“I am a mix of emotion and grins as I look back on the last 4.5 years of expedition and also look ahead to wrapping it up. I am tired and wired at the same time and hoping to push up my charity totals as I make my way home.”
Today’s #fundraiserfriday story is one of epic proportions. Sarah’s challenge took her four and a half years across three continents and two oceans using a rowing boat, a bike and a kayak.
The Challenge
Back in 2009, Sarah’s first major expedition saw her rowing solo across the Indian Ocean with which began her love of being on the ocean. She was hooked on adventure and wanted more! From this, the idea of “connecting the oceans of the world by cycling across the green bits” was born and she had her challenge: London2London: Via the World. Sarah puts her inspiration for the challenge as “For the adventure, to raise money for causes that are really important to me and to inspire young people to have the courage to do whatever it is that they want to do.”
The Charities
Sarah told us a bit more about the charities she’s supporting “CoppaFeel! was set up by my very dear friend Kristin Hallenga after she was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer at just 23. The goal is to raise awareness of breast cancer amongst young women. Motor neurone disease is still a killer but the MND Association is working so that one day it won’t be. With a good friend dying from the disease, I really wanted to do what I could to support the charity. The Jubilee Sailing Trust gets people out to experience sailing on the ocean, regardless of their ability – my love of the being on the ocean made this a natural choice. Finally WaterAid – quite simply, water is everything, which is why the work that WaterAid does is so vital.”
The Preparation
Sarah tells us “When people think of preparing for an expedition they usually think of the kit you’ll need, the funding and getting your body in shape to handle it. Yes, these are all very much part of it, but for me the toughest and most important part is the mental preparation, particularly for the times when I am going to be alone for long periods of time. These kind of expeditions are also very unpredictable and so while you set off mentally prepared for one thing, quite often you find yourself having to deal with something quite different and unexpected. The key for me has been to know that unexpected things will happen and to find coping mechanisms that help me to adapt and carry on. It’s a powerful life lesson to learn.
The Homecoming
Sarah is doubly excited to get back because she is getting married to her fiancee Lucy next year. She says “I am a mix of emotion and grins as I look back on the last 4.5 years of expedition and as I now look ahead to what the future holds – writing my book ‘Dare to Do ‘ and getting married, both adventures in their own right. I am tired and wired all at the same time and still hoping to push up my charity totals as a wrap up my London2London expedition.”
You can help
You can support Sarah via her Virgin Money Giving page.
