Orla O'Muiri

First warm water surf holiday

Slotted into a Ryanair window seat like a piece of tetris, burnt back against cheap leather, sunburnt thighs chaffing against my denim jeans, particles of skin peeling off my nose and a cracked collarbone tucked awkwardly beneath my skin. Salt and sand fall from everywhere as I squirm and toss to get comfortable. All are souvenirs of my little adventures over the past week. I am heading home, another item ticked off the bucket list, a surfing holiday to Fuerteventura – one of many more to come.

A longboard accident on Day one meant a bumped head, grazed palms and shoulder, a bruised elbow and hip and a popped collarbone joint, which dealt a devastating blow to my plans to improve my surfing. A slap in the face surely but not an end to the holiday and the good times. Once the sport was wrestled from me (when no amount of painkillers would allow me to push my body up on the board) I turned to the people to save my holiday.

Phil in his Speedos, pushing Lisa into the pool, Gill overcoming a lifetime of fears and diving into all these new experiences, drunken adventures, random dancing to reggae music, wipe outs, catching a beauty of a wave, shredding, climbing a volcano, the nights three course feasts, the crowds in the line-up like nothing you would see in the waters of Ireland or Scotland, lending a certain appreciation and pride to those of us who embrace cold water surfing and experience the beautiful loneliness of sitting on your board in the cool waters of the Atlantic and waiting for a wave which you will not have to compete for.

A constant soundtrack pulses to the lifestyle, head out the window of a speeding van, the salty beach hair, the piggy backs, the dance, the 36p cans of beer and bags of ready salted Lays, coca cola with ice, sangria, tapas, outdoor bars, suncream, plasters, the hot Spanish instructor that couldn’t speak a word of English, sitting on the steps of an old stone windmill and watching the sun set, climbing on the surf roof rack on top of a van. The excitement of not really knowing anyone and the joy of getting to know them; the Scottish, the Irish, the German, the Aussie, and the Saudi Arabian, comparing passports, then passport visas, then stamps. No insurance, no fear, off-roading, wetsuits hanging on a line, board wax, longboarding the roads, scabs, cuts and bruises.

With their help I salvaged what could of been a ruined holiday. It is all about outlook it seems. It helps when you are looking at life through the green tinted aviators perched on your nose. Life is good. No man, life is great.

An interview with Simon Reeve

Check out my interview with adventurer and TV presenter Simon Reeve on Sidetracked online.

Over the last ten years, author, adventurer and TV presenter Simon Reeve has travelled the world with a camera in tow to record his extraordinary experiences for shows such as Equator, Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn and Indian Ocean and now his latest adventure ‘Australia’, is showing in the UK on BBC 2. We spoke to Simon about his past, current and future adventures.

Sidetracked: Hi Simon, thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us. Author, adventurer and presenter: which do you think best represents you?

Simon Reeve: An adventurer would be one of the descriptions I might use if I was feeling really poncey along with author. I like calling myself an author because I wrote a book and I’ll be trading off that for probably the rest of my life. Also now, probably my most important title is dad and that’s the hardest one to live up to.

So tell us a little more about your book, and how did you go from writing to presenting?

I really don’t know how that happened to be honest. It’s really bizarre. I wrote a book on al-qada that came out in 1998 which warned of a new era of terrorism and nobody took any notice whatsoever and then 9-11 happened and it became a best seller, I went on the telly to talk about it quite a lot and that lead to discussions with the BBC about making TV programs for them. I had my own hair and teeth and I had written this book that had given me some experience and legitimacy and so I set off on a journey for them around central Asia which was interesting. It was an area in which I was really interested in and I thought BBC viewers might like to learn a little bit more about it and so that was my first TV gig. That was around Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan for a series brilliantly titled Meet the Stans and I’ve been going ever since. I can’t believe it. Here I am now ten years later. Don’t tell anyone.

Read the rest of the interview on the Sidetracked website here.

