The Microsoft Challenge

The Microsoft UK Challenge in aid of the NSPCC is the ultimate team-building event for businesses across the UK. Further to our 2007 debut success where we finished a magnificent 67th out of 122 teams, OLM are again entering a team this year. The Microsoft Challenge will take place in Stirling, Scotland from 11th- 15th June 2008.

OLM’s team is racing ahead with preparations: the squad has been chosen and training and nutrition advice has been organised to ensure that each member is primed and ready to improve our ranking this year.

OLM has pledged a fundraising target of £5,000 for the NSPCC, with its offices in Teddington, Glasgow, Oxford and Cwmbran busily raising money through baby photo contests, cake sales, slave auctions and raffles. Our sponsors (see left) have also contributed an amazing £3775 and we thank them for their support and generosity.

Meet the team

Clare Graham - Team Captain Q. How long have you been with OLM and what do you do? A. I have been with OLM 6 1/2 years. I started as an ORACLE DBA, now Head of Technical Implementation Services working for OLM Systems, based in Teddington office Q. What training have you been doing? A. Being a keen runner anyway, I've simply kept my running training volume up since the end of the 2007/2008 cross country season. I have purchased a pair of trail shoes & have been doing some additional work in Richmond Park on some of the trickier/off track trails in order to improve my strength & reduce the injury risk for the event. I also bike to/from work every day, so although not being a biker proper, I do have good bike skills & could do the bike stuff if needed. Q. Did you take part last year? A. I did take part in the challenge last year, can't remember any funny stories because my memory is poor, but I'm sure there were many. It is a absolutely BRILLIANT experience & well worth the trip! It tests you individually & as a team on a strategy development, intellectual & fitness level. I would say I discovered that I'm not that good at strategy, but where I can really be effectively used is just point me at any physical endurance task i.e. "Clare run 5 miles that way with Ben, pick up blah & come back" i.e. I'm a "get on with it" task oriented team member. The sleep deprivation was toughest for me, but the elation & the team work & the feeling of "we did it!!!!" makes the discomfort felt during the event all worth while. The after party is great!



Barry Gallagher - Team Member Q. How long have you been with OLM and what do you do? A. I have been working in the Teddington office as a Test Analyst since Feb 2007. Q. What training have you been doing? A. I play Gaelic Football (Irish game much like a cross of soccer and rugby) I damaged my hamstrings last year so before I heard of the challenge, I had already started training this year to help overcome any injuries. I train in the mornings, starting about 7.30 in Teddington Pools, that way I have my evenings free to relax and do other things. I do weights and running every other day. Q. Did you take part last year? A. No, this is my first year.



David Rivett - Team Reserve Q. How long have you been with OLM and what do you do? A. I have worked for OLM since November 2004. I am based in the Hillington office near Glasgow though I do spend most of my time travelling. My position within OLM is as Head of Integration and Architecture. Q. What training have you been doing? A. I study Martial Arts. Q. Did you take part last year? A. Yes.



Ian Thompson - Second Team Reserve Q. How long have you been with OLM and what do you do? A. I had been with OLM previously for 3 years as a Project Manager from 2000-2003, and returned in 2006, again as a Project Manager. Q. What training have you been doing? A. Moved from mainly running as primary sport to Triathlon last summer. However, have always tried to incorporate different activities into my training. Also have taken part in different events as part of my approach to training...therefore, I can bike, run, navigate, etc.... Q. Did you take part last year? A. Yes, the 2007 Challenge was my third time, the first as a team captain. I am more of a follower rather than a leader so it was really a 'challenge' for me last year. The most rewarding parts of the event were the teamwork and the effort put in by everyone involved. We struggled to get enough people to field a full team so those that participated were 110% committed...the after event party was also memorable!!



Phil Neame - Senior Executive Q. How long have you been with OLM and what do you do? A. I am the Managing Director of Integral Mobile Data (IMD), which has been part of the OLM group since early 2007. Established in 2002, IMD provides a software platform and tools to enable the rapid design, integration and deployment of applications that automate the work-flow of remote workers on any mobile computer, and its seamless integration with all corporate systems. Q. What training have you been doing? A. I have always been fit, having spent 25 years in the armed forces where I ended my service as Lieutenant Colonel in the Parachute Regiment. This training should fair me well for both the physical and strategy elements of the event! Q. Did you take part last year? A. Yes, I was ‘volunteered’ as the Senior Executive for the OLM team in the 2007 Microsoft Challenge. It’s for a good cause, provides a good incentive to stay fit, and provides an excellent but fun way to get to know other people spread across OLM.



