Jay Dudley Blog

Jay Dudley Blog

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It’s been 20 days since I joined over 600 public sector heroes, along with my incredible colleagues, in a test of both mind and body—the Public Sector Challenge. It was an event that pushed every one of us to our limits, a feat that left us exhausted, inspired, and utterly changed.

On September 6th, we gathered at the starting line of the Yorkshire 3 Peaks. Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside, and Ingleborough stood before us—a 25-mile hike, climb, scramble, and, at times, a “coddiwomple” across the rugged landscape. There were trips, scuffs, groans, and the occasional tear as we ascended, and it was clear from the start: this challenge would be no walk in the park.

For me, it felt like familiar ground—sort of. As a seasoned hiker and an ex-mountain marathon runner (okay, I’ve only done two as well as few other challenges and they were more of a walk-jog), I thought I was ready. I was wrong. Even Jason Nemits, (a real mountain marathon runner) who joined from AWS, admitted afterwards that we hadn’t given this challenge the respect it demanded.

But before we even laced up our boots, there was another challenge: organising the team. It felt like a mission in itself, long before the actual hike began. I can’t imagine how Jonathan Stephenson, Jenny Clack, Georgia Hawkes and the rest of the event organisers pulled it off with such grace. As for me, I hit my Volunteering Time Off quota just by pulling the Salesforce team together. Still, what I gained from that experience—confidence, resilience, and maybe a few grey hairs—was worth every moment of stress. I wouldn’t have traded it for anything.

Then came the day of the hike. A few colleagues had to drop out at the last minute due to personal circumstances, which, yes, added to my collection of grey hairs trying to find replacements and getting their challenge ‘swag’ to new owners. But in the end, we pulled together a final team of heroes—each one ready to face their own personal mountain. And for those who couldn’t be there? Their support was felt in every step we took. From generous donations to comfort packs, they were with us in spirit.

So, there we stood at the starting line, 5:30 AM in Horton in Ribblesdale, some of us with bagels, peanut butter, and bananas fuelling us for the journey ahead. We had a mixed crew: some facing their fear of heights, others pushing their fitness levels, a new mother, a few battling the aches and pains of age, and, of course, the over-prepared ones (okay, me) carrying 21kg of supplies “just in case.” (I weighed my pack afterwards to see how stupid I was) What was in that pack, you ask? Enough flapjacks to feed an army, bags of sweets, gum, maps, a compass, layers of clothing, a 3 litre hydration- bladder and an extra bottle of electrolytes and caffeine (+ extra sachets), 2kg of plasters (okay not 2kg but there was a good few grams of them that added to the weight) and even a trombone from the middle aisle of Lidl. I might have overdone it.

But off we went, torches alight, going off in the wrong direction at one point I might add, climbing the first peak, Pen-y-Ghent… and then the camaraderie kicked in. Laughs were shared, encouragement passed around, and friendships deepened with every step. The terrain challenged us all—there were slips, stumbles, and the inevitable blisters. But when one person faltered, another was there to lift them up. It was a testament to the strength of the team and the power of shared purpose.

Somewhere between the climbs and descents, rosie apple sweets became the snack of choice, and the flat tarmac was celebrated like a gift from above. Hiking poles were hailed as heroes themselves (I reckon we talked about this for about 2hours), and for a while, nothing seemed more precious than a smooth, even surface.

As we crossed the final peak (me regretting an all-day breakfast sandwich on the incline), Ingleborough, we allowed ourselves a moment of victory. We took photos of the stunning views, waved the Salesforce flag, and thought, We did it! All that was left was the descent. It was supposed to be an easy trek down, but as we soon learned, that final stretch had a cruel sense of humour.

At this point, we’d already logged 21 miles and were telling ourselves, “Only four more to go, max.” Spirits were high, and the pace picked up. Two miles in, we saw a sign: “2 miles to Horton in Ribblesdale.” That couldn’t be right… could it? Undeterred, we pressed on. As we passed each sign, hope would rise, only to be dashed again. “2 miles to Horton,” it said, but two miles later, it still wasn’t over. After what seemed like at least another 2 miles….Another mile sign— 1 mile to Horton in Ribblesdale. Was this some kind of joke? (How those signs are still standing I have no idea because they must have frustrated so many of us doing the challenge, and so many more before!)…..

That last mile, if it was even a mile, felt like the hardest of all. Conversation faded, but step by step, we kept going. And when we finally crossed the finish line, exhaustion gave way to elation. We had done it. Not just the 25 miles, not just the peaks—we had conquered our fears, our doubts, and our limits. But in that final stretch, I realised something: when you’re with a team like this, when you’ve got friends by your side, you can always dig a little deeper. You can keep going, even when you think you’ve hit the end.

Our Salesforce team, when our donation is matched, will have raised over £12,000, contributing to a collective total over £200,000. But more than the money, we walked away with something far greater. We built confidence, friendships, and resilience. We became stronger, braver, and more connected. Each one of us left something behind on those peaks—fear, doubt, insecurity—and in return, we gained something deeper: the knowledge that we can do this.

 

And so, to every single person who joined us on this journey, those who hiked, those who supported from afar, and those who made it all possible—thank you. Together, we proved that with the right people by your side, you can conquer anything.

 

Also huge thanks again to those who donated and supported us and a special mention to:

  • Richard Young for the continued support from start to finish,
  • Ian Hopkins who was wounded in action preparing for the event over the Malvern Hills prep walk,
  • Lindsey Edgerton and Simon Collinson for helping me get it off the ground at Salesforce;
  • And Amanda Cwietkow for the extremely thoughtful ‘comfort packs’ you made for my ‘crew’
  • To our partners: Adapt IQ Mohan Elango Joe Johnston Atif Mir, Digital Modus Ltd, Amazon Web Services (AWS) Jason Nemits Darren Farmer Stacey Jarrett —thank you.

And finally, to those who kept us safe, fed, and hydrated us throughout this incredible journey—cheers to you. We’ll never forget this experience, or the lessons we learned on the way.

Jay Dudley, Salesforce.