#microadventure with Al Humphreys

In my years stumbling awkwardly around this planet, I have met many whom I admire. Some became heroes in my eyes. But I have always had a flaw in my way of thinking, I tend to put people on top of a pedestal so high up that even in all their apparent brilliance, they could not possibly live up to my high ideals. Alas, one such individual has succeeded in capturing my imagination with his normality, his humour and his enthusiasm. His ideas have provided me with a path to freedom and the possibilities I hold. All of it spawns from a concept of his; the microadventure.

Up the Campsie Fells we scrambled on a Tuesday evening, backpacks on our back. Me inappropriately dressed for the activity as always in my trusty Doc Martens and jeans. Climbing over a barbed wire fence, I typically lose my footing and get two pretty gashes across the palm of my right hand. Onwards we climb, the weather could not be more perfect. We source a suitable spot to set up camp, protected from the brunt of the wind and lay out the sleeping bags and bivvy bags, pee, layer up and then tuck ourselves in our blankets and try take it all in; the madness, the simplicity of it all, the thoughts of the people tucked up in their beds below, the possibilities…

The night swept in bringing the cold, the rain but also the stars. I toss and turn but eventually I fall asleep. At 4.30am, the birds begin their song, the sky turns pink and seeps through the hole in the top of our sleeping bags, coaxing me and another from sleep and leading us out of our bivvys and over the hills to watch the sun rise. Two hours later the boys rise, we gather up our stuff and scramble down a different route towards home. Me sliding on my backside for the majority of the descent.

I open the door of my flat at 10.30 am, one flatmate still in bed, the other hears me and gets up to greet me, she whips up some pancakes for us to share. It is as if I was here all night, nothing on the outside has changed but if you look closely you might notice the spark in my eye that was not there before. Inside I am buzzing. The key has finally been turned, the door pushed open. I am free, the doubt erased and I know what I need to do.

Interview with Cycle Africa’s Loretta White

Loretta White along with three others completed an unsupported journey by bike from London, England to Cape Town, South Africa in 2012 to raise awareness of the reality of children who are surviving on the streets of Africa.

1.Did your sponsors provide all the kit?

We were lucky enough to be provided with some of our kit free of charge from our sponsors. Vaude were particularly generous and donated us panniers and tents. The rest of our kit we were able to gain corporate sponsorship to pay for, though we had to haggle hard to get good discounts and keep the cost as cheap as possible.

2.What proved to be the best piece of gear you brought?

My favourite piece of equipment was our tent, Vaude ferret 3, as no matter where we were we could zip ourselves into it at night and have our own little home!

3.How did you decide on your chosen route?

Our route through Africa was decided through a mixture of countries we wanted to visit, spending time near the coast, and where our charity partners had projects we could visit. We decided to take the long way through Europe as an extended training ride leading up to the Middle East and Africa where we could test our equipment and get used to the road without being too far from home.

4.What training did you do beforehand?

All of us were pretty fit already but I wasn’t a cyclist. Before the trip as a group we managed four weekend training rides though these all took us longer than we imagined and inevitably involved a big pub lunch which wasn’t great for an afternoon of riding!

5.How much money did you raise in the end?

In total the whole expedition raised £50,000 which all went to street child charities. These were Street Action, Retrak, Street Child Africa, Railway Children, and Action for Children in Conflict.

6.How long did the expedition take to plan?

Craig had the idea to cycle from London to Cape Town around 7 years before we started the trip though thought this was just a pipe dream. We properly started planning for the trip about two years before we started though most of this planning was getting sponsorship and setting up the charity Cycle Africa.

7.How was it returning to work after taking a year out of it to do this?

For me this has been the hardest thing of the whole expedition as you realise that there is an incredible world out there and that you can do incredible things with your life so that when you come home it is hard to fit back into the 9-5 box. I’m still working on this but don’t think I’ll ever be totally happy just having a normal life again and I’m sure there will be another adventure on the cards!

10.What made you commit to a journey of that scale – 10,000miles?

