Tell us about the times you've pushed the boat out - to win a copy of Four Mums in a Boat plus £100 Sweaty Betty vouchers. Ends Wednesday 5 April

[SorchaMumsnet]

Four Mums in a Boat is the incredible true story of four ordinary working mums from Yorkshire who took on an extraordinary challenge, breaking a world record along the way.

Janette, Frances, Helen and Niki were four very different women, all juggling full-time jobs and motherhood. They could never be described as athletes, but were determined to be busy and the local rowing club was the perfect place to have a laugh and feel invigorated. It wasn’t long before, over a couple of glasses of wine, they cooked up the crazy idea of crossing 3,000 miles of treacherous ocean in the toughest row in the world, The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. Yes, they had families and jobs that they would be leaving behind for two months. But after two years of planning, they found themselves ready to head up the race of their lives.

This is the story of how four friends had the audacity to go on a wild and beautiful adventure, not to escape life, but for life not to escape them.

To be in with a chance of winning one of two Sweaty Betty vouchers each worth £100 plus a copy of Four Mums in a Boat, share the times when you've pushed the boat out.

This discussion is sponsored by HarperCollins and will end on 5 April

Books T&Cs apply

[CMOTDibbler]

I think my biggest 'pushing the boat out' was last January when I said idly 'what this event really needs is sportives' (non competitive distance cycle events). Everyone agreed, and then looked at me. For various reasons I then went from offering half a days help in 2015, to being chair of the whole cycling festival, raising £3k for good causes as well as highlighting cycling for all in our area, and even bigger plans this year! And this is on top of my very full time job, child, elderly parents etc

[foxessocks]

Not sporty but offering to bake many, many, many cakes for the local summer fayre. I was a wreck when I finished but glad I did something useful!

[SnookieSnooks]

Entered an ironman triathlon last summer. Ironman is a challenge: nearly 5km swim, 180km bike ride, then run a marathon. You have to do it within 16 hours. Anyway, I trained hard, got up to swims of 3km, bike rides of 100km and runs of 30km.... and then I broke my leg! It was a challenge just staying sane after putting in all that effort and then not being able to prove myself in the race.

[OhHolyFuck]

Ok, so not yet but coming - to set the scene, I am not sporty. Massive understatement. I had a 5 year period as far as school PE went and I've steadfastly avoided it for years.

My very good friend is 28 and has terminal cancer, she's got until Christmas according to the specialists, and so in her name and because I know she'd be pissing herself at me I'm going to run and raise funds for cancer care.

I've started training with a personal trainer and slimming world so running is easier and for my beautiful, full of life friend, I will do that thing I bloody hate

[Fifi2159]

When my youngest was a matter of weeks old, I decided (whilst eating cake) that it would be a great idea to do the Great North Run. Why stop there though, I've never been sporty, always quite overweight, got a newborn and a 2 year, going back to work part time and about to turn 39 - why not do the great north swim (1 mile) and the great north bike ride (60 mile) too. Really daft idea but I did it. Asked people for sponsorship for all of this as I did it instead of doing a christening/naming ceremony for my daughter, so at raised money for a local charity too.

[Catiefraser]

Running my first and only marathon. It took lots of hard work and training. The feeling I got when I passed the finish line was amazing.

[NeverTwerkNaked]

Sailing across the North Sea in a storm. Nearly everyone on the boat was very sea sick. It was me and one other taking it in turns at the he, and the skipper navigating. A dark night and huge seas, a little bit of fear and a lot of adrenaline! It was a physically exhausting experience but totally unforgettable! I am naturally a very lazy person so this was way outside my comfort zone.
I really want this book, really interested to read their story, already stuck it on my Amazon wish list!

[ButterflyOfFreedom]

Perhaps not as impressive as doing a marathon or triathlon but for me it was running 5km (without stopping, post children!). I've done it several times now and see it as a small victory! The feeling is amazing, such a buzz - I'm motivated to do more and one day will conquer the 10km!

