Monday, September 18, 2006
Polar Race 2007
Polar Race 2007 Featured article
If you’re visiting this website you probably have some sort of idea of what you want to do to improve yourself, whether it be a simply lifestyle change or a grand life-altering experience. The truth is that any change in life can be intimidating, and can often seem like a scary step to take. If it’s something that you really want to achieve it WILL be worthwhile, and goal-setting can help you achieve feats that you previous thought of as unimaginable!
Janice Meek, Daniel Byles, and Richard Profit probably have the same amount of experience in the Arctic as you do; precisely none. This isn’t stopping them take part a the gruelling Arctic ski/ walking expedition entitled ‘Polar Race 2007’ however, and what makes it even more remarkable is that Janice is aged 62 and is Daniel’s mother! Well at least she won’t worry when he forgets to call home!
This is not the mother and son team’s first duel event, as 10 years ago they rowed the Atlantic together.
“It was all the fault of a friend of mine. He was a keen rower who represented his university, and he saw an advert for the first Atlantic Rowing Race that was due to take place two years later in 1997. He talked me (not a rower or a sailor) into signing up with him, then he sadly had to pull out. By then, I was hooked on the idea, and I asked my mother if she would take his place - and we became the Mother and Son Team. To put the race into context, at that time only individual teams had ever attempted to row any ocean - this was the first organised event. Only 22 people had ever successfully rowed an ocean, and six had died trying. We were successful in 101 days at sea. My mother (Jan Meek) became the oldest person at the time ever to row an ocean at the age of 53.”
Starting at Resolute Bay in the former North West Territories of Canada, the Polar Racers cover 350 miles of some of the most desolate terrain in the world by ski and foot. The finishing point is, as the title suggests, the 1996 certified Magnetic North Pole.
“I think the Polar Race will be very tough - perhaps tougher even than the Atlantic Rowing Race. At least on a rowing boat you can stop to rest, you can allow yourself to drift at times if necessary. That will not be possible in the Arctic. I could have rowed Mum across the Atlantic. I cannot walk her to the North Pole. We will be as well prepared as we can be, and we know that these events are 80% mental. We have proven our mental strength. Mum will be the oldest woman ever to walk to the Magnetic North Pole.”
As if proving themselves super-human wasn’t enough, Janice, Daniel, and a friend have set up The Carpe Diem Trust, a registered charity that quotes Mark Twain as an influence for it’s aim;
" Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. "
“The Carpe Diem Trust aims to help ordinary people to achieve their potential by seeking to do something extraordinary. They may have suffered a life crisis which has seriously dented their self-confidence, or they may simply have woken up to the fact that they are not achieving all that they are capable of in life. What is extraordinary for one person is different for another, so they do not have to row an ocean or walk to the North Pole. We will, however, principally be supporting people who are organising some form of expedition or adventurous travel. It might be a young lad form a disadvantaged background who has never been overseas trying to go to Greenland on a British Schools Explorers Society expedition for example. We strongly believe that age is no barrier to seeking to overcome hurdles in your life, and our Trust is there to help anyone regardless of age. Many existing charities are aimed at the young, but we believe that older people also have tremendous potential (look at my mother!). The Trust has been described as a form of 'Prince's Trust for Oldies', and I like that description. The Trust will be a grant awarding body making small donations to the cost of these extraordinary projects, but will not be open for applications until the second half of 2007.
“People wishing to get involved can help us most at present by sponsoring our fund raising expedition to the Magnetic North Pole through our website www.carpediemtrust.com. You can also donate £3 to our cause by texting the word 'JAN' to 85222.
“I think the ethos of Crazy Goals is very similar to our philosophy, and we are delighted to be included on the website.”
With so many fingers in so many pies Janice and Daniel’s achievements are awe-inspiring. Dedication and willingness is what is required for the Polar Race, and these qualities are applicable to every goal you may have.
“People often ask what drives us to achieve our goals. I think a big part of it is making the commitment to see it through. Having your goal known publicly is a major help - we often said during the Atlantic Rowing Race that we couldn't quit now - too many people would say 'I told you so'! The fear of public failure may not seem like a very positive motivational tool, but it is a very effective one! Perhaps that is a major way that Crazy Goals can help - by encouraging people to publicly declare their goal for all to see.”
You too can aim high like Daniel, and Crazy Goals wants to help! Sign up for our free reminder service to make your goal public and receive tips and hints on how to achieve them.
