But for one senior associate at a St Helier law firm, that is just how she will be starting the new year.
Bella Ward (45) is in Morocco, where she is taking on a week-long challenge – called ‘The Monkey Run’ – alongside a friend.
Explaining why she chose to take part, Miss Ward said that she wanted to escape the bubble of modern day life and swap the comfort of her office for the real world.
She said: ‘It is about getting out from behind your desk, getting into the real world and pushing boundaries. I think it is both terrifying and amusing at the same time.
‘Another thing which attracted me to it was just how much of a random adventure it was.
‘There is a waiting list of about a year, so it is quite a coveted thing to do.’
After flying to Marrakesh, Miss Ward and 39 other competitors were driven out into the desert to undergo basic motorcycle maintenance training ahead of the race.
Miss Ward said: ‘It is totally unsupported and the bikes we are using are not actual Monkey-bikes, they are Chinese replicas which are infamous for breaking down and overheating.
‘I do not speak French or Arabic, so I will have to befriend the locals who are supposed to be very friendly and get them to help me sort any problems out.
‘It is not a serious race, there is no big cash prize – the whole thing is all about pushing yourself and raising money, but you have to be at the finish line at Tagazout on 7 January.’
The lawyer, who is also a keen skydiver, has had to sign several disclaimers before being allowed to undertake the challenge and said that there was a ‘huge risk’ of injury or even death.
As there is no support from race organisers, entrants are required to carry all of their own luggage, such as tools, a first-aid kit, emergency blankets and duct tape.
She said: ‘I will be wearing my fireproof gorilla racing suit the whole way and throwing out the clothes that I wear underneath along the way – I’ll pretty much be going feral.’
The Australian, who works for law firm Walkers, also has a personal reason for wanting to complete the challenge. As well as raising money for Cool Earth, which protects endangered rainforests, she is collecting money for the Piam Brown children’s cancer ward at Southampton General Hospital, which supported her close friend’s child, Oliver, before he died aged nine.
Miss Ward said: ‘He was an amazing little chap. He loved motorcycles. I am sure he would have had a giggle if he knew that I was doing this.’
Anyone wishing to donate to Miss Ward’s causes should visit gofundme.com/monkey-run-2018.