To be honest I didn’t really think of the miles I just thought of what an amazing achievement it would be to cycle to South Africa and of all those incredible countries we could visit on the way. I also thought about how the bicycle is such a classless way of travelling letting you get closer to local people without looking like a ‘rich tourist’ and travel through villages that you wouldn’t originally have visited.

11.Any plans for future expeditions?

No definite plans yet but watch this space…

12. What were you using to navigate your route, document the journey and upload content online?

We went old school and just used paper maps to plan the route and the advice of local people. We carried an iPad between us which we used to manage our website, upload photos and write blogs etc. Everything could be done off line and then uploaded when we got wifi access in the bigger cities.

13. What was the daily routine on the road?

We would wake up early with the sun around 6-7am. Get ready, pack up, have breakfast and be on the road by 8am. Cycle around 30kms and then stop for a snack, then another 30kms and stop for lunch, then another 20-30kms and find somewhere to pitch our tent, have dinner and chill out.

14.Any stand out moments that made all the pain worthwhile?

Lots but the most stand out moments for me weren’t the huge sights like seeing the pyramids it was the intimate local experiences like camping in the garden of the village chief or sleeping under the stars in the desert in Sudan. Reaching Cape Town was also an incredible high!

15.Did you ever feel like throwing in the towel and going home?

Absolutely!!! I felt like this properly about three times in total. Once at the beginning when I lay in my tent shattered from the cycling thinking I can’t even get through France let alone to Africa. Once when I had just said goodbye to my parents in Kenya and I had dysentery so was feeling pretty miserable. And the final one surprisingly in South Africa as we had made the final country though still had a long way to cycle and I was just feeling really tired.

16.How has life changed since? Has your perspective on how you see the world altered?

Due to lots of family stuff life has had its ups and downs since coming home though it has taught me to make the most of every single minute and to keep an open mind as people and places might just surprise you.

17. How long did it take you to recover after?

Physically it probably took a few months though mentally I still am recovering in that I am still longing the outdoors an the open road.

18.You were the only girl amongst four boys – did you ever feel like you were slowing them down or were you just as strong as them on and off the bike? (I ask this because it’s what I’m afraid of as a female wanting to do these things.)

At the beginning I gained fitness really quickly so didn’t feel like I was slowling people down, though from about Kenya I had a few episodes of illness and after that I felt that I’d reached the peak of my cycling fitness while the guys were still gaining strength. At this point the pressure of pushing myself constantly and feeling slow just wasn’t very enjoyable and so we split up into two groups. I stayed with Craig and we were able to relax again and take it at our pace.

19. What did you look for when choosing spots to wild camp?

At the beginning we looked for idyllic spots next to the Danube river where we could have a fire and wash though in Africa we just looked for places the were pretty close to the road but that we couldn’t be seen easily and could be well hidden. We often asked if we could camp in the compounds of local people’s houses and were only turned down once.

20. Do you know how much the trip ended up costing?

We paid for all our own spending money during the trip and costs on the trip so all in all it probably cost about £7,000 for the year away. I am sure you could do this cheaper but we had a few nice treats along the way and a holiday with my parents in Kenya.

21.Did you book all visas before you left?

We only had two visas before we left – Egypt and Jordan. The rest we got pretty easily either at the border or in the capital city of the country before. Sudan is supposed to be a tricky one to get but we had a letter from a university sponsor endorsing what we we doing and this seemed to work.

22.Is the stereotypical Africa we see in the media true?

It depends on what your stereotype is I suppose! The Africa we experienced though was one of incredible beauty and kindness.

#microadventure in Scotland

I write this on the train as I speed away from the freedom and the magic of the countryside, hurtling back to Edinburgh, back to the comfort zone. I’m acutely aware that my eyes might be glazed over as I think back on the weekend but I reckon for the moment I still remain far enough away from the city that the other passengers will realise that it is merely the look of a person reflecting rather than a person high on narcotics.

