Obstacle Race Magazine Issue 5

TOHBES TA NC OL.E1 RM A EG FAOZ RI NAEL LF M OU R DOABNS D T ARCULNENCI NOGU R S ET HRUAS C AC EN I AI SNTG S

TRAINING NUTRITIONAL ADVICE

ELITE OBSTACLE TECHNIQUES REVEALED

GEAR PROFILES TESTING TIPS RACE REVIEWS LETTERS

FEATURING

TRIPLE SUFFERING MAN VS WOMAN

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EDITOR’S LETTER In issue five I’ve put together a real mixture of subjects for you. Everything from how to navigate the minefield of protein powders to how to tackle walls in a race. While you’re sat reading this issue, the winter OCR season is already creeping up on you so it’s time to get prepared. I’ve collected together advice from OCR regulars right through to OCR elites.

I have my own personal challenge taking place at the moment, the challenge to get back to fitness. Since starting the magazine it’s been a real challenge to balance working on the magazine and getting in my regular training sessions.

So now things have settled down a little I’m getting back on track with Crossfit sessions to make up for not being able to run due to an Achilles injury. Fingers crossed for no more injuries so I can get back to my best.

EDITOR Carl Wibberley carl@obstacleracemagazine.com 01246 241780 ADVERTISING Kevin Newey kevin@obstacleracemagazine.com 07932 411592 MEDIA CONTACT Mark Petrou mark@obstacleracemagazine.com 07817924168 DESIGNED BY RAWWW www.rawww.com 0845 371 0993 PUBLISHED BY Spuddy Media Ltd, Counting House, 1 Nuffield Road, St Ives, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE27 3LX. PRINTED BY

Carl

TO SUBSCRIBE www.obstacleracemagazine.com

Printed by Warners 01778 395111

TO ADVERTISE CALL 07932 411592

CONTRIBUTORS JOEL HICKS We follow more of Joels adventures he faces ‘Always With a Smile‘.

IAN POULTON Sharing Dirty Dozen.

MICHELLE PARSONS Red Cape Coaching.

CHARLEH DICKINSON (DESIGNED 2 EAT) Recipes Page.

RUSSELL PARRINGTON The Experiment.

LEE PICKERING Tough Guy review.

LUCY CLAY & SAM OCR CLEVELAND Suffering Triple review.

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PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED BY Front Cover— Dirty Dozen-Epic Action Imagery The Experiment –Neil Proctor Total Warrior- My Bib Number Dirty Dozen Races- Epic Action Imagery Tough Guy – Ian Melvin The Obstacle – Carl Newell Every effort is made to ensure that the advertising and editorial content in Obstacle Race Magazine is supplied from reliable and reputable sources and is contributed with integrity and accuracy. However no warranties or claims can be made against Obstacle Race Magazine in respect of the contents OR the views of individuals who do not necessarily represent the views of the Magazine, Spuddy Media ltd or the Publisher ISSN 2053-9495 Contact us by letter at: OBSTACLE RACE MAGAZINE 370 WHEELWRIGHT LANE ASH GREEN, COVENTRY, CV7 9HL

CONTENTS KIT TESTING

RACE REVIEWS

32

12

TOUGH GUY

20

TOTAL WARRIOR

34

DIRTY DOZEN

58

SUFFERING TRIPLE REVIEW

72

WORLD WAR RUN

70

URBAN OCR SHOES The shoe you need for everything from urban OCRs to functional fitness.

RACING SHORTS REVIEWED Light weight race shorts that will take an OCR battering

FEATURES 8

OBSTACLE TRAINING Doug Spence shares with us his Yoda-like OCR wisdom

24

BATTLE OF THE ORGS Opening up the debate of the organisations

26

KNOW WHAT’S SUPP Guiding you through protein supplements

48

MAN VS WOMAN The battle of the sexes is on

50

THE OCR REGULARS Getting prepared for winter

88

SPARTAN UP BOOK REVIEW

90

THE EXPERIMENT The science behind diets

REGULARS 14 28 76 64 84 86

PROFILES 52

JAMES APPLETON RACER PROFILE

66

CLARE MILLER RACER PROFILE

98

CROSSFIT KEV Kev give us another insight into his Crossfit adventures TRAINING TIPS MICHAEL COHEN Michael shares with us more of his winning team’s expert tips

LETTERS PAGE It’s your community: you write, you share, we print RECIPES Food for training, weight gaining and energy when racing brought to us by Charleh Dickinson, MD of Designed 2 Eat MUDTREST Your images sent in from all around the OCR scene CAPTION COMPETITION Make us laugh with your imaginative observations

OBSTACLE TRAINING

OVER HANGING WALL

THE STAPLE OF MOST OBSTACLE COURSES IS THE WALL. Whether you’re one kilometre into the race or five, a wall still fills most racers with an overwhelming sense of anticipation. Over the coming issues we’re going to break

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Obstacle Race | Issue 5

down the tried and tested techniques from the Yoda of OCR, Doug Spence, who’s the Race Director behind Dirty Dozen races. He will give you all the confidence you’ll need to smash the next obstacle you face.

THE GRAB Grab the top of the wall.

Turn your hips to the side

THE REACH

Use the leg closest to the wall to reach up and use the wall support for leverage.

THE HOOK

Once your foot is secure, lift your other leg up until the back of your ankle hooks the top of the wall.

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THE PULL

Now start to pull your body towards the wall with your arms. You will find that the top of the wall will start to travel up your leg, which will let you then hook the back of your knee over.

THE MOVE

You will now be in a position to hook your arm over the wall and move your hips up and over the top of the wall.

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THE DROP

Now you’re on the top the hard work is done. Next step is safety, so when lowering yourself down try to hold on to the top of the wall and ease yourself down slowly.

RAN RUN AD

TOUGH GUY

THE ORIGINAL NETTLE WARRIOR Arriving at the Tough Guy course after a 165 mile journey, it soon became very clear why this course is held in such high regard by seasoned OCR competitors.

The huge size and number of the obstacles greeted me immediately and I knew I was in for a great time. The fear and excitement hit my stomach simultaneously and I wanted to start straight away. I collected my number and signed my death warrant before checking out parts of the course. Wow, I couldn’t believe the height of these obstacles, made mostly from wood and various netting.

It was obvious water was also going to be an enormous part of the race. The event was held on an open 600 acre farm, near Wolverhampton, and utilised every natural obstacle around; hills, lakes, mud, rivers, you name it, the course had it. The man-made obstacles were some of the biggest in this country and it is claimed that the course is the world's most demanding one-day survival ordeal.

The countdown soon began and we eagerly started the original obstacle course, first built in 1987 and still standing strong. Thousands have previously run the course which lay in front of me and I couldn’t wait to be able to say I was a Tough Guy! I knew the first section of the race was mostly running with some natural obstacles thrown in and then the large obstacles came in later on where I would complete 2 laps of “The Killing Fields”. This is the part of the course where all of the spectators would be watching, including my family.

After starting too fast in my last OCR, I went out steady but soon found myself in the lead which was not the plan.

Feeling strong, I continued on through the first few miles which felt like a cross country race, territory I felt at home

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with. The plan was to settle in behind the leaders and see how I went from there, but with just the two Spider Men in front of me and a gap growing to the next group I was left in two minds. I had a choice; stick to the plan or take off running, I chose the latter. I got to the front and settled down into a comfortable pace with the aim of opening the gap but not hurting myself too much. I was happy up front seeing the gap ever increasing and the obstacles in this part were pretty simple; up and over types. Then we came to the first of the hill slaloms which I was dreading. I hit the slaloms in good time and being able to see the gap opening just added to my confidence, and with the slaloms complete without too much work I was in a very good place.

I headed out past some flatter ground with a couple of fences and some hay bales to clear before I hit the first muddy bog. This went down well with how warm I was feeling and again these were slalom runs so I was in and out a few times. I had now worked up a gap of around a minute and was still really wanting to put my foot down and create as bigger gap but thought at back of my mind “don’t forget The Killing Fields”. The last lot of slaloms in the woods were a part I was not expecting (with this being my first time and not knowing the course), but I managed to negotiate the uneven terrain and the steep drops without any problems - and I had opened up that gap even more.

At this point I crossed some open fields which were nice and flat and again gave me a chance to

CONTINUE ON PAGE 14

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TOUGH GUY

LEE PICKERING RACE NAME: TOUGH GUY NETTLE WARRIOR LOCATION: WOLVERHAMPTON DISTANCE: 17K NUMBER OF OBSTACLES: 200 ISH SORT OF TERRAIN: HILLY FARM LAND AND LOTS OF WATER LEVEL OF MUD: 3 DIFFICULTY LEVEL(1-10): 8 Issue 5 | Obstacle Race

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see what was happening behind me. It amazed me that I couldn’t see anyone. This was around 5 or 6 miles in and was the first time I really thought I could win this, but I knew there was plenty of time left!

As I entered The Killing Fields, I had built a good lead but this didn’t feel enough as I now had to tackle those huge obstacles while running scared. Looking back, I know I could have gone faster over the running part of the race but my nerves slowed me a little. Throughout the two laps, the course looped back on itself several times and I could see that 2 competitors were closing down on me, and fast. Approaching the first obstacle, The Tiger, I realised the sheer size of these structures. It was also the first time I had come across the electrics, taking a zap from one of the cables as I ran through the middle of The Tiger. It took me by surprise but I was glad to have the first one in the bag as I now knew what to expect. I then moved onto the out and back log carry through the water and this is where I first spotted the gap had closed a little; these guys were now making their move!

From here we went over a few walls and The Behemoth which involved crossing large gaps, high up on ropes and then into The Battle of the Somme including lots of water to cross. This was when I realised I was on my way to The Torture Chamber. I had heard so much about this and it was the bit I was most apprehensive about. As I climbed in I noted the cables and did my best to avoid them. I don’t know for sure but I would say they were turned off as I wasn’t subjected to any shocks, phew! The hardest part of the chamber for me was the incredibly narrow pipes getting out of it, which cost me a lot of time. I headed over to Skywalk and Paradise Climb where I was worse than useless trying to traverse the cables and where I realised my first OCR win was under big threat.

After that, we hit the water, so much water, carrying a big log and the gap was down to less than 50 meters. Somehow I managed to get out of there first and immediately put the foot down towards The Coliseum or the figure of 8. I soon found out I still have a lot of work to do with my upper body strength as not only first, but second place too, went past me with ease when I came to the section requiring pure strength. I tagged on to the back of second place as the first guy had flown by. Shortly into our second lap the guy in second got hit with cramp and basically pushed me past him, so I set off in pursuit of the guy in front, but he was well gone! The second lap for me was all about trying to keep my position in second place and the obstacles just kept coming. I swam and waded through water and mud, clambered over huge structures, jumped over fire, crawled through tyres, rolled under barbed wire and walked the plank among many other obstacles. This huge range of obstacles, in my opinion, made for the best OCR course I have come across so far.

I managed to hold on to my highest OCR position to claim 2nd place but was thoroughly challenged all the way, not least at the finish point where Mr Mouse, the course designer and Director, made us swim through one last pond and then scramble up a slippery hill while electrical cables dangled menacingly. I took my fair share of zaps there and the one that hit me directly in the back of the head really did hurt and that’s when I made my dive for the finish! 17K completed and I had loved every metre of it!

If I had a complaint, it would be about the finish of the event. As there were several distances running at the same time, it was very confusing as to exactly which position people had finished in. Not so much a problem if you are finishing further down the field, but I found it very difficult to work out who I was actually competing against. The only other niggle for me was the lack of social media used to celebrate the event afterwards. After other OCRs I have run in, I’ve enjoyed seeing reports about the event on sites such as Facebook and Twitter and it had felt like

Obstacle Race | Issue 5

the spirit of the event had continued long after the running had ended. After Tough Guy however, it felt a little flat, no prizes or results, And no interaction with other competitors on the Tough Guy Facebook page, nothing. I feel, and have read many articles on this too, that perhaps Tough Guy needs a little modernisation. Numbers were down on previous years and I can’t help but think that the problems I found have been experienced by others previously and has put them off returning. Having said that, none of these problems are such an issue that I won’t return to this event over and over again!

I thoroughly loved the Tough Guy course and I was thrilled to gain my highest OCR placing to date.

The course was ideal for me, as a runner, and it was challenging too, but I wouldn’t say too challenging for any OCR runner wanting to give it a go. I would recommend it to anyone and can’t wait to return to the winter Tough Guy event. I’ve now completed 3 OCRs in 9th, 3rd and 2nd place and my confidence is growing. Last week I went out too hard and today I had gone out too easy. Maybe next time, I will get my pace exactly right and gain another podium finish. The next race in my diary is my first Dirty Dozen event in a month’s time which is just down the road in Billericay. It will also be my first time running 2 OCRs in a weekend which will be a great test for me. I have heard such great things about the Dirty Dozen events so am very excited to try it out for myself.

CROSSFIT KEV Well, after just 12 months of running my first OCR and 6 months since I became a CrossFitter, I’ve gone and done something really stupid.... and have entered the 2015 London Marathon.

As a child, I’d always watched it from start to finish, but never actually took in or understood the training and preparation required to run that sort of distance. I was amazed at the amount of people taking part and the different fancy dress costumes that they were running in. It’s only 26 miles I thought, that’s a relatively small number....

After getting back into fitness last year (I say that rather loosely – should have said ‘after trying to get fit last year’), I now see the amount of training and dedication people have to better themselves. It’s not just with training routines though, it’s a way of life. I’ve managed to lose a stone in the past 12 months, which has been due to exercise and eating habits. I can’t stop eating minted lamb chops though.

Pork, and lamb, they’re the main two chops aren’t they.

Beef gets a sausage, doesn’t get a chop, I don’t make the rules up. I’ve cut out fizzy pop, and am chowing down more fruit and veg than ever before.

I’ve listened to lots of different opinions on diets. In the CrossFit circle, the paleo diet is the diet of choice, but for now, I’m going to stick to my meat and veg (no potatoes).

I really want to lose another stone for when the Marathon comes around, as I’ve got it in my head that the lighter I am, the easier it will be.

After completing my first OCR last year, I couldn’t think of anything worse than taking on a road run again, but that changed after going to the Running Awards in April, and then watching the Marathon on the TV again. I also think seeing some of OCR Team Inov8 taking part also spurred me on to give it a go. After this year’s marathon, I checked the website straight away to see when the ballot would be open for next year. It usually stays open for 5-7 days, and they take around 250,000 applications for the 30,000 spaces. The ballot closed as soon as it opened, and I’d missed my chance! Gutted didn’t come close. People get turned down year after year, but I wanted in straight away, and didn’t even have a ticket for the raffle.

So what next? I travelled down to Judgement Day with Carl, and bumped into David Hellard who ran as one of the pace runners this year. Thought I’d be cheeky and see

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if he knew a back way in... but he didn’t. What he did say though, was that I could enter the Brighton Marathon.

I thought about it, for about 2 seconds, and thought, no.

The London Marathon is iconic, and a real bucket list item that I can get ticked off, so I set about looking for a charity to run for.

After searching on Google, I soon came up with a list of charities who have bond spaces, which you can apply for, and try and demonstrate how you will fund raise for them.

The first charity I came across was VICTA. A small charity who support blind and partially sighted children and their families across the UK. I could have chosen any charity to apply for, but something like this really hit home. Sight is something that we all take for granted, and I can’t imagine having that sense taken away from me or my kids.

After completing and sending off my application form, it was then ‘sit and wait time’. A month or two passed and I started getting edgy, so contacted the charity and asked if there was any news on my application. I was told that results were being collated and sent out the next day. The email came through, and BOOM! I’m in!

I’m really chuffed and excited about getting a place, but now the hard work starts. I’ve been sent a 16 week training programmes, but have already started upping some of my training runs, around competing in some more OCR’s. The other hard part is raising funds for this great charity. The money is used to take the kids away on trips and days out as a group and give them the opportunity to socialise together in an environment that they don’t get in everyday life.

What with the magazine, the launch of our new online shop (www.muddykit.co.uk), organising our summer event next year (www.mud7.com) and the Muddy Kit Team Trials that took place at the start of August, I’ve not really had a chance to start fundraising, but any suggestions are more than welcome. I’ve got a target of £1,300 to hit, so any loose change or small note you could afford to donate, would be much appreciated. I’m even happy for forfeits for donations, so this is what I suggest. For every £1 donated, and #ORM typed into the good luck message, I will do 1 sit up.... so be generous, but not too generous.

Later next year I would also like to organise an OCR for these kids and their families. More to follow on this in the coming months.

YOU CAN MAKE DONATIONS AND TRACK MY PROGRESS AT: UK.VIRGINMONEYGIVING.COM/KEVINNEWEY Issue 5 | Obstacle Race

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1

START FROM A DEAD HANG POSITION

BAR MUSCLE UP 4 18

Obstacle Race | Issue 5

THE FINISHING POSITION SHOULD BE ARMS FULLY LOCKED OUT AND UNDER CONTROL ABOVE THE BAR.

2

PULL YOURSELF UP AND AROUND THE BAR THROWING YOUR ELBOWS UPWARDS.

3

LEAN OVER THE BAR TO GAIN BALANCE AND BEGIN TO PRESS YOURSELF UP.

1

START CUPPING THE BALL FROM UNDERNEATH AND TUCK IT UNDER YOUR CHIN, SQUATTING DOWN BELOW PARALLEL, SO THAT YOUR HIPS ARE BELOW YOUR KNEES.

WALL BALL

2

DRIVE UP WITH YOUR LEGS AND PRESS WITH YOUR ARMS

3

THE BALL SHOULD TOUCH THE LINE AT THE DESIGNATED HEIGHT, AS IT FALLS CATCH IT AT THE SAME TIME AS SQUATTING BACK DOWN TO YOUR STARTING POSITION.

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TOTAL WARRIOR RACE REVIEW The sun shone brightly as we pulled up to the car park at Bramham Park, Total Warrior’s first venture away from their native Lake District, and a well-chosen venue it proved to be. The weather couldn’t have been better, dry and sunny with a light breeze to keep us cool; everything was set for a great event.

The car park was in the field directly adjacent to the event village, which meant a short walk to registration.

Registration itself was a straightforward process of waiver signing, packet pick up, tying on your Total Warrior headband, pinning on your number and securing your chip timer to your laces. With the car park being so close, the cumbersome bag drop you find at so many events was replaced by a quick and easy key drop which left us plenty of time to soak up the atmosphere and get ready for the off. There would be 4000 taking on the 10km course that Saturday with a further 1000 attempting the 10mile course on the Sunday.

The start coral was accessed via low crawl through some covered hay bales: the obstacle before the obstacles. There was the usual pumped up chat from the MC and then it was go time! The course began with a leg and lung busting, multiple hill repeat charge up and down a steep bank, which served to thin the field out as well as give us a taster of what was to come. We were then led through open fields, trees and across rivers to some of the first obstacles. Due to the dry weather (did I mention just how nice it was?) the mud was mainly hard packed and dry, but next to the riverbanks it was thick, sticky and in places three feet deep! After that we were face down in this mud attacking Worm Muncher, a low crawl under barbed wire made sure we were suitably muddy by the time we’d exited.

