AIBU to want adventure and excitement in my 50s?

[Allgoingtopot]

I really want to push myself to achieve a physical challenge. My partner has just climbed a mountain for charity and it has been a life changing experience. I might need to spend some months getting fit first but I need ideas for the challenge. I am not ready to sit at home and watch other people living their lives!
Let your minds run wild - I need inspiration!

I'm doing Lands end to John O Groats virtually It's with My Virtual Mission It's connected to my Fitbit and you can go on the App to see where you are on street view and there's a medal at the finish I'm always up for some bling. There's all different routes to choose from.

How much time can you dedicate? Budget? How unfit?

Ideas that are realistic for average fitness include Kilimanjaro, hiking the Camino (doesn't need to be the full length of time doesn't permit, do it over 3 years annual leave perhaps), Yorkshire 3 peaks, coast to coast st bees to Robin Hood bay, skydiving (dunkeswell I can recommend), volunteer at an archeological dig, or national tryst property for 2 weeks ... obviously you need interim steps for big mountains but I walked the Camino on no training (recommend some!)

Or take up motorcycling . My dd thinks I'm mad!

I did this in my late 40s! I went from spending my entire life being fat, sedentary, introverted, shy and staying home to throwing myself into terrifying (to me) activities.

Couch to 5k > 10k > half marathon & now training for a marathon
Joined a running club & made a huge group of friends
Hiked the West Highland Way solo
Hot air ballooning
Archery
Falconry
Bouldering
Ice skating
Art classes
Cookery classes

Next on the list are:

Open water swimming
Zip lining
Hike the Coast to Coast path
Parachuting
Paragliding
Roller blading

I think a lot of women at our sort of age suddenly find this zest and adventurous spirit. We're fabulous, us middle-aged women

@AlTempleton

I did this in my late 40s! I went from spending my entire life being fat, sedentary, introverted, shy and staying home to throwing myself into terrifying (to me) activities.

Couch to 5k > 10k > half marathon & now training for a marathon
Joined a running club & made a huge group of friends
Hiked the West Highland Way solo
Hot air ballooning
Archery
Falconry
Bouldering
Ice skating
Art classes
Cookery classes

Next on the list are:

Open water swimming
Zip lining
Hike the Coast to Coast path
Parachuting
Paragliding
Roller blading

I think a lot of women at our sort of age suddenly find this zest and adventurous spirit. We're fabulous, us middle-aged women

You sound amazing! What made you change so much?

@motogogo

How much time can you dedicate? Budget? How unfit?

Ideas that are realistic for average fitness include Kilimanjaro, hiking the Camino (doesn't need to be the full length of time doesn't permit, do it over 3 years annual leave perhaps), Yorkshire 3 peaks, coast to coast st bees to Robin Hood bay, skydiving (dunkeswell I can recommend), volunteer at an archeological dig, or national tryst property for 2 weeks ... obviously you need interim steps for big mountains but I walked the Camino on no training (recommend some!)

How did you find the Camino? It’s on my bucket list !

@ThursdayWeld

YABU. Have a biscuit and a sit down.

Ha ha!

Im 51 and I would like to do the camino, well, part of it. Next summer?!

Definitely not unreasonable . I would also like adventure and excitement if I could force myself off the sofa . Will read through thread later !

And here I was thinking that taking up painting was going to be my next challenge....
I’m having a rethink now.

@AlTempleton

I did this in my late 40s! I went from spending my entire life being fat, sedentary, introverted, shy and staying home to throwing myself into terrifying (to me) activities.

Couch to 5k > 10k > half marathon & now training for a marathon
Joined a running club & made a huge group of friends
Hiked the West Highland Way solo
Hot air ballooning
Archery
Falconry
Bouldering
Ice skating
Art classes
Cookery classes

Next on the list are:

Open water swimming
Zip lining
Hike the Coast to Coast path
Parachuting
Paragliding
Roller blading

I think a lot of women at our sort of age suddenly find this zest and adventurous spirit. We're fabulous, us middle-aged women

Hiked the West Highland Way solo? That is so impressive! So is the rest of your list but hiking alone takes such guts.

OP kayaking is wonderful. I took it up in my 50s and love it.

@Allgoingtopot

Has anyone learned a new language in middle age? I wonder how possible it is. I would love to speak Italian.

Do it! Learn Italian and book a riding/walking holiday in the Tuscan hills...

There seem to be quite a few wild swimmers in the Hebden Bridge area - might be worth putting up a facebook post?

Homebrewing

Sorry if it's been mentioned already but as you've done the Yorkshire 3 peaks I recommend the national 3 peaks challenge. 24 hours to do Nevis, Scafell and Snowdonia.

Get a group together and pay a driver to take you from mountain to mountain.... it's so fun with the added pressure of the clock ticking!!!

@BreakingtheIce
You sound amazing! What made you change so much?

Oh thanks It's massively cheesy and I'm a bit embarrassed to say it, but I rewatched Shirley Valentine and there's a line in it where she says "I've lived such a little life". And I just couldn't stop chewing over that line and realising that my life had been little as well, just hiding away at home, always saying I'd like to do a long distance hike or a marathon, but just staying in the sofa and eating. It really got to me, so I did couch to 5k, joined the running group, and my confidence just grew from there. It helps that I was perimenopausal and I naturally lost some of my inhibitions anyway

I think this is a wonderful idea.

I'm about the same age as you and I've been watching that SAS training thing recently and thinking that, although I would hate to do some of those specific challenges, I'd love to do something that was just far enough out of my comfort zone to be a comparable challenge for me.

Some things I have tried myself:

A couple of years ago I joined an indoor climbing centre. I went regularly for about a year and saw some real improvement in my skills, confidence and strength in some specific muscles - one day while wearing a sleeveless top I noticed that my shoulders looked a bit broader, which was no bad thing in my case as they've always been a bit narrow for my overall size. A good centre will have a variety of different runs of increasing difficulty and they change them now and again. The only reason I stopped going was because of the pandemic (they are open again now, but the nature of the building means they can't provide good ventilation and I'm not happy about that). When things are more back to normal, I'm definitely taking it up again.

And I have also joined a hashing group. This is a sport where someone lays a trail using flour or sawdust and other people follow the trail, either walking or running. There are usually at least two routes for people who want a longer or shorter run. It has the reputation of involving some hard drinking afterwards, but this varies from group to group and mine isn't particularly hardcore - we sometimes join them for a beer afterwards but there is no pressure to drink to excess. I started out walking (although I do run on my own, on flatter routes) but have gradually gone over to walk/running and found myself a nice new friend and running buddy in the process.

Marking my place for some ideas.

I’m hitting the same milestone this year and after spending most of my 40s in miserable relationship I’m ready for some fun and adventure. My DCs are nearly grown ups and the empty nest is looming.

I’m already planning a marathon, it was actually my ‘before I’m 50’ goal but it got cancelled.
I’ve started some weights classes and plan to do some weight lifting as despite having the strength of a newborn, I quite enjoy it.

Wild swimming sounds terrifying, but a challenge so I might look into that.

Bump

My friend helps at a club near York, I can find the details if you're close to there. They do a lot of beginner sessions and seem pretty active.