Tamara Moore

Back to success stories NAME: Tamara Moore AGE: 31 DATE: 27th March to 3rd April COURSE: Women’s residential boot camp, Devon "I lost 4.5 pounds and 5.5 inches!"

Perky’ is how one of my colleagues referred to my behind when I returned from my first boot camp with Staff Reitze, Udall, and Nesbitt (RUN). That alone made every penny that I’d spent for a week of schlepping up and down hills incredibly well spent.

So for the sake of a double dose of perky, when I heard that the boys had set-up Prestige, with my fellow boot camper Frankie, I had to go.

Early morning starts, no alcohol, and not a posh frock or heels for week. It should have been hell but it wasn’t – I loved it, every second. By the end of each day I was exhausted, to the point of silence – which for anybody who knows me is a wonder in itself. But every night for a week I slept the sleep of the just, and woke up energised, refreshed and ready to face ‘heartbreak hill’ (HH).

Prestige is all about you – the personal victories that you achieve for yourself. When it came to HH I was invariably last to the top but it didn’t matter because I was just chuffed that I hadn’t passed out two-thirds of the way up.

I loved the boxing, the football, the drills, the canoeing, abseiling, the walking. As I ran to the van on a glorious Friday afternoon, nobody would have guessed that it was the completion of a 14 mile walk along the Jurassic coast, and a number of bastard hills. And unlike ‘HH’, I was first back that day.

At the tender of age 31 I learnt to ride a bike. Staff Reitze was on a mission, and between us we had me up and peddling solo! Whilst everyone else was mountain bike orienteering, we were a study in grim determination – one the ultimate sceptic, the other the most incredible motivator.

And then there was the high-rope assault course – I’m sure there are images somewhere on the website. I don’t do heights – I’ve fallen over in Tate Modern looking up to at the ceiling, I’ve fallen over in the Old Bailey looking up to its dome. I did high ropes! Well, we did high ropes because if it wasn’t for Staff Nesbitt (acting as my buddy on the ground) it would never have happened. And even now I’m not sure how it did but there’s something in his quiet, unassuming way that just inspires me to drive myself in ways that I never thought I could.

The weight-loss is nice, the toning is good, but for me it’s about how I feel. Since I met the boys last October I’ve lost a stone and a half, I’ve spent a grand on a new wardrobe – Jigsaw and Oasis size 12. But more than anything I feel great and look fab, very fab.

This year I shall be taking part in Notting Hill Carnival in the skimpiest costume there is, thanks largely to my RUN boys!