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TOTAL WARRIOR

BEN KIRKUP RACE NAME: TOTAL WARRIOR LOCATION: BRAMHAM PARK DISTANCE: 10KM NUMBER OF OBSTACLES: 29 SORT OF TERRAIN: HARD DRY MUD, OPEN FIELDS, SOME WET MUD. LEVEL OF MUD: 4 DIFFICULTY LEVEL (1-10): 6

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This was a really well thought out course that included many natural features and obstacles as well as treating us to wonderful views and beautiful landscapes. The 29 obstacles ticked all the boxes: One Last Climb tested our coordination and strength as we traversed a slippery climbing wall; The Plunge, a dip into a skip filled with ice and water made sure we didn’t overheat; the Grand National and Step It Up walls offered the chance for a bit of team work; a timed 500m sprint was there to give your legs a trashing.

They really did save the best for last though. The final kilometre seemed to be one obstacle after another, just in case you had anything left in the tank they were desperate to squeeze it out of you. The Shocker, Slideaway, Hang Tough and Peaks Of Pain were the Total Warrior finale.

My favourite of these was Slideaway, a huge slip and slide down the side of a steep bank. This thing was epic!

It’s often said that OCR is like going back to childhood and what better way to reconnect with the inner kid than throwing yourself head first down a soapy plastic sheet!

After we crossed the finish line and grabbed our goodie bag and beers we stuck around for most of the afternoon. There was a great festival atmosphere in the base area with food available from locally sourced vendors and stalls selling OCR clothing and gear. After grabbing some food we wandered back down the course to watch everyone hurling themselves down Slideaway and over Peaks Of Pain.

The day was finished with the awards ceremony, which seemed to include an endless number of categories. The awards themselves were crafted from slate from Honister Slate Mine close to the Warrior Chiefs’ Lake District base, each one of them unique. For the timed sprint champion a green cycling jersey was the prize, a nod to the Tour de France. At their Lake District event later this year a polka dot jersey will be awarded for the fastest timed hill climb.

Total Warrior is a thoughtfully planned event, brought to us by a team very much focused on the future and not just the bottom line. From the course design and the quality of the obstacles, to the unique slate trophies, local food vendors and biodegradable soap on Slideaway, it’s clear the Warrior Chiefs are committed to delivering a high quality OCR event that benefits the local community and will keep racers coming back for more.

A FESTIVAL

LIKE NO

OTHER

EPIC

INTRODUCING THE

WEEKEND

13 - 14 JUNE 2015 - ENTRIES OPEN NOW

BATTLE OF THE ORGS Obstacle Race Mag has a duty to its audience. You, the reader, can expect ORM to report with integrity and impartiality on political developments in the Obstacle Course Racing scene. This issue, our publisher and occasional contributor Mark Petrou has taken a look at the changing landscape of OCR and what this could mean to you as a fun loving, excitement seeking collector of muddy kit, scrapes and bruises…

As a relative newbie to the OCR scene in the UK, it’s been a breath of fresh air to discover an already constituted core of individuals who have woven the fabric of a community together in a very short time. Social networking has played a big part in this too and so has Pete Rees from Mudstacle (www.mudstacle.com) who must be considered a vital organ in the body of OCR. This core group doesn’t have a name or a number. It’s organic and as long as you’re as nutty as them about OCR, you’re embraced warmly and welcomed without scruple or diffidence.

Within the hardcore community of OCR in the UK, there is another group – The Elites. As a plain clothed ‘teletubby’, the Elites are aspirational to me. They are cut from the same cloth as the rest of the OCR community but just a little bit quicker, fitter, charismatic and better goddam looking.

These guys and girls deserve our admiration and as I am now too old to die young, I do find myself wishing I was the other side of forty and able to hang with the cool gang.

With the number of races and racers increasing week on week, no-one really knows how big an animal OCR is likely to become in the UK. If looking at American models and Canadian curves helps to build a better picture, then the future looks very bright indeed. The OCR scene is still a juvenile enterprise though and its adolescent stage is likely to throw up challenges that would be tough for any parent to cope with. Fortunately for OCR we have a Tough Guy who is widely accepted as the natural birth father to OCR on hand to help shape the scene. Unfortunately, some people think he’s as mad as a bucket of frogs.

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Mr Mouse - AKA Billy Wilson - is the undisputed inseminator of OCR. He sowed the seeds and bore OCR. He had a blueprint as far back as the very early days of his vision for OCR and he can prove everything because he is a man who keeps his records impeccably.

His Tough Guy brand stands alone and his winter event at his donkey sanctuary in Wolverhampton is widely considered within the OCR community of both ‘ordinaries’ and ‘elites’ to be the ultimate OCR to complete. Being a Tough Guy is as impressive and as challenging as it gets.

(Visit Youtube and watch ‘Tough Guy : The legend of Mr Mouse’ if you’ve never seen or heard of this before).

Behind the moustache though there is a tempered, measured thinking man of considerable years who has sold his brand so well that his Mr Mouse persona has fooled many into thinking that he doesn’t know what he is saying a lot of the time.

They could not be further from the truth. In reality, this passionate pioneer is desperate to leave a lasting legacy that he believes will benefit race directors and racers alike – long after he’s ascended to the OCR in the sky. Mr Wilson is no silly Billy, he’s been copied more times than the Mona Lisa and some of the biggest names in OCR have tried to rip him off like an old plaster and received the full force of his wrath as a result. He is a Tough Guy who is determined to make everyone understand why he believes he has the right strategy for regulating the sport of OCR.

OCRA, BOCRA, HORBA, ZORBA or SPARTAN? It was back at the beginning of 2014, that ORM printed an open letter inviting dialogue about the idea of a governing body being set up to help shape the OCR scene. The objective of ORM at the time was to be an enabler or facilitator for open dialogue. The idea of an association was already being debated and within a week or so of that letter going out, other groups announced similar initiatives.

Straight away, Obstacle Race Magazine withdrew from the race. As an independent publication, our political agenda is always to remain impartial and to report accurately in the best interests of our audience. We are still committed to supporting any enterprise that makes OCR safer and progressive but with two front runners emerging OCRAUK (obstacle course racers association UK) and HORBA (honourable obstacle runners British association).

It was appropriate for Obstacle Race Magazine to sit back as an interested observer and watch the next organic chapter write itself.

TALE OF THE TAPE In the red corner we have Mr Mouse. His vision for an Obstacle Racing regulatory body is not what you would probably first think at all. I for one had considered that any governing body hailing from just one of the seventy odd race orgs could never work as persuading everyone else to conform to Tough Guy rules is nothing more than a dictatorship.

The interesting thing though is that the Mr Mouse vision for a governing body for OCR has nothing to do with Tough Guy at all. His idea (conceived when most all other race orgs were still in their forefathers scrotums) is simply to gain recognition from central government that OCR is a sport, and then invite everyone who is interested and can be bothered to sit down and agree how this new sport should be governed and regulated.

In the blue corner, we have OCRAUK. It is fair to say that their movement is mainly virtual and delivered through social media channels although some founding members have held a real life meeting in which OCRAUK was officially constituted and job titles were handed out.

Obstacle Race Magazine has reproduced some of the content of their published constitution from their Facebook page as at the time of going to press, their website was still not live.

The founding members believe that the type of organisation wanted by the OCR community should have the following objectives.

• To promote robust Health and Safety standards and practices policy, for the benefit of the participants, race/ event organisers and the betterment of the sport as a whole; • To encourage the goodwill and involvement of the wider community; • To foster community spirit and encourage community pride; • Accreditation of both existing and new Obstacle Course Races to ensure the objectives contained herein are achieved and upheld; • To ensure the sport of Obstacle Course Racing becomes

and remains a recognised and official sporting discipline, recognised by: • Those organisations which govern recognised sporting bodies and activities on a United Kingdom (UK) or Great Britain (GB) or Home Country (HC) basis; • The sporting activities and bodies they are willing to consider supporting and working with – recognition is a requirement for many funding streams, but do not in itself bring a right to Sports Council funding.

• National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of sport which typically are private organisations which govern a particular sport through the common consent of the sport itself. Recognition is an acknowledgement of this situation and does not in itself confer additional authority or rights • To ensure a single head NGB structure (or joined up structure with subsidiaries) at UK or GB or HC level is established and working towards Olympic Sport recognition; • To ensure an unbiased methodology is adhered too, promoting equal representation and opportunity; • To ensure that no one single race, event, organisation, person or facilitator is promoted exclusively, providing unfair advantage and / or financial gains as a result of direct consultation with this Group or its members.

AND IN THE THIRD CORNER Spartan Race HQ in America have announced that they plan to form a world OCR organisation. This is arguably going to be the best financed and corporate body but it is potentially flawed in that non-Spartans who either race or put on races may choose to boycott or not recognise the association.

All three endeavors demonstrate the many ways there are to skin a cat. One is putting the cart in front of the horse and will only engage both racers and race directors once it is established and recognized and the other is trying to unite everyone before gaining recognition - which may be like trying to push water up a hill with a fork. Perhaps the Spartan machine may well continue to sweep the globe and their vision of turning OCR into an Olympic sport may well prosper. Whatever the outcome, Obstacle Race Magazine will keep you posted and will always support the idea of making sure that OCR retains the balance of safety with risk and is always unpredictable, evolutional, challenging and fun… oh and muddy with lots and lots and lots of mud.

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COMPARING SUPPLEMENTS MADE SIMPLE Achillea Kyriahou Founder of www.knowwhatsupp.com

PRO SUP TEIN PLEM ENT

A+

WHAT IS PROTEIN? Many of us know we need to eat protein and many of us hear the word ‘Protein Shakes’, but what are we dealing with? Some great sources of proteins are beef, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, seeds, and legumes (like beans and lentils).

Protein builds, maintains, and replaces the muscle tissues in your body, and many other items in your body are made up mostly of protein.

Strictly speaking, proteins are made up of amino acids.

These amino acids are building blocks of protein and are vital for every living organism that is composed of protein.

WHAT ARE PROTEIN SHAKES? A question many people ask and a topic many people don’t fully understand. Essentially, the main function of protein shakes is to deliver amino acids to muscle cells, helping them to recover, repair and grow after strenuous workouts. To break it down, protein shakes are an efficient and convenient way of gaining the protein needed, rather than having to eat large amounts of high-protein foods straight after exercise.

IS IT SAFE? Of course! Would you eat chicken, steak, and eggs? Protein shakes are no different. They are simply a supplementation of your existing diet. Of course there are certain brands out there that produce poor quality products and this has given protein shakes a bad name in the past.

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WHEN SHOULD I TAKE PROTEIN? Protein shakes can be taken any time you feel you need an increased supplementation of protein. Some common times to take them would be: Pre-Workout A delivery of amino acids to the body has been shown to aid in muscle breakdown.

Post-Workout This is where your body requires immediate nutrition. A very common time to take your protein shake is straight after you train, ensuring maximum efficiency of amino acid delivery to the muscles.

In-between meals If you fancy a snack, don’t reach for that chocolate bar, grab yourself a protein shake. There are some great tasting ones on the market and they can really help curb those cravings!

Before Bed When we sleep our body fasts for many hours. To ensure adequate amino acid delivery to the muscles we can take a slow releasing protein called Casein. This type of protein forms a gel like structure in your stomach allowing a kind of ‘drip feed’ to minimize that catabolic (muscle breakdown) effect.

WHAT TYPE OF PROTEIN IS BEST? There are many types of protein and it can be really

confusing to know which one to use. Our Protein 101 article goes into more detail on the different types of proteins available to help you make the best choice for you.

To keep it really simple these three types of proteins release into the body in three different speeds.

Hydrolyzed (Fast) Ideal for post-workout Whey (Medium) Ideal for post-workout/snacking Casein (Slow) Ideal pre-bedtime We tend to favour a blended protein. These are products that use multiple protein sources and are becoming very popular on the market. Since there have been many studies showing the benefits of all protein types, why not combine all of these benefits in to one?

Many companies now offer blended products usually using Whey, Egg and Casein. This offers a true range of amino acids and a ‘timed release’ into the blood stream. There are many benefits to using a blend: • • • • • •

High levels of amino acids Optimal protein synthesis Anti-catabolic Extended release time Easily Digested Continuous Absorption

IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT PROTEIN PRODUCT IS RIGHT FOR YOU, FEEL FREE TO TAKE A LOOK ROUND OUR SITE AT KNOWWHATSUPP.COM

PROTEIN POWDERS 101 This is a quick, basic guide to the main types of protein powders you are likely to find on the market. There is still a stigma around the notion of protein shakes and many still don’t understand what they can be used for. In short, they are designed to supplement your diet with additional protein. Main benefits include their convenient nature, as well as being a relatively cheap way of getting high quality nutrients, when compared to meat and fish.

One of the most common questions we get is ‘what is the best protein?’ As this is a very difficult question to answer generically, let’s take a brief look at the different forms of protein and in what situations they should be used.

WHEY PROTEIN: Whey is created as a by-product of cheese production.

Whey protein is considered a complete protein and contains all 9 essential amino acids and is low in lactose content.

There are different forms of whey protein listed below: • Whey protein concentrate – this contains low levels of fat and low levels of carbohydrates in the form of lactose.

The percentage of protein depends on how concentrated it is. Always check the nutritional information on the back of the packaging. If a product has 80% protein you know it’s at the higher end of the quality scale.

• Whey protein isolate – Usually paying a higher price tag, this is further processed to remove all the fat and

lactose. This is usually at least 90% protein.

• Whey protein hydrolysate – is the “predigested” form of whey protein as it has already undergone partial hydrolysis – a process necessary for the body to absorb protein. This process makes WPH the ideal for postworkout nutrition so it can reach the muscles faster.

CASEIN OR MILK PROTEIN This form of protein is another milk protein derivative. You may see the terms ‘Milk Protein’ used on certain products.

This is because most of the protein (80%) in milk is casein.

The key difference between whey and casein is that whey is absorbed in the digestive system quickly, whereas casein is absorbed slowly and steadily. Taste-wise they are similar although casein can have a slightly chalky taste. Casein has the ability to provide your bloodstream with a slow and steady flow of amino acids that could last for hours. This makes it an absolutely ideal source right before bed to minimise any chance of muscle catabolism (breakdown).

EGG WHITE PROTEIN Originally, egg white protein was the most popular type of protein supplement. Similar to milk proteins, egg white is also naturally very low in fat and carbohydrates. It is cholesterol-free and an excellent choice for those who wish to avoid dairy products. In terms of its release into the blood stream, it’s about medium on the scale.

SOY PROTEIN Soy protein isolate has been separated or isolated from the other components of the soybean, making it 90 to 95 percent protein and nearly carbohydrate and fat-free. It sounds good right?

Well there are many downsides to this protein source.

• Soybeans are chemically engineered to “isolate” their protein, and this process strips out all of the other nutrients the original bean contained.

• The chemical process used to isolate soy protein often leaves behind substances you don’t necessarily want to be eating, like aluminum.

• Many soybeans have been chemically modified, processed, and filled with pesticides.

PROTEIN BLENDS These are products that use multiple protein sources and are becoming very popular on the market. Since there have been many studies showing the benefits of all protein types, why not combine all of these benefits in to one? Many companies now offer blended products usually using Whey, Egg and Casein. This offers a true range of amino acids and a ‘timed release’ into the blood stream. There are many benefits to using a blend: • • • • • •

High levels of amino acids Optimal protein synthesis Anti-catabolic Extended release time Easily digested Continuous absorption

OMEGA

IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT PROTEIN PRODUCT IS RIGHT FOR YOU, FEEL FREE TO TAKE A LOOK ROUND OUR SITE AT KNOWWHATSUPP.COM

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HOW TO RUN FASTER PART 2 In part 1, published in issue 4 of Obstacle Race Magazine, you did a self evaluation of your current running form to determine how comfortable your running is, and most importantly how efficient it is.

for the drills. Mark out a stretch that is around 75-100m.

For each of the following drills, you are going to run the length of the drill stretch, make a large circle and run back to the start point. This is a single drill.

From there we started to look at your posture and in particular your spinal alignment by elongating the spine from the crown of your head. Just to reinforce the importance I need you to consider how mindful of elongating your spine during your normal day as well as in your running. Without exaggeration it is probably the most fundamental aspect to your running.

GENERAL DRILL NOTES

MOVING FORWARD

3. Once you start working your way through the drills, don’t focus on everything from all the previous drills otherwise you will end up with too much in the head and trying to remember everything. Instead, just focus on elongating the spine with every drill and on the current drill.

Holding onto that thought about posture we now need to look at the other aspects to your running technique, by way of breaking down your existing running form. This way you can fine-tune, tweak and re-program your body and mind in order to develop your running technique, comfort and performance.

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1. Each drill on here will start with you elongating your spine and jogging on the spot before running the drill.

2. Each drill you will run 75-100m and back.

4. Just remember drills are focused on technique and not speed. So hold yourself back!

DRILLING

RUN EVALUATION

Having done a warm up and some dynamic stretches it is time to start some drills focusing on different elements to running. Find a flattish grassed area, trail or gravel path

First of all, run the drill stretch as you normally run and observe how heavy or not your legs and feet are. Similarly how much body weight is weighing down on your hips.

Obstacle Race | Issue 5

DRILL 1 ELONGATING THE SPINE Elongating the spine as we discovered in Part 1 enables you to: 1. Be taller, alert and confident.

2. Go anti-gravity i.e. not having your entire body weight bearing down on your hips, legs and feet.

3. Helps you to breath, as your neck and chest are more open.

4. Naturally brings your hips forward.

5. Encourages you to be more on your balls of your feet.

Jog on the spot; elongate the spine from the crown of your head (don’t let your jaw rise up). Then run the drill. Keep elongating the spine as much as possible.

OBSERVATIONS 1. Did your legs/ feet feel lighter? Were you aware of less weight on your hips?

2. Were you aware that your throat is more open and therefore it is easier to breathe and get more oxygen?

3. Does your body feel straighter?

4. If you are not sure, drill again.

DRILL 2 LETTING GO OF THE SHOULDERS As humans we are very stiff with our joints and in particular our shoulders are very tight, raised or stiff from lack of movement. This normally means neck and shoulder aches and pains. Unlike animals and in particular, cheetahs and leopards, who have very distinct shoulder movements, we need to take inspiration and learn to open up our shoulders.

Standing on the spot, focusing on the elbows moving the arm forward and back. Let the shoulders go and lets oil and grease them. Don’t control the arms from the shoulders, it’s all from the elbows. Now jog on the spot and then drill.

OBSERVATIONS Did you shoulders and neck feel more relaxed? If not sure, drill again.

