Team Damhurst’s Coast to Coast Challenge

Last month, I and four of my colleagues at Damhurst – Guy Fraser, Josh Crush, Anna Meyring and Erin Taylor – travelled to the beautiful Scottish highlands to take part in the Rat Race Coast to Coast Challenge.

This 100-mile race involves a 78-mile cycle, a 21-mile run and a 1-mile kayak over two days – a daunting endurance test, which we undertook to raise money and awareness for Brain Tumour Research in memory of a close friend of one of the team, Jacob Whitehead. Very sadly, Jacob lost his three-year battle with cancer in May 2024.

My colleagues consistently give me reasons to feel proud, but over the course of this one weekend I witnessed first-hand the collaboration, friendship and teamwork that make Damhurst such a wonderful place to work. The challenges we faced and overcame together demonstrated my teammates’ resilience, lack of ego and ability to laugh at themselves, even when sore, cold and covered in mud.

When it came to training for the event, we all had the best of intentions. But, as busy professionals with plenty going on outside work too, it was challenging to prepare adequately for such a gruelling physical ordeal.

Apart from a few spin classes and a redoubled commitment to carb-loading, our training for the event was cursory at best. We may have approached the weekend feeling somewhat underprepared, but humour, positivity and our ability to improvise in the face of missing kit and elusive airport taxis were to stand us in good stead for the race itself.

We set off on the first day in high spirits, taking in the spectacular scenery as we cycled from the seaside village of Nairn through ancient forests south-east of Inverness. A special mention goes to Josh Crush who not only kept us fuelled and motivated by instigating regular snack stops, but also cycled back to accompany team members who were falling behind.

By the middle of the first day our legs were already burning from the steep paths and tricky terrain, but events took a turn for the comic on a 10km mountain-biking section later in the afternoon.

The path was slippery from rain, and as Anna was cycling down a steep hill, she lost control and wiped out. Cycling right behind her, Erin started to laugh – only to follow suit and come crashing off her bike. Fortunately, neither of them were injured, and both saw the funny side – prompting a passing walker to ask if they were OK as they giggled uncontrollably on the ground.

By the time they met us in Invergarry, Anna and Erin were exhausted and covered in thick Scottish mud, but still smiling. As Anna says: “The others looked like they’d just walked out of a spa day compared to us, but we didn’t care. That moment in the forest was one of the funniest things I’ve ever experienced, and it somehow gave us the energy to keep going.”

The following day was considerably tougher as we began the 21-mile run on legs that were already heavy and aching from the previous day’s bike ride. Again, stronger members of the group did a fantastic job of encouraging others, making sure we all had enough to eat and drink while cracking jokes and keeping spirits up.

The first part of the route took us along the edge of the beautiful (and brilliantly named) Loch Lochy and the Caledonian Canal before we reached Glen Nevis. It was on this tricky stretch that Erin stumbled awkwardly and sprained her ankle. She was in a great deal of pain, and it was clear that she would not be able to continue.

Without hesitation, Guy took the heroic step of waiting with Erin to get her to A&E, helped by a passing couple who kindly offered to give them a lift.

As Guy says, ‘Missing the finish line was disappointing, sure, but looking after a teammate mattered more. There’s a certain type of bond that forms when you’re all in the trenches together, and that sense of team spirit was more important than anything else that weekend.

Reassured that Erin was in good hands, Anna, Josh and I resumed running to reach the final kayaking phase, paddling across Loch Leven to the finish.

I couldn’t sum up the weekend better than Erin: ‘Even though I didn’t finish the race, the weekend was a win for me. I’ve never felt so supported by a team. It wasn’t about personal bests or finishing first; it was about getting through it together. I wouldn’t have changed a thing.’

I’m immensely proud of the guts, stamina and selflessness shown by Erin, Anna, Josh and Guy. Better still, we smashed our fundraising target to raise over £6,000 for Brain Tumour Research.

If you’d like to support this essential charity, you can do so here