Images dance behind my eyes; the pissing rain, the tins of baked beans, jelly babies, ham butties and cans of Strongbow, pulling on soaking wet jumper over soaking jumper, and a useless sleeveless jacket to seal it all in, and remembering the feeling of my limbs aching pleasantly from the dampness that ensued. A paddle down the River Tay, and a night camping in Grandtully, then up through Oban to the River Awe, a hike, followed by camping at the foot of Ben Nevis. This was my microadventure.

Activity number one: Kayaking. First time back in a kayak after a year or two meant I was swimming within the first fifteen minutes after a dodgy attempt to eddy in. To give up is not an option, and slowly my body remembered how to move with the boat and down the rapids we soared.

Activity number two: the Hike. A melancholic mood tinged the air as the three of us shuffled in silence across the moors, dispersing the flocks of sheep, trudging through puddles, each layer of clothing soaked, clinging to the goosebumps lining our skin. We walk in silence seemingly miserable from an onlookers perspective. But in our heads we are utterly content. Our mind making the switch back to its simplest setting – a slideshow of questions; what to eat, where to camp, what rivers to run. It was not a time for me to figure out the issues of home, they will still be waiting when I return. It is time instead to revert back to living in the moment, worrying less, experiencing more. Enjoying it all.

Activity three: Camping. I must buy good quality gear, because I suffered without it. Needing to pee in the middle of the night but the wind and rain that is attempting to break the tent poles beside your head makes sure you hold it to the point that you are experiencing physical pain. That pain also helped as a distraction from the cold that was invading my borrowed sleeping bag and wearing me down second by second.

I have only stepped onto the train in Fort William and already the bad bits are blurring and the good bits are becoming amplified. These small adventures make you stop and think like nothing else does. They make you a better person, a kinder one who appreciates the life they have and the people they left at home because life moves at a much slower pace in the woods, there are no lists to be ticked, no deadlines to be met. When the distractions are taken away from you, happiness and humanity slides in to take its place.

I am interrupted from my reverie by a few kids jumping on a trampoline waving at the people on the train that passes straight through their backyard. My eyes return to focus and soon I am boarding train two – Glasgow to Edinburgh – I slowly become aware of my appearance ; dark purple rims encircle my eyes, a scabby graze sits on my cheek, I have no bra on, my hair is one huge knot and I’m sure I smell. My general colour is a blotchy red, grey and purple combination. The result of lack of sleep, a rogue branch and bad circulation in a shitty climate. All evidence of the blissful misery I have stumbled through over the last few days as we camped and kayaked our way around Scotland. A boy with a particularly strong brow sits facing me on the train two rows down drinking a bottle of Buckfast. He stares blatantly at me for the duration of the journey. Ah hello city folk, it seems I have returned to ‘civilisation.’

I throw my rucksack over my shoulders and head towards the flat, to a shower, to a bed, to an easy life.

Perhaps one day I will leave with a bivvy bag and torch and never come back.

Perhaps.

Video: Longboarding around Edinburgh

A little video I made on longboarding in Edinburgh.

Starring: Charlotte Workman and Amy McFarlane

Music by: Heathers – Remember when

Interview with BASE jumper Clair Marie

1.Do you still hold the record for the youngest female jumper?

I still hold the record of being the youngest female BASE jumper, although now its fun to meet people who are younger than I am who are active jumpers.

2.Do you know what the age of the youngest male is?

I believe the youngest male did a BASE jump or two at the age of 14 but he wasn’t an active jumper and just jumped a few times. It is very rare to see young people in our sport who are actually active jumpers.

3.Do you think the reason that there are not more BASE jumpers is because of the high risk factor involved or because of the inaccessibility of the sport?

I believe there are many factors as to why there aren’t more jumpers in the sport. It is still fairly new and most people still view it as reckless even though it is becoming a little more mainstream. It takes a special kind of person to be willing to jump off objects and have trust in the gear, their ability and yet have the desire and drive to do it as well. I don’t believe inaccessibility is an issue as I believe if someone truly wants to participate then they will do what ever is necessary to become a jumper. This usually includes lots of skydiving as well as finding a mentor. I believe if it was more accessible the number of fatalities would increase as people wouldn’t have the preparation necessary to participate in the sport safely.

