OCR Europe Sports Magazine November 2014

EUROPEOCREVERYTHINGOBSTACLERACING NoYo.u1r Source for everything Obstacle Racing in Europe ocreurope.com





PUBLISHER’S LETTER ~ ”Our mission is to be the No. 1 source of !everything obstacle racing in Europe.\" Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for you !to find the information you need about OCR.\" Our vision is to be the leading provider of anything obstacle racing in Europe.”

Cai DennyFounder/ [email protected] and foremost, let me say THANK YOU! choose the right gear to help tackle the frostyThe feedback and appreciation regarding our obstacles.magazine issue has been amazing, withoutthe great support we receive from our readers But as great as it is with the boom of OCRand OCR communities we could not have events and the general growth of the sport income this far. Europe this year alone, this has also lead to a tougher market with harder competition thenWe can however always improve the work we ever before.do and we value the opinions of our readers,I’m always open to feedback offering valid How far will the organisers push theand well-reasoned opinions about the work boundaries between safety and fear for theirthat we do, without it we could never become obstacles? and with winter comes newbetter. Feel free to send me mail, click here for dangers.the contact form.With the frost just round the corner and withthe OCR scenery soon going dark and cold,this issue will be focusing on winter eventsand an extensive gear guide to help you

Your VoiceEvery month you will have the chance to express your thoughts andopinions about topics regarding anything to do with obstacle course racing.These are the results of our latest question;Q: What are your thoughts on electric shock obstacles– are they a gimmick or a challenge?The results;Total votes: 32Challenge: 25 (78%) Gimmick: 7 (22%)0Opinions; 20 40 60 80Rick Urban · Last time i first had to go thru the water and then thru the shocks thatswas really bad and i even got dizzy. I really dont think that that is good for you, becauseyou are also running and have an increased hart-rateMark Richardson · Great obstacle, one for the spectators as well! and if you reallycant take the heat you take the chicken run Nico Dam ·no added value, risk of injury increases significantly, Especially in an uncontrolled fall through electric shockTHIS MONTHS QUESTION; Click here to voteDoes official health and safety need to step into OCR?Yes - we need officials to ensure we avoid injuries or worseNo - let race directors ensure the safety of their own coursesThe views, opinions and positions expressed by the voters and those providing comments regarding thisquestion are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of OCR Europe or anyemployee thereof. We make no representations as to accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validityof any information presented by individual commenters will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays inthis information or any losses, injuries or damages arising from its display or use.



LEASTRETCH Lea Stretch (USA) completed 40 miles at World’s Toughest Mudder 2014. Approximately 800 people dropped out when conditions got very rough at the event. Although her initial goal was 50 miles, after battling the cold she chose to warm up from 3am and head out for another lap to finish the 24 hours! Here we find out about her experience and get some advice for others looking to take on this event.

You have experienced WTM before, how second jump I leaned forward too much anddid this one compare to your previous landed on my face and chest. It felt like I gotexperience? punched in the jaw. It sucked. Third time around,This was my third straight World’s Toughest I busted my lip open. Fortunately, this obstacleMudder. The last two were in New Jersey, so I was closed during the night so I only had to dealwas excited that this one was closer to home. with it those three times which was plenty forThe warmth and sun of Las Vegas sounded me.great. So when a serious windstorm camethrough with 50 mph gusts, all of a sudden it How did you prepare for the race andwas every bit as cold as New Jersey. Without the possible weather conditions?warming tents this year, there was NOWHERE to Racing in the desert, it was going to be warm inget warm. This created a huge challenge for me the day with a big temperature drop at night. Iand many racers, as most of us were expecting came prepared for cold weather, bringing all mydifferent conditions. We know that the race really gear I brought to the New Jersey races. Onestarts when the sun goes down, so the epic difference is that during daylight hours I kept mysandstorm and cold blast was fitting of a World’s skin covered and applied a lot of sun screenToughest Mudder. I hated it, but I loved it. since I didn’t want the sun to fatigue me.What were your thoughts of ‘Gamble’? Did What did you have in your kit bag and isyou have to go through the electroshocktherapy? If so, how many times? there anything you would change next time?Gamble was interesting. I liked the fact that they A crapload of neoprene in various thicknesses:had a penalty choice if you didn’t want to get wetsuits, scuba hoods, gloves and booties. Evenshocked. I got a lucky roll all but once and chose still, I didn’t have the right gloves. Next time Ithe penalty, which was a barbed wire crawl up a wouldsteep incline over sharp rocks.I’ve been shocked plenty of The massive drop at the obstacletimes at WTM and it’s no bueno! ”The Cliff”What was your initial thought Thats Lea!when standing at ‘The Cliff’and how was the experience?How many times did youjump?Oh boy. Well, I looked to thevolunteer to my left after lookingdown and said, “I don’t think Ican do this.” He said I’d have totake the penalty, which was a runand a long swim. I’m not a greatswimmer, so I stood there, whilehe counted down from five,desperately trying to rememberthe proper jumping form I’d triedto learn from Facebook posts. Iyelled out “SHIT!” and jumped.The landing was … terrible. Watershot up into places that you don’twant to know about. Let’s justsay I felt extremely violated. The