DRILL 3 ARM DIRECTION Most runners think that running is just about the feet and legs. Well, they are wrong. Running is a whole body experience that is powered also by the arms. That is why the likes of Usain Bolt and other Olympians have upper body and arm strength.

The key factor about the arms is which direction are they arms going. For a moment visualise that your body is a car. Your legs are the back wheels and your arms are the

front. If your arms are not aligned with your legs, then your car is not going to go in a straight line.

Most racers I train are not aware of their arms either moving in different directions, inward, or even running like a bulldog with elbows out to the side. This is because what you consider to be right is the norm for you and not necessarily good alignment for running. So we need to break the muscle memory patterns.

The easiest way to realise your arm movements is to video yourself running or getting a friend to watch or get a FREE Running Analysis (see offer).

Standing on the spot, with an elongated spine, check your arms are moving in the direction you are running.

Remember to move the arms from the elbows not from the shoulders. Now jog on the spot and then drill.

OBSERVATIONS 1. Could you tell the difference? If not sure, drill again.

2. Because your arms are now going straight notice how it naturally opens up your chest. This will enable your lungs, heart and diaphragm to function better.

3. Have you noticed how relaxed your neck and shoulders are.

4. Do you feel that you are taller, alert and more confident?

5. If not sure, drill again.

Just to say I was out with an OCR runner today, and I asked him to self assess his arm movement. He was convinced they were going forward and back. I then had to demonstrate to him that his right arm was moving in the way that he was stirring a pot. He still couldn’t see, it, and this is so common as his body was programmed for so long that he was oblivious to it.

DRILL 4 ANGLE OF ARMS Most runners consider 90 degrees as being the optimal angle of your elbows whilst running. I prefer a variable 85-95 degrees. This way we avoid locking the elbows and keep the energy flowing from your finger tips to your brain. It encourages better communication, blood flow and increased oxygenation to the arms.

Stand on the spot, and adjust your elbows so they are variable between 85-95%. Move them back and forward.

Once again keep shoulders relaxed and let the movement come from the elbows. In regard to your fingers they should not be extended or flexed into a fist. Instead the fingers should be relaxed so that if you were holding a crisp then you wouldn’t break it. Now jog on the spot and then drill.

OBSERVATIONS 1. Can you feel your arms, shoulders, hands and fingers relaxed?

2. Do you arms move rhythmically with your legs?

3. Can you experience your whole body running?

4. If not sure, drill again.

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DRILL 5 HAMMERING BACK As mentioned in the previous drills all the power of the arms comes from the elbows. Now if we learn to hammer the elbows back then gravity will bring them forward just like a pendulum. The pendulum comes about only if you allow your shoulders to be relaxed, greased and oiled balls and sockets. Focus on your entire arm movement coming from the elbow.

The more you hammer back the more the pendulum will bring your arms forward without you trying to. Using gravity this way is free energy and on a communication level allows free flow. The fewer muscles you have inadvertently activated the less energy is wasted keeping them activated.

Plus less aches and pains in the neck and shoulders.

Stand on the spot, and adjust your elbows so they are variable between 85-95%. Hammer them back and feel the pendulum bring them forward. Once again keep shoulders relaxed. Now jog on the spot and then drill.

OBSERVATIONS 1. Can you feel the pendulum working?

2. Did you really run much faster?

3. Does it feel like a whole body experience?

4. If not sure, drill again.

PUTTING IT INTO ACTION Now it is time to practice these 5 drills before your run.

Remember like any new techniques, you can’t do them over long distances from day one. It has to be progressive as your body has been used a life of running the old way. You need to allow time for your bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons to adapt. So start off with 10 minutes of practice and slowly build up in minutes rather than miles.

After your drill go for a short run of say 10 minutes and try to incorporate the techniques into it. Remember always focus on elongating the spine and thereafter every 30s-60s focus on ONE of the techniques we did in the drills. Then move on to the next. This will start to program you and increase your mindfulness to your running technique. Just remember DO NOT try to implement all the drills in one go, as your brain will have too much to cope with. Then as you near the end of the run, don’t think at all, just enjoy running.

OBSERVATIONS 1. How much better was that?

2. Was it easier?

3. Was it less painful?

4. Was it faster?

5. Was it more fun?

In part 3 in Issue 6 of Obstacle Race Magazine we will fine tune and develop your running further with new drills.

FREE RUNNING ANALYSIS

Obstacle Race magazine has partnered with Wild Forest Gym - get a FREE running analysis when you attend an ORM Natural Running Training Session. To book your FREE running analysis visit http://bit.ly/ormnaturalrunning

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Obstacle Race | Issue 5

HONOURABLE OBSTACLE RUNNERS BRITISH ASSOCIATION HORBA The Movement Established 01.01.04

HORAUK

KIT SHOP

Why Join The Association?

For Organisers Why you should join as organiser Join Online Panel.

To Join Email Secretary info@ toughguy.com

Runners to join

For the Runner

Mr Mouse OCR Scholar

complete form http://goo.gl/V7g5rt

1) You will have your opinion heard on all matters

When I created OCR it was a Fun Run, No Times, distances nor prizes.

Now you want to be Racers, Times, Places, you want Athleticism.

2) You, if so willing can rise to the Presidency of the Association in Democracy

We owe Athleticism to the wonderful Volunteer Athletic Club Organiser of the past 100 years.

3) By Giving you will receive, as you already have, in finding yourself in this New Sport

What they have built we need to support.

4) You will continue to benefit from the wisdom and unrivalled experience that has brought this association together.

You get the strength of Insurance and a Regulatory Body.

Kick out the Cowboys and Greedy Profiteers.

5) By sharing you will see great benefits and benefits not yet obvious

Ensure that you receive WHAT IS WRITTEN ON THE CAN

6) You can be proud to be British, Honourable and proactive Members.

BARABAS HAD AN EASIER PASSAGE

7) There will be no disharmony amongst active members supporting each other in bad times rejoicing good fortune and working to make our World a better place to live.

Have the strength of a Regulatory Governing Body around you.

This can only be achieved with you joining and promoting others to join.

Proposed Revolutionary Benefits Talks are in progress to a Joint Venture with BRITISH ATHLETICS UK to a Common Regulatory Body with Complimentary Insurance for all (will naturally exclude Vicarious responsibility). A one system microchip recorder, whereby every runner has a lifetime microchip implant. Course systems will record all necessary data. Each Competitor will wear a shirt emblazoned with their own 6 DIGIT selected Name for Photo recognition which will match their microchip. A personalised Head Bandana will also be available.

Each Runner will tithe a single figure donation to the Governing Regulatory Body which will join up OCR with IAAF and IOC. (Olympic Committee) Needs be a Standardised course for Racing.

A Jumbled Course for Fun Running.

URBAN OCR & TRAINING SHOES If the UK follows suit with the US then the rise of the urban OCR has only just begun.

A staple of the urban scene has been Mens Health Survival Of The Fittest for the last few years. But now there’s a new kid on the block by the name of Urban Attack. Set in one of the world’s largest indoor BMX tracks it’s going to switch everything we expect from an OCR on its head.

I searched for a shoe from each main category, from minimalist to cushioned with support and these are the top four.

INOV-8 F-LITE The staple of most people’s functional fitness kit, used for everything from Crossfit to treadmill pounding. Fantastic tread pattern which suits most situations you’ll find yourself in. Fast drying for when you do hit the water at Survival of the Fittest. Enough flexibility to make you sure footed on the obstacles.

This is one pair of shoes that you won’t want to take off your feet. Light as a feather with extra thick layers of fabric around the toes to make them more durable. Rubber in the centre of the sole called rope tech maximises grip whilst climbing ropes. Available in Standard and also Precision fit to suit all foot types.

For anyone who already races in the inov-8 190 or 212 and wants a shoe to complement them.

AVAILABLE AT: WWW.MUDDYKIT.CO.UK

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COST: £90 COMFORT: 7/10 STABILITY: 8/10 GRIP: 7/10 WEIGHT: 9/10 APPEARANCE: 8/10 OVERALL: 78%

MERRELL ALL OUT RUSH

COST: £80 COMFORT: 8/10 STABILITY: 8/10 GRIP: 7/10 WEIGHT: 6/10 APPEARANCE: 6/10

The Merrell All Out Rush, new for 2014, hits a sweet spot in my running shoe menu. It’s a smart hybrid design that dovetails the lightweight and low heel to toe drop of the minimalist trail running shoes while retaining cushioning for those prone to heel striking or padding for those pushing their mileage or going hard in a race.

Like many runners I’ve adopted a hunger for minimalist running shoes, so finding a shoe that does an impressive job of finding the sweet spot between the most minimal shoe designs and the most durable, traditional trail running shoes.

The Merrell has very unusual tread pattern but it bites surprisingly well. If you’re a fan of a little more cushioning but without all the support inside the shoe you’ll love this.

OVERALL: 70% REEBOK ONE 2.0 The main thing that hit me when trying the Reebok Ones was the cushioning, or rather the amount of it.

I’ve been used to using minimalist shoes for running and racing for the last two years, so when I had my first few steps in these I felt like I was walking on a cloud, with three different zones of cushioning all aimed at helping to support your running.

The heaviest of the bunch, but they made up for this by not gaining much weight at all once wet. Boasting a traditional tried and tested tread pattern which works well on all surfaces, it won’t let you down. If you need maximum cushioning and a medium amount of support these are the perfect fit for you.

COST: £80 COMFORT: 10/10 STABILITY: 8/10 GRIP: 7/10 WEIGHT: 7/10 APPEARANCE: 9/10 OVERALL: 82% SALOMON SENSE MANTRA

COST: £60 COMFORT: 8/10 STABILITY: 9/10 GRIP: 7/10 WEIGHT: 7/10 APPEARANCE: 9/10 OVERALL: 80%

As with all Salomons the first thing you’ll notice about them is the impeccable detail put into the design. Next thing is when you slip your foot inside is the support they give your entire foot, and then the lacing system. The Mantras have a medium amount of cushioning but they do have a lot of support especially for your arch.

The toe box is medium width with a rubberised cap around it making it very durable.

The shoe dried very quickly when soaked and drained water incredibly well.

The rubber on the sole could maybe do with being a little stickier but unless you get them really wet this wouldn’t be a problem. It’s sporting a very nice tread pattern which provides all round grip.

The must-have shoe for anyone looking for maximum support and a light weight feel.

AVAILABLE AT: WWW.MUDDYKIT.CO.UK Issue 5 | Obstacle Race

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DIRTY DOZEN RACE REVIEW I think that this race company’s name is very appropriate as to how you are afterwards. You are definitely dirty (mud, sweat and god knows what else was in those ponds!) and you almost certainly want to run a dozen more!

This was my first venture at a Dirty Dozen race and after meeting Doug (aka Chief Beard) briefly at Judgement Day, seeing the majesty of his facial hair, and hearing the testimonials of other runners, I knew that it would be a special event.

Travelling down the M5 to sunny Wales (my first visit to the country), I was in a spritely mood and ready to get cracking. Due to the distance I was travelling, I was hoping to complete 2 laps of the course as 142 miles is an awful long way for a 6km race. After meeting Carl and milling around the race village we were off in the only race of the day. In all fairness after the first 200 metres of the race I was quite glad there was only 1 wave due to the first hill that greeted us on the course.

This hill was a great leveller for the field as it broke the runners up nicely to make sure there was no waiting or bottle necking which is a real bug bear for me. For the record I think that this is the steepest hill I have ever run up during a race.

After scaling the hill and running what I would estimate as another 500m we reached the woods where we descended again and had to negotiate a log in our way.

As I mentioned this was my first visit to Wales and from the top of the hills I was on I have to say it was a truly stunning view and a perfect location for an OCR. The combination of hills, trails, woods and streams was nothing new to me, however the way these terrains were used to the maximum potential was brilliant.

The descent through the woods came as a welcome break as the shade of the trees helped to manage the heat, which should have been marketed as another obstacle on the website. Running an OCR in 25+ degree heat is TOUGH! However I was vindicated in my choice of running top as my farmers tan is no more!

The second hill was not as steep as the first but boy was it long! A major ‘hi-5’ to anyone who got up that at any speed faster than walking pace! This hill again made sure the field was nicely spread out even more. The chance for a sit down and shade was a welcome sight for many racers (Sonic the Hedgehog included!), before the bigger obstacles started.

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Bladder Ladder and Hang Em’ High were the first obstacles I came across and were dispatched with relative ease. Helping another racer on the top of the Bladder Ladder get her leg over (sorry for the pun) is again what the whole experience is about, and due to this being her first race, hopefully she will be back for more.

Another slight downward slope and through a gate brought me to the Hang Over Walls. Now these have been a bit of a nightmare for me in other races, however this time I had done my homework! Checking on the Dirty Dozen website for what obstacles may come up had prompted me to research these and low and behold one of the first videos I came across was a Chief Beard tutorial. Problem solved and I mastered both of the walls with zero help. This gave me a massive confidence boost as I continued down the hill again to the bottom of the valley. Here we were met by the Bitch Ditch, before being sent back up the hill for a Logathon. This again was great use of the terrain as I would wager this was one of the most difficult carrying obstacles due to the degree of the incline you had to manoeuvre.

Successfully passing the Spider Walls and having a cheeky dip in the water after completing it to save myself burpees, I got to the first water station. This came as a welcome sight, however one of the key points given to us at the race start briefing about leaving bottles had been ignored by some racers which really aggravated me! A short jog through a steam, and out the other side. We again were sent up a hill and again found the refuge of the shade in the woods.

After passing this hill which turned out to be the last significant climb (thankfully) we went under Barbed Belly which was also through some of the thickest mud ever!

Passing through the woods brought us to a pond which was a positive as it was another opportunity to cool off. It wasn’t the most pleasant place for a paddle but was nice to wash off the quick drying mud from the barbed wire crawl.

Here I encountered a variant of the Sheep Dip obstacle, 4 Smoking Barrels (minus the smoke!) to dive under, then a 30 metre swim/crawl and back into the woods.

A short stream jog brought us to another Sheep Dip type obstacle then a steady hill jog for the Sandman obstacle

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DIRTY DOZEN

IAN POULTON RACE NAME: DIRTY DOZEN LOCATION: USK DISTANCE: 6KM (actually over 7.5km!!)

NUMBER OF OBSTACLES: 14 SORT OF TERRAIN: TRAIL LEVEL OF MUD: 2 DIFFICULTY LEVEL(1-10): 7 (FELT LIKE A 9 DUE TO THE HEAT!) Issue 5 | Obstacle Race

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›

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... and then one of my biggest nemesis: Tarzan (Monkey) Bars. I did as well as I could, but combining low strength, high weight and wet bars meant only one outcome!

Following the course to what I knew was close to the end brought a bit of adrenaline boost and the under and over Hurtles were taken quite easily. Another short jog brought another old favourite of races, the BIG Walls.

No ropes and only a small ledge to get a foot up and strategically placed at the end of the course was a great idea and surprisingly to myself I made it over with no help once again. Big smiles!

A few hundred metres jog and I got to the last obstacle, and one which I’ve never done before. The Irish Table. An Englishman in Wales negotiating an Irish table made this a truly multicultural event and with a well-placed hand by the Chief Beard to make sure I didn’t end up on my back I had made it up. A slightly worrying matter was an injured runner however they were being tended to my medics and generally seemed in good spirits.

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A sprint finish to try and catch Carl gave a few laughs and we both were given a round of applause for completing a truly great, albeit difficult Dirty Dozen race.

A comedy moment where the Chief Beard chased down a competitor who had misunderstood the directions given to avoid the injured runner was a highlight of the day and showed a testament to how well the event was organised.

Sometimes Race Directors are nowhere to be seen, but with enough volunteers it was a day to enjoy for the Dirty Dozen staff also.

After the race there were more than enough facilities to get changed and enjoy the weather and atmosphere of the race village. Having a chat with Mark Leinster who did a fantastic job on the microphone and ensure the injured runner got a standing ovation from the crowd as they were carried by a medical professional and The Beard.

Having never done a Dirty Dozen race before I am so glad that I got the chance this year. There were no areas of the day that I could fault and wore my bobble hat home with pride, funny looks included on the motorway!

ALWAYS WITH A SMILE The Oblivion is a 10k gruelling cross country event, and it promised entrants ten different tests of strength, endurance and coordination in a supreme challenge of fitness where competitors would need to be able to run, jump, crawl, swim, climb, slide and manoeuvre their way through various terrain and hazards.

As we stood at the start line waiting for our particular wave to be given the green light, I considered the experience of the three ladies who had chosen to take on the Oblivion with me that day… Two of the girls hadn’t taken part in more than five races of this kind, and for one this was her first ever event!

For first-timers and novice mud runners, whilst a 10k event of this nature will push them to their limits physically, barring injury around 98% of runners will complete the course. The challenge is arguably more of a mental one, as whilst their bodies have enough ‘umph’ to get round, their attitude and mental state will determine how they tackle the course and how they remember the experience.

For me, someone who could be described as a seasoned lunatic of mud runs and obstacle races, I was looking forward to enjoying the course as much as possible, and in doing so, getting as muddy and filthy as nature would allow.

My job that day, in addition to ensuring that the girls all crossed the finish line, was (in true OCR spirit) to make sure that they did so with a massive smile on their faces.

As we set off, we were immediately feeling the burn in our legs due to the first of the events so-called ‘tests’ - that of a gruelling hill climb which had many a runner walking just moments after the start. Whilst the view from the top was outstanding, it has to be said that few took the time to look around, as they gasped, bent in two, their head between their legs and their hands on their knees!

For the next 8 kilometres or so, much of the course remains was a blur… a mix of wet and very muddy off-road trails, climbs and descents, slips and slides, interspersed with both man-made and natural obstacles, mud pools and cargo nets.

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On countless occasions I was grasping the hand or clothing of one of my team mates, either to stop them from slipping or to drag them onward.

We all found ourselves on the floor at some stage nonetheless, but with every fall or stumble, we climbed back to our feet with a grin stretching from ear to ear. And, in my opinion, that is what sets us (as OCR enthusiasts) apart from the rest, in that when crawling on our bellies through mud, or wading waist deep through murky water, we endeavour to embrace the challenge with a sense of humour and, for want of a better word, pleasure… and whilst that might seem impossible to some folk outside of our world, as the saying goes… ‘It’s all good, when you’re in the mud!’

Now it would be rude to send competitors home naturepainted from top to toe in mud, but also quite an expense to provide shower facilities for several thousand runners, so as is the standard tradition at most mud runs these days, the final few kilometres of the event took the entrants through a number of water challenges to at least ‘get the thick off’.

For me personally, and for the vast majority of the people who ran the Oblivion, the most invigorating part of the course was a steep water slide which led the way to the finish line… Heavily watered, and lying on a steep enough decline to generate some real speed, a head first ‘run, dive and slide’ approach wasn’t just an option, it was a necessity! So good was this ‘test’, that I ran the wrong way back along the course so that I could do it all again!

