Joel Hicks

2007 was my first full year of doing mad-cap charity events. The New Year saw me compete in the attritional Tough Guy, as well as some leg busting multi-terrain jaunts (which were made even more difficult by the fact that I was either handcuffed or wearing a straight jacket!). After a trip to London to dodge, duck, dive, dip and dodge in my first event organised by the 8th Day group, I also took part in my first coal carrying race as a warm up to the Paris Marathon, during which I was interviewed live on French TV!

The summer season brought plenty more smiles and laughs. After competing as Mr T in the Brighton Superhero Challenge I was awarded "Best Superhero" by the organisers, before travelling to Kent to remove all my clothes in my first naked running race, Naked Ambition. Not simply resigned to the ridiculous, I also took part in what is arguably one of the most dangerous and feared events on the planet, the Running of the Bulls in Spain, before returning home to test myself in the Nettle Warrior (the summer version of Tough Guy). The highlight of the summer however had to be winning the "Kingfisher" Class of the International Bognor Birdman competition, from which I was able to donate more than £1000 to Rainbows Children's Hospice in Loughborough, and then subsequently competing in the first every World Gravy Wrestling Championships.

Through autumn and winter I continued to experience new events, taking part in the world renowned Great North Run, before trying my luck at the World Conker Championships and returning to a handful of very muddy and very wet adventure races. A return to Liverpool to take part once again in the Santa Dash was followed by a final dip in the Welsh ocean on Boxing Day at the Tenby Boxing Day Swim - an event certainly not for the faint hearted!