Value Of Adventure: Is exploration dead? The psyche of endurance

Published: Jan. 17, 2020, 10:07 a.m.

b"Just how do you push your body to the extreme? During our Value of Adventure month, join our panel of explorers in delving into the psychological and physical endurance and stamina needed for extraordinary explorations. \\n\\nIn conversation with The Assembly curator Lucy Hyslop, meet three young explorers and motivational speakers: George Bullard, a world record-breaking explorer, endurance athlete and partner at IGO Adventures; Ironman and Ultra runner Marina Ranger; and adventurer and Guinness world record holder Jamie Sparks.\\n\\nGeorge has covered almost 2,000 miles on foot in the polar regions and completed countless expeditions around the world, guiding 350 people of all age groups remote and hostile areas. At 14 George was part of a team to swim the English Channel, circumnavigate Barbados and New York\\u2019s Manhattan Island and latterly, swim the length of Lake Zurich. At this time he was ranked #1 in the UK for Tetrathlon. \\n\\nAfter leaving school George spent 2 months on the Antarctic archipelago of South Georgia followed by George\\u2019s largest polar expedition to date. At the age of 19 he achieved a feat that explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, the world\\u2019s greatest living explorer, described as \\u2018genuinely ground-breaking\\u2019, completing the world\\u2019s longest fully unsupported polar journey of all time. \\n\\nGeorge returned from a world first kayaking expedition from Greenland to Scotland trying to uncover an ancient myth and returned from a 1.5 month trip walking the ice road in Canada in preparation for this trip. He also runs a company called IGO Adventures, which created a series of adventures in the middle of nowhere.\\n\\nMarina Ranger was 22 when she completed her first ultra marathon, running 250km in 7 days across the Kalahari desert in South Africa with a week's supply of food and kit on her back. Now 28, having completed 20+ ultra marathons, 2 x half Ironmans, 2 x full Ironmans and 1 x long distance triathlon where she represented GBR, it is safe to say she has a full time job fulfilling her love and passion for endurance sports in the hours outside of her career in business operations for a property company. \\n\\nMarina believes that everyone has the capability to push beyond their perceived boundaries and with hard work and dedication they can achieve great things beyond their expectations. As much as she loves pushing her body to limits, she hopes she can encourage others to too...\\n\\nJamie holds the Guinness world record, alongside his friend Luke Birch, for the youngest pair to row across any ocean. Rowing for 54 days, surviving off dehydrated food and desalinated water, they raised a record total for Breast Cancer Care. The following year he captained a crew, which became the fastest four men crew to row unsupported across the Indian ocean. Now motivating all generations across the globe with his stories, and inspiring them to take action themselves."