As we crossed the finish line as a team, I could feel the sense of pride in the girls who had pushed themselves physically to make it around the Oblivion course… but more so, it was the fun and laughter that they had on their faces and shared with each other which filled me with joy…

“That was tough, the hardest thing I’ve ever done…” said the newbie, as she chomped into the Mars bar I had given her from my finishers pack (having already devoured the one she had been given!). “But, I can’t wait to do another!”

CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE

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EVENTS INCLUDED: ZIP WORLD MUD RUNNER OBLIVION WORLD EGG THROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS WORTHING BIRDMAN NETTLE WARRIOR SPARTAN RACE Issue 5 | Obstacle Race

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This was my first time at the Oblivion, and I’ve no doubt that I’ll be back, but after yet another long soak in the bath, the foundation was reunited with one of its best supporters and someone who I believe is a nailed on certainty for the Queen’s Honours List.

Sir Andy Dunlop (as he will be known) is a man of great esteem. He is known the world over for being the President of the World Egg Federation, and the man behind one of the most successful events in British history, the World Egg Throwing Championships.

The championships, which take place in the village of Swaton, near Lincolnshire, involve a number of ancient disciplines which the World President claims date back to at least 1322 when the newly appointed Abbot took possession of the Parish of Swaton by Royal Decree.

Whilst talking to one of a number of international television reporters at the championships, he explained: “Back then, the Abbot was the only person to own chickens and he ensured that all the peasants attended his church by providing them each with an egg. However, when the River Eau flooded, preventing people getting to church, the monks would hurl the eggs over to the waiting peasants”.

And, it is believed, that from these humble beginnings the sport of egg throwing began.

The World Egg Throwing Federation itself was set up in 2004 in order to regulate egg throwing, following the emergence of a number of variations of the sport, including nefarious use of eggs in political demonstrations. Since then, it has been joined by local and national groups that practice the sport, and it now acts as a central body for egg throwing, with its aims and policies adopted by many as it raises thousands of pounds for local, national and international charities.

Some may baulk, but this year the egg throwing season includes the Irish Open, Dutch Open, Australian Open, and the British open, as well as the Scottish Russian Egg Roulette Championships. And all of these events come just a year on from when England’s finest egg based athletes beat India’s finest at the historic inaugural Indian Test Match in the World Russian Egg Roulette Series held in Amritsar, India.

YES, THIS IS INDEED A GLOBAL SPORT. Already recognised by the English Sports Council, and with momentum building, Mr. Dunlop hasn’t ruled out the inclusion of egg throwing at the Rio Olympics in 2016 though he is tight lipped as to which discipline the Olympic committee may favour. So what are the options for IOC President Thomas Bach?

The primary discipline of egg throwing involves a two-person team, and the winner is the team who can throw and catch an egg over the greatest distance. Simple enough, true… but competition is fierce. The world record is currently held by Dutch masters Smink and Smink with a distance of 76.2 metres!

An alternative to this however may be the static relay where, upon the start signal, a packet of 12 eggs is passed, egg-by-egg, from player to player until the 11th and final team member has successfully collected all 12 eggs. The notorious 3 second ‘breakage’ penalty means that things are not always as they seem however, and the victory cheers have often been dashed on count-back.

There is also the egg trebuchet competition.

This discipline evolved in ancient times from when the flooding of the River Eau was at its worst and the monks would use small trebuchets to get that extra distance required.

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In the modern era however, teams construct a gravity powered machine based upon the ancient trebuchet design. One team member then targets a pre-determined set distance, whilst another becomes the target and makes ready at that set distance. When the trebuchet releases the egg projectile the target may move from his start point, and points are awarded for striking the target, or extra points if the target catches the projectile unbroken.

The discipline in which my talents are employed, is that of the accuracy championship. As the official target, I stand 24 feet forward from a throw line (and in front of a safety net to prevent overthrow), and a ‘thrower’ is provided with 3 eggs which are to be hurled at me. One point is awarded for any strike to the arms and legs, two for the body, and three for the groin!

The President insists that I don’t wear any form of protection (I am rebuked if I move to avoid a ‘direct hit’), and with a groin shot being the equivalent of a treble twenty in darts, in my experience the female throwers and young children seem the most adapt at scoring a maximum!

The final discipline, and arguably the most likely event to be added to the Olympic roster, is that of Russian Egg Roulette. This is an individual challenge against an opponent on a knock out basis.

Players sit opposite each other, across a table, with each player wearing a specialised bandana for protection. The toss winner decides whether to go first or second, before a tray containing 6 specially selected eggs is proffered… 5 hard-boiled, 1 raw. Each player then takes it in turn to select an egg and then smash it over their own forehead until oneplayer finds the raw one. It is the finder of the raw egg who loses the match.

At this years championships, it was the English team of Ginge Harrison and Titch Wells that successfully defended their world title, confirming the dominance of the nation who founded the sport, with an egg throw and catch of 50m, whilst Norm Fowler, from Peterborough, won the Russian Egg Roulette competition, beating 64 other competitors.

Commenting afterwards, Mr. Dunlop remarked: “Wells and Harrison were particularly pleased at beating the Irish and Germans, and the Americans, whilst Fowler managed to select, using his skill and judgement, the right egg each time, to take the egg roulette title”.

He continued: ““The lady who won the target competition got one body shot and two groin shots… it was quite remarkable. She threw with such viciousness it’s untrue!” Never was a truer word said…

When asked to comment on recent developments in the notorious Bieber-gate scandal, after it was revealed that teen-sensation Justin Bieber will be charged in Los Angeles following an egg-throwing incident dating back to January of this year during which, it is alleged, damage occurred to a neighbour’s home, Mr. Dunlop said: “Obviously the World Egg Throwing Federation condemns any heinous misuse of eggs… the ‘turning’ of an egg for such purposes goes against the ethics of the federation”.

Notably, these allegations come just as the House of Lords is set to debate the number of eggs allowed to taken on board aircraft in hand luggage. Government officials are keen to enact measures which will result in all eggs being cracked and their contents revealed following ‘chatter’ concerning intense chicken farming in Afghanistan.

The World President’s involvement with the foundation wasn’t quite over yet however as, whilst basking in the glory of my swollen testicles, we both made the elegant switch from eggs to birds… with the Worthing International Birdman!

The Birdman is the world’s foremost flight competition for human powered flying machines, and it is held each summer in the picturesque seaside town.

With three flying classes, prospective entrants can decide if they wish to be a serious aviator or if they want to

take part simply for fun and raise money for charity.

Since its conception, the ‘Always With A Smile’ foundation has been a stalwart in the Kingfisher class for fun flyers and comical entrants where it is the entertainment value of the flight, rather than distance, that counts!

In the foundation’s inaugural year, I made an appearance as Mr. T and won first prize flying off the specially constructed ramp (which stands 40ft above the sea) in the A-Team van… and since those early flight days I’ve ‘flew’ into the sky in increasingly less aerodynamic contraptions.

The Trotter’s 3-wheel van, ‘Kit’ from Knightrider, Rambo’s military helicopter, a push-bike (with E.T. in the basket) and the car from ‘Kick-Ass’ are just some of the flight machines which have crashed into the ocean following a somewhat turbulent launch.

Two years ago however, I teamed up with Mr. Dunlop to stage a memorable performance as Harry and Lloyd from the film ‘Dumb & Dumber’, in which we took flight (and first prize) when we defied physics (almost…) in the Mutt Mobile.

This year, Andy and I reunited (after promises were made to Andy’s wife that he would not be leaping from the pier!) as Dr Nefario and Dave the Minion of ‘Despicable Me’ fame!

With just two short minutes to impress the judges and wow the ten thousand-or-so strong crowd lining the shore, Dr Nefario (Andy) attached a fishing line to his Anti-Villain League counterpart before casting the minion (me) off the flight platform into the blue Worthing skies. The theory, or so it was claimed to the media reporters covering the event, was that following a cocktail of anti-gravity toxins, Dave the Minion would fly (it was estimated) for approximately 200m.

Now, whilst I was not actually inside a flying machine this year, the minion costume which I had constructed did have a number of hazardous drawbacks… the primary flaw in my design being the fact that I was actually unable to see the ground (or indeed anything in particular) from inside the outfit.

Timing my ‘take-off’ relied on me literally taking a leap of faith and listening for the cry of “JUUUUUMMMMPPPPP!” from Andy as he completed his final ‘cast’.

As my feet left the platform this year I remember contemplating the disastrous prospect of going headfirst over the edge should our launch strategy fail. But fate, this year at least, was on our side.

I soared high into the clear blue skies, a slight headwind providing the much needed ‘lift’ required for human powered flight. Up and up the yellow minion rose, as the crowd stood to its feet and roared in amazement… well, that’s how I remembered it at least!

The video footage admittedly told a different story… however a respectable 7.3 metre flight was entered into the record books (which, if you add the distance down, comes to over twenty!).

Andy, honouring the promise he had made to his beloved, made his way back down the pier and along the seafront to greet me as I was transported back to shore… my minion outfit in tow, looking a little dishevelled it has to be said.

Back in character we made our way back through the crowds, much to the cheers and laughter of the watching public. “Useless Dave… I need a new minion! I’m not happy” Andy bellowed, as both young and old gathered for a photo with our unlikely heroes.

And was it all worth it? Definitely! When all of the judges’ scores had been added up, it was the team from Always With A Smile who had once again claimed the Kingfisher title! The victory, which marked my third Birdman crown, set a new record, whilst my egg throwing companion now also boasts a perfect two from two record!

Ultimately however, our historical performance was

somewhat overshadowed (quite rightly) by that of Ron Freeman who scooped the Birdman Jackpot of £10,000 for the first time in the competition’s history by flying over 100m (159.4m to be precise). Next year, Ron, next year!

Since the last issue of ORM, there have also been a string of other events which a dearth of column inches prevent me from detailing to any great extent!

With that said, I was once again back at the home of OCR for the Nettle Warrior in July, an event which one of my fellow writers has penned for your entertainment. If you were there and saw a near-naked man with curly hair leaping around a lot, may I congratulate you on ticking off a ‘bucket-list’ OCR. In addition, earlier this year it was announced that I would be acting as an official ambassador for The Color Run, and so far London, Manchester and Sunderland have all ‘coloured me happy’ in the single largest event series on the planet!

The Color Run, for those who don’t know, has been dubbed ‘the happiest 5k run on the planet’. It is a unique race that celebrates healthiness, happiness, individuality, and giving back to the community. In fact, this un-timed event is less about your 10-minute-mile and more about having the time of your life!

It takes place over five-kilometres, and at each kilometre the thousands of runners and walkers who take part are doused from head to toe in different coloured powders! The fun then continues at the finish line with a gigantic ‘Color Festival’ - where more coloured powder is used to create happiness and lasting memories, not to mention millions of vivid colour combinations!

The event itself has only two rules, and the idea is easy to follow. The first rule is that entrants wear white at the start line... the second rule is that everyone crosses the finish line plastered in colour!

With Birmingham, Belfast, two events in Brighton, and a final colour blast at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to go, you can still take part in this event which is great fun for all the family!

I can also reveal that the Always With A Smile foundation has now joined forces with the Spartan Race… in what is a massively exciting move for everyone involved.

Kicking off in London in late August, this OCR series travels to Cambridge, Edinburgh, and Yorkshire before heading back to London in October.

The Spartan Race is the billed as world’s leading obstacle race series that challenges entrants to ‘discover their inner warrior’, and you can’t argue with the statistics.

More than 500,000 have taken part in Spartan races to date, and last year over 60 races were held around the world.

One aspect of the movement which has major appeal is the variety of challenges on offer, in that the Spartan Race can be run over 5k, 13k or 20k, with 15, 21 or 26 obstacles respectively… You can, in becoming a Spartan ‘Citizen’, even sign up for a UK Season Pass and have an ‘ArOoooooo’ at the lot!

There will be more to come over the next few issues about the Spartan Race.

YOU’LL BE GETTING THE INSIDE SCOOP OF WHAT IT MEANS TO WALK IN THE SHOES OF LEONIDAS HIMSELF! Issue 5 | Obstacle Race

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CROSSFIT 252 AD

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‘CLEAN LIVING’ ANTIOXIDANTS AND THEIR ROLE IN EXERCISE ANTIOXIDANT SUPPLEMENTS HAVE BEEN TOUTED

BY MANUFACTURERS AS A MEANS FOR ATHLETES TO PERFORM BETTER, RECOVER MORE QUICKLY AND FULLY FROM VIGOROUS EXERCISE, OR ALLOW THEM TO TRAIN MORE STRENUOUSLY. Solid evidence supports the contribution of the following supplements to general wellbeing: vitamins C, E, and A; bioflavonoids. Antioxidants can be found in a variety of foods. No consumer guidelines exist for antioxidant intake, so beware of consuming large amounts of vitamin E in supplement form – it’s not water soluble and can build up to toxic levels in our cells.

Phytochemicals function to protect plants against disease and environmental hazards such as ultraviolet radiation, and they’re even more powerful than the antioxidant vitamins and minerals A, C, E and selenium.

The phytochemical family is huge – you may have heard about some of them recently – carotenoids, flavonoids, isothiocyanates, phenols, sulfides, and many others. To give you some idea of their numbers, 4,000 flavonoids alone have been discovered. Phytochemicals are being tested for their potential protective effects against the ravages of free radical damage from aerobic exercise.

Athletes certainly have nothing to lose by increasing their intake of superfoods. Making sure you are eating enough antioxidants and phytochemicals may be the path to ensuring you recover from your training efforts efficiently, and perhaps staving off illness.

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FOODS TO PROMOTE A HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM Goals to Promote Immune Function 1. Ensure adequate calories, protein, carbohydrate, and fat to maintain energy balance and support exercise energy expenditure.

2. Consume carbohydrate before, during, and after long training sessions to offset the suppressive effect of exercise on immune function.

3. Eat foods rich in antioxidants (colourful fruits and vegetables) daily to combat oxidative stress.

4. Select lean protein foods, especially those that contain iron and zinc, to support immune function.

5. Include foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids that possess anti-inflammatory properties.

6. Ensure vitamin D adequacy to promote immune defense.

7. Choose foods that contain probiotics to enhance gastrointestinal and immune health.

WHICH FOODS CAN HELP.....

• Fruits rich in antioxidants: oranges, cantaloupe, papaya, berries, apples • Vegetables rich in antioxidants: sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, spinach, bell peppers, asparagus, onions, beets • Protein sources: chicken, turkey, fish, beef, dairy, eggs, legumes, soy foods • Sources of omega-3 fatty acids: salmon and other coldwater fish, nuts, seeds, plant oils • Vitamin D sources: oily fish (salmon, sardines, tuna), fortified foods (milk, orange juice, tofu, soy beverages, some cereals) • Foods that contain probiotics such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium: milk, kefir, yogurt

Issue 5 | Obstacle Race

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TOP 10 SUPERFOODS WRITTEN BY MICHELLE BUTLER – GOOD 4 U

1) Avocado Avocados are high in healthy monounsaturated fat and have a rich source of glutathione – a powerful antioxidant known to block over 30 different carcinogens (a substance capable of causing cancer in living tissue). Avocados are also one of the most nutrientdense foods; high in fibre, potassium, vitamin E, and magnesium.

2) Seeds Seeds are an excellent source of magnesium, a mineral that may help lower blood pressure promote bone health, and improve PMS symptoms. Pumpkin and sunflower seeds also contain significant levels of zinc and vitamin E, nutrients that help maintain healthy eyes, hair, and skin. Zinc, in particular, helps maintain collagen, which keeps your skin smooth, supple, and firm, and zinc also keeps your nails strong. Along with vitamin B6 and biotin, zinc contributes to healthy hair.

3) Sprouted seeds SPROUTS are a powerhouse of nutrients, packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, trace elements, antiaging constituents and enzymes. Eating sprouts regularly can result in an enormous improvement in general health, boosting the immune system, revitalizing and strengthening the body, improving digestion, combating tiredness and stress. www.good4u.co.uk/sprouts. html#brocco-shoots-super-sprouts 4) Veggie Juices Vegetable juices help to hydrate you as they contain lots of water, as well as vital nutrients. They are great for cleansing the body and help to maintain a healthy bowel. Due to the high level of vitamins and minerals they are great for giving you a quick burst of energy.

5) Oatbran Ideal for breakfast as hot cereal or mixed with yoghurt.

Oat bran contains soluble fibre, which reduces the low-density lipoprotein (LDL), otherwise known as the "bad" cholesterol. Once consumed, oat bran enters the digestive tract where its soluble fibre absorbs water and forms a gel-like substance, creating a feeling of fullness.

6) Blueberries Blueberry extracts are a potent antioxidant which have been reported to have anti-inflammatory characteristics

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and help prevent contagious bacteria from adhering to the walls of the bladder, urethra and gut. Impressive!

They are said to help with memory loss and contain flavonoids which can help eradicate dangerous free radicals which can cause damage to cell walls & DNA. 7) Quinoa Quinoa is known as a super grain. It is considered a complete protein because it contains all eight of the essential amino acids we need for tissue development and contains almost twice as much fibre as most other grains. It is gluten-free, high in amino acids, protein, vitamin B6, B1, B2, B3 and potassium. Plus it is a great source of copper, zinc, iron, magnesium and folate. It is also a source of calcium. Useful for vegans and those who are lactose intolerant.

8) Eggs Eggs are one of the most nutritious foods money can buy - they are a natural source of many nutrients including high quality protein, vitamins and minerals. A medium egg contains less than 70 calories. Eggs are naturally rich in vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B12, vitamin D, selenium and iodine. They also contain vitamin A and a number of other B vitamins including folate, biotin, pantothenic acid and choline, and essential minerals and trace elements, including phosphorus.

9) Oily Fish – Salmon, Mackerel, Trout, Herring, Fresh Tuna Oily fish is important because it’s rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which are especially useful in warding off heart disease. Most oily fish contain protein, zinc, selenium, A, D and some B vitamins. Omega 3-rich seafood might help slow down macular degeneration (a common cause of age-related blindness), protect against the build up of cholesterol on the artery walls which can cause heart damage and help reduce the impact of arthritis.

10) Cottage cheese Cottage cheese is a low-calorie, high-protein source of essential nutrients like calcium, iron, folate and vitamin A. It contains all the essential amino acids needed for it to qualify as a complete protein. One cup of cottage cheese has 23g of protein.

MAN VS WOMAN

WRITTEN BY MEL RAYNER – RACE DIRECTOR LAKE FEAR

And so the great debate continues: Should women carry out the same exercises as men or should they have allowances made?

Let’s look at the facts. Generally men are taller than women, have larger muscles and historically have outperformed women in the majority of sports.

Usain Bolt holds the World Record for 100m metres. In 2009 he ran it in 9.58 seconds. Florence Griffith holds the female World Record set in 1988 with 10.49. This is nearly 1 second slower than Usain.

