Darren Grigas – Adventure Athlete
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  • 17th November 2019 Adventures, Blog, Challenges, Featured  1

    A world-first 127 mile foot-crossing over the 55 million year old Namib

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  • 9th March 2018 Adventures, Blog, Challenges, Featured, Race reviews  1

    100 miles of ice!

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  • 7th April 2017 Blog, Challenges, Race reviews  3

    14 hours in the hands of the Special Forces

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  • 29th September 2016 Adventures, Blog, Challenges, Race reviews  Like

    Running the inaugural Cape Wrath Ultra, a truly Beautiful Behemoth

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PSHE

Blog, Motivational talks

2nd February 2020

Talking to the children of Fulbridge Academy

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Blog, Motivational talks

21st May 2019

An invite to Buckingham Palace

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Adventures, Blog, Challenges, Featured

17th November 2019

A world-first 127 mile foot-crossing over the 55 million year old Namib

...

Read more

Adventures, Blog, Challenges, Featured, Race reviews

9th March 2018

100 miles of ice!

...

Read more

Blog, Challenges, Race reviews

7th April 2017

14 hours in the hands of the Special Forces

...

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Blog, Motivational talks

3rd November 2016

Talking at the Palace

...

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Adventures, Blog, Challenges, Race reviews

29th September 2016

Running the inaugural Cape Wrath Ultra, a truly Beautiful Behemoth

...

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Blog, Making a Difference

29th September 2016

Cathedral abseil for its 900th birthday, yes please!

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  • PSHE

    2nd February 2020

     Like 131

    Talking to the children of Fulbridge Academy

  • 21st May 2019

     Like 234

    An invite to Buckingham Palace

  • 3rd November 2016

     1 1979

    Talking at the Palace

  • 29th September 2016

     1 1729

    Cathedral abseil for its 900th birthday, yes please!

  • 29th September 2016

     1 1973

    £26,000+ – Amazing support for Rory and family.

  • 23rd September 2016

     Like 2454

    Guest Speaker: Duke of Edinburgh Awards at TDA

  • 4th August 2016

     Like 1595

    Guest Speaking at Duke of Edinburgh Awards – Peterborough Town...

  • 27th January 2016

     1 2647

    Dumball – It’s a Goa!

