Wild Rise

WILD RISE HITS THE DUNES

Something a little different for this week's Sunday session.

The crew headed 20 miles from home to Merthyr Mawr for a morning on the dunes — hill work, partner carries and plenty of fun taking on the Big Dipper, before hitting the trails towards the coast and finishing with a well-earned dip in the sea. 🌊

Different terrain. Different challenge. Plenty of laughs.

There's something pretty special about a group willing to travel, explore somewhere new and spend their Sunday morning doing this together.

More than just a weekly run. This is Wild Rise.

Adventure

Member Spotlight | Gareth

Six months can change a life.

When Gareth joined Wild Rise back in January, he described himself as an unfit 47-year-old looking to get stronger and healthier.

Fast forward to today...

🏃 10K: 57:00 last year ➜ 52:47, beating the PB he set 15 years ago.

⚖️ 2½ stone lost.

🏔️ From running near the back of the group... to regularly leading sections of our trail runs.

He now heads out on solo trail runs during the week because he's discovered something he never expected to love.

One of our favourite comments from Gareth was:

"Didn't think I would ever be running up mountains for fun."

And after smashing his latest PB while running the Velindre 10K alongside his son Alfie, he said:

"Definitely wouldn't have improved so much without the guidance and support from you guys."

The truth is, Gareth has earned every second of that progress.

He kept turning up.

He trusted the process.

He stepped outside his comfort zone.

👏 Brilliant work, Gareth. We're incredibly proud of how far you've come.

This is what Wild Rise is all about.

📸 Our official Into The Wild #2 gallery is now live!

A huge thank you to Dynasty Photography for capturing the evening so brilliantly. These photos perfectly capture the adventure and atmosphere of the night.

We've also uploaded a second album, "The Journey", featuring some of the moments we captured ourselves along the way.

Feel free to tag yourself, tag your friends and relive another unforgettable evening with us. 🌿💚

⛰️ THE CARDIFF 3 PEAKS ⛰️

Another Wild Rise first.

After the incredible atmosphere of Into The Wild on Friday evening, it was back to the trails today as we took on the Cardiff 3 Peaks.

Over 11 miles, nearly 3,000ft of climbing, three summits and around three hours on our feet.

📍Craig Yr Allt
📍Caerphilly Mountain
📍The Garth

We knew from the start it would be a tough morning, so members had the option to finish after two peaks if they wanted. A few took that option, and we dropped them safely back to the start before the rest of the group pushed on to tackle the final climb.

It wasn't about who was fastest or who reached the top first. It was about encouraging each other, working as a team and pushing a little further than you thought you could.

Carl was nursing an injury today, so he swapped his trail shoes for the mountain bike to lend some support.

These are the days that remind us what Wild Rise is all about. Not just the miles, not just the climbs, but the people beside you who make every summit that little bit easier.

Another milestone. Another first. On to the next adventure. 🌲💪

INTO THE WILD #2 🌿

On Friday evening, 30 of us set off on another Into The Wild adventure.

Just over 5 miles, over 1,000ft of climbing, logs, sandbags, woodland trails and one very tough climb to the top of Garth Mountain.

When everyone first saw the logs and sandbags, there were definitely a few nervous faces! But from the very first step, something special happened.

Our Wild Rise members immediately rallied around everyone else. There was constant encouragement, laughter, advice and support. Logs were rotated, bags were shared, and nobody was left behind.

It was a reminder that we're all capable of far more than we often give ourselves credit for. Sometimes all it takes is a little grit, determination and the right people around you.

Reaching the summit together made every step worth it. After catching our breath, we finished with a few fun team challenges before winding our way back down through some beautiful trails as the sun began to set.

This wasn't about who was the fastest or strongest.

It was about working together, pushing outside our comfort zones and sharing an unforgettable evening with an incredible group of people.

To everyone who came along... thank you for making it another special night.

We're already looking forward to the next one. 🌿💚

Last night's session was a first for Wild Rise.

Introducing Carry & Climb.

This week also marked the debut of our brand-new Wild Rise sandbags. Built in-house, filled with real sand and weighing 10kg, 15kg and 20kg, they're designed for one thing—real outdoor training.

Every member carried a sandbag from camp to the summit of Craig yr Allt.

Around 650ft of climbing over steep, uneven trails before finishing with a series of full-body strength exercises overlooking South Wales.

No machines.

No mirrors.

Just grit, determination and a team that keeps each other moving.

Sessions like this challenge every muscle. Your legs drive you uphill, your shoulders and back carry the load, your core works constantly to stabilise the weight, and your grip is tested every step of the way.

But more than anything, this session was about working together. Bags were swapped, encouragement never stopped, and everyone reached the summit.

That's what Wild Rise is all about.

Carry. Climb. Conquer.

🌲💪