Weight lifting requires muscle mass. In the USA 75-77kg weight class for Men and Women, the male champion executed a 120kg snatch lift and the equivalent female 87.5kg.

Why did this happen? Because of a hormone called testosterone, a natural anabolic steroid produced mainly by the testes in men and by the ovaries in women. This increases muscle mass and density whilst refining fat and aiding recovery. On average, in adult males, levels of testosterone are about 7–8 times as great as in adult females. This is one of the primary reasons men out-perform women. Men are on steroids!

However, as we know, a major factor in racing and OCRs specifically is the ability to have great mental strength. For example, when faced with a sandbag carry up a huge hill (Judgement Day) or a leap off a platform into a lake (Lake Fear) or even a charge through nettles (Nettle Warrior) or tiger tails (Kamikaze). These disciplines require great mental minerals and when faced with danger it seems that once again men out-perform women at many of these

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too. This is not a fact but it is a pretty keen observation.

A girlfriend recently completed Hurt Zone. The 7 mile course was broken up with Army personnel belting out challenges and exercises to make the hardiest wither. My friend said how frustrated she was that women were invited to do press ups from their knees. Likewise, at Judgement Day ladies were invited to do a burpee and then tap the bar above them whereas men had to do a full burpee with a pull up.

WAS I BOTHERED? NOT AT ALL. Was my girlfriend bothered? Absolutely.

When asked why, she said that we shouldn’t have easy options. Granted, we may take a little longer but then that’s why we signed up to do these races; to compete with others. Hmmm, thought-provoking. However, since all the females were doing the same, why would she want to make life harder than it already was. Save your stored energy for the challenges ahead, as well as your ability to run hard and nail a few tired men on the way that have carried out killer squats with heavier weights.

My husband has recently taken up running, and with 2 years under my belt now I was confident that I had a head start. So why did he do his first run with me with such ease and then continue to thrash my time and does so consistently now? Incidentally, I’m not too shabby at

running. But again, why does this happen?

There is no way that he ‘wants it more’! You’d have to know me to know that this is impossible. I’m the girl that cried after the Race 4 Life when beaten at 6th place to 7th. I’m the girl that recently pushed men out of the way to hurl myself head first down a slip n slide at Pandemonium to get 2nd female.

It could be down to genetics. It has been proven that with the correct genes you can reach higher goals and with my genes (thanks, Mum and Dad) I’ll be beaten by the lucky ones!

I recently ran a boot camp class and watching my mixture of males and females carry out 1 hour of exercise the effort exerted was split equally. With neither males nor females dropping on form or effort. Yet in the 30 second burpee challenge (repeated 16 times) the men were consistently throwing out 10 of the horrors, whereas the ladies were hitting around 8. Now, at 1 every 3.75 seconds that is a great number for ladies but why could the guys throw themselves into 1 every 3 seconds? Let’s consider the risk factor. Men are more willing to take a risk. They will throw themselves off platforms, scale bonesnapping walls, electrocute, freeze, burn and probably even munch their way through nettle fields.

Maybe it comes down to Neanderthal man. These were handsome chaps with receding hair lines and pronounced brow ridges. They were shorter than modern day man and had a slight monkey like quality making them wonderful grapplers. They would spend all day slaying and chopping up a woolly mammoth and then drag their dinner 30 miles home to their families where the lady of the house would prepare a banquet. As we continue on through the years physical exertion was no place for a female and so let’s consider that man has had a 45,000 year head start on exercise. That’s not bad going.

Bringing it back to 2014 and modern day woman. Here is my personal opinion.

Should women have allowances made? Yes. We are not designed to run faster, be stronger or take more risks. I compete to win nowadays. Sadly this is a rare occurrence but I do start with a view to beat the rest of the field. If a girl overtakes me then I want to take her down! If a guy goes past then good for him, jolly well done my little cupcake.

It doesn’t faze me. However, ask my friend and she would say quite different.

Let’s conclude with two thoughts. Men, if you want to electrocute yourselves, eat nettles, break limbs and all but drown in the bid to be the fastest then you go for it.

I on the other hand have completed woman’s finest challenge. I’ve had two wonderful children and believe me that is the finest endurance test with the most pain and mental exhaustion ever faced.

WOMEN ARE THE TOUGHEST, END OF!

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ASK THE EXPERTS WINTER PREP We have gathered together some of the best advice from everyone from obstacle racing regulars right through to OCR elites. These are tried and tested tips that have got them through everything from four laps at The Nuts Challenge through to Tough Guy the Original.

So that it away gang lets have your tips...

RICHARD PRINGLE: Clothing! Neoprene. Cold gets you way before tiredness or fitness levels do.

LUCY CLAY: Easily the biggest thing I've seen cause people to drop out in actual races is not moving enough. Waiting at obstacles, walking etc. I dance in queues, and if I'm with a slower team mate I skip around (I'm not getting hypothermia just because someone else wants to walk).

Buffs can also be a really great to protect your face.

JAMES APPLETON: Be ready for the cold - mentally and physically. You need to know what happens to your body when you full-immerse in icy water, and there's no other way than trying it out (safely!) in training. You'll never change how your body gets affected by the cold physiologically, but you can learn to deal with the psychological elements of the shock. After that, make sure you dress right. Better to maintain a little extra body heat at the expense of a little extra weight - once your body starts to drop heat it's just a matter of time before you'll be out.

STEVE HAMMOND: My top tip for winter OCR races is clothing. I think I’ve found the perfect kit, some kayaking clothing, super warm but also you can run in it without over heating. Almost wanted to keep it a secret because it’s so good! NRS hydro skin = epic kit.

CLARE MILLER: Get your kit right. Most people attempting to do 4 laps of the winter Nuts had to stop due to the cold. I wore a shorty wetsuit, neoprene hat and gloves and stayed toasty warm the whole way round

SHEAMUS COGAN: Get prepared for after the race. Ensure you can get naked ASAP, dried off and into warm gear. Bring an old towel and bin liner for race gear. Make sure after race gear is baggy and can layer up. Wellies slip on more easily than shoes. Make sure you can get your race shoes off quickly - Salomon system is fab but prepare laces so you aren't fighter to get wet locked laces off with frozen fingers.

ROB FOULKES: The obvious one would be to wear compression base layer on the top as it takes off the wind chill on the skin, and keeps you a little warmer in the water. Another one is afterwards, lay the backseat of the car in a blanket so when you finish you jump in the back and pump up the car heaters to max for 5 minutes to then get out of your clothes ASAP. Then you’re free (and warm) to go walking round the village.

MR MOUSE: Hydration is the key. If you start to dehydrate you will suffer from the cold much faster. When cattle are out in the fields during winter, the trick to keeping the from suffering from the cold is to keep them hydrated. Also choose the right layers as some layers can be worse than being naked.

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JOSEPH BRIGHAM: Be careful where you park the car.

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HOWARD DAVIES: Inhale before submerging in cold water, it prevents you inhaling water with a gasp reflex.

LEE PICKERING: Train outside in the winter acclimatise, no point training in the gym and expecting the body to cope when you jump in a river!

CARL WIBBERLEY: Have a Dryrobe waiting for you at the finish line!

HOBIE CALL: Wetsuit possibly, maybe even just a heated wetsuit vest. A warm hat would be #1 because it doesn't get in the way at all, but goes a long way with helping to keep you warm.

VIVOBAREFOOT TRAIL FREAK SHOW REVIEW

COST: ÂŁ29 COMFORT: 6/10 WEIGHT WHEN WET: 6/10 DURABILITY: 9/10 LOOKS: 9/10

Here you have the no holds barred, must-have shoes for every barefoot racer. The Trail Freaks are not for the faint of heart of weak of foot, because they really are stripped right back. The balance of barefoot feel and protection is pretty much perfect. With a patented ultra-thin, punctureresistant sole. The toe box is nice and wide and the shoe is zero-drop giving plenty of room for natural foot movement and giving you natural shock absorption by allowing you arch and toes to splay. Featuring aggressive 4.5mm lugs to give an unprecedented amount of traction.

A toggle lacing system that stays closed is a perfect addition allowing you to unlace quickly after racing.

All this means they are perfect for all types of terrains from stony and loose right through to wet and muddy. These shoes really did perform incredibly well in all conditions and offer loads of feedback whilst negotiating obstacles.

AVAILABLE FROM: WWW.VIVOBAREFOOT.COM

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RACER PROFILE JAMES APPLETON JAMES APPLETON, 28 OCCUPATION: FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER NO. OF OCRS TO DATE: MORE THAN I CAN COUNT FAVOURITE OCR: TOUGH GUY – IT'S THE GENESIS OF THE SPORT FAVOURITE OBSTACLE: YOU CAN'T BEAT A GOOD HILL YOUR KRYPTONITE: COCA-COLA NO. OF PODIUMS: NO IDEA, BUT HOPEFULLY MORE TO COME! 52

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James Appleton has to be one of the most welcoming guys you’d ever wish to meet at a race. In a heartbeat he’ll share the knowledge he’s acquired from years of OCRs. Baptised in the icy OCR waters of the Winter Tough Guy he came away a different man with a new addiction.

So tell us a little about what you’re doing when you aren’t getting muddy on an obstacle course?

Outside of racing and this sport I earn my bread as a freelance photographer – it's a really varied career (though I don't ever consider it “work” - it's way too much fun for that) so I could be anywhere in the world to be honest, wherever I am I'll always have a camera with me though.

What is it about OCR that makes you keep coming back for more?

For me, it's the competitive side of OCR that I love. I was never quite good enough to be really fast as a pure road runner, but OCR suits me better with its all-round physicality.

The first race I ever ran was Tough Guy Nettle Warrior back in 2005 – I had a blast and came third, and decided there and then I was going to go back until I won that and the winter version of the race – which I eventually did.

Describe yourself in three words?

Determined, competitive, adventurous.

What would you say is the biggest challenge you’ve faced?

Both professionally and personally?

It's hard to pick out one more than anything else - but professionally I'd probably go with sitting out a two-day blizzard on a volcano In Iceland waiting for a “perfect shot”. I was holed up less than a kilometre away from an erupting cone in sub-freezing temperatures, zero visibility and occasional earthquakes, with the whole mountain set to go off at any point. That wasn't an easy thing to be okay with. Personally, I once ran Hadrian's Wall because it seemed like a good idea. Without having done a huge amount of training I split it over two days, so just over 42 miles each day. The first day was fine, the second was not, and it took every bit of willpower I had to drag myself through what felt like a never-ending last ten miles.

Do you have a mantra you turn to while pushing hard during racing or training?

Not a mantra as such, I do visualise other athletes I want to beat though – at the moment I've got the faces of a few of the US Spartan Pro Team popping around my head during sessions. I find that tends to block out some of the pain – ultimately it's all for the glory of getting to the finish line first, that motivates me more than anything.

What is a typical week of training for you?

At the moment I'm still building a base and getting my body properly set up again for good mileage and speed work down the line, so I'm focusing on longer, steadier sessions for now. Down the line though I'll be stepping the speed up - I've always believed that you win races before you ever get to the start line, so I'm no slacker. As an overall picture though, I'll focus mostly on running, a few cycling sessions around the running and then gym and climbing trips for upper strength.

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Where do you see the sport of obstacle racing going in the future?

The X-games, or possibly a stand-alone competition much like the Crossfit games. Call me a pessimist, but I don't see OCR being consistent or pure enough for the Olympics – it's going to need some serious streamlining before that ever becomes a possibility. Within the sport as a whole I have a huge amount of respect for what Spartan are doing internationally at the moment though.

I'm excited to see where that'll lead down the line, wherever it goes the competition and standard is only going to go up and I'm looking forward to doing my best to stay in the mix.

What does your race day breakfast consist of?

A solitary banana. If it's a longer race I might let myself go and have a cereal bar too...

What races are you most looking forward to this coming season?

I can't wait for the Spartan World Championships in Vermont this September – I was honoured to be invited out to race last year by Joe De Sena, and I'm excited to have another crack this year now I know what to expect.

I've completely ramped up my training and lifestyle for it, originally I wanted to better my 7th place from last year but looking at how the standard of the athletes has grown this year, and the new faces on the start line, I'd be stoked to finish anywhere in the top ten. After that, I'll be looking towards Tough Guy next February, though as ever with no small amount of fear – it's still the most painful race I've ever done, but I want more Tough Guy titles to my name so back to the icy killing fields I'll be going.

When you are not training / racing what do you like to do?

Eat, sleep and see the world.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone new to obstacle racing what would it be?

Never, ever jump into the water with your mouth open.

That, and learn to love running – it's the purest form of movement and essential to success in OCR. What would you say is your must have kit list for race day?

Inov-8 x-talons, a pair of shorts and your game face. In winter I'd also include a DryRobe. Anything else is a luxury!

So, if people want to keep up with your racing adventures where can they follow you? Do you have a blog?

Not for my racing / training exploits – I prefer keeping myself to myself. As far as I'm concerned most of us guys are just filling the places until the real pros turn up down the line, and the slew of “elite athlete” Facebook pages of US racers and such is a little much.

If you want to follow my professional photography though, which is my main focus in life, you can find me on Facebook as James Appleton Photography, or through my website WWW.JAMESAPPLETON.CO.UK provided you like photos of northern lights / mountains / volcanoes.

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THE BIG 7K MUD7 is the first multi OCR organisation event ever hosted.

We have invited 7 of the best obstacle course racing organisations to put on a kilometre of the course each creating a unique 7km race with 7 different zones and 7 sets of the best obstacles the organisers can offer – all in one race!

Naturally every single one of these OCR brands will want to make a lasting impression and so you’re guaranteed a unique experience at MUD7 full and bursting with the obstacles you love.

Obstacle Race Magazine had the challenge of finding a location which could do such a unique race format justice.

We wanted to set our amazing event up in a place that anyone coming from all the four corners of the country could easily get to. Also any of our international readers could be tempted to as well. We’re very pleased to announce that we’ve found such a spot!

The Heart of England Conference Centre located in Warwickshire is a 160 acre site with tons of woodland and rolling hills. It’s situated in Meriden – the most central point in England and is extremely close to the M42, M5 and M6.

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Heart Park, which was made famous for an amazing ‘beach’ that they created at the location couple of years ago, really does have everything you could want from an OCR. We can’t wait for next summer to come around.

Obstacle Race Magazine is also going to host an expo at the same time for all you obstacle racing fanatics and so it was important to find a venue that could accommodate this also. Heart of England Park is currently used as a conference centre as well as a 4x4, Off Roading, quad bike, corporate event and paintballing site. It really is perfect for The MUDNIFICENT 7!

We have so far revealed four of the seven race organisations who will be putting on a kilometre of the 7km race. Month one it was Airfield Anarchy, Month two it was The Reaper Run, month three we announced Spartan Race and month four was Tough Guy. These four alone will make it a race you don’t want to miss out on.

The race entry price includes free entry to the Expo. For more information visit www.mud7.com or check out the latest news on the Facebook page ORM Mudnificent 7 & Obstacle Race Expo.

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SUFFERING TRIPLE RACE REVIEW They weren’t joking when they said 99% need not apply!

With 3 races over 2 days, advertised as ‘NO LESS THAN’ 5km + 10km + 10 miles, and an actual total distance just shy of a marathon with 50+ obstacles, this was a brutal weekend that left the Suffering Legends paying for it in moans and limping for a long time after the finish line.

As a word of warning to anyone signing up, these races were good value for money, with the 5km being nearer 9, the 10km around 14, and the 10 miles more like 12!

Sam ran all 3 races, earning himself the title of a Suffering ‘Legend’, and due to injuries Lucy ran the 5km and worked as a Reaper (race marshals who give out punishments from burpees to press ups in the mud!) for the 10 mile race, so between us we got a view from all angles!

The start of all 3 races was very similar, with tyres to climb over, a cargo net to crawl under with audience participating by throwing wet sponges, and then around the corner to some monkey bars. When bottles necks arose on these after the first race, the Reapers were sharp on handing out punishments to keep racers entertained. The Reapers are a credit to this race, and add an extra edge to the experience – they dish out punishments, but are also key to motivating struggling runners, and help the event run smoothly … and they are even told to say ‘about a mile’ to any question of distance from exhausted runners! There was then the staple for these races - getting over fallen trees, and then exercises (barrel rolls, sit ups, or press ups) in shallow water to get everyone soaked through within the first mile.

These races are not so much about the epic size obstacles, and are more about a relentless attack on runners’ bodies and minds, forcing them to carry on when they really do not want to see another hill or reaper for as long as they live. Throughout all 3 races there were several obstacles utilising the already-permanent horse jumps that exist at Rockingham, and these look small but really batter your legs after a few miles!

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SUFFERING TRIPLE

SAM CLEVELAND & LUCY CLAY RACE NAME: TRIPLE SUFFERING LOCATION: ROCKINGHAM CASTLE DISTANCE: AT LEAST 5KM, 10KM, AND 10 MILES NUMBER OF OBSTACLES: 50+ IN TOTAL SORT OF TERRAIN: HILLY, COUNTRY PARK LEVEL OF MUD: 2-3 DIFFICULTY LEVEL (1-10): 9 Issue 5 | Obstacle Race

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OTHER THAN RAIN AND EXHAUSTION AND AN EXTRA 5KM, THE MAIN ADDITIONS TO THE 10KM WERE THE HILLS!

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The 5km kept the dug in wall from previous races, which thanks to the weather was waist-height in rain water and an absolute nightmare to get up once it was made slippery by the first few runners. A jerry-can carry over a scaffolding a-frame, a large slip ‘n’ slide that was later closed due to racers hurtling towards a tree, and a bog wade were just some of the obstacles that at times actually seemed like a welcome break from the ongoing hills and orders for press ups from the Reapers! Team work as always played a huge part, especially as time wore on and racers realised that this was not actually anywhere near 5km, and this was especially evident at the Suffering’s final stretch – a variety of walls including a tyre wall, a leaning wall, a standard straight wall, and the box walls that are cruelly designed with no grip at the top! Plenty of leg-ups were given, and then racers sprinted towards the finish line for their medals and t-shirts.

Now this was a great relief for the 5km single racers, but for the people taking on the Suffering Triple, aptly named the Legends, this was just the warm up for their weekend! Only two hours after the 5km racers left the start line, and in pouring rain, the 10km racers started out.

Other than rain and exhaustion and an extra 5km, the main additions to the 10km were the hills! These race directors have a sadistic habit of finding a hill, and making racers slalom up and down the face of it to truly burn their legs out. They also threw in even more walls, an extra tyre to carry up the hill to the castle, and cargo nets draped over a pond that the Reapers were placed at for some extra orders!

