BodyHoliday Three Peaks Challenge

05.08.18

In April of 2018, BodyHoliday Saint Lucia took another deliberate step forward in the arena of physical fitness. Not resting on the laurels of having spearheaded the country’s first ever Strongman Swimming event, the world’s leading 5-star Health and Wellbeing resort pioneered a new challenging experience, as equally demanding mentally at it was physically. This new accomplishment, dubbed the BodyHoliday Three Peaks Challenge, came in the form of fifteen arduous hours, four brave BodyHoliday adventurers, three of the highest mountains in St. Lucia, two quick pit stops and one goal: accomplishing the extraordinary.

CONQUERING THE THREE PEAKS CHALLENGE

Aiming at a 4:00am start time, the boys of the BodyHoliday geared up and headed down south for their first obstacle, Mt. Gimie. Making sure to properly fuel up prior and packing only the bare necessities (lots of water!), the troop journeyed into the dense darkness of the rainforest around 4:20am, fully equipped with gloves and head torches. Though a few minutes behind their predicted schedule, the 4-man team made good time on their way to the top of their first mountain, keeping a steady pace and moving through the trail with tenacity. Braving the mud, the darkness and the incessant rain, the team managed to reach their first summit around 6:30am. Covered by layers of fog 3117ft above sea level, nothing could be seen from the top of Mt. Gimie except grey skies on this misty morning.

After some quick refreshments and a brief photo op, the boys started their descent in more or less the same conditions they ascended in; cold, wet and messy. However, due to the new light of the early morning sun, it made it much easier going down than it was coming up. Finally completing their first trial of three at around 9:00am, our BodyHoliday adventurers dried off, topped up their tanks with some food and water and made their way to the second hurdle that would prove to be the most challenging. The team got to Petit Piton in good spirits and with enough energy to maintain their enthusiasm going into their second obstacle. Starting from the beach at around 10:30am, the team made their way from sea level to peak and then back down to seal level, ensuring that they covered all 2425ft that Petit Piton had to offer. Despite being the shortest elevation of the three mountains, it was surely the steepest and most challenging climb.

This would be the hurdle that would take the most out of them as the trail was mostly vertical, increasingly so the higher up they got, and called upon a lot of upper body exertion as well. Along the trail, the path was equipped with ropes for safety as well as for assistance in certain areas that required literally rock climbing the face of the mountain. Luckily, the weather had long cleared up, providing a fairly dry path for our heroic hikers and making the trail a lot less troublesome than it could have possibly been. Summiting at around 12:20pm, the brave BodyHoliday branded adventurers took a minute for mementos, as usual, and re-energized for their now daring descent. Coming down proved to be much more difficult than going up, but through careful and cautious action, they made it back down to the beach safely in 2hrs. Two down, one to go. Two mountains later, Gros Piton was the final peak left. Mentally and physically drained by this point, this trial was true test of endurance as the heaviness of the legs could now be felt. Regardless, our adamant adventurers prepared to take on their last challenge of the day, happy to see the end within sight.

So close to the finish line the only thoughts in the BodyHoliday camp were about completing this crazy challenge that they’d embarked on over 10hrs ago. Starting from the base of their last mountain at 3:30pm, the gents set off on what was undoubtedly their slowest pace of the day. There was a noticeable difference in not only the energy levels of the troops, but also in the weight of the legs. Still, continuing to clamber through the cramping muscles, the team stayed together as a singular unit and kept progressing at an even pace. Approximately 2hrs later and 2579ft higher, our four champions stood proudly on top of their third and final peak at around 5:30pm. The triumph could be seen in the tired faces of these pioneers. Though they’d all just set a new national record, it was undeniably a personal best for each one of them. But celebrations could not be had yet. The task was not complete until they descended. So, with an easy and effortless procession back down the final mountain, the lads celebrated upon reaching back down to the beach. The first annual BodyHoliday Three Peaks Challenge had been conquered! The feelings of accomplishment that comes from pushing the body beyond its perceived limits and completing something as demanding as that are immeasurable. Unbelievable even! The only question that remains now is, “Who will be up to the challenge next year?”

#Outdoors #BodyHoliday #StLucia #Hiking #ThreePeaks #ThreePeakChallenge #Adventure #Articles #Travel