The Peak Ultra Challenge: a reminder that people are good

The Peak Ultra Challenge: a reminder that people are good

This weekend was the Peak Ultra Challenge for Menopause and Cancer CIC. We completed an incredible 53km — and it reminded me that the world is actually full of good people.

I’m thinking of the brilliant team I walked with, and also the thousands of people who chose to spend their time doing difficult things for causes they care about, or in memory of people they love. We took the miles steadily, particularly because the legendary Gemma Taylor completed the whole thing with a calf tear she had sustained just 36 hours before the start.

Resilience is something we find

Every time I take part in an endurance event, I am reminded that I am always capable of more than I think I am. Resilience is not something you either have or don’t have; it is something you find in yourself by continuing to put one foot in front of the other.

There were volunteers giving up their weekend to support strangers, people who had spent months training for challenges that seem slightly ridiculous on paper, friends cheering loved ones on, and thousands quietly sponsoring these efforts because they care about the charities represented.

Choosing kindness

I felt awe at what people can achieve, at the beauty of the landscape we spent all day in, and at the generosity that sits at the heart of so many people. It puts a lot into perspective.

We receive endless messages telling us that the world is terrible, that we are not enough, and that we need to work harder, look younger and stay relevant. I don’t buy it. This weekend I saw thousands of people choosing kindness — and that is really important.