After a night of nervous sleep the Legends were up again to start the 10 mile race on the Sunday. On its own this race is a challenge, and after 23km the day before, it was a whole different beast (one Legend even STARTED the race with a broken rib!) Racers left this one with plenty of nettle stings, rope burn from the rope climb, and nightmares about hills. The defining obstacle for this race was the quarry, which Sam describes as ‘hell on earth’, in which racers were carrying (or dragging!) a jerry can around a quarry, through water, under cargo nets, over boxes, and up over ledges and boulders! Reapers were once again there to hand out some punishments as if they racers weren’t already tired.

With only 23 finishers, those who run the Suffering Triple truly earn the title ‘Legends’, and this is one of the hardest events on the calendar, and not a race series to be taken on lightly!

10k Challenge W o od s , Ob s ta c l e s , L a k e s & F i e l d s . . . W i l d R u n n i n g

Winter Wolf 1st & 2nd November 2014 S ta n f or d H a l l , L eic e s t ersh i r e Wild running across natural, raw terrain; through woods, mud & water.

Running, climbing, wading, crawling and swimming. Tackling both natural and man-made obstacles. Testing physical & mental skill & stamina.

Running in a pack or as a lone wolf...

Have you got what it takes to be a Wolf Runner? w w w. t h e w ol frun . c om

BEHIND THE SCENES OF OCR TIGER EVENTS Course builders are one of a whole heap of guys and girls who you never actually cross paths with as a racer but without them there would simply not be a race to run at all. They work crazy hours on the weeks running up to events to be able to hit race day deadlines.

This means working through rain, hail, sleet, and snow to make your experience out on the course the safest and most exciting it can be. So we caught up with one such company called Tiger Event Solutions to give you a little peek behind the scenes of the OCR industry.

Neil (aka Dom) and James, first of all congratulations on an awesome build at Judgment Day. From the feedback everyone’s giving you did a fantastic job.

So how was Tiger Events Solutions born and what made you set up a company in this particular industry?

Following several years within the industry in varying roles and to varying degrees I was helping a charity race company with some advice on what to do and what to be careful of etc. Then whilst talking to James about it, the conversation soon moved to how many other races may want our help or advice. Fast forward to the following day and James phoned me with the website details and it was all go from there.

What courses have you worked on so far?

As Tiger Event Solutions we have worked with Judgement day, Mucky races, Fens of fury and a small handful of others who would rather not be mentioned. We pride ourselves on providing as much of a service as possible without distracting from the brand or the company although as individuals you can add Spartan Race, Rat Race, Tough Mudder and park runs to the team’s resume of courses worked on.

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What’s the best obstacle you have had chance to bring to life on a course?

We’re guessing you have to be a real jack of all trades to be good at this?

Although this wasn’t under the heading of TES I would have to say Spartan races slip ramp(mk2).

Absolutely! In fact I previously had a DIY and handyman company called Dom Of All Trades, but everyone in the team brings new skills and talents as well as ideas and techniques. But if you’re ever looking to join a build crew, the more versatile and varied your skillset and experience the more successful you will be.

Spartan race had asked to make it bigger and better, so it was re-designed to be an extra 4ft of climb and also a rope climb down the other side, which made for a two part accomplishment; the challenge of the climb and the challenge of the rope. This had also taken the injury rate from an average of 5 per UK race with the old wall to 0 in a whole season in Canada and UK (which sees 70-100k racers).

The best thing is that there’s a lot more to the obstacle than Spartan Race opted for, so watch this space, possibly coming to a race near you soon.

What’s the worst obstacle you have had to build?

Worst would normally be a barbed wire crawl, often in the miserable weather, over muddy swampy puddles and getting periodically bitten by the wire..... Although as some will tell you, we are a little strange - even compared to an OCR runner - and we tend to find the pain fun too. And the weight brings the big 10ft walls into a close second.

At 220kg each without legs, without a good team and technique it’s just not going to happen....

What sort of man hours are we talking about to build a course like a 10 mile OCR? It’s really race dependant, as terrain, obstacles, access, venue and even weather needs to be taken into account.

For example, JD we were only given 3 days access, so we were due to throw about 180 man hours in there, however due to unforeseen circumstances and the dreaded curse of the race director, it ended up more like 250.

Do you ever get strange looks when you go out buying random amounts of strange items for OCRs? Definitely, or worse still the reactions when you’re trying to explain what you need for a particular job.

So what does the future hold for TES, what direction would you like it to go?

We are happy to go the direction required of us, we are all about helping or advising as much or as little as the race company wants. We can help from design to the finish line or anywhere in between... We have one event that isn’t interested in anything apart from our ideas on car parking and another that wants the full works, designing, building, planning, infrastructure, health and safety, marshalling etc.

We just love the industry, and want to enable anybody with the same passions by sharing our knowledge and experiences in OCR and outdoor events, and help them do so in a safe manner. It gives the company a shelf life in some respects as once advice is given it’s given, but as our experience grows, so will our advice. There is always the design and build of obstacles, build crews and marshals that will be required as long as there is an industry of OCR. So, in short I suppose we want to help the industry grow in a safe manner in any way we can.

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YOUR LETTERS

SEND US YOUR LETTERS! Thanks for your mudtastic letters and photos, we always look forward to hearing what you OCR fans are up to.

We’re just sorry there isn’t room to include them all, but here’s a selection of our favourites.

If you would like to get a letter on to this page then please send 100 words and a picture of you in action to letters@obstacleracemagazine.com

sponsored by Nuclear Races

Hello Like most of your readers, my friend Ian and I love OCR. However I would like to introduce a few newbies. I teach an outdoor fitness class, and after consistently turning up in awesome race t-shirts with even better race photos in tow, some of the gang decided they wanted to try this OCR game! Tammie (2nd left purple top) and Kerry (far right, blonde) recently completed Beat the Bog in Kent, while Jo (2nd right) and Hannah (far right) recently complete Only Fools Ride Horses in Colchester. It was their first time for all of them, but they all loved it and are now planning for 2015!

I would just like to say massively proud I am of all of you, and how honoured I am to have joined you in your first OCR. You have all come so far, and I look forward to seeing all go even further in 2015. Oh, and Clare? You’re next ;-) Thanks ORM! Mel, of Mel’s Minions.

Hey ORM We are team ne29 and we run OCRs and anything else we can for the tiny lives special baby unit and the sir bobby Robson foundation.

Over the last 2 years we have raised over £10,000 for over 3 charities. This year we are taking part in the Whitley Bay Beach Assault both day and night race, Sunderland 10k, Children’s Cancer run, Front Runners 5k, Para10 Catterick, Spartan Race Edinburgh, Great North Run, the Children’s Heart Unit 10k and may more.

As you can see you can’t miss us so if you see us at a race come and say hi! Our team is sponsored by Casual Connessieur, and if anyone would like to sponsor us go to www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/ne29 Many thanks Kev Brown and Glenn Burns, Team NE29

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Hi. I’m Mike Vella and have just recently completed the awesome Judgement Day. It was tough and I finished with quite a few obstacle kisses. I’ve only tackled the MH Survival of the fittest and the Dirty Weekend last year, but since subscribing to your magazine wanted to experience the variety of obstacle races that are out there.

So far this year I’ve completed the Major Series in Leeds (muddiest so far), recently Judgement Day (awesome) and in a couple of weeks Xrunners Mad Monk. Followed by Total Warrior, Pain & Suffering (10 mile), Tough Mudder

and all the Spartan races (hopefully getting the Trifeca medal in October), and finishing the year with Judgment Day the second coming! I’ve definitely got the bug :-) It would be great if you consider my pic from Judgement Day for the Mudtrest.

I love your magazine, so glad you’ve brought it out, I will be regular subscriber for sure!

Kind Regards, Mike

Hi Here is a picture of me (2nd from left) and my brother (furthest left) and some friends after just completing Tough Mudder on June 8th 2013. I was unfit and weighed a lot until my brother who was in the army got me motivated to lose weight and took me on weekly runs to get fit for this.

We then also completed The Major series 10k in October. Just proves if you put your mind to it you can achieve anything!

Got the bug for these events big time now!

Regards Bob

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RACER PROFILE CLARE MILLER If you have taken on the challenge of any OCR this season with prize money up for grabs then you’ll have seen team inov-8 toeing the start line with you. Clare Miller is the fantastic female member of the team with an impressive resume consisting of seven podiums from seven races.

One of the huge things that stands out about Clare was her huge smile that she carries around the course no matter how tough it gets.

So tell us a little about what you’re doing when you aren’t getting muddy on an obstacle course?

Sleeping. And working – I’m a hospital doctor.

What is a typical week of training for you?

Run to work (10km) Hard chain gang bike session, bike to and from work Boxfit conditioning session, bike to and from work Run to work

What is it about OCR that makes you keep coming back for more?

Rest

The naked torsos.

Race / long run +/- bike

Describe yourself in three words?

Sleepy. Messy. “Strawberry-blonde.”

What would you say is the biggest challenge you’ve faced?

Both professionally and personally?

Professionally, starting out as a doctor.

Personally, I rode a 2600 mile bike ride across Europe by myself in 28 days in Summer 2012… That’s probably the physical challenge I’m most proud of.

Race / long run +/- bike

Where do you see the sport of obstacle racing going in the future?

Getting bigger, more competitive and more intense with tougher and tougher challenges and distances (NB see Celtic Survival Run!)

Do you have a mantra you turn to while pushing hard during racing or training?

No. I’m usually busy focusing on pulling an angry face.

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CLARE MILLER, 30 OCCUPATION: HAEMATOLOGIST NO. OF OCRS TO DATE: 7 FAVOURITE OCR: WINTER NUTS CHALLENGE OR JUDGEMENT DAY, SO DIFFERENT. TOUGH TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THEM. FAVOURITE OBSTACLE: I LOVED ALL THE MILITARY BUILDING STUFF IN JUDGEMENT DAY. CAN THAT COUNT? YOUR KRIPTONITE: MOST THINGS UPPER BODY. ESPECIALLY IF THEY’RE FOUND IN DOUG SPENCE’S BACK YARD. NO. OF PODIUMS: 7 Issue 5 | Obstacle Race

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What does your race day breakfast consist of?

If I’m feeling disciplined a porridge pot, banana and coffee. If not, a pain au chocolat.

What races are you most looking forward to this coming season?

Where to start. I can’t wait to try out my first Dirty Dozen Race – the Beard’s obstacles look immense. Then the Celts Survival Run, Summer Nuts Challenge, Man vs Mountain and Urban Attack.

When you are not training / racing what do you like to do?

Jagers with the inov8 boys. Quickly followed by sleep.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone new to obstacle racing what would it be?

The OCR crowd is such a laugh – get involved. Compared to other sports it’s just such fun. Throw yourself into the obstacles with full confidence and you’ll be amazed what you can get over.

What would you say is your must have kit list for race day?

Shoes are by far the most important thing… for me: inov-8 x-talon 190s.

So,if people want to keep up with your racing adventures where can they follow you? Do you have a blog?

I log most of my training on Strava and inov8 OCR has a Facebook page.

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SHORTS REVIEW Here we’ve pulled together a selection of the best suited shorts we can find on the market for racing obstacle course races. These have been tested for a minimum of 4 OCRs to see how they felt as well as how they survived the battering our racers threw at them.

INOV-8 RACE ELITE 210 TRAIL SHORT

SALOMON TWIN SKIN

These shorts are like no other I’ve had to test before. It’s like the shorts are built around the base layer inside. This layer comes to just above your knee and fits really well with ultra flat seams. The outer layer is missing from the inside of the thighs so that you allow for better air circulation to the inside of your legs. This could be seen as a pro but also as a con when it comes to straddling obstacles.

The fabric is lightweight but still retains loads of durability making them another great short to race in.

ORDER FROM: WWW.SALOMON.COM

COST: £50 COMFORT: 9/10 WEIGHT WHEN WET: 9/10 DURABILITY: 7/10 LOOKS: 8/10 70

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These are the shorts that have prised the Crewroom Refresher shorts off of my legs. Build to the usual inov-8 high standard, supremely light - and for a lightweight short they’re still very durable.

The shorts are very light and about as thick as packaging on Walkers Crisps but obviously more flexible and breathable. They are so light and unnoticeable sometimes I feel I’m running bare-skinned!

They come with an inner elasticated short that dips just below the bottom of the short outer. This means that even when its wet and muddy it doesn’t rub! The small pocket on the back is just big enough for at least one, possibly two, energy gels. I have to admit I have two pairs of these shorts and I recommend them highly!

ORDER FROM: WWW.MUDDYKIT.CO.UK

COST: £35 COMFORT: 9/10 WEIGHT WHEN WET: 9/10 DURABILITY: 8/10 LOOKS: 7/10

REEBOK MUD SHORT These shorts have been used by all the Spartan Race elite team in the US and have gone down tremendously well. The fabric used is a great mix which allows you a lot of space to move. Durability-wise the fabric will not let you down and the seams are very well finished.

The cut is a little lower than I prefer it to be but if the like the board short cut then these will suit you perfectly.

No inner protection layer can leave you feeling a little exposed but this is once again down to personal preference.

A great investment but they have a pretty high price point.

COST: £55 COMFORT: 7/10 WEIGHT WHEN WET: 9/10 DURABILITY: 10/10 LOOKS: 8/10

ODLO VOLT These are another very lightweight race short offering. They do fit very close so this may be a problem if you really have to stretch your legs apart on an obstacle. The fabric has tons of stretch to it and is thick enough to take a fair amount of rough and tumble. You may chaff slightly but this is due to how low the short is as it’s cut just about your knee.

The colours these shorts are available in will suit everybody’s taste, from bright stand-out blue through to blend-in black.

Overall great shorts but probably more suited to training rather than racing.

CREWROOM REFRESHER

ORDER FROM: WWW.MUDDYKIT.CO.UK

COST: £30 COMFORT: 7/10 WEIGHT WHEN WET: 9/10 DURABILITY: 6/10 COST: £29 LOOKS: 9/10 COMFORT: 6/10 WEIGHT WHEN WET: 6/10 DURABILITY: 9/10 LOOKS: 9/10

Medium weight and when wet you will notice them but you do get a lot of tech packed into these shorts.

I’ve been using these shorts for about a year now, on and off, and I have to say I’m very impressed indeed. They’ve been through a lot of races with me while still looking in great shape and are free from any rips or tares.

The small pocket on the back is just big enough for a couple of gels or an iPhone if you’re out training in them.

You may chaff slightly but this is due to the net inside so you’d need to wear something like compression shorts with these.

ORDER FROM:WWW.CREWROOM.CO.UK

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WORLD WAR RUN PUKKA RACES

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FAY KELLY RACE NAME: WORLD WAR RUN LOCATION: EAST GRINSTEAD DISTANCE: 5 MILES NUMBER OF OBSTACLES: 20+ SORT OF TERRAIN: HILLS FIELDS AND WOODLAND LEVEL OF MUD: 9 DIFFICULTY LEVEL(1-10): 6

On Sunday I arrived at the location for World War Run, registered with no problems and could see the dreaded monkey bars by the finish line. All I knew about this race was it was 5 miles, you got shot by paint balls, it had a World War theme and an awesome medal - perfect!

As the weather had been sunny, and for this time of year, I was expecting quite a dry course… how wrong could I be.

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The crowd gathered at the start line and the warm up began which was fun. The sun was really shining as we waited for the off, but off we went. Straight down through the field and into the wooded area. There were a few queues pretty early on as you crossed a stream, going up and down a bank and then an obstacle made of trees to climb over. We were then was hit by MUD - thick, gloopy, sticky wonderful mud, and plenty of it. After getting onto our knees and under a barbed belly crawl, it was then up a bank at the other side. There was lots of slipping and sliding at this point, and I almost felt like I was cheating with my Mudclaws on. After the slipping and sliding, there was a sandbag carry, a large wooden ladder type obstacle and some of the best tyre walls I have ever seen (these could have been a bit wider so more people could go over at a time).

I was really enjoying it at this point. More thick mud, up and down trenches (normally used for a 4x4 off road track) then walking through streams, a row of tyres to throw yourself over, a climbing wall that had grips on 1 side (these could of done with being a bit bigger but a good challenge) and then we came to the Paint ball section. We all put our safety masks on and began to run.

You could hear the guns firing and I don’t think it mattered how fast you ran, they were going to probably get you one way or another. I got shot in the leg and it wasn’t as painful as I thought it was going to be, thank god.

Then another run through more mud and water to the last bit and a few giant wrapped hay bale type things (there were a few of these on course) and then the monkey bars. I managed to get just over half way (must conquer these) and then finish to a amazing medal and T-shirt, and a much needed bottle of water.

I really enjoyed this course. It was a bit shorter than 5 miles, 4.2 I believe, but the mud, atmosphere, marshals and medal all made up for it. I would highly recommend this event for all abilities, and is the best race value for money I have done.

I GOT SHOT IN THE LEG AND IT WASN’T AS PAINFUL AS I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE 74

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PLANNING YOUR OCR RACING CALENDAR

By Coach Michael of TEAM Wild Forest Gym - Elite OCR Racing Team

In this edition Coach Michael offers us some candid and great advice about how to manage your OCR race calendar, so as to avoid over-training and over-racing, plus the need to slot in rest and recovery periods...

One of the most difficult jobs of being a coach and manager to TEAM Wild Forest Gym elite OCR racing team is ending up parenting 8 excitable OCR racers on top of the three of my own children. So when it comes to each of them just wanting to race, race, race without much thought for the long term planning to achieve their goal, I as coach and manager have to stay STOP! Let’s look at the bigger picture, before they over commit, over-race and over-train, and just burn out.

It was only last year that I had to turn around to Thomas Blanc, Spartan Race UK Champion, and say, you can’t go to America to race at the Spartan Race World Championships and World’s Toughest Mudder. With much discussion and emotions I had to explain that taking on new worldwide challenges had to come when he is ready, particularly having just successfully completed a season of 6 Spartan Races in 5 weeks. He needed to rest and most importantly, we hadn’t trained for the almighty mountainous terrain of Vermont where the championship was to take place.

As a coach it’s easier for me to see the bigger picture, about how we can spend a year training for these international races and make sure Thomas is ready to take on some of the biggest titans in OCR. Simply, I wasn’t emotionally involved.

Turning down a free all-expenses ticket to the US was even harder, but Thomas came round to understanding about strategy. More so, 9 months later he has no regrets, as he is faster, stronger and as an athlete mentally and emotionally more developed than he was a year ago.

So how do you plan your race calendar?

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First thing is first, you can’t race week in week out throughout the year. With over 150 races on the UK OCR circuit you can’t race them all. You will burn out, you will over race and you will likely end up injured. Similarly, if you are in the Mudstacle League you can’t race one season into the next without a break to recover and to train.

So here we go through the different steps to planning your OCR Race Year.

Step 1- Set up a table Using an excel document, otherwise use a piece of paper.

Set up the rows and columns as per the sample image over the page. You will need to have a header row and 52 rows below. In respect to columns make sure you have additional columns to add your training plan on to it as well.

Step 2 – Decide on your goal(s) for the year.

