On 21 May, I took part in Shorts Lifts' inaugural Triplex Challenge. Joining one of the star-studded Pickerings Lifts teams, this was without a doubt one of the toughest physical challenges I’ve taken part in.
Now, you might ask, what is the Triplex Challenge?
Launched by Shorts’ Lift Professional brand this year, the challenge invites teams from across the lift industry to take part in a day of strenuous activity in the Lake District. This first event featured a 7-mile hike across Helvellyn, followed by a 1.5-mile canoe across Ullswater Lake, and then a 4-mile team carry up and down fells with a 50kg log. And to make matters even more difficult, we were competing against each other and therefore against the clock.
The weather was not on our side either. It was a day of rain and fog; it felt largely impossible to dry off, and there are few experiences more demoralising than climbing a mountain only to find there’s no view from the top!
So why did I, and over 40 others, decide to spend a Thursday in May putting ourselves through such an arduous test?
Firstly, it’s important to test yourself in life, and it’s important to have strong relationships with those you work with. There are few experiences that bring you closer together as a group of colleagues than climbing a mountain, paddling across a lake and then, if that weren’t enough, coordinating a weighted carry across unforgiving, wet terrain. There were plenty of difficult moments, and some choice words! But they only served to bind the team even tighter together.
Secondly, the event raised £3,140 for Macmillan Cancer Support. Most of us know someone - a colleague, a family member, a friend - who has leaned on Macmillan during the hardest moments of their life, and it was fantastic to be able to give something back. Each team was also able to raise money for their own chosen charity. Our Pickerings Lifts team raised funds to purchase a publicly accessible defibrillator for our Manchester office.
Thirdly, we were able to bring together thirteen teams from across the UK and European lift industry in truly innovative fashion. These are firms that are usually competing for tenders, for talent, for contracts. But on this day, despite the competitive nature of the event, we were in fact on the same side – raising money for great causes, sharing knowledge and strengthening relationships within the industry.
The challenge was designed to test endurance, teamwork, and communication. These are qualities that lift professionals rely on every day.
The money raised for charity and the invaluable team bonding made the sore legs and exhaustion well worth it. It was an unforgettable experience. I’m already looking forward to next year’s Triplex Challenge, and I suspect everyone who took part would gladly do it again.
We had fun, we pushed each other, and the best team won. Congratulations to UK Lift Tech Ltd and see you in the Lakes next year!
A big thank you also to the sponsors whose generosity made the whole day possible.
