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

Its my parents Golden Wedding in two weeks, and not only have I made Golden bunting, but encouraged each of my children to make a home-made gift for them (golden flowers / Ferrero Rocher chocolate tree / golden memory box). My parents love anything their grandchildren make, so hopefully these will go down well. Persuading my 12 year old (sporty rather than crafty) son to decorate the memory box has been the biggest challenge of all!

I think this whole journey of motherhood is a prime example - not just saying it because this is mums net but its true. I have to say this has really tested me - patience, strength, determination and my ability to still make fun and not take life too seriously.

Doesn't sound much compared to others here but I've gone from couch to 5k last year

Gosh not really a push the boat out sort of person but probably taking my hubbie to Rome for his big birthday!

I realise this is not near the same league as the incredible challenges and life-changing fund raising that so many of you have done......

when my daughter was a small toddler I was v overweight and really embarrassed about my body. I really wanted to take her swimming and putting the swim suit on and just doing it took a lot of courage!

So, year 3 of having a poorly baby who does not sleep through (NO, NEVER!!) and I feel like I have constant jet lag, however, this year I've decided to push myself hard - I've committed to a 5km run, once a week with no stops, as well as a pilates class and at least one hour work out per week. It's really tough and my system is at overload, however, I'm feeling bizarrely great and very proud of myself, as I am on target.

We went with our children to Goa, India for 3 months, we home schooled the children and let them see some culture. Every day was new, exciting and sometimes scary!!

Running a 10k race 6 years ago. Will never forget the feeling crossing the finishing line. Unfortunately can't run now because I have a neurological condition. I'm used to it now but will hever forget that race.

baking 10 trays of cakes for a charity bake sale when I was told I only had days to live if I ddint seek treatment.
said charity was possibly going to save other lives so I decided that's how I wanted to go down.baking!
no one new.and after they were delivered I miraculously managed to be offered last minute saving treatment myself.

Fitting yoga/Pilates in to my daily routine to help manage my bipolar disorder. Sounds like a small change but it's been hugely significant for me. What amazing things people commenting have done - good on you all!

Guess we pushed the boat out in a financial sense for our wedding, and I've pulled many an all-nighter in my insane old job. Biggest push the boat out physically is yet to come: I've signed up to do a half marathon later this year, never having run further than 5km in the past. Wish me luck..

My pushing the boat out was getting offered an allotment two weeks ago!
Needless to say it was very overgrown & a real challenge so hubby & I have donned our wellies & it's now almost all done ready for planting
😃

This won't sound particularly amazing compared to the wonderful feats others have accomplished but I only ever baked my first cake once I had kids and it has been quite an ordeal to overcome my fear of baking as I had so many cookery related fails (often of epic proportions!). So now I really enjoy it and it has become my way of having some 'me time' - I've even agreed for my daughter to have a 'baking party' for her upcoming birthday. It's taken years to get to this point but I feel proud of myself for persevering!

Pissed** as a lord, obviously

My favourite "pushing the boat out" moment of recent years was Christmas 2015.

I was in a relatively new relationship with a divorcee. We both lived on canal boats - which was how we met- moored alongside each other in the summer- and we'd cruised our boats around together ever since.

Boyfriend HATED Christmas since his divorce- whilst I'm the spirit of Christmas - so I asked him if I could make all the arrangements. He (trepidatiously) agreed.

First I dismembered a Christmas tree, and wired it to the roof hanging with decorations and fairy lights. (No space for a traditional tree on a narrowboat).
Then I bought and wrapped presents for him and the dogs.
And most magnificently....
Using the ovens on our two boats, posed as a lord and skittering across the decks in high heels, with trays of roast potatoes and stuffing - I managed to knock out a 4 course traditional full Christmas dinner, for us and a couple of friends.

It must have been enough to change his mind about Christmas- because Christmas Day 2016 saw him cooking a turkey dinner, because I was busy with our brand new - Christmas conceived(!!!) baby snuggled up with on the sofa.

Doing my first 5k after a having children was a real effort.
I felt so unfit and hadn't really done any exercise apart from gentle yoga for two years. It was tough, but worth it.

I was always the admin for years and then a Supervisor's job came up, they are very rare and only come up every 10 years. Everybody was saying I didn't stand a chance and even my husband said don't waste your time, but low and behold little shy me, I got it and have been doing it now for 2 years, not bad at 61!

On a far smaller scale than the four mums in a boat. My husband wanted to go canoeing in Turkey. I am not sporty in any way, but we were told it was very leisurely and anyone could do it. It was horrendous and possibly the hardest thing I had ever done. It went on forever. When the tour group we were in stopped for lunch we asked the guide how much further we had to row,he said, "Oh we're only about half way there " I thought I would cry with frustration and exhaustion. We did make it to the end and managed not to turn the canoe upside down like many did. We didn't make it down to dinner in the hotel that night as we were sound asleep. Next day I could hardly walk which is why I admire these four mums so much.

Deciding to stop a career which I spent 4 years at uni studying for due to absolutely hating it. I had nothing to walk in to next but new I couldn't go on. After various other jobs (and years) I'm trying to start a new path, but am feeling I don't have the final bit of strength to push the boat out! I'm a coward.

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!

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!

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

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.

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 :)

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