4.Do you compete in BASE competitions or is it just in-house competitions to jump from higher and newer routes?

I think every base jumper has a competitive streak. We all want to be known for something. Although there are a few competitions a year for BASE I don’t participate because they are in an area that doesn’t interest me as much as others.

5.Have you tried wingsuit flying?

I own a wingsuit and do really enjoy flying it, but it isn’t my true passion. I prefer what is called a tracking suit. The way it functions is through inflations similar to a wingsuit but instead of one piece, each limb is free and enclosed in the inflated suit, sort of like an inflatable snow suit. It is much harder to fly and manipulate than a wingsuit because of the freedom of the arms and legs. I feel the skill level required to fly it well is very attractive to me and very challenging as well!

6.Where is the most remote place/country you’ve ever jumped from?

I have jumped in some crazy remote places around the world, but most recently I was jumping in Tonsai, Thailand. Although there is a small village below the cliff with food and bars, there is no direct access to emergency care (In a BASE jumpers mind that is one of the factors when talking about remote locations) The nearest hospital would have been a 20 minute long tail boat ride, a decent carry across a beach and then a 45 minute taxi ride into Krabi. Luckily we do our best to not get hurt!

7.Who are the other big female names in the sport?

Unfortunately there aren’t many female jumpers who capture the attention of the none jumping world but there are a few. Suz Graham who is a professional skier and is very popular in the world of BASE and then of course Roberto Manchino who is still fairly new to the sport but she made her mark for sure. She brought in sponsors from skydiving as well as gained attention because she is an international model. She is continuing to progress in the sport and do amazing things. Its so nice to see that there are more women in the sport now than there were when I started! It shows that the sport is going in the right direction.

8.How often do you get to jump?

I try to jump as often as I can, weather permitting of course, at this point I get several jumps per month! During the spring-fall I am able to get much more jumps

9.Do you have a local spot?

There are a few local spots which all the jumpers usually meet up at to jump together but most of them aren’t necessarily legal. Because of that I can’t name them, but there is a cliff about 2hrs away that is spectacular and then Moab Ut which is a popular and legal jumping location is a short 6 hour drive away.

10.Advice for the kids who want to do what you’ve done?

Do as much research as you can, read about it, watch it and start skydiving as soon as you turn 18. I know I started with BASE but I had very rare circumstances which helped me to enter into the sport without skydiving. However learning to skydiving and perfecting your only means that when you do start BASE jumping you will already have a solid understanding about the equipment as well as better skills for landing! I depict a lot of my struggles and successes in my book “Won’t Take No For An Answer” which will be released and available on e-book through my website at the end of this month.

11.What do you pack for a jumping trip?

It really depends on the trip. Most of the time, in addition to my gear, I pack a helmet, knee/shin guards, medical supply kit that stays in the car or at camp for the most part, parachute packing supplies (steak to hold the gear to the ground, pull up cord to close it and a tarp to pack on). As well as collapsible water bottles, medical tape, sunscreen and gopros

12.Any pre-jump rituals?

I don’t have any specific pre-jump rituals, however most men in the sport do and it is a disgusting one. They call it the pre-jump dump haha!

13.Why do you think there is so few women in the sport?

In my experience there aren’t many women who follow an extreme sport path. It is very hard for most women to wrap their mind around what I do and why I do it. There is also a lot of criticism and judgement when women participate in the sport. Luckily that is going down as more are introduced but there is still a common belief that BASE is a man’s sport and women have to be very thick skinned to participate while still maintaining their personality.

14.Have you received criticism been a women and doing this?

