AMBITION, drive and determination – there's one empowering woman in north Dorset who has got it all. But as Laura Jones gears up for her next challenge, she tells Jessica Rees how training for the Everest Marathon starts right here where the heart is – at home.
IMAGINE being stuck in a blizzard, in one of the far corners of the earth blanketed in ice and snow, with only a tent as your shelter and two men for company smelling worse and worse as each day goes on – for eight days.
When Laura Jones, 28, from Shaftesbury in north Dorset, travelled to Greenland to summit the three highest peaks in the Arctic Circle in 2014, she could never have expected to have been so dramatically tested against the elements.
Her wish for a life on the wild side was taken to a new extreme, and since that moment, Laura's been itching for her next challenge. From the comfort of her home, she has decided to 'settle' on the world's highest marathon at Everest in Nepal, next May.
Laura said: "It was after a couple of glasses of red wine that the words 'I would love to run the Everest Marathon next year' came out of my mouth. The next morning I woke up with the feeling of disbelief of what I had signed up for.
"As someone who has never really run in a race before, it is without a doubt the most ambitious challenge I have ever signed up to."
The Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon starts at Everest Base Camp at 5,362m and finishes at Namche at 3,440m.
Laura will need to combat varying terrains on the mountain trail and despite it being downhill, climb 2,777m of ascent – just to add to the challenge. And then there's the small factor of altitude.
But the wonder woman is no stranger to the mountains. From climbing Kilimanjaro and seeing the sunrise over Africa, to conquering Mt Toubkal in Morocco; Laura has spent her life exploring the world at every given opportunity – and she's had her husband, Rhys Jones, by her side to share the memories.
Laura said: "I know this challenge is going to be great for me, even life changing.
"Since Rhys and I returned from our Greenland expedition, I have been desperate to find something else to challenge me in the same way – something which will give me the drive and determination to get out there and train even when the nights start drawing in.
"Something with an end goal."
While many people in their twenties are just finding their feet and career path, by setting goals, Laura's already been on a journey around the world and back – and even set up her own travel company with Rhys.
Laura said: "We set up our own expedition company, Monix Adventures, which is a perfect way for us to channel not only our enthusiasm for travel and adventure, but also all of the knowledge we’ve accumulated over years of travelling to far flung corners of the world.
"We help people to experience the incredible, and as it’s our passion, it never feels like a conventional job."
Explorer is in Laura's DNA. To other women and young people who want a life of adventure, but don't know where to start, Laura said: "Do it! You can make it whatever you want it to be.
"You can set your own goals and work on your own time frame to achieve them. Join a local running club or find a running partner. It’s great to share the experience and cheer each other on."
She said: "Just a couple of months ago I was only able to run to the bottom of the road (less than 1k) and now I am entering and completing 10k events! The best thing I’ve done was to start training with a local running club, The Dorset Doddlers.
"They meet on Tuesdays in Blandford and Thursdays in Sturminster Newton and welcome everyone. It’s wonderful to run with like-minded people who really care about your progress and support you."
In the past couple of months, Laura has already completed the New Forest 10k and the Gold Hill, Shaftesbury 10k.
She's already signed up to The Stickler, a 10 mile Dorset Three Peaks event on October 30 and a half marathon in Gosport next month.
So just where does she draw her inspiration from to get out there and just do it?
Laura said: "My inspiration comes from two people very important people in my life. My husband Rhys and my mum.
"Rhys took on a personal quest to climb the world’s seven summits, which he completed in 2006 after summiting Mount Everest on his 20th birthday.
"My mum decided to take up triathlons at the age of 50 and continues year after year to compete in events and challenge herself.
"My family and friends are always so supportive and that has always given me the confidence to challenge myself."
Laura's proved she has got what it takes to tackle anything she puts her mind to. Her ambition and ultimate goal is to run a marathon on each of the seven continents in the next few years.
It's that goal that has taken her on mini adventures across the county every week as she pushes her boundaries and finds her step for Everest with each run on Dorset soil.
Laura said: "I love adventure because you don’t need to travel to the other side of the world to find it; you just need to look around you.
"We are very fortunate here in Dorset that we have a lot of beautiful places to explore on our doorstep."
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