  • 27th January 2016

     Like 1896

    Individual Fundraiser of the Year! – £18,000 for Anna’s Hope

  • 27th January 2016

     Like 2033

    Jools Holland Fairies for Anna’s Hope

  • 30th September 2015

     Like 2393

    Prince’s Trust Motivational Talk

  • 18th August 2012

     1 1998

    Pride in Peterborough Awards

Join me on an adventure

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Darren Grigas

Join me in an exclusive group to take on a multi-day adventure in South Wales - Places and dates are limited, so enquire early
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If you stay ready, you don't have to get ready. 💪🏼👊🏼🍩🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ A tough finish to a 68 mile week - with a 45lb loaded run on tired legs, fueled by profiteroles and home baked goodies. Not fast or far, but worth it. With so many events cancelled, it's easy to lose your training mojo. I had a few lazy weeks myself since tearing a couple of tendons in my ankle in late November and it was difficult to get that mojo back even once I was able to run again. Make yourself accountable to others and it'll give you that extra nudge to get out and do it. I've got a brilliant group of legends excited and training towards my next Wales Endurance Weekend which should have been happening right now pre-pandemic shutdown. I now have to stay ready so as to lead by example and the group are all over it, training hard and keeping me on my toes! We're all raring to go and taking this delay as bonus training time, but hoping July could see Wales letting us in, whenever the gates open, we'll be ready! darrengrigas.com/wales Find your mojo by challenging friends, or committing to something on the nearest horizon. @sarahjk1828 @sarajpx @selfdefencecoach @pookiepoo1984 @jolambe01 @r.d.bright #stayready #trainhard #keeptraining #runforcake #runforbeer #bergenrunners #loadstone #challengeyourself #weekendrun
We're all fighting our own battles, but there is g We're all fighting our own battles, but there is great reward and empowerment in helping others, no matter how big or small that help may be. This feature details a little something we've been able to do during lockdown at @stamford_stays Riverside Apartments. We can all help someone today and every day in one way or another. Fetching shopping, making a call to check on someone, talking and more importantly, listening to others, we all have something to give. Reposted from @stamford_stays Huge thanks to @rutland_and_stamford_mercury for such a nice feature about us being part of the #staysforheroes initiative from @eviivo during lockdown. Within government guidelines we have been running a non-profit scheme to accommodate @nhs and key workers, first responders and to those stuck between homes. Whilst we're just keeping our heads above water utilising available grants and loans, we were in a position to help and knew it was the right thing to do. We always pride ourselves on the cleanliness and appearance of the apartments, and strive to have them 'showhome clean' for every single guest arriving. We are proud of our consistently high scoring reviews online across all channels such as @bookingcom & @airbnb and direct feedback from guests many of whom return again and again. For regular holidaymakers and visitors to Stamford, we're offering BUY NOW STAY LATER vouchers, with huge discounts and no need to commit to dates. (See previous posts for details). #staysforheroes #nhs #visitstamford #stamford #servicedapartments #stamfordstays #ukholidays #staycation #keyworkers #stamfordliving #riversideapartments
Finally! I've been meaning to run to the coast fro Finally! I've been meaning to run to the coast from here since I moved into my current home over seven years ago, and on a spur of the moment decision after seeing a friend had cycled there and back, today turned out to be the day. It wasn't a race, just a nice comfy mobile picnic and Fenland Safari tour. I wasn't 100% sure of the route, so missed a few turns, but it was a lovely route all the way, definitely a winner for the cyclists and much of it was part of the National Cycle Route too. It was great enough to reach the sea, but to top it off, @sarahjk1828 drove out to collect me and brought a very welcome cold beer too, winning!! For those wanting to push themselves further on their runs, don't feel pressured to be quick, to race or break yourself, you'll easily lose the enjoyment. An adventure run can take as long as you like, walk a bit, eat a bit, take photos of cows a bit. I even had a couple of video calls on the way. Enjoy the miles, get there when you get there! #spontaneousrun #runtothesea #bucketlistrun #longslowrun #explore #sundayrunday #runforbeer
Next time I sneak a selfie with David Mitchell in Next time I sneak a selfie with David Mitchell in Buckingham Palace (rumbled by the staff behind us), I'll try not to accidentally have all the filters turned up full whack so it looks like we're a pair of water colour characters. A couple of years back I was invited to speak at the Palace for the @dofeuk awards, which was a great experience. Hopefully they'll still take me back after this 👀 I don't get the whole filters thing being able to go so extreme that you don't even look like yourself. 🤷‍♂️ and then there's dog noses, butterflies and bunny ears, all fun, but there are some who never post photos without them, so you don't even know what that person really looks like without an animal mask on, unless they wear them in real life perhaps?! Maybe I'll try a dog nose selfie with Prince Edward on my next royal appointment. 🐶 #davidmitchell #buckinhampalace #publicspeaker #keynotespeaker #schoolspeaker #dofeaustralia #dofeuk
Nice to have a relaxing day full of tea and treats Nice to have a relaxing day full of tea and treats, oh and maybe some wine, cider and champagne to wash down the cakes and barbecue lunch of course. #athlete 👀 🌭🍔🍰🥧🍪🍩🍾🍺🍷 It's been a poignant but uplifting day as the air raid siren went off before and after the 2-minute silence. We then watched Churchill's speech and toasted those who sacrificed so much for us. Too many too easily forget how lucky we are to live in this era. #veday #villagelife #veday75 #stayhomesavelives
My village is like a step back in time on any give My village is like a step back in time on any given day, but today on VE Day it's going to be exceptional. Within current guidelines, we'll be on our doorsteps to celebrate and show thanks to those who sacrificed so much for their country. Tea & cakes, Churchill's speech, and a street sing-song will be part of the day's scheduling. It's going to be a very poignant but beautiful day. #veday #villagelife #veday75 #churchill #lockdownlife #appreciationpost #celebrate
Back on the windy roads of Patagonia. Where have Back on the windy roads of Patagonia. Where have your favourite adventures been? Where next? . . 📸 @leofrancisphotography 👊🏼
I'm proud to be working with such a great team kee I'm proud to be working with such a great team keeping Peterborough informed and entertained. I'll be updating my own sections of the site, exploring and advising on activities, home workouts, and future events in our region. If you'd like to promote your own business to the Peterborough reach through @espmagazine_pbo Drop me a message and we'll get you out there. #keepingpeterboroughpositive #peterborough #whatsonpeterborough
