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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Blog

6th September 2020

Cycling the Green Wheel

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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

...

Read more

Blog, Motivational talks

3rd November 2016

Talking at the Palace

...

Read more

Adventures, Blog, Challenges, Race reviews

29th September 2016

Running the inaugural Cape Wrath Ultra, a truly Beautiful Behemoth

...

Read more

  • PSHE

    2nd February 2020

     Like 335

    Talking to the children of Fulbridge Academy

  • 21st May 2019

     Like 466

    An invite to Buckingham Palace

  • 3rd November 2016

     1 2262

    Talking at the Palace

  • 29th September 2016

     1 2003

    Cathedral abseil for its 900th birthday, yes please!

  • 29th September 2016

     1 2266

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

  • 23rd September 2016

     Like 2733

    Guest Speaker: Duke of Edinburgh Awards at TDA

  • 4th August 2016

     Like 1845

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

  • 27th January 2016

     1 2934

    Dumball – It’s a Goa!

  • 27th January 2016

     Like 2161

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

  • 27th January 2016

     Like 2250

    Jools Holland Fairies for Anna’s Hope

  • 30th September 2015

     Like 2576

    Prince’s Trust Motivational Talk

  • 18th August 2012

     1 2162

    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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We struck gold with the weather today as we took o We struck gold with the weather today as we took on some awesome trails around Afan Forest. There are some serious gut-busting hills to climb, but they're totally worth it for the epic views and brilliant trails back down. @ejgrigas suffered an unprovoked ambush from a branch which jumped into his wheel and snapped his derailleur. This added a new challenge of removing the chain, tying the derailleur with my shoelace and then coasting it back down for the final couple of miles and running it up any further hills. This should totally be a new sport if it isn't already. Chainless MTB! Thanks to Ben and co at @afanvalleybikeshed for being understanding and as cool as always. We'll be back soon, and do our best to avoid aggressive branches and foliage. #afanforest #afanforestbikepark #afan #mtb #visitwalesafterlockdown
How quickly do you think you can climb Europe's 2n How quickly do you think you can climb Europe's 2nd biggest sand dune? Or ascend the 886m summit of Pen Y Fan in the Brecon Beacons where SAS selection takes place? Can you hold your nerve riding the more technical routes of Afan Forest? Next weekend I'm returning with a group who will be challenging themselves to do all of this over three tough but amazing days, designed to be great training for ultra marathons, desert marathons and simply smashing your perceived limits through to another level! This will be the fourth time leading a group, and everytime the progress each person makes over the duration is simply brilliant. Each pushing their limits, with my guidance and coaching throughout. I share everything I've learned from my years of endurance challenges, to fine tune your efficiency, mindset, nutrition, form and more. It's great to see each legend in the making, getting mentally stronger every day, and leaving dripping with sweat but beaming with pride and excitement. If you're interested in future dates for the three-day event in 2021, tag/comment below and DM me to be first in line, as I only take small groups so places are genuinely very limited. #challengeyourself #penyfan #wales #hiking #deserttraining #endurance #endurance #nolimits #ultramarathontraining #ultratraining #afanforest #mountainbiking #sanddunes #runningonsand #breconbeacons
Mr Molecey's Mind & Muscle Mill! Try saying that Mr Molecey's Mind & Muscle Mill! Try saying that a few times fast. Quite a tongue twister, but what we're thinking is the right name for this amazing three-day experience launching for Spring 2021. Set in the 20 acre estate of this 13 bedroom Mill, built way back when by Mr Molecey of course. I'm not sure this can be called a 'wellness retreat' because its going to be so much more! We are creating an experience that will push your physical and mental limits, and reward you with a bit of relaxation that you'll have damn well earned! My aim is for everyone to leave the weekend with their minds and bodies blown. To leave and still be thinking and talking about their experiences for weeks to come. The three days will comprise of a blend of experiences ranging from: Royal Marine Commando led drills and challenges, River swims, icy dips, yomps, cycling, kayaking, Slacklining, to the more relaxing yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. Each day will wind down with hot tubs and stories around the fire pit from guest speakers sharing their tales of adventures. You'll even get professional sports massage, treatment and consultation to help reset you. All meals and healthy shakes will be freshly created and served whilst everyone has a bit of downtime to chat and share stories of their own. The Mill and Granary will be the luxury accommodation, with unique deluxe rooms and bathrooms to yourselves, to catch up on your sleep before starting the next day. We're running a founder's event on the weekend of Nov 6-8 at a fraction of the 2021 cost and require four more participants to help us create this amazing experience. These 3 full days rammed with experiences, 2 nights in the amazing Mill and 20 acres, all meals, all for just £595 or £995 for couples sharing. (Installment options available) This is around half the price we'll be launching at in 2021, so if you want to be part of the founding event, jump on now! We only have four spaces left, so please DM me with your email address and I can send full details.
Had my first little stint on a Fat Bike today whil Had my first little stint on a Fat Bike today whilst out with superquads @dom.does.stuff Such a cool chunky piece of kit to cruise over rough terrain. I set off on the bike not really having a plan, but after passing Dom going the other way, I joined him to take on a few miles of The Green Wheel. I'll be getting plenty more loops of this as I have to build up the miles in preparation for my first Ironman next year. 112 miles nestled neatly between a 2.4 mile swim and a marathon. Nice. #fatbike #thegreenwheel #greenwheel #ironmannewbie
I certainly don't miss the old desk job! Today's I certainly don't miss the old desk job! Today's activities have been quite varied, from ripping down ceilings, filling a skip with rubble, to a full round of golf getting cooked in the sun (I can run ultras across desert, yet golf in the sun feels more tiring?!), to trying a tired 10 mile time trial on the bike... (hot and tough out there tonight). I used to be stuck at a desk all day long building and fixing websites, the creativity was sucked out of it, as the business grew and things became more templates and systemised, I'd lost the passion I had back in my Uni days studying Graphic Design and the first few years of the career that followed. Something had to change... Over the last few years, I put more time into my property ventures, working with investors, buying, converting and very soon to be building homes. Together with a great team we created a great serviced accommodation business around @stamford_stays providing high-end short stay apartments for people visiting Stamford and surrounding areas. The property business is a fantastic means to create income and security which can free up time to pursue more of the incredible ultra running adventures I've been fortunate to have experienced. I'm now able to better help others prepare for their own endurance challenges. I get invited to speak at schools and businesses, a lead adventure challenges across the UK, and wake up excited about the day ahead. I could have still been living for the weekend and sighing at the thought of Mondays, stuck at that desk, feeling unfulfilled, and carried on like that forever... I'm glad I took the leap, created new opportunities and jumped ship. If you dread Mondays and live for the weekend, then consider doing something about it. You don't need to kick down ceilings and sign up for an Ironman, but if you have a dream job or lifestyle, then do something about it, make changes, take small steps to put things in place to make it a reality. Get ahead of hindsight, don't set yourself up for a list of shoulda, woulda, coulda... JFDI. #maketimenotexcuses #propertyinvestment #propertydevelopment #ultrarunner #ironmantraining #bethechange
Bastard! (Or bitch, as it's only the females that Bastard! (Or bitch, as it's only the females that are this nasty) Horse flies could work for NASA to help them land on travelling comets. Whilst I was peddling at about 20mph this morning, one of these little shits landed on me and started trying to chew my leg off. It felt like a tiny reprobate had stuck me with a blade, I caught it red-mouthed and flicked it off quickly before it took the whole leg. It's a well known fact that horse fly bites are only one step down from a great white shark bite. Only five miles later when I was done, it was already flaring up. These critters don't mess about with their nasty little scissor jaws. I think I'm lucky to be alive. This Ironman training is hard enough as it is, without being attacked in the street whilst I'm out there. Be careful out there folks! #horseflies #assholes #ironmantraining #ridesafely
If you time it right and get a clear day on the su If you time it right and get a clear day on the summit of Snowdon, it's absolutely stunning. I've been up many times when the weather looks great at the bottom, lovely clear sunny skies, and many unassuming walkers heading up in shorts and t-shirts, only to find a dramatic change at the top. Those final couple of hundred metres switch to a cold, cloud covered windy summit, horizontal rain and hail. Never underestimate a mountain, it will soon put you in your place. On this day however, it was just the way we wanted it. We headed up the Watkins Path, over the top, down the Miners Track, and back across to where we started. A great 14 mile hike leaving us a little bit cooked under the hot sun and ready for a nice cold cider! #snowdon #snowdonia #watkinspath #stayactivestayfit
A few days away to take advantage of the Snowdonia A few days away to take advantage of the Snowdonian rolling hills. It could be a nice relaxing break, but these hill are hard to resist scampering up and down, and throwing in a few sprints. Living in the Fens of England, I rarely get the chance to get some proper hilly runs in, and have to make use of a nearby bridge for multiple repeats. So to get out to such a stunning place and play is a very welcome treat. Now I'm officially in training for Ironman Bolton July 2021, I'll need to get a lot more hilly work in both on foot and on the bike. Having lacked a bit of focus during lockdown, this is a great incentive to up my game and become the version of myself that can cross that finish line in a respectable time. Time to ramp up the training! #ironman #ironmanintraining #snowdonia #hillrunning #hillsprints #runbetter
Bucket list item #3,254 Ahead of turning 43 tomor Bucket list item #3,254 Ahead of turning 43 tomorrow, and with a nudge or to from @therealgrantmcewan, I've bitten the bullet and committed to a full Ironman for 2021. It's on! Having never raced even the smallest of triathlons, this is a slight jump in at the deep end to England's only full distance Ironman, recognised as the best triathlon in the UK. I should probably learn to swim properly then?! In the gym pool I'd only usually push out about 10 lengths of breast stroke trying to keep up with the older ladies, so that is definitely going to be the newest and most challenging discipline of the three. Swim: 2.4 miles Cycle: 112 miles Run: 26.2 miles (marathon) It immediately feels both exciting to have something so big to train towards, and also feels really daunting because it's so big and notoriously tough. Set yourself amazing goals way out of your comfort zone, then become the version of yourself that can achieve them! #ironman #ironmanrookie #swimmingforbeginners #challengeyourself
Did my first official 10 mile TT (time trial) toni Did my first official 10 mile TT (time trial) tonight with the brillaint @peterboroughcyclingclub after some gentle persuasion from @fitfengirl finally got me there. Mel kindly gave me a recce tour of the route yesterday, we did a couple of laps at a leisurely pace, but tonight she tore off and got herself a new PB leaving me gasping a few minutes behind. Nice work Mel!! Cycling certainly isn't my strength and neither are short fast distances, even when running, so this was a challenge for me. Let me run 30+ miles and plod along all day, and I'm in my happy place. Short intense blasts like this are a different level, I even ended up getting cramp in my calf in the final mile! That never happens to me normally? 🤷🏽‍♂️👀 I was pretty humbled by the serious looking cyclists there, with all the kit and some incredible looking bikes probably 5-10x the cost of my dirty old faithful Boardman Cross. Their finish times are something to aspire to (in my dreams, 22 minutes?! 🤯), but tonight I was happy enough to not be last.... but it was close. 😬 I now have a good reason to spend more time on the bike and knock a few chunks off my times whilst the sessions last before the nights draw in. #tt #cyclingrookie #looknohands
I love when the old memories come up with my kids I love when the old memories come up with my kids when they were dinky (before they got big and smelly). It can be a stark reminder of how quickly time flies by. My boy @ejgrigas now stands about two inches taller than me and is turning into a damn fine young man with unlimited potential, and despite a few teenage bumps along the way, he makes me and more importantly himself proud. Treasure the time you have with your children, your friends and family, as it flies by so fast. Time is the most precious commodity we have, way before money, material things and "stuff" you can always get more of that. Time is finite for each of us, and never guaranteed. Through the clutter of negative press, one thing I've seen lots of during lockdown is so many people spending quality time with each other and appreciating the little things, as simple as a sincere "how are you?", checking in on others and talking to each other without gazing into our phones. People genuinely enjoying the moment, the here and now. Slow down, be present and savour the days we have with each other. Be kind, make great memories that you can look back on and remember knowing you didn't waste a second. Let's hope the value of spending quality time with each other is not easily forgotten as a new normal sets in. Have a great day!
Where in the world would you love to adventure mos Where in the world would you love to adventure most? A top contender for me was running around the foothills of Monte Fitzroy in Patagonia, between Chile and Argentina. We grabbed some incredible shots and footage with @jamesappletonphotography and @leofrancisphotography during our recce for @ratracehq #bucketlistseries
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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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