In the beginning I received some incredibly harsh criticism especially regarding the way I was introduced to the sport. There was a public online forum that bashed me and my instructor in very harsh and descriptive ways. I had a firm belief that in the beginning people were offended that a 16 year old girl was participating in a sport that made them feel like a bad ass, and because I was an active jumper it showed the sport wasn’t as hard core as they wanted it to seem. I think that ego unfortunately gets in the way of a lot of BASE jumpers personalities and it is really sad.

15.Why did your first ever jump take place in the middle of the night?

My first jump and many of my jumps after have taken place at night because the objects that we jump aren’t necessarily legal and we could get trespassing charges. Therefore we jump at times where there is a decreased chance of being seen.

16.Do you know how many jumps you have made to date?

I have made around 250 BASE jumps as well as 3,500 skydives. I tried to be diligent about keeping track of my jumps in the beginning but it faded after a while. Those numbers are the last recorded numbers I have in my log books.

17.What are your plans for the rest of the year?

The remainder of this year is filled with trips across the country for BASE and for work. Because I work for myself I have the ability of combining most of my work trips with BASE trips. I plan on going to Moab several times as well as Vegas, Norcal and Socal, as well as attending burning man! Travel is when I feel most at home so I do as much of it as I can!

Follow her journey via her website, Facebook or YouTube account.

Video: Triathlon Training

Here’s a video I made on the triathlon club Racing795 talking about their training regimes and events planned for the summer.

Starring: Orla O’Leary, Joy Furlong and Lorraine Byrne

Music by: Heathers – Circular Road

Check out Racing 795′s website here.

Interview with Irish Ultrarunner Aisling Coppinger

1. How did you get scouted for Ireland?

For Ultra Running, Richard Donovan phoned me up in 2009 and asked if I’d like to run in the Anglo Celtic plate 100k. I was chuffed. I had run for Ireland in mountain running before that.

2. What is your PB for a marathon?

2.59.58 (chip time) which I managed by the skin of my teeth in Rotterdam 2008. Hardest thing I’ve ever done!

3.What is your day job?

I run the biggest bike and triathlon shop with my partner Rob.

4. What does your weekly training regime consist of?

I swim 3 or 4 times a week, turbo train for a couple of hours about 4 mornings a week and run about 3 times a week. I see John Belton (No17 Personal Training) once a week for a session in the gym.

5. What is your tri bike?

It’s a Trek speed concept. It’s a custom design with “The Little Savage” printed on it.

6. What brand of wetsuit do you use for triathlons?

I’m at this very moment trying out a Huub.

7. What does your diet consist of?

John Belton (personal trainer) got me started on a pale type regime one year ago. It was a real revelation. Barry Murray then fine tuned it for my ultra running. So it involves lots of meat, eggs, vegetables etc. No more carb loading which has been great for my stomach!!

8.Highlight of your career?

Although I consider myself a runner first and foremost, most of the high points were about Ironman’s. My first ironman in UK in 2008 was a real awakening, I loved every minute. Although I wouldn’t have placed anywhere, I had a cracking run and just made sure to enjoy the day!

9. What races have you competed in so far this year?

Nothing serious this year yet since the Global Limits Stage Race in Cambodia last November.

10.What’s still to come on the race calendar?

London Marathon in a couple of weeks, Ironman UK in August and you never know, if I qualify for the world Ironman championships in Kona while I’m there I could be off to Hawaii in October. ;0

11. Who is your main competition on the Irish scene?

There are lots of great ultra women in Ireland, for the size of the population! Ruthann Sheahan has the most incredible 24 hour time, I’d be nowhere near that standard. When I started it was Helena Crossan was a real inspiration, she was running 100k’s in 8 hours and I thought she was fantastic.

12. What do you think is best race in Ireland? (triathlon/marathon etc)

Connemara Marathon and Ultra Marathon is incredible for the buzz and the scenery. Same with Causeway Coast Ultra, great places to run and enjoy the surroundings.

13. What is the best race you have competed in outside of Ireland?

The Global Limits Stage Race in Cambodia was a really incredible race. I had never experienced anything like it. Six days through towns, jungles, hills, rivers, sleeping in Buddhist temples, running in constant unrelenting heat. I had tears for the last few miles on the final day through Angkor Wat. I didn’t want it all to end.

