Author Archives: Sara C

Stepping into the Sahara is like stepping into another world, a place where heat, silence, and endless sand quickly expose any weaknesses in your planning, fitness, or mindset. As I prepared for my latest adventure, I realised just how much my previous expeditions, particularly Iceland, shaped the way I handled the desert. Training That PaidContinue reading “From Iceland to the Sahara: How One Expedition Prepared Me for Another”

Iceland was supposed to be another tick on the list of adventures, another challenge conquered. And yet, like so many of my endurance challenges, it reminded me that the mountains, and the weather, always get the final say. You can’t argue with weather! No matter how much planning, preparation, or determination you bring, sometimes natureContinue reading “Lessons from Iceland: When Nature Calls the Shots”

A good friend of mine recently achieved something extraordinary. She became the first woman ever to be the overall winner in the history of her race. Not just the female category, but the entire field. It should have been front-page news for the event, a moment to celebrate history being made. And yet, in theContinue reading “When Women Win but the Story Isn’t Told”

When people think of endurance, they often picture someone pushing through a gruelling ultramarathon, a mountain expedition, or some epic test of physical limits. And while that’s part of my story now, it definitely wasn’t always the case. Before my diagnosis, I’d done the odd hike here and there, and I’d run a couple ofContinue reading “What My Brain Tumour Taught Me About Endurance – and What Endurance Taught Me About Life”

After brain surgery, everything changes. You look at life through a different lens. What once seemed important fades into the background, and a new fire starts to burn. For me, that fire showed up in the form of endurance challenges—events that push my body and mind far beyond what they were “supposed” to be capableContinue reading “Finding Strength Beyond Survival: My Journey with Post-Traumatic Growth”

In my last update, I somewhat optimistically mentioned that my bike training for King Alfred’s Way had been disaster-free. Well… it seems I spoke to soon. Since then, I’ve had two loss-of-balance incidents, one of which ended with me in hospital having ten stitches to reattach my earlobe after it was completely torn. Not completelyContinue reading “Training Update: Setbacks, Stitches & Silver Linings”

Week two in the saddle, and still upright! That in itself feels like a win. This week’s training has brought a new mix of challenges, rewards, and lessons—plus some surprisingly peaceful moments on the trails that helped me remember exactly why I’m doing this. The highs Let’s start with the good stuff. There’s been aContinue reading “What Bike Training is Teaching Me – Week Two on the King Alfred’s Way Prep”

People often ask why I do what I do—especially while living with a brain injury.The truth is, I don’t do it in spite of my diagnosis.I do it because of it. When I was told I had a brain tumour, my world shifted overnight. The life I knew—the one full of plans, responsibilities, spontaneity andContinue reading “Why I Do This: The Story Behind The Beyond Recovery Project”

So here we are, skidding towards the end of my first week of training for the King Alfred’s Way Challenge, and to say it’s been a challenge is an understatement. In fact, if I’m being honest, there are times I’m convinced my bike is conspiring against me. First off, the whole one balance nerve thing.Continue reading “What Bike Training is Teaching Me: Week One on the King Alfred’s Way Prep”

***UPDATE – POSTPONED UNTIL 2026 I’ve decided to take on King Alfred’s Way, an iconic 219-mile (353 km) adventure across the rolling hills and rugged landscapes of Southern England. And if you’re wondering, yes, it’s every bit as brutal as it sounds. But here’s the twist: I’m doing it despite a long list of excellentContinue reading “King Alfred’s Way”