Your goal(s) are the most important thing. Without which you find yourself racing for the sake of it and lose the momentum or over racing. By considering this first means that all your decisions that you are about to make serve a purpose to you achieving your goals.

Step 3 – Are you planning to up your distance?

If you are currently running 5k races and your goal is to do a 20k race then you need to consider your race calendar being progressive i.e. start your season with 5k race, then move to 10k and then mid season 15k race so that you are race ready for your big race. So don’t chuck in the big 20k too early in the season if it can be helped.

If need be find an alternative race later in the season.

Step 4 – Consider what races will help you achieve your racing goal.

First of all write down your analysis of each aspect to your current racing: Types of races – sprints, endurance or hills.

Distance – current and goal distance.

Terrain – hills, mud and bogs.

Weather - heat, rain or cold.

Obstacle skills Safety skills Running Techniques Cold Water immersions Heights Agility, balance and co-ordination With this in mind you need to consider adding into your calendar additional races that will form part of your training in step 6 below. To help you do this, consider the following: 1. If you are weak in particular type of terrains, do you need to include trail, fell, hilly or cross country running races in your calendar in addition to OCR races?

2. Do you need to select certain races that have the terrain or obstacles that will test your skills?

3. Will certain races be good training races towards getting you ready for your major races?

Step 5 – Check the Mudstacle League If you are planning to be in the Mudstacle league you need to have a look at points for each race to help you select your ‘A’, ‘B’ & ‘C’ races. Mudstacle league races with 40-point bonuses should be ‘A’ Races, whereas 30-point bonuses should be ‘B’ or ‘C’ races.

Step 6 – Select your ‘A’ Races ‘A’ Races are the 3-4 major races of the year i.e. the most important ones that you are going to make sure you are peaking in regard to your training and racing. So be a bit ruthless and make sure they are the most important ones.

Step 7 – Select your ‘B’ Races ‘B’ Races are up to 6 important races i.e you still want to go out to achive a PB or the podium, however they may occur when you are not in peak form.

Step 8 – Select your ‘C’ Races ‘C’ Races are the remaining races that will provide you with experience and replace training sessions. These will assist in your limiters and skill developments as detailed in Step 3. These are not important races and you may choose not to do them if you need to train instead.

Step 9 – Are there any gaps in your racing?

Umm, how difficult was that. How ruthless have you been?

It is hard. But let’s be realistic; you can’t be racing all year around. Now you need to look at the gaps in your year when you are not racing. Are there any?

Step 10 – Creating your racing seasons Having considered Step 9 we now need to make some changes to create some racing seasons for you. If you were a footballer, cricketer or rugby player you have an on and off season. In OCR it’s all year round. Somehow we need to create seasons for you.

There are different ways of creating seasons depending on what is right for you: Option 1 – Plan for 8-10 weeks hard racing and then 4-6 week training and recovery time.

Option 2 – Fit 1 race per month over the year. This way you can have a recovery week after race week and then train the other 3 weeks per month.

Options 3 – Spend first 3 months of the year in total training mode. But make sure that you have 1 recovery week in every 4 when it comes to the long race season.

Optimising your training year Training and racing is a very personal experience as non-professional OCR athletes, particularly when having to fit your racing and training in and around your work, personal and social lives. There is no one way that suits everyone. It is about experimenting, re-writing and working out what is right for you. Just remember nothing is set in stone like an atlas ball. If you want to make sure you have it in you to lift it high and the full distance be prepared to make changes as you develop your strategy to achieve your goals over the next year. Once you have your race calendar your next step is to develop training and recovery periods in your calendar.

Rest & Recovery Dare I mention such words to an athlete and I get this look of astonishment and shock. Before I go on I will say categorically every athlete has issues with rest & recovery.

Sure enough I feel it myself.

However to those athletes who are more experienced, they know that rest and recovery is just as important as training. You cannot go full out all year round for sure. 1) You will burn out, 2) You will under-perform, 3) Your body will stop by you experiencing injuries and fatigue.

I can assure you now all my athletes in TEAM Wild Forest Gym struggle with rest recovery and holding back from racing. However, as a coach and manager I can look at the bigger picture. I can see when they are fatigued or continually injuring themselves. They didn’t like it at first, but each time they realise the benefit and it gets a bit easier.

Just remember most of you are in full time jobs on top of your training and racing. So don’t over do it, otherwise you WILL pay the price.

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5. Always allow room for change in your training and racing schedule. It is not set in stone.

HERE ARE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Always have a recovery week the week following an ‘A’ race where possible. A recovery week is 75% of effort, time, distance, power and speed.

6. If you have a leg or ankle injury and your GP says your can do ‘low impact’ training then get on the bike, swim or do aqua-jogging.

2. At the end of a season, take a week off. Yes a whole week off and enjoy yourself. Hopefully you will not drive your partner or family up the wall.

GET A 2ND OPINION Once you have put your calendar together seek the opinion of a friend or partner. Their opinion can be invaluable as they can see the bigger picture, as they are less emotionally attached, and may just be able to offer a free and revealing viewpoint that can really help.

3. If you are feeling fatigued take 3-7 days off to rest and recover.

4. Listen to your body. There is a difference between not being bothered to train and listening to it when it says you need a day off.

WEEK

DATE

RACE

MUDSTACLE LEAGUE POINTS

RACE PRIORITY

RACE DISTANCE (KM)

1

29-Dec

Hellrunner down South

30

B

16

2

05-Jan

3

12-Jan

4

19-Jan

5

26-Jan

6

02-Feb

Endurancelife (half marathon)

n/a

C

21k

7

09-Feb

8

16-Feb

9

23-Feb

Nuts Challenge

40

A

28

10

02-Mar

11

09-Mar

Rock Solid ML

30

B

10

12

16-Mar

13

23-Mar

14

30-Mar

15

06-Apr

Endurancelife (marathon)

n/a

C

16

13-Apr

17

20-Apr

Judgement Day

30

C

16

18

27-Apr

19

04-May

Dirty Weekend

35

B

32

WIN

A FREE ORM TRAINING PLAN REVIEW Do you want to have an elite OCR Race Calendar like TEAM Wild Forest athletes? Visit this link http://bit.ly/ormtrainingplan and you will be entered in a FREE draw to have your year Race Calendar reviewed by Coach Michael.

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THE OBSTACLE RACE REVIEW If my first OCR, ‘Rat Race Dirty Weekend’, was a runner’s course, The Obstacle’s debut event; ‘#treadcarefully’ was not. However, the 3 hour endurance challenge of ‘Last Man Standing’ managed to get 18 legzapping miles out of me! I was more than pleased to finish 3rd and gain my first podium finish from my 2nd OCR. To be crowned ‘Last Man Standing’ we had to complete as many laps as possible in a 3 hour time frame. The race had promised to be a family event and true to its word, it was. Dale Robinson and his team had obviously worked extremely hard to create a unique event for all attending.

When arriving at Jimmy’s Farm, a stand-alone field presented itself to me. Looking at the obstacles, it was clear that spectators could watch the entire race, but I thought there was no way that the obstacles laid out could create a 5K lap. They actually made a 4K lap according to my watch, but beforehand, even that distance didn’t look possible. How wrong I was! I wandered if we were to create further distance by running around the field and in the end, it would have been better for me if we had, but the obstacles were to be the main feature.

The course had been laid out in such a way that we ran back and forth the field repeatedly. This meant that the obstacles came thick and fast, although not so fast for me as my race progressed! The obstacles seemed to be on a smaller scale, but to be fair, it was never claimed that the race would have the biggest or most challenging obstacles.

There were no rivers to cross and there was limited mud, not much the organisers could do about this. That wasn’t to say the obstacles were easy.

This was my first rookie mistake of the day! I completely underestimated the obstacles and how much they would destroy my legs. The obstacles were deceptive and some

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THE OBSTICAL RACE

LEE PICKERING RACE NAME: THE OBSTACLE LOCATION: IPSWICH DISTANCE: 3 HOUR LAST MAN STANDING NUMBER OF OBSTACLES: 30 ISH SORT OF TERRAIN: GRASS LEVEL OF MUD: 0 DIFFICULTY LEVEL (1-10): 8

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were relatively easy…..at first. The 5th, 6th and 7th lap around they were anything but easy. At ‘Rat Race’, we sometimes had 2 miles of running without an obstacle.

Being a runner for the last 20 years, this was great for me, however, ‘The Obstacle’ I discovered was very aptly named. Most of the obstacles were no more than 25m from the next one. I found this very difficult in the second half of the race and felt like all I wanted to do was run. The obstacles were relentless and just kept coming. The course designers brilliantly made us climb up, climb through and crawl under an array of obstacles in a relatively small area, yet we still covered the miles too. It wasn’t the size of the obstacles themselves that damaged me, more the sheer number of them. In the 3 hours, I completed just over 7 laps with the well-deserved winner, Adam Cracknell, completing 8 laps, as did Stuart Parsons in second place. Each lap consisted of 25-30 obstacles and so I should have factored in how much competing 175+ obstacles would slow me down.

And that leads me to my second mistake. I set off way too fast. Being used to running for distance, I found it surprisingly difficult to just run for a set time. I got carried away and felt strong causing me to lead the race and cover the first 4K lap in just over 20 minutes. This was fine for the first hour or so but caused me huge problems later when the comfortable lead I had opened up was very quickly closed down and then the gap was opened up wider on me!

The obstacles weren’t huge, but there were plenty of them, for instance, the energy zapping hurdles which were at hurdling height but the distance in between made this impossible. This led it to be more of a one hand on technique which broke up any rhythm you had. The cargo nets were tough, they were big enough to be able to run through but the net was pulling down on my back, leaving my legs in bits. Looking back, I would have been better off crawling through it. The obstacle named ‘The Beast’, or the slide as my daughter called it, was quite steep so we had the option of using the rope to get up and down it. I chose the sprint option and only just made it every time! I liked how this obstacle was included twice on each lap, first

Obstacle Race | Issue 5

climbing up the scaffolding and down the ‘slide’ and then towards the end of each lap, it was reversed. The obstacles I perhaps found the hardest were the extremely narrow tunnels. There was no option but to army crawl through them and towards the end, I was covering the 10m tunnel very slowly. The only thing I will say is the four skips we had to jump in and out of could have done with containing more water. The other obstacles were of the normal type; monkey bars, hay bales, walls, some log and tyre carrying, trenches to jump over, tyres to climb over, the list goes on.

The atmosphere was really good because the event was run in such a compact area enabling everybody to see what was going on, including us seeing our opposition and where they were up to. Competitors were cheering each other on and some had team mates who were helping each other out with pacing and general companionship.

This was valuable and it would have benefited me hugely.

My marathon-built mentality and my wife and daughter cheering me on were the only things that got me through the last couple of laps! It was, however, great to be supported by other teams, my thanks go to Steve Hammond for your words of support and water, I was struggling!

Conditions leading into the race had made it tough for the guys building the course as it left for a very dry field.

A few good showers leading up to the weekend made it tolerable for my inov8 212s, which again stood up to what was thrown at them. The weather was appalling on the drive up but seemed to settle down for the race. As we started it was lightly raining and in the second half of the race, I even managed to get sunburnt. The race really did have a little of everything!

So I wasn’t quite ’Last Man Standing’, in fact, I could barely stand at all! But, I had a lot of fun and enjoyed the challenge of the ongoing obstacles and the relaxed atmosphere of this unique race. I made two huge mistakes which cost me later on in the race but then I am a newbie to the world of OCRs and I am discovering I am having to learn fast! I will be back again next year, starting slower and aiming to cover more distance! The next challenge for me, in just 6 days, is Tough Guy’s ‘Nettle Warrior’!

WIN A WATER-TO-GO-BOTTLE Everyone is familiar with the miracle of turning water into wine. Well, here is a modern day miracle designed with the mud runner in mind – instantly turning foul water into drinking water. No catch, just proven NASA technology for under 4p per litre.

Water-to-Go is the toughest water filter known to man! The 3 in 1 filter technology was developed for NASA and eliminates over 99.9% of all bacteria, viruses, chlorine, fluoride and heavy metals such as Lead... from any source (except salt water).

Perfect for training, events or holidays, you can fill up and drink from the muddy water we all know and love, outdoor taps, even a river or a lake. Never carry heavy bottled

water again… or pay for it. The filter will even eliminate the smell and taste so great for your tap water at home or the foul-tasting water fountain at the gym.

Each filter treats 200 litres, leaving you with delicious, safe drinking water every time.

We’ve got 5 of these high-tech bottles to give away. To be in with a chance of winning simply tell us which adventure you think you’ll need one of these little beauties for by sending your answer to: COMPS@OBSTACLERACEMAGAZINE.COM Entries close on the 1/10/14.

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR PROTEIN

I’ve chosen two proteins that are essential when training: both for different reasons and do very different jobs. Turkey and salmon are high in protein per 100g, very nutritious and taste incredible. You can impress your friends and family whilst saving time and money. It’s a win all round!

Turkey Turkey has 18g of protein, low in fat, 104 calories per 100g, low-GI and can help keep insulin levels stable.

Turkey meat is also a good source of iron, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin B6 and niacin, which are essential for the body's energy production, therefore regular consumption can help lower cholesterol levels.

Turkey also contains the amino acid tryptophan, which produces serotonin and plays an important role in strengthening the immune system as well selenium, which is essential for thyroid hormone metabolism.

WRITTEN BY CHARLEH DICKINSON – DESIGN 2 EAT

HONEY LIME BALSAMIC SALMON WITH GINGER AND SESAME SEEDS INGREDIENTS 2 salmon fillets 4 tbsp. honey ½ lime Thumb size piece of ginger root Sprinkle of sesame seeds Handful of asparagus, trimmed 2 tsp balsamic vinegar Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

METHOD 1.

2.

3.

4.

Pre-heat the oven to 180˚C Line a baking tray with tin foil Place the salmon onto the tray Cover with honey, lime, ginger and sesame seeds 5. And place in the oven for 15-20 mins along with the asparagus 6. Remove from the oven, plate up immediately and serve with the balsamic vinegar and fresh cherry tomatoes

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Or it’s the Monday night: you’ve had the family over for the Sunday roast and you have all the chicken or turkey still leftover. Make the most of your protein by converting those old scraps into new bites of heaven. I recommend serving the shredded turkey in a burger style but why not try leaf wraps or in a roast sweet potato.

Salmon Very good source of easily digestible proteins, and fatty acids like Omega-3 and Omega-6 in the form of triglyceride, as well as vitamins like vitamin-D, vitamin-A and some members of the vitamin-B family. It also contains minerals like selenium, zinc, phosphorus, calcium and iron.

While the omega-3 fatty acids help reduce cholesterol, maintain flexibility of arteries and veins and strengthen cardiac muscles, the essential amino acids repair damages to the cardiovascular tissues.

In addition, the omega-3 fatty acids increase the efficiency of brain functions, improves memory and keep it active during long working hours. Along with the amino acids, vitamin A, vitamin D, and selenium, these fatty acids protect the nervous system from damage related to aging, acts as an antidepressant, and relaxes the brain.

For those Saturday nights, where you want to impress the other half or close friend: I recommend the Salmon dish.

Easy to prepare in advance allowing the time to enjoy and relax with your company.

If you were thinking of a three course meal; Start with grilled skewered prawns with a sweet chilli dip.

Continue with the salmon that would have cooked whilst you ate you starter. Finish with some refreshing coconut and blueberry ice cream.

BBQ PULLED TURKEY SLIDERS INGREDIENTS 1 2 1 4 2 1 1 1 2 2 3 1

tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil beef tomatoes, finely chopped red onion, diced garlic cloves, chopped tablespoons sweet paprika teaspoon smoked paprika teaspoon cayenne pepper teaspoon freshly ground black pepper tablespoons tomato paste tablespoons Dijon mustard tablespoons apple cider vinegar teaspoon liquid smoke

2 turkey legs, cooked the day before and shredded off the bone.

2 portobello mushrooms Lettuce Leaves Sliced gherkin

METHOD 1. Add the oil, tomatoes, red onion & garlic into a large sauce pan on a med heat.

2. As the onions begin to soften add the spices and stir well, in order for the vegetables to be covered.

3. Stir continuously for about 5 mins, then add the tomato paste, mustard, cider vinegar and liquid smoke 4. Leave to simmer for 10mins.

5. Pour the liquid into a food blender and blend until you achieve a smooth consistency.

6. Now add the smooth sauce and shredded turkey to the saucepan and mix together.

7. Simmer until the mixture has thickened and the turkey is warm.

8. When serving use one mushroom as a base bun, add lettuce and gherkin and pulled turkey and finished with the second mushroom.

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HAVE YOU GOT AN AWESOME PICTURE YOU WANT TO SHARE? To get your picture on to our mudtrest wall send it to letters@obstacleracemagazine.com with your name and a description.

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Joe DeSena

SPARTAN UP BOOK REVIEW Written By Mark P

Joe DeSena is a nobody to me, so when I was invited to review his book, forgive me for not getting excited. All I’d really heard about Joe prior to receiving my copy of “Spartan Up” was that here was a man who had pots and pots of money and therefore anything written by him or for him in his name was simply another way of swelling his wealth further. Before I even fingered the first few pages, I had decided that I was going to have to be a diplomat and search 195 pages for positive things to write.

It didn’t start well. The first five pages were a waste of a tree. Being a publisher myself, but prior to that – an award winning chef, I hate to see waste. If I go to print, I like to print on both sides of a piece of paper. To put one sentence on a page and leaving the other side blank is like slaughtering a cow and only eating the tongue. Thankfully, every page thereafter turned out to be worth the same stuff that rolls out of the Bank of England.

Spartan Up was not autobiographical. Although Joe De Sena shares some of his upbringing and journey from growing up in Brooklyn right through to present, it is an insightful glimpse that really helps you to get inside his head and understand what shaped him into arriving at the point that left him qualified to teach others. Spartan Up is a motivational guide that validates itself at the same time because of Joes journey. Its rags to riches back story is woven into the teachings like a gold thread in an interesting tapestry. I actually found this to be quite a clever balance that really worked well but hoped for a bit more info about how Spartan was formed and wished he’d shared more about his relationship with Richard Lee and Selica Sevigny and how they’d met too. Perhaps he will send me an email?

The nuts and bolts of the book were really engaging and I honestly enjoyed every page. Joe De Sena is clearly not wired up like your average Joe. Some of the self inflicted peril that he puts himself through sometimes made me won-

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der if perhaps, he either didn’t like himself, or he literally got some kind of twisted buzz out of cheating death, but in reality having completed Spartan Up, I am able to see that Joe De Sena is actually just an inspirational character who has self taught himself and then shared some really inspirational stuff. Less than halfway through - before page 80, I had started to make changes to my every day approach to things because Joes observations had made me face up to several things in my own life that would fundamentally improve my wellbeing and state of mind – and I really didn’t expect that to happen at all.

