I enjoy challenges.after 78-mile désert marathon nothing life throws at you will physically hurt more

From being the first woman to kayak the length of the Amazon to running an ultramarathon in 40C heat in Namibia, Helen Skelton has never been one to shy away from adversity.

- TOM BRYANT

In fact, her mantra in life has always been the harder the challenge, the better prepared you are for whatever life throws at you.

But no amount of training or far-flung expeditions could prepare Helen for the whirlwind events of the past 12 months.

First, her marriage to Richie Myler broke down after eight years and then she decided to sign up for Strictly Come Dancing, the biggest show on TV.

Helen says: "Strictly came along at a time when I thought, 'Well, it can't be any more terrifying than anything else I'm facing at the minute. It can't be any more noisy than anything else that I'm having to drown out at the minute, so let's just go for it."

Dancing in front of millions on national TV is certainly one way to take your mind off things.

And Helen laughs: "My best friends said I should either do Strictly or go on a juice retreat in Ibiza. There was so much going on and so many movable parts of my life, and I kind of thought you can spend your whole life writing pros and cons lists and sometimes you've just got to lean into it, otherwise you miss the moment."

Helen, 40, is opening up as part of our special Men in Mind spin-off podcast series, Outdoors in Mind.

The series, part of GO Outdoors and mental health charity Mind's Hats on for Mind campaign, encourages people to open up about their mental health, as well as the benefits of nature.

It comes after Mind found that 94% of people who took part in outdoor exercise activities said they felt benefits to their mental health.

And Helen says the sheer pain she endured on her charity expeditions meant she was well-equipped to withstand any upheaval in her personal life.