‘3 days and 4 nights of multi-sport adrenalin fueled adventure’ may not sound like a working week at Microsoft, but for a select few interns, that’s exactly what next week is.
- Our team moments before they swam with the fish’s
Every year Microsoft completes in the UK Challenge – the UK’s biggest and most infamous team development event. This year a select few of the Interns have stepped up alongside newcomers and veterans across the business to represent Microsoft. Over 3 days and 4 nights 50 teams from different businesses around the UK will be competing to complete approximately 8 stages using strategy, intelligence whilst navigating Exmore on Foot, Bike and Canoe.
My challenger journey started back in November after finding the gym at work and deciding I wanted to get fit after neglecting my body for 2 years at University. With my new found enthusiasm for running, sweating and passing out I signed up for the challenger introduction day. This was a day spent having an introduction to what the UK challenge is all about, learning basic skills, trying our luck at problem solving and ultimately having a go at our own mini stage.
Once I had opted in to challenger, it was full steam ahead. Every Wednesday morning before work the Microsoft ‘Challengers’ spent an hour before work running, cycling, rowing, jumping, lunging, stepping, throwing, catching and learning what hard exercise really feels like. The number of ‘challengers’ slowly dropped until we were left with the last 20. These 20 were split into their 4 teams for the UK Challenge and the training got harder. Wednesday mornings were now an hour and a half and included Pilates and Yoga to start, then relay races around fields, lakes and up hills. Muscles I never knew existed would (and still do) scream at me for days after each session.
- Building a device for flag Signalling
A crucial part of the training was going to Exmore for training weekends. This gave us an idea of the challenge’s we would be doing and the terrain on which we will be competing. So for 2 weekends we have put on our sexiest running and cycling wear and headed out into the wilderness to find checkpoints, get lost in the dark and canoe across a Lake. These were all really challenging, but very fun.
So in exactly 1 week I will be in Exmoor running, cycling, navigating, constructing and canoeing with my fellow challengers. I am really looking forward to it and I will give you an update next week of how we do!
Be Your Future 