#11 Challenges

Welcome to Men on Fire, a podcast about what it means to be a man. What are we talking about today? Challenge Challenging. Challenging yourself. Challenging yourself? Well, it's kind of a conversation and a bit of a plea to the audience. Or not, maybe. Please. A bit of a strong word, but a challenge to you, in fact. Yeah, members of the audience. But those of you that have followed me for a long time, i.e. my mum and Devon Locke, Greg Locke, who's kind of had to put up with me because he's my mate. Yeah. Uh, I've quite often throughout my life done these little challenges. Um.  There are some, so I'm looking for a new one. I need one this year and that's something we can talk about is why? Why I think they're important but you know. Yeah. For you as well Marcus. But.  I'm in need. Need a new one? Yeah. Yeah. So I need something that I can do. Possibly this year. That is going to challenge me. But the thing is, for me, it's not. It's not as easy as just something that's difficult. My wife suggested I just don't talk for a week, which that would be a challenge. Yeah, baby. Rubbish. So, like, I've always I've done done them for charity. I've done a lot of work for charity, but they're always a bit selfish, really. They're always things where I know they're going to be horrible, but I'm also going to enjoy parts of it. Get you out of your comfort zone, is it? Or a kind of. So I'll get into the examples of things. I've walked Hadrian's Wall in Roman sandals because I wanted to walk Hadrian's Wall but also want it. So I slept rough every night. So I just carried all my stuff with me, slept where I slept, and there were nights where it was amazing. I slept on, you know, in a Roman little mile turret. But equally, my feet were bollocks by the end. Yeah. Now drastic house, barefoot again. This seems to be a theme with murdering my feet. But that was horrible. But part of the challenge. Yeah, but so they're quite often being out in the wilderness is a definite. It has to be out in the wilderness. I have to have moments where it's just me in the elements. That's the bit that I enjoy. Yeah. The piggyback marathon I did last year, I think it was that was just straight up horrible for 15 hours, either piggy or the both. We alternated. Okay, so that was with myself and Pete Howard. Really good in the local Exeter area. If you're in need of a Pete or a massage  massage, he's because he's, he's a strong bastard so he proper gets in there. Yeah. Not you know that's not getting there there. Yeah. You know um yes. So I'm looking for something else now. I had, I had a few ideas floating around. I was going to try and go up a river and just walk up a river or swim up a river. But I think that would possibly be. Here we go. Here's. I've got it, I've got it, I got it. And it's to do with men on fire. I'm going to set fire to myself. Kind of, yeah. So have you ever tried walking on coals? So it fits with your. Yeah, my feet getting punished and. And fire and coals. See, the only thing is. And I'm not disregarding it. And it would be horrible. And probably I'm not trying to bottle out of it, but it's a bit short. Now, I'm not suggesting I'm going to walk like a marathon on coals. I don't even know what that would work logistically. But with all the challenges I find, the benefit for me is those moments where you could just give up. You really want to, but you make yourself do it. Yeah, there's something in opted challenge that I think strengthens you, builds that kind of resilience. Whereas coals I could I could do it once. It'd be over in ten minutes. Anything that's over in ten minutes is an easy, easy win. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, I like the theme though, so if anyone's got any ideas, bearing in mind I have to be out in nature,  he has to be in fancy dress. That is always a good. Yeah, I'm more than happy to do that. I had the idea of walking the two moors way from Exmoor to Dartmoor fully in caveman like, Well, I need <&a