Matt S.- 14/09/2006
If you’re visiting this website you probably have some sort of idea of what you want to do to improve yourself, whether it be a simply lifestyle change or a grand life-altering experience. The truth is that any change in life can be intimidating, and can often seem like a scary step to take. If it’s something that you really want to achieve it WILL be worthwhile, and goal-setting can help you achieve feats that you previous thought of as unimaginable!
Janice Meek, Daniel Byles, and Richard Profit probably have the same amount of experience in the Arctic as you do; precisely none. This isn’t stopping them take part a the gruelling Arctic ski/ walking expedition entitled ‘Polar Race 2007’ however, and what makes it even more remarkable is that Janice is aged 62 and is Daniel’s mother! Well at least she won’t worry when he forgets to call home!
This is not the mother and son team’s first duel event, as 10 years ago they rowed the Atlantic together.
“It was all the fault of a friend of mine. He was a keen rower who represented his university, and he saw an advert for the first Atlantic Rowing Race that was due to take place two years later in 1997. He talked me (not a rower or a sailor) into signing up with him, then he sadly had to pull out. By then, I was hooked on the idea, and I asked my mother if she would take his place - and we became the Mother and Son Team. To put the race into context, at that time only individual teams had ever attempted to row any ocean - this was the first organised event. Only 22 people had ever successfully rowed an ocean, and six had died trying. We were successful in 101 days at sea. My mother (Jan Meek) became the oldest person at the time ever to row an ocean at the age of 53.”
Starting at Resolute Bay in the former North West Territories of Canada, the Polar Racers cover 350 miles of some of the most desolate terrain in the world by ski and foot. The finishing point is, as the title suggests, the 1996 certified Magnetic North Pole.
“I think the Polar Race will be very tough - perhaps tougher even than the Atlantic Rowing Race. At least on a rowing boat you can stop to rest, you can allow yourself to drift at times if necessary. That will not be possible in the Arctic. I could have rowed Mum across the Atlantic. I cannot walk her to the North Pole. We will be as well prepared as we can be, and we know that these events are 80% mental. We have proven our mental strength. Mum will be the oldest woman ever to walk to the Magnetic North Pole.”
As if proving themselves super-human wasn’t enough, Janice, Daniel, and a friend have set up The Carpe Diem Trust, a registered charity that quotes Mark Twain as an influence for it’s aim;
" Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. "
“The Carpe Diem Trust aims to help ordinary people to achieve their potential by seeking to do something extraordinary. They may have suffered a life crisis which has seriously dented their self-confidence, or they may simply have woken up to the fact that they are not achieving all that they are capable of in life. What is extraordinary for one person is different for another, so they do not have to row an ocean or walk to the North Pole. We will, however, principally be supporting people who are organising some form of expedition or adventurous travel. It might be a young lad form a disadvantaged background who has never been overseas trying to go to Greenland on a British Schools Explorers Society expedition for example. We strongly believe that age is no barrier to seeking to overcome hurdles in your life, and our Trust is there to help anyone regardless of age. Many existing charities are aimed at the young, but we believe that older people also have tremendous potential (look at my mother!). The Trust has been described as a form of 'Prince's Trust for Oldies', and I like that description. The Trust will be a grant awarding body making small donations to the cost of these extraordinary projects, but will not be open for applications until the second half of 2007.
“People wishing to get involved can help us most at present by sponsoring our fund raising expedition to the Magnetic North Pole through our website www.carpediemtrust.com. You can also donate £3 to our cause by texting the word 'JAN' to 85222.
“I think the ethos of Crazy Goals is very similar to our philosophy, and we are delighted to be included on the website.”
With so many fingers in so many pies Janice and Daniel’s achievements are awe-inspiring. Dedication and willingness is what is required for the Polar Race, and these qualities are applicable to every goal you may have.
“People often ask what drives us to achieve our goals. I think a big part of it is making the commitment to see it through. Having your goal known publicly is a major help - we often said during the Atlantic Rowing Race that we couldn't quit now - too many people would say 'I told you so'! The fear of public failure may not seem like a very positive motivational tool, but it is a very effective one! Perhaps that is a major way that Crazy Goals can help - by encouraging people to publicly declare their goal for all to see.”
You too can aim high like Daniel, and Crazy Goals wants to help! Sign up for our free reminder service to make your goal public and receive tips and hints on how to achieve them.
Matt S.- 14/09/2006
