By: Blonde Two
If you were to listen to current government education policy (please don’t) you would maybe be fooled into thinking that student success is measured only by an end result; a grade or a number that can be put into a computer and churned around until it suits political needs.
However, you all have more sense than that and understand that real success (in education or in life) is not about grades or numbers at all. It is about experience, giving and growing.
The Ten Tors Challenge is a most excellent example of this. Some teams cross the finish line early, some cut it fine and some don’t cross it at all. It is heartwarming to see those that do cross it, heartbreaking to see those that don’t.
Let me tell you about our Ten Tors successes this year (we had a nail-biting weekend!)
Our 45 Mile team (let’s just pause here and think about what that distance actually means) crossed the line at around twenty past four (forty minutes before the cut off time). On the way their times at certain tors gave us a few grey hairs to add to the Blonde locks but they made it and came back smiling.
Our 35 Mile team gallantly made it to tor nine and a half; with little time to spare and one particularly mangled pair of feet, the decision was made to end their attempt there. What impressed me was that they too came back smiling (through a few tears) and telling us that they were looking forward to starting training again in the autumn.
Both teams had looked after each other and made some tricky decisions. All of them had had an experience that they won’t forget.
Success all round, I am sure that you will agree!
Well done to everyone. How gutting for the 35s to get so close. In some ways it’s a shame that they put in so much effort only for the clock to beat them.
A friend of mine recently completed a 319km bike ride in Majorca. They had 14 hours to complete it. She made it in with less than 2 minutes to spare.
I guess the time constraints are all part of the challenge.
Amazing effort by all. Looking to next year now xx
Well done to all but remember Rule No 1 is to look after your feet.
Team work includes saying – as a team – we need to stop now. Congratulations to the one who got to Tor 9 and a half with mangled feet – undoubtedly putting up with a lot of pain. We used to wash our feet with meths for days before a long trip, to harden them off; but then, we wore double socks in looser boots, for padding. I daresay they aren’t taught to burst blisters and double pad them with dressings now, either. And our boots were heavier, but better made.