Tour de le Fens - out and back A nice break from Tour de le Fens - out and back A nice break from running around today. Switched down a couple of gears to a nice long walk along quiet routes and trails. There aren't many (any) hills round here, over 17 miles the total elevation gain was less than 150ft! 😂 but the Fens are a great place for meandering around spotting loads of birds and wildlife, even saw a cheeky stoat skipping along. #fenland #walking #walks #sundaystrolling #sundaystroll #instawalk #willrunforfood
What would Ranulph Fiennes say? "Just keep putting What would Ranulph Fiennes say? "Just keep putting one foot in front of the other" 👣 During my Marathon des Sables, I had the pleasure of tent sharing with Ran, getting to know him well as we each went through our own challenges and goals during our Sahara experience. Once you're living under a blanket on sticks and having to race back-to-back desert marathons, it doesn't matter who you are or where you come from in the normal world. Millionaires, celebrities, or some dude from Peterborough, you're just a group of people sleeping rough, tending to your wounded feet, swapping peanuts for jelly babies. For Ran, it gave him the content for his book 'Heat'. Perhaps I'll eventually get a book out sometime too? Ranulph is a genuine no nonsense, 'keep on keeping on' guy. Like me, he was there to do a job and that was that. It was inspirational to see him having recently turned 71, being out there with us youngens to cross that desert no matter what. Despite 50 degree heat, worn feet, rattled bones and aching body (that was just me!) as long as we kept moving forwards, the finish line was inevitable. Here in today's world, as we all continue with our own struggles during lockdown, we need to just keep putting one foot in front of the other. It might not be graceful or as easy as we'd like, it's probably not the path we should be on, but as long as we keep on keeping on, the tough times will pass. Adapt to our surroundings, ration our luxuries, accept the many obstacles, and keep moving forwards regardless. We'll soon be able to look back with heads held high, knowing we cracked on, did our best and got the job done. @marathondessables @ultrarunninglimited @runningworld @trailrunningmag @trailmagazine #keeponkeepinon #sirranulphfiennes #ranulphfiennes #mds #mds2015 #mds2021 #marathondessables #keepputtingonefootinfrontoftheother #runfar #ultramarathontraining
Happy birthday Colonel Tom!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏(x30million!) Reposted from @stamford_stays Happy birthday and congratulations to the amazing 'Colonel' Tom Moore. His initial target of just £1,000 was absolutely shattered as donations passed £30,000,000.00 for the NHS today. The MoD gave an honorary promotion from Captain to Colonel on his 100th birthday today too. It has been incredible to see the country get behind this inspirational man. This goes to show, you're never too old to achieve amazing things, and there are no excuses. Focus on what you CAN do, rather than what you can't. #tommoore #nhs #clapfornhs #captaintommoore #stamfordstays @stamfordliving @nhswebsite @virginradiouk @stamford_together @rutland_and_stamford_mercury @justgiving @captaintommoorephotos
Since my last crossing in Patagonia, it's been a c Since my last crossing in Patagonia, it's been a challenge to truly regain my running mojo. This lockdown has brought new perspectives, and priorities, I've got out, plodded along questioning what I'm doing and why, why am I running? For fitness, for time, for medals? I've not had one of those for a very long time. For the sheer love of it? Sometimes we can forget why we do what we do...perhaps I forgot why I started? I set off a few days ago, with nowhere to be, no time or distance in mind, maybe I'll do more than 10 miles for the first time in months... sometimes I listen to music, most times just to the sounds around me, on this occasion I started listening to Rob Seger aka @trainingforultra and his journey into running. I could instantly relate to this guy 'having a go' at running, and turning out to be pretty bloody good at it. It took me back to my first big race @marathondessables back in 2015 which I dreamed of running since a car accident damaged my back, and I could barely run a mile but was determined I wouldn't be beaten. As a cherry on top, one of my Sahara tentmates was the amazing Sir Ranulph Fiennes, and I not only finished, but almost made the top 10% in my first major ultra. My life had changed, I became an ultra-runner. Next? Then onto the incredible @capewrathultra 400km over the Scottish Highlands and onto many other amazing events, meeting incredible people. I was hungry for it, racing everything I could, to get my next fix, see how much further I could push myself and being excited and anxious not knowing if I could complete these amazing challenges. Listening to Rob's stories whilst running the last few days has brought back that familiar excitement and reminder of why I run and how good it feels to be inspired by others and in turn inspire and motivate others on their adventures. I'm somewhere in chapter 27 and looking forward to getting back on the road and plugged in for the rest of the book. Thanks for the stories Rob, and for helping me find my mojo out there on the routes. Maybe we'll share a trail someday. See you out there! #runningmojo #trainingforultra #ranulphfiennes #ultrarunning #runchat
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Prince's Trust - Guest Speaker

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As a guest speaker Darren is a true inspiration to all. His approach to challenge, personal development and lifelong learning made him the perfect guest speaker to inspire and motivate our team. His adventures are the perfect hook to get the young people engage and his subtle but targeted “suggestions” on personal development stayed with the team throughout the twelve week programme.

Kit Lists - Everything you need for your running and adventure challenges

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If you're just starting out, or planning to cross a desert, jungle or 100 miles of ice, I share all the tips and recommended products here
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Peterborough Open Awards Centre CIC - Motivational Speaker

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Motivation and inspiration are key elements in encouraging young people to strive beyond their limiting beliefs. As a guest speaker on our National Citizen Service courses; the group listened attentively as he talked them through his various exploits as an extreme adventurer and charity fundraiser. His stories of completing the Marathon Des Sables and spending a week challenging alongside Sir Ranulph Fiennes as he became the oldest UK citizen to complete the challenge held his audience spellbound. A true motivational speaker.

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