It's officially the halfway mark of our #MyChallenge campaign, which means that the 4 brave members of staff who put themselves forward have now made it through 4 weeks of intense physical training and nutrition plans.
We caught up with Kiran to find out exactly how she's feeling now that she's reached this milestone on her rock climbing challenge, and how she plans to tackle the rest of the journey.
What’s been the hardest part so far?
The climbing, for sure. I've had to really push myself and face up to my fear of heights. I wouldn't say that it's gone away, just that I'm starting to learn how to overcome that initial panic thanks to Chi and the coping mechanisms he's taught me.
Now, when I'm high up and suddenly get that wave of fear I know that I have to stop and just focus on my breathing, instead of fixating on how far away the ground is. I do still constantly have to remind myself that I'm all roped up and won't actually fall.
What’s surprised you the most about this challenge?
That I’m really, really enjoying training. The gym aspect is something that I actually really look forward to, which is definitely a new thing.
I've also changed my mindset in terms of how long you really need to be at the gym. Before, I always thought you needed to dedicate at least an hour or even an hour & a half to the gym to have a proper session, which definitely made it harder to find motivation to go as it's such a big chunk of time out of my day. But now I know that you can work really hard and efficiently in a 45-minute session, which is so much better for my schedule. HIIT all the way!
Are you looking forward to the next 4 weeks?
I’m apprehensive for the final challenge but definitely looking forward to seeing how far I can progress. It's easy to forget how far I've actually come from the beginning, but people who've been watching and filming me have said they can already see a massive difference in my confidence and speed on the wall.
I just need to keep doing my best from session to session, rather than overthink the final challenge and freak myself out.
What one piece of advice would you want to go back and give yourself when you started?
Just go!!! I was so nervous about starting climbing and just needed to realise that I’m roped up so I can’t physically fall!
What have you enjoyed the most about this experience so far?
I've really enjoyed having more of a routine and a set plan that I can stick to. It's definitely made things a bit more structured — I know what I'm eating days in advance now, instead of just grabbing stuff that I fancy at that point in time, or what's convenient in the evening. My training sessions are always at the same time each week too which means that even while I'm following this routine, I can easily work social events around it with a little pre-planning.
Follow Kiran's climbing challenge from the beginning here:
Get To Grips With Kiran's #MyChallenge | Climbing Feed
Find out the latest in Kiran's challenge.
Our articles should be used for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be taken as medical advice. If you're concerned, consult a health professional before taking dietary supplements or introducing any major changes to your diet.
Lauren is an English Literature graduate originally from the South. She’s always loved swimming, has discovered the power of weight training over the past few years, and has lots of room for improvement in her weekly hot yoga class.
On the weekends she’s usually cooking or eating some kind of brunch, and she enjoys trying out new recipes with her housemates – especially since shaking off student habits, like mainly surviving off pasta. Above all, she’s a firm believer in keeping a balance between the gym and gin.
Find out more about Lauren’s experience here.
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