[purplepandas]

Running a 10k. Not huge but I was never a runner or sporty person.

[finova]

Getting back on a bike after years and discovering lots of local bike trails. Became a weekly family activity. Small but life changing.

[Zephyroux1]

Learning to swim as an adult, no biggie really, but a huge deal for me.

[boo2410]

My biggest pushing the boat out was when I was sent from hospital to a rehab home for physiotherapy. I have MS and cannot walk. My leg muscles were seizing up and they had a gym there which had a special electric exercise bike called a Mediped. It took a couple of weeks but I managed to get to 10 minutes cycling. It doesn't sound a lot but when your legs don't work it really is a major achievement! It was exhausting but I was so pleased with myself for doing this. Now I am home and have carers who come in and move my legs for me but it's really not the same as pedalling by myself!!

[CheeseEMouse]

This looks like a really interesting read. I'd say it's when I took a risk returning to a very different role at work after mat leave. That took confidence and some self belief, and in a very round about way has helped me make some real choices about my career.

[MrsFrTedCrilly]

One small step for womankind but a giant leap for mrs crilly as she finally got off her fat arse and joined an exercise class!

[agnapoop]

I managed to do a sponsored 20 mile walk in quite a quick time. I have a metal rod through one of my legs so this was a huge achievement.

[Clawdy]

I learned to ride a bike at the age of forty-five. We were off to Center Parcs that summer, and I realized I would be the only family member unable to ride the bikes there. I borrowed a neighbour's small folding bike and spent hours trying to ride it up and down the back entry. After several tumbles, and with grazed knees like a toddler's, I was able to wobble away up the road! I've never felt such a sense of achievement!

[Cosette123]

Three peaks Challenge was a tough one. Hike 3 peaks, (Snowdon, Ben Nevis and Scarfel Pike) in under 24hrs (and as speedily as you can!)

[Elliepurpleflower]

Cycling the sea to sea challenge, I had barely ridden a bike since being a child, but with a bit of training I did it!

[Emrob86]

I'm not sporty at all but would love to read this. What I love doing though is take long walks or swim long distances and have done so in wild water since being a young child.

[jammy388]

Doing the Coast to Coast walk was my biggest physical challenge.

[Reastie]

I am very good at 'pushing the boat out' dh refers to it as making work for myself but I much prefer the boating term .

First one that comes to mind is dds parties. I got very ott and push the boat out. Past three years I have done dds party myself (it's the only party she's ever been to that hasn't had an entertainer) as I felt teeth gritting paying someone a fair amount of money for something I felt I could do just as well. Once I decided to do the parties myself I decided to make them better than the expensive parties of her friends and really pushed the boat out. I prepped various craft activities, dressed up, spent hours and hours making all the food from scratch and lovingly home baked, made lots of decorations with limited artistic skills, designed the invites and did the whole thing on my own. feedback was fab and I feel dd had parties just as good as any fancy pants entertainer might put on.

On a physical challenge pushing the boat out I have, over the past five years, lost about 7.5 stone and gone from out of breath walking up the stairs to working out nearly every day and recently completing my first 10k in an hour :)

[cookiemonster66]

I was working 80+ hours a week to help fund my daughter through uni, fees, rent, books etc, it almost killed me but I did it and she now is debt free without a student loan hanging over her head.

[mummyhereandthere]

Every single day, waking up and battling.the challenges of motherhood that I face as an autisitic mother

[HermanCakeDestroyer]

Signing up for a 10k run when I hadn't ever run a step before was a challenge. I was useless at pe at school and always last to be picked for a team and then I signed up!! It was the hardest and most rewarding thing I've ever done!

[Anj123]

This year I am pushing the boat out as both my husband and I will be 50. We are planning a trip to Hong Kong at Christmas to see relatives my daughter has never met. Last time I went was 20 years ago!