Spartan Up is not a perfect book by any means. It is not at all patronizing – like I thought it would be which is really great but it does force feed you the Spartan brand a little bit. The Spartan product placement is worth putting up with though because the rest of the read is fabulous and rich with inspiration and wisdom. The chapters and structure (from page 6 onwards) make it very easy to digest and having reached the end without feeling like I was wading through treacle to get there, I was very pleased to have invested my time into reading it. At the end of the book, I found myself quite comfortable knowing that Joe had widened the wealth gap even further. If you do OCR to improve yourself in some way, you will almost certainly enjoy Spartan UP. If you are interested in finding out about the inspirational founder of Spartan Race, you will find the read equally entertaining.

If you’d like the chance of winning a copy of - Joe De Sena - Spartan Up write to us at Obstacle race magazine or email us at comps@obstacleracemagazine.com telling us why you deserve one of four free copies we have to give away, in under 15 words.

If you’d like to buy a copy, it is published by Simon & Schuster UK and priced at £12.99…

SPARTAN RACE

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I WORK 13 HOURS A DAY AND GENERALLY EXERCISE AROUND 4/5HRS A DAY, AS I WORK AS A PT AND RUN A GYM

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THE EXPERIMENT Written By Russell Parrington Photography By Neil Proctor Photography www.neilproctorphotography.co.uk

The aim of the experiment was to see how the endurance performance of an athlete changed through the elimination of refined carbohydrates in the diet. Runners are renowned for being a bit naughty with foods (because we can get away with it), eating high sugar foods may not change your body composition if activity levels are high everyone has the “I’ll run it off later” attitude to a certain extent, but I’d say my diet was pretty awful. Greggs breakfasts most mornings, lots of bread, cereals, chocolate bars, pretty much anything which was convenient and I could grab on the go.

I work 13 hours a day and generally exercise around 4/5hrs a day, as I work as a PT and run a gym.

The training routine was kept similar for the full 4 weeks but the diet was a drastic change.

First tests – the following tests were run the week before the diet change came in to place and are aimed at seeing a maximum effort for each discipline. Both runs are done on the treadmill so to replicate the same conditions on each test: • 2 miles time trial – set off at 12mph (5minute miling) the first mile was hard and felt I was really having to push my strides between 1600m and 2000m. I had to drop pace a little which was frustrating but dug in deep over the last 600m. Running at 12.5mph (4.48 miling) killed me and I was easily the noisiest man in the gym – finish time 9.57 – was very pleased with that.

• Maximum pull ups – wide grip pull-ups – managed 14 • Bodyweight bench press (weight 70kg) – maximum reps 16 • 3 miles time trial – set off at 11mph on this one and felt fairly comfortable, but the heart rate was high 160s, so didn’t want to push it up for the first mile. I took it to 11.5 for the whole second mile but was suffering a little but as I’d ran much faster than this a couple of days ago. I toughed it out running on very tired legs, managing to up the pace over the final 400 metres to record a finish time of 15.47 – and felt this was a strong time also.

• Current weight 70kg (just over 11stone)

THE DIET The diet is simple - replace refined carbohydrates with fresh fruit and veg and increase protein and fats.

WHAT I CUT OUT: Sugar Cereals Bread Pasta Potatoes (except sweet) WHAT I ATE: Eggs (24 a week) Butter Any meat (mainly chicken/steak/salmon) Root vegetables Fruit (2 bananas and 2 other pieces) Salad Cheese Whey protein (2 shakes a day) I also cut down on black tea and coffee and replaced with 6-8 cups of green tea a day.

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› CURRENT TRAINING WEEK LOOKS LIKE THIS (AM) half hour core session (MIDDAY) run session (short reps or hills) (PM) Boxing/short circuit/another core session.

Sessions vary in order to keep progressing, sometimes mixing functional exercises in to rest periods of the reps (OCR specific).

(MIDDAY) Run session (long reps or long hills) (PM) Core session and weight training.

WEEK 1 My appetite was massive and I craved sugar badly for the first few days but at the end of the week I was craving more and more veg - my body needed it.

(AM) circuit (MIDDAY) steady run, 5-8 miles (PM) OCR training (functional stuff), brutal boxing and circuit session.

WEEK 2 I was feeling great and feeling strong in everything I was doing both running and lifting.

(AM) core (PM) HIIT session followed by Boxing (sparring) and I’ll fit a run in if racing Saturday.

WEEK 3 Much the same as week 2. Also noticing some major body composition changes I wish I’d done some body fat measurements at the start but that wasn’t the aim of the experiment.

(MIDDAY) Run with strides or fartleck (PM) HIIT session Race or TT or rest

WEEK 4 Lifting heavier and running faster in reps but also weighing lighter which may have something to do with that one down to 67/68kg. Big drop, but obviously not a bad thing.

Long hilly run 1.30 ish

TEST WEEK

clocking 9.36 the fastest I’ve ran since I was 16 (8.54 for 3km), half a lifetime ago - over the moon!

This came the week before my holiday (well timed), and I was feeling very confident going from my strong training sessions, and the results were as follows:

• Maximum pull-ups – again very confident as I was lighter than 5 weeks ago – maxed out to 22 overhands again a massive improvement.

2ND TESTS

• Bodyweight bench press – well I weigh lighter than the first test so to get accurate results I went with 70kgs again and managed 22 reps.

• 2 miles time trial – I went in to this test with a very different attitude to the last. My idea was to start fast and hold for as long as I could before dropping pace, so I cranked the treadmill up to full speed 12.5mph. It felt fast, but I felt strong for the first 2000m and then it got very hard and I was itching to turn the speed down.

I fought a few demons and was screaming in agony for the last 400m but managed to hold pace all the way

• 3 miles time trial – I set off way to cautious on this one, which I kicked myself for at the end. Set off with a 5.13 1st mile then went with a 5.00 mile followed by top speed over the last mile 4.48 and I had lots in the tank 15.01. Far exceeded expectations, however I do feel I could have started at 5minute pace.

(NB- All treadmill tests don’t include build up speed)

After the experiment, I kept going with the dietary changes even on my holiday, but found everything was getting a little harder training wise. I put that down to the holiday heat and went in to an OCR full of confidence the following week but suffered really badly with cramp and exhaustion just 20 minutes in to the race. I also suffered on a long tempo the following week which tells me that this diet was great for medium/short time performance, but unfortunately wasn’t working for the longer distances. I’ve added pasta back in to the diet, but I’m still eating fresh.

IT’S BEEN A GREAT EXPERIMENT AND IT HONESTLY DID SHOCK ME WITH THE RESULTS. 92

Obstacle Race | Issue 5

VIVESOY MILK WWW.VIVESOY.CO.UK Mix it up for maximum muscle recovery After Jonathan Albon one of the UK’s most successful obstacle racers shared with us that he used chocolate milk as his recovery go to drink, we’re sure stocks of chocolatey drinks must have gone through the roof. We set out to try loads of different types of chocolate milks to see if any of them ticked all the nutrition boxes. That’s when we came across Vive Soy. This stuff is smooth and not too heavy on your stomach, so doesn’t upset a weak stomach on race day. The main benefits we found were.

• Unusually high in natural protein and essential amino acids • Contain omegas-3 and 6 – these are also called the ‘essential fatty acids’ and have been found to have numerous health benefits • Cholesterol free • Rich in important minerals and nutrients such as iron, potassium and vitamin K • High in fibre • Rich in isoflavones – these are natural plant oestrogens which have been seen to have a number of positive health properties.

WHAT OTHER BENFITS DOES IT BOAST? A large number of protein powders use whey protein, a dairy by-product of cheese production, to create a shake when added to water or milk.

A new study, published this month in a leading scientific journal, shows using soy milk to make your shakes instead may lead to better muscle recovery…

Researchers hypothesised that, because different proteins have different digestion rates, if protein from separate sources is mixed together it should promote better muscle recovery as amino acids (the building blocks for muscle) will be be released into the body over a more prolonged period.

They tested this theory in a double-blind, randomised clinical trial, where participants took either a (soy-dairy) protein blend or whey protein after exercise. The scientists then measured the amino acids in the blood of the subjects.

It was found that whilst initially the amino acids were the same in the blood of both sets of participants they remained higher for longer in those who had the soy blend, supporting the idea that mixing proteins up is better for muscle recovery.

So if you’re looking to get the most out of your post exercise drink be sure to make your protein shake with soy milk to prolong your recovery period.

For some of the best tasting soy around try Vivesoy’s new range, which includes flavours for everyone including Vanilla, Chocolate, Cappuccino, Original, Light and Unsweetened (all available from Tesco).

SO IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A GO-TO RECOVERY DRINK AND DON’T WANT TO USE PROTEIN POWDERS THEN THIS COULD BE THE ANSWER.

THE LIFE OF A COURSE DIRECTOR THE REAPER We all attend races on a regular basis without much thought for who it was that managed to pull everything together to make that race what is was. Course directors are key to the smooth running of our events and come race day usually have one or two new grey hairs. So in this issue we wanted to introduce one such Course Director to you - Chris Nicoll, one of the two men who are the driving force behind the successful midlands obstacle course race the Reaper. The Reaper has seven successful events under its belt with many more to come.

We have a sneaky peek at what this course director gets up to when he’s not facilitating our muddy madness. Also don’t forget that the Reaper is one of the chosen seven races making up our race Mudnificent 7.

By day you’re a dentist Chris which is probably as far away from being a course director as you could possibly get, so what was it that lured you into setting up an OCR event?

I enjoy the OCR work more than dentistry and the OCR side could quite easily take over if you let it.

It’s all about keeping a work-life balance.

Where did the inspiration for the theme Reaper Events come from?

Back when Reaper Events was just starting, what we now know as obstacle course running had many names; one of which was extreme running. So I sat down with a massive piece of paper and wrote down every word I could think of in relation to running, mud and enjoyment. Rivers Earth And Pain Extreme Running just jumped out at me. I’m not sure where the pain aspect came from, it was probably the dentistry! Hence the name Reaper.

I have been to many OCR events in the past as a runner and I have enjoyed them very much. I have always been active, trying to stay fit through various means and in 2011 Colin (Spafford), co-founder of Reaper Events, came to me and said he really wanted to work on his fitness and his goal was to complete the Tough Guy.

What types of obstacles can we expect at Reaper events?

Colin knew I had completed the Tough Guy challenge before and wanted me to be his running partner to do it again. A week later Colin called again, surprised at the entry cost: ‘We should do our own. We could do it for less money than most OCR Events and still put on a really amazing event.’

The best thing about our course is that half of it is in open fields and the other half is in woodland. We like to tease runners when they are driving up to the venue by putting one of the biggest obstacles in plain sight.

I am always up for a challenge and I couldn’t think of a reason not to. I already knew what our unique selling point was going to be. We would hold the runs at night, and hence Reaper Events was born.

How difficult is it to keep planning the race from taking over your life?

I have two very separate careers and the dentistry is very inflexible. When I have patients in, I have to be at work.

So I have to plan a long way in advance any time I need to build the course. Other than that, most other things to do with Reaper happen at the weekend and evenings. I use my

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annual leave to go and run other OCR races and see how they manage theirs.

Obstacle Race | Issue 5

We deliberately don’t tell people what obstacles are going to at the next race. They will have a rough idea because there will be water, mud, climbing and crawling involved, but the exact nature is a surprise.

It’s quite amusing as some folks walk up to the registration desk and from their faces you can clearly see they are thinking ‘oh dear’ while others are simply trying to think of a way to get over it.

At the Heart of England venue near Coventry, there is a lake and last year we had a large slide into it. This year we may have an even bigger slide.

We have intentionally put obstacles in that runners won’t be able to overcome on their own and we have put these in towards the start so that people quickly realise they have to work together.

CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE

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THE BEST THING ABOUT OUR COURSE IS THAT HALF OF IT IS IN OPEN FIELDS AND THE OTHER HALF IS IN WOODLAND Issue 5 | Obstacle Race

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›

We have team members at every obstacle and if, for what ever reason, someone doesn’t want to do that obstacle, there is a way around. We don’t want to put people off completely!

There will be a mixture of grassy fields and muddy trails to run but with only 10k and 30+ obstacles there is not a huge amount of running between each obstacle.

We don’t count a ditch or some fallen branches as an obstacle. When we say 30, we mean 30 we have built.

What’s the emphasis of your events?

We try to make it achievable for the majority of people, so if you have a reasonable level of fitness and can run three or four miles non-stop you can complete the course without a problem. But as I said, you will need help to get over some of the obstacles.

We like to make ‘willing victims’ think the course is more dangerous than it actually is - it adds an element of adventure. Reaper Events doesn’t take a lot of thought, participants come along and the course is clearly laid out.

It allows people to escape for a couple of hours. Whether you’re with a couple of mates and just want to get as muddy as possible, or on your own seeking a challenge, The Reaper caters for everyone’s needs.

The Reaper is a challenge, so there is definitely a sense of achievement when you reach the end. It allows you to feel like a 10 year-old again because you get to jump into puddles and get muddy!

We don’t time our events, it’s a challenge not a race and your reward is completing the challenge.

What’s the terrain like at your venue?

The terrain at the Heart of England Conference Centre is relatively flat, but we use it as best we can. We use the lake for some of the water, we use the woods and a lot of the obstacles we build you could pass within five meters without noticing them as they are built out of timber. We like to be in keeping with the forest.

So what’s new for 2014/15?

2014 has been a really busy year for us so far, and we are aiming to grow the event in terms of numbers and awareness. We are using a PR team to help us with this and they have helped us to develop our new logo and website.

The Teenage Cancer Trust and Army of Angels are our nominated charities and we help them out in any way possible.

We have partnered with some really incredible companies over the last few months. Timex Ironman has partnered with us, and we are the first British obstacle race it has agreed to partner with.

We have also partnered with LED Lenser, manufacturer of head lamps. We were delighted to partner with LED Lenser as a head lamp is essential for our night runs.

We are also part of Mudnificent 7 which is being held at the Heart of England Conference Centre. We can’t wait we know the location like the back of our hand and already have some interesting ideas floating around in our heads!

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Obstacle Race | Issue 5

THE REAPER IS A CHALLENGE, SO THERE IS DEFINITELY A SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT WHEN YOU REACH THE END.

While out searching for a mid- morning snack we popped into our local Crossfit box, sat there staring at us was the answer. A funky wrapper with Primal Kitchen printed across it, a minute later and two bars were devoured. Whoops.

This bar is so moist and not in the slightest bit sickly with a nice balance of flavours. Its consistency is as close to perfect as we can imagine. Since then a couple of cases have been ordered and used for fuelling everything from running to WOD’s.

When checking the wrapper you find only more information to add a smile to your face as they aren’t full of rubbish and designed as a snack to suit anyone on a paleo diet.

HERE’S A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION FROM THE PEOPLE BEHIND PRIMAL KITCHEN. The Primal Kitchen’s purpose is to provide a range of tasty nutritious foods, which fully compliment a paleo lifestyle, free of any grains, dairy, refined sugars, vegetable oils and always made with 100% natural ingredients.

Having adopted a paleo (cave man) lifestyle left many of Suzie the founder of Primal Kitchen’s clients struggled to find healthy on-the-go snack, that was free of any grains, added sugars and vegetable oils. They wanted something that would fuel their workouts, feed their kids or just to have handy whilst out and about.

With some nuts, some coconut, a blender and a clientele of eager tasters she embarked on making her own paleo bars.

The response was extremely positive, and so the story of The Primal Kitchen begins.

Our grain-free bars are made with 100% Real Food. Food you were born to eat. We don’t use dried fruit that contains vegetable oils, sugar or sulphites as commonly found in other snack products. All our bars are made with 4-5 Real Food ingredients. They are hand made and cold pressed (not heated) here in the UK. All the bars are gluten, grain, refined sugar, soya, dairy, GMO and vegetable oil free. We only ever use ingredients that you are likely to have in your cupboard at home!

We have managed to source organic cherries that are free from vegetable oil and sugar - as commonly found in other dried cherries.

We also use an organic coconut which doesn’t contain sulphites (preservative) which is commonly used in dried coconut products.

Suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans(and Cavemen).

So next time you’re out and about keep a lookout for Primal Kitchen bars and give them a try because we can guarantee you won’t be disappointed. Or go to www.theprimalkitchen.co.uk to order yourself a case.

Issue 5 | Obstacle Race

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CAPTION COMPETITION

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SEND YOUR CAPTION FOR THIS PICTURE TO COMPS@OBSTACLERACEMAGAZINE.COM LAST ISSUES CAPTION COMPETITION WINNER WAS Last issues caption competition winner of TWO OF OCR’S MOST WANTED BOOKS was Kevin Bryant with “We should have thought about this before we went down!”

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Closing date for entries is the 1st of October 2014. Entries will also be taken on the Obstacle Race Magazine Facebook and Twitter pages when this picture is posted.

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EVENTS LISTING SATURDAY 6TH SEPTEMBER

SUNDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER

Glow In The Khazi

Dorset

votwo.co.uk

Spartan Race Sprint

Edinburgh

uk.spartanrace.com

Man Vs Mountain

Mount Snowdon

raterace.com

X-Runner

Derbyshire

xrunner.co.uk

Wolf Run

Warwickshire

thewolfrun.com

SUNDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER

HQ Recon

Wiltshire

hwrecon.com

Tuff Enuff

Penzace

tuffenuff.co.uk

Major Series

Warwickshire

majorseries.com

SUNDAY 7TH SEPTEMBER Spartan Race Sprint

Cambridge

uk.spartanrace.com

Born Survivor

Cheshire

bornsurvivor.com

Kamikaze

Dorset

votwoshop.co.uk

HQRecon

Oxfordshire

hqrecon.com

Wolf Run

Warwickshire

thewolfrun.com

Dirty Dozen

Kent

dirtydozenraces.com

SUNDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER

SATURDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER Tough Mudder

Cheshire

toughmudder.co.uk

Dirty Dozen

Kent

dirtydozenraces.com

Dash Of The Titan

Newark

dashofthetitan.co.uk

Spartan Race

Yorkshire

uk.spartanrace.com

Mud Sweat & Beer

Northants

mudsweatandbeer.co.uk

Insane Terrain

Cambridge

insaneterrainrunning.com

Gladiator Games

Hertfordshire

thegladiatorgames.co.uk

SUNDAY 4TH OCTOBER Ram Run

Stoneleigh Park

ramrun.co.uk

SUNDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER Tough Mudder

Cheshire

toughmudder.com

Tough Mudder

Dublin

toughmudder.com

Dash Of The Titan

Newark

dashofthetitan.co.uk

Tough Guy

Wolverhampton

toughguy.co.uk

Bog Comander

Peak District

bogcommander.co.uk

SATURDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER Nuclear Blackout

Essex

neclear-races.co.uk

Major Series

Kent

majorseries.co.uk

Rock Solid Race

Milton Keynes

rocksolidrace.com

Super Human Games

BS3 2EA

superhumanevents.com

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