14.Is there much difference between your training for a marathon and ultrarunning training?

Not for me. I don’t do big mileage, it doesn’t suit me. I rarely run for more than 4 hours for any event.

15. Any big injuries sustained over your career in the sport?

I’ve been lucky not to get too injured too much! For my 24 hour Irish championships last July I had a stress fracture and couldn’t run at all. I did everything but run in the months beforehand; I changed my diet, I turbo trained every day, I worked with John Belton lifting weights in the gym, I read books on psychology. It got me through the period of non running really well and I came out the other end much better for that injury.

16. What goes through your mind when you are racing long distances?

It depends on the distance. If I’m just cruising along taking it easy I usually begin to recount the story of the race in my head to Rob! So that when I finish I feel like I’ve already told him all about it!! For my 24 hour race (on a 400m track) I did things like rearranged my wardrobe in my head, what skirt goes with what top etc. Sounds crazy but you have to think of something!!

17.What do you carry on your back for endurance events?

I have a Salomon with bottle pouches on the front for very long stuff. I try carry as little as possible as I’m small and the weight slows me down.

18. What is it about running that has you constantly coming back for more?

I’m useless at explaining why I run! I just love it. I usually feel better 3 hours into a run than at the start. Maybe it’s just endorphins!

19.When/How did you realise your body could cover such distances?

My first Connemara Ultra. I realized 26 miles in that I felt absolutely great and with 13 miles to go I just got faster and faster. It was all uphill from there but I loved it.

20. How many races do you enter per year?

Usually a couple of ironman’s and a couple of ultras. Recovery is better now with the weightlifting I do and eating healthier so there’s no issue doing lots of events.

Follow Aisling on Twitter @aquaasho

My Dad has three daughters, no sons

My Dad has three daughters. No sons.

He loves the outdoors, especially the view of it from his bike. He had a decision to make when the three of us came along. Conscious or unconscious, I’m not sure which, he would have to choose whether to teach us what a father commonly teaches his son. He could coach our soccer, gaelic football, and camogie teams, teach us how to pump up a bike tyre, to set up a tent, climb bales of hay, drive a car, or else he could hand us a Barbie and send us over our mothers way.

He chose to dismantle the gender barrier. He taught us it all.

He showed us the beauty of the outdoors and the best way to view it, through sport. To see grass from a footballers perspective, to see the countryside from a bikes saddle, the sand on the beach from your place bobbing among the waves, the sky from a hilltop, the stars from a makeshift tent up the back garden, the birds from the trees we climbed. We saw the world from the shoulders of a 6ft-something tall man, and when we got too big for that view, he took us off and sat us on our own two feet. But our perspective had changed, we were different and we would do anything to get that view of the world back.

My older sister chose zoology, she would save the animals, save the outdoors and therefore keep safe the world we saw as a child all those years ago. The younger sibling, chose tourism, she didn’t know what she wanted to do, all she knew was that the outdoors combined with travel held the key. And I, I chose journalism, adventure journalism. My Dad never laughed at my choice, he never questioned it. If I could see the world via surfboard, while sky-diving, or hopping on a ski lift, then I think he knew that I would get the best view of all.

It is obvious now amongst my age group that not enough fathers’ did this for their kids or maybe they did and the daughters just chose a different path. But we are growing in number, and a domino effect is beginning to take hold. The more young girls who see the one’s before them choose this track, the more that will follow in their footsteps.I feel that bit more alive than those that have never run, biked, or swum a long distance. Than those that have never toppled off a skateboard, a surfboard, or a snowboard. Than those that have not jumped off a cliff, scootered down a driveway and across the road, climbed a tree, a hill, a mountain. I bet you all have amazing lives, but if you haven’t felt a surge of adrenaline rush through your veins, then perhaps you should, even if its just in an attempt to prove me wrong.

Go on, I dare you.

Enter my world: