Tuesday 2nd June 2015
It’s a few days after Ben and Karl’s event, Primal Events On Trial. They punished me and 4 others to a weekend of mental, physical and emotional tasks, breaking us down.
Throughout the event, I think how I absolutely have to finish it because if I don’t, I wouldn’t prove myself to Ben and Karl and possibly be taken off the rowing team.
Fortunately, I finish the event, the second female to ever complete it.
It’s the Tuesday after the event and despite booking the day out to work from home, I’m on a high! Adrenaline is still pumping though my veins and I can’t stop thinking about all the laughs and lows I experienced over the last few days.
Suddenly I have an epiphany!
I’d been racking my brain for weeks on who else might be interested in filling our last position for the row, I think of someone.
During On Trial, I met a guy called Matt. He was quiet, practical, positive and took things in his stride. He didn’t talk much.
The other guys who took part in the event, seasoned Primal Events finishers, Ben, Luke and Jason, had already been asked if they wanted to take part in the row, but sadly they all had commitments which meant it wasn’t suitable. I wondered, would Matt be interested?
I Whatsapped him: ‘Hey, I’ve got a random question for
Despite spending 41 hours in his company, I didn’t know a lot about him. He lived close to me and we had planned to do a bit of training together, chatted in a group Facebook message but that was about it.
Matt- “Hey, can’t talk, I’m at work, what’s up?”
I thought that asking if he fancied rowing the Atlantic wasn’t really the kind of question one should ask through whatsapp, however figured I’d just go for it and the worst that could happen was he’d say no.
Me: “Here goes, random Tuesday question. Ben and Karl from Primal are rowing the Atlantic Ocean Christmas 2016, they’ve asked me to join them. We are looking for a fourth person. Do you fancy it?”
I reread my message. Yep, that certainly counts as a random question for someone I’d only known for 3 days.
Matt: “Are there sharks?”
Me: “No”
Me: “Yes”
Me: “Is that the right answer?”
After a bit more banter…..
Matt: “Sounds like fun”
At that point, I knew he was in. If he’d have asked about finances, told me he couldn’t get time off work, asked about the dangers, or any other realistic or sensible question, I’d have counted him as out. He didn’t ask any of those. This was the kind of guy we needed to fill our last position.
I informed Ben and Karl. They told me they needed to meet Matt properly.