Rob Dickinson - Team Member Q. How long have you been with OLM and what do you do? A. Have worked at OLM as a Senior Developer/Java Technical Architect since Feb 2004. Based in teddington, but also work out of the Glasgow office occasionally, and work from home. Main roles include design and development of CareConnect and CareXchange for System Integration projects. Q. What training have you been doing? A. So far training to reach a good base level of fitness, but have recently started upping the ante to reach a more competitive fitness level. Basic fitness training has included: Running in the gym, on average around 6.5k, cycling or rowing in the gym, dancing, snowboarding. Usually try to fit in 2-3 gym sessions a week plus 1 or 2 other activities like dancing/snowboarding. Increased training schedule: 1 outdoor run of 6k+ per week, 2-3 gym sessions including running/cycling/rowing, dancing or snowboarding, 1-2 outdoor cycling sessions of 1-2 hours per week. Aiming for 2 more goes at the 5k BPTT - so far best time (only time) is 26.47, and want to get as low as possible, sub 25mins for next attempt! Q. Did you take part last year? A. No. Q. Any other relevant info? A. Attempting to give up smoking, from a near 20 a day habit. Cutting down/giving up alcohol for a month before the event. Starting a detox to get rid of all those nasty body toxins. Looking forward to the strategy games, and maybe look into some canoeing/kayaking practise before the event. Have never been this fit before, never been able to run for more than a couple of minutes, and have lost 2 stone in weight in the last year, although put on a few pounds recently after giving up smoking!



Ben Wolf - Team Member Q. How long have you been with OLM and what do you do? A. I am currently working in professional services as an Implementation Consultant. I joined the company one and a half years ago. I am homebased in South London or work at customer sites. I have spent the last 12 months in Wolverhampton setting up and configuring CareFirst and supporting the project as OLM Children's Lead. Q. What training have you been doing? A. Most of my training takes place by jogging in the Crystal Palace area and local parks as well as going for runs in Wolverhampton. There is a really nice canal with 16 locks and therfore a bit a height difference that I often run along. I have replayed the different activities from the last Microsoft Challenge countless times to learn from the mistakes we made. This year I will be a lot more prepared physically but also mentally. Q. Did you take part last year? A. Yes. Last years Challenge was a lot of fun, but also had countless learning opportunities. We focused on planning the best strategy with enough details to make it work smoothly. Not spending too much time debating different options and ending up in "Analysis Paralysis" was one of the challenges. The need for developing strategies for both the best possible outcome as well as the worst possible outcome in the planning stage became very clear to us in a biking event. The event required us to collect letters of the alphabet in a forest and make as many words as possible with them. The conditions were very different from what we had anticipated. It was raining, with puddles that were a foot deep and quite steep hills that took longer to cycle up than anticipated. We were therefore unable to achieve our goals and ran hopelessly out of time. We missed time cut off deadlines and got huge penalties. The problem was that we had not planned what we would do if things went wrong. So we just continued to do what we had planned and didnt take any evasive action. The biking in the mud was an absolute highlight of the challenge, but our results were pretty terrible. Interestingly one of the other teams did not even attempt to collect any letters and make words. They therefore didn't get any bonus points, but also ended up with no penalty points either and achieved a much better ranking in this event. Q. Any other relevant info? A. I am really pleased that OLM supports the Microsoft Challenge and is sending another team this year. It is a great opportunity to raise funds for the NSPCC to support for vulnerable children but is also an excellent motivator for us as a team to get fit and develop teamworking, strategising, decision making and leadership skills.



Ross Connell - Team Member Q. How long have you been with OLM and what do you do? A. I have been with OLM for about 4 years. I am based in the Hillington office near Glasgow. I am a Systems Integration Software Developer using various environments mainly .Net. Q. What training have you been doing? A. I play hockey on a weekly basis and have done so for about 15 years. I am currently in the process of upping the training a bit by doing some off road running several times per week. Q. Did you take part last year? A. No.



Matthew Bourke - Team Member Q. How long have you been with OLM and what do you do? A. I’m 25 year old male from Australia and have been working at OLM for one year in development, been in the country 2 years. Q. What training have you been doing? A. For training I have been, running, cycling, rowing, boxing training and most importantly of all using my Nintendo Wii Fit!! Q. Did you take part last year? A. No. Q. Any other info? A. I like eating ice cream, travelling, running and meeting new people to discuss their view on the world.



Gill Brown Q. How long have you been with OLM and what do you do? A. I have been with OLM for nearly 3 years. I am based in the Hillington office near Glasgow though I do some travelling to various parts of the country on occassion. I work as a Business Systems Analyst for the Systems Integration team in Glasgow. Q. What training have you been doing? A. Unfortunately, due to stressful personal circumstances this year (I am moving house a week before the event and having problems selling my existing house), I have not made much progress regards losing some weight and getting up to the required fitness level needed for the challenge. I have therefore pulled out of the event this year as far as physically taking part is concerned, but I am still supporting the team in various other ways including maintaining the challenge web pages. Hoping to work on my fitness/weight loss required through the rest of this year and to be in a better place next year to make the team then. Q. Did you take part last year? A. No.



Robert Forshaw Q. How long have you been with OLM and what do you do? A. I have been with OLM for just over 6 months. I am based in the Hillington office near Glasgow, working as a Web/Appilication Server Administrator. My work occassionally involves going out to customer sites accross the UK. Q. What training have you been doing? A. Due to personal circumstances this year (my wife has only recently had a baby and we have also just moved house), I have not had the time to get up to the required fitness level needed for the challenge. I will not be taking part this year, but hope to work on my fitness this year with a view to taking part in the team next year. Q. Did you take part last year? A. No.