none of us ever know when life might throw us a curve ball.
Jane
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From The
Adventure She magazine, Issue 12, December 2020
www.adventureshe.com
Topics In This Issue Of Adventure She Magazine
Page 6 – Mental Health
Page 16 – Adventure With Children in Indonesia
Page 22 Dealing With Fear in Malaysia
Page 32 – Implementing Change in Oman and on Mount Everest
Page 46 Book Review
Page 66 – Tips On Applying For A Fulbright Scholarship
Page 48 – Risk Assessment and Management in the Alps
Page 76 – Book Reviews
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Adventure She magazine, Issue 12, December 2020
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Page 58 – Seizing the moment through rowing
Page 68 – Seizing The Moment – Exploring Cuba
Page 86 – Resilience, Ileostomy and Triathlon
Page 94 – Getting Out of the Comfort Zone in China
Page 114 – Leadership and What A Woman
Page 118 – Gratitude and East Africa’s Mountain Gorillas
Page 140 Seasons Greetings and Coping
Page 126 – Leadership and the Mountains
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Adventure She magazine, Issue 12, December 2020
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Adventure She Magazine’s December 2020 What A Woman Award
Sabrina Verjee
W
challenge was to be the first woman to complete the Wainwrights in one go. This would entail 214 peaks (which are locally called fells), over an unmarked course, requiring navigation.
hat does good leadership mean? Is it telling people to do as you say, or does it mean living by your values?
Sabrina finished the challenge in 6 days, 17 hours and 51 minutes, which at the time of finishing, people thought was to be the first continuous completion of the Wainwrights by a woman, plus the third fastest time ever, after Paul Tierney’s 6 days 6 hours and 4 minutes and Steve Birkinshaw’s 6 days and 13 hours (which he measured as 320 miles (515 km) with 118,000 ft (36,000m) of ascent.2
This year Sabrina Verjee showed her quality, by living by her values. So how did she do this and how come did her actions become notable? With races cancelled this year because of Coronavirus, many runners – of which Sabrina is one – undertook personal challenges. For Sabrina, her personal
But Sabrina claimed neither achievement.
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This man just ran 12 marathons, 214 mountains and four times the height of Everest. In under a week. Posted by Carey Davies on 23/06/2014 (thebmc.co.uk)
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Adventure She magazine, Issue 12, December 2020
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claiming some right to the Wainwrights. I do not claim any record for this achievement. However, I do look forward to taking on the challenge again in the future.”
She tried to explain to the interested press that she wasn’t the first, but apparently her explanation got edited out of interviews. So Sabrina turned to the public Facebook group Fell Running UK, where on 15 July 2020 she wrote: ““It’s not a record”
Our editor subsequently spoke with Sabrina about her Wainwright experience and her Facebook post.
To the fell running community, I set off on my schedule that would see me challenge the overall Wainwright’s record. Things were going well but a few days in and my right knee became agonisingly painful and swollen. I needed assistance down Clough Head to the Old Coach Road – I had to lean on little Dave to take the weight off. At this point I realised that I was not going to be on a record pace and that it was going to be a struggle just to finish but I was committed to finish.
Sabrina is a former adventure racer, a sport where you and your teammates must stay together. Some races last for several days, during which it’s normal for team mates to have highs and lows at different times. So teammates help each other out, sometimes by towing them, sometimes by carrying their pack, sometimes by having the injured person lean on them. To set records like Sabrina had intended, you have to be accompanied, so there is a witness. With Sabrina’s attempt spanning so many days, she needed a team of people, who accompanied her on different stages. Between these and the road crew
I did what I needed to do – have my knees strapped up and took some painkillers and struggled on through the rest of the summits. However, there were other points that I required assistance – I had to descend backwards down Carl Side to Dodd Wood and to do this I held onto 2 supporters to guide me down between the rocks. There were a few more descents where I had to lean on my supporters, and I think that this allowed me to descend far quicker than I would have on my own. I visited every summit and made the entire way on my own efforts with every step taken by myself but having to lean on supporters to descend is not appropriate for taking a record. I certainly would not have tried to claim another’s record by using these methods. I completed the Wainwright’s round to my own satisfaction but I do not wish my attempt to be ratified or acknowledged by the FRA or any other
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Adventure She magazine, Issue 12, December 2020
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(who helped out at various points along the way by keeping her fed and to minimise time, changed her shoes and socks as necessary whilst she ate), Sabrina had around 30 people in her team, helping her to in her attempt.
It simply didn’t sit right with her. She would far rather another woman who did the challenge in more days and without any physical help, to become the first woman to complete the Wainwrights nonstop, than for her to hold that honour.
With her knee really painful, particularly on steep rough descents, it was natural, instinctive, for Sabrina, the former adventure racer, to lean on some of her teammates, for that’s what they were to her, teammates in helping her by being her witnesses and carrying kit.
She hadn’t given up on the Wainwright record though, planning to return for a second attempt in May 2021, though she was very aware another woman might beat her to the title of ‘first woman’. It turns out that’s what happened, for in September Mel Steventon (who had already been planning on doing it prior to Sabrina’s attempt, and who volunteered for Sabrina’s support crew), did it in a time of 13 days 12 hours, which is still an achievement and an achievement to be lauded.
Over the course of the 6 days17 hours and 51 minutes, Sabrina leant on others for a total of about 30 minutes. But, during the event itself, Sabrina became troubled. Whilst having others to help with route finding, pacing, even carrying kit, food and water, is usual in these extreme challenge events, being physically helped wasn’t. Whilst some people doing a challenge might get the occasional push up a steep climb, Sabrina thought it wasn’t appropriate for a person out to set a record, to achieve such help.
For Sabrina though, what really mattered to her was her honour, and to live her life by her values. She far preferred to have those, than to be recognised as the first woman to complete the Wainwrights in one continuous attempt. In this day and age, when drugs and cheating is rife in sport, it is so fresh to hear of a woman like Sabrina who puts her values and her morals, ahead of records. Those are standards of a true leader, a leader who shows the way and who encourages others. For her leadership on living one’s life in accordance with one’s values, we definitely think Sabrina Verjee is a most deserving winner of this quarter’s What A Woman Award.
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Adventure She Magazine’s December 2020 What A Woman Award
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Adventure She magazine, Issue 12,Issue December 2020 Adventure She magazine, 12, December 2020
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Photo credit Rob Coombe