I have to say at the outset, I appreciate how lucky I am, my ‘challenges’ not being of the serious nature experienced by others.

I love a ‘challenge.’ I do. I really enjoy testing myself; taking myself out my comfort zone. Sure, it sometimes creates unnecessary stress and pressure. And that may not be everyone’s idea of fun. But the satisfaction and self-smugness upon successful completion of the challenge is well worth it!

I’m not daft. I know my limitations. I wouldn’t for one moment even consider something like swimming the Atlantic or eating a plateful of broccoli.

No – things like: writing a book (tick); sit with my legs dangling over the 338m high platform at the top of The Macau Tower (tick); set up and co-host a hugely popular 1970s themed website – Once Upon a Time in The ’70s – (tick); take a couple of six-hour journeys on India’s Konkan Railway – as featured on Chris Tarrant’s ‘Extreme Railways’ television programme (tick.)

No biggies, I know, but they keep me amused and out of mischief. 😉

The biggest challenge, then, I’ll face in the next six months?

Gaining my qualification as a Club Coach in Pickleball.

Again, it’s completely insignificant in the list of Life’s great priorities, I know. And nobody else will give a stuff be I successful or fall flat on my paddle. But from the day I started playing the sport just short of two years ago, I knew it was something I’d love to become involved in.

It had always been my intention to go into coaching my first love, athletics, when I had time. However, Pickleball (in Scotland at least) is mainly played indoors, and much as I still love cross country and track running, the idea of coaching on a cold, wet, windy West of Scotland evening wasn’t quite as attractive as being in a warm(ish) dry indoor court.

Pickleball won.

It’s been a long process though. Fun and interesting, but lo-o-o-ng; over a year in fact, though I have done some extra course along the way, just to add to my coaching CV.

I’m not far from the summit now, and should hopefully have just one more ‘coach-in-training’ session to go. Fingers crossed.

After that?

I think I’ll learn to play my guitar.