“Gorgeous, fit, intelligent women; I mean, Jesus, you’d want to see them!”
Are you single, into keeping fit, up for the craic and available for one week in the middle of next month?
More importantly, did the above quote from Kathryn Thomas immediately grab your attention?
If you answered ‘yes’ to all of those questions, then you may very well be interested in a singles bootcamp being run by RTÉ TV presenter Kathryn Thomas in Parknasilla in Kerry next month.
JOE: Kathyrn, Pure Results has been on the go for a while now, but you’re running a camp in Parknasilla in May that has a bit of a twist. Can you tell us a little more about it?
Kathryn Thomas: We’re running a singles week from 13-20 May. I always harboured a little dream to be Cilla Black; I was a bit of a Blind Date fan myself.
When running the camps last year we realised that romance blossomed between a few of our clients so we said ‘wouldn’t it be the craic to do a singles week?’ because, you know, it can be difficult to meet somebody.
We all know the trials and tribulations when trying to meet somebody. You go out for the night, you have one too many drinks… but there are only so many times you can hang out at the same places over and over again so we said when people are down there they’ll have seven days to really get to know somebody.
You can be nothing else on camp but yourself. There’s no hiding behind alcohol, there’s no hiding behind gym lighting; you’re in your trackies and everyone is working out together.
Pure Results is a bit like summer camp for adults. You’re outside all the time, you’re in the open air, we do assault courses, circuit training, we do kettlebells, we do yoga, there’s opportunity to use the spa; it’s a mini-holiday where we kick your ass.
We have great trainers on site and when talking to the team about setting up singles week, we realised it’s actually a brilliant opportunity to meet people because we’re not doing any cheesy singles nights or speed dating stuff. It’s just a camp as we know it, as we currently run it – the only thing we might do is a speed circuits class – but the thing is, you get to know each other over the course of the week anyway.
There’s no awkwardness; it’s an opportunity for people to get to know each other and to meet a bigger circle of friends.
JOE: Logistically, what’s the maximum number of people that can take part and what’s the response been like so far?
KT: We want to cap it between 24-26 people. As for the response, we have enough women that we could fill the camp three times over. Gorgeous, fit, intelligent women; I mean Jesus, you’d want to see them!
My sister has just moved back from Los Angeles and a few of her single girlfriends are coming along.
“Gorgeous, fit women who are up for having the craic, up for meeting somebody if it happens. Ready and available as I say.”
We’ve had a huge reaction from guys wanting to take part as well but the dates haven’t suited, which is why we’re looking at possibly running another singles camp in June.
We’re telling guys that if they want to bring a wingman, be it their friend or their brother, they can. Bring a mate to find a date. The only stipulation is that they have to be single!
JOE: Something like this singles camp is a sign that the traditional idea of people meeting other people and forming relationships in Ireland has changed completely in recent years…
KT: People are doing triathlons, people are doing all the adventure race circuits and all of it is a great opportunity for people to meet, to hook-up and expand their social circle.
I was single for three years in Dublin. I never did the online dating thing – it was always going to be a little more difficult for me doing it – but I know what it’s like from my own single friends.
I have three male friends, for example, who are single, who have really good businesses, have no baggage, as they say, – not that that’s an issue – they’re the best catches in the world; they’re just not putting themselves out there.
They don’t go out as much as they used to anymore and maybe they’re not in the right headspace because they have huge work commitments, but they’re doing this camp so let’s see how it goes.
JOE: Getting serious for a moment Kathryn, your involvement in Pure Results and Operation Transformation show that health and fitness is something that’s very close to your heart.
Do you think Ireland’s attitude to health and fitness has improved in recent years?
KT: I think we’ve come on in leaps and bounds; the words wellness and wellbeing are in our vocabulary now. It was National Workplace Wellbeing Day earlier this month and companies are sitting up and taking notice.
I think as a nation we’re finally sitting up and taking notice and I think it is down to things like Operation Transformation putting a focus on it, driving the government, lobbying the government, getting people to talk about it and encouraging people to educate themselves and I think we’re doing that.
I think people know more about what to eat. We know more about the dangers of sugar, we know more about the dangers of convenience shopping and we’re all more aware than we were six years ago when I started with Operation Transformation.
Operation Transformation started off as a weight-loss show, but now it’s a real service from the national broadcaster. It’s a public service broadcast and has actually taken on a life of its own because parishes across Ireland, north and south, are coming on board and realising the power of community and the benefits of physical exercise.
Definitely, I think more people are aware, but something is not happening and that’s why we have such high obesity levels.
That’s why, only last week, (it was revealed that) Irish men are on course to be the fattest in Europe, it’s why the World Health Organisation (WHO) has had us red-flagged for years.
“We have a long way to go and the Government need to do less talking and take more action.”
School programmes, for example, need to be introduced. I think, because the obesity epidemic is where it is, that a lot more needs to be done. It’s the age-old thing: a lot done, more to do.
JOE: Getting back to the camp next month, where do you find the time to fit it all in with everything else you have going on?
KT: Basically, it takes a lot of juggling, I’m just trying to juggle everything together. With Operation Transformation and The Voice, my workload is kind of frontloaded at the beginning of the year and after a couple of more weeks with The Voice, we’re going to be on camp with Pure Results from April to September.
It’s taken on a life of its own. I now have 11 staff and I have an office and this is a business that started only a year ago. It’s been a huge learning curve, but I have great fun, I have an amazing team and I’ve learned a lot.
It’s been incredible, it’s been great fun, but it’s been very stressful; I’d say I’ve probably aged ten years in a year!
But the thing is, I’m the type of person… I like to succeed, I like to achieve, I like to work hard and it’s great to be involved in a business like this, where I’m seeing people succeed and achieve and where we’ve given people the belief to get back on track.
It just takes a few small lifestyle changes in order to achieve that.
JOE: Finally Kathryn, how many marriages will you need to come out of the singles camp in order for you to deem it a success?
KT: I want to buy three hats and get at least six weddings out of them!
If you would like to take part in the Pure Results singles week at Parknasilla from May 13-20 (or if you know someone who would be interested) send a small bio with your name, age, where you’re from, interests and a photo to aisling@pureresultsbootcamp.com.
Prices start from €999 all-inclusive for the week; for more information, check out the Pure Results website.
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