bring numerous pairs of thicker neoprene gloves What’s your advice for anyone attacking thethat are easier to pull on and off. The ones I WTM next year?brought were constricting my fingers, incrediblyuncomfortable and didn’t keep my fingers warm. The WTM Community page on Facebook is anThis was a huge challenge for me. Food wise, I hada ton of water and I ate a lot of bananas, GU gels, awesome resource. You can reach out to othergreen tea for the caffeine, canned fruit, chickennoodle soup and turkey jerky. Oh, really important race veterans and newbies to have any questionsitem is Body Glide. You do not want to get chafedduring this event. Next year I’m bringing goggles answered. You’ll also make lasting friendships whilefor the sand and the wind. getting great gear and training advice. Start trainingUsually races are either day OR night.Whatchallenges did you find having both and conditioning your body now. As a personalconditions in one race?For me the biggest challenge was knowing when trainer, I believe it’s incredibly important to alwaysto put my wetsuit on before I got too cold. Once Iget cold it’s really hard for me to warm up. seek to improve your overall fitness. If you work onHowever, putting the suit on too early constrictsmovement and you can overheat. I got cold in the your endurance and strength year round, and youwater on the first obstacle lap, so I chose to dealwith being hot and went out for my third lap, in the have the mental grit, you’ll be ready to do well atsun, with a wetsuit. It was uncomfortable andslowed me down, and people thought I was crazy, WTM. I’d add that because this race is 24 hours,but it was the right call for me. we have a tendency to over train. The body needs time to heal to be at its most efficient. Number one advice is: Go out there and have fun! When you’re running this race, you’re always part of a larger team. Everyone out there is helping each other, and Click here to read that is the best part about our exclusive WTM. athlete profile of Lea Stretch

WINTEREVENTSOCR GOES DARK AND COLD

Click here to visit our March 21, 2015 March 14, 2015 event calendar which is Åre, Sweden Levi, Finlandupdated weekly with new More details More details European OCR events! March 21, 2015 Februari 8, 2015 Jukkasjärvi, Sweden Stockholm, Sweden More details More details Featured Article Februari 1, 2015Wolverhampton, UK More details

TEN TIPS FORTRAININGDURINGWINTER As obstacle course racers we all love to challenge ourselves, and push to the limits, and winter is no different! We are known for heading out during rain, wind, and snow, and plodding through the mud in the dark! However, there are added risks during the winter with the cold weather and nights drawing in. Keep in mind these tips when you’re gearing up for your training runs!

1. Take a foil blanket – these are cheap, light to carry, and can help keep you warm if you end up away from home and dangerously cold.2. Warm up well (inside) – you don’t want to step out into the cold with your body freezing cold too. Have a warm up inside by heading up and down the stairs, jogging on the spot, and just doing your normal warmup before you step out the door.3. Head torch – wear a head torch when it’s dark (or if you’re going out and it’ll get dark). These help you see where you’re going, so are useful for those off road training runs, and also allow others to see you!4. Be noticed – as well as a head torch, make sure people can see you! It’s not just the darkness in winter that lowers visibility, there is fog and mist too. So pull out those fluorescent tops, shorts with reflective strips, and bright coloured bibs! Make sure people can see you, so you can keep safe as well as showing off about the fact you’re out training when they aren’t!5. Tell someone or go in pairs – with the added risks of going out in the dark and cold, slippy conditions it’s essential that someone knows where you are. Let a friend or family member know the route you are taking, and take a phone if you can. It’s also good to buddy up during winter!6. Wear the right gear – the training gear changes between summer and winter, to help protect you against the elements. Do some research and buy the correct gear for where you’ll be training. It’s crucial to make sure you’re warm and protected, but that your kit is correct and specific to what you’re doing too.7. Don’t overdress – although it’s important to wear the right kit to keep warm, it’s important not to head out in too many layers and overheat! Make sure your extra layers are easy to remove, and that you’re not going over the top.8. Keep hydrated – you might not feel like you’re getting dehydrated, and you won’t necessarily sweat as much as usual, but fluid is still lost during winter runs. Make sure you’re still tailoring your hydration to the length of your run, and not risking dehydration in the cold.9. Warm up your core – when you stop running your body temperature drops. As counterintuitive as it might be, get your clothes off asap and get dry! If this isn’t practical because you’re out, then at least change your top so your core can start to get warm, and make sure you’re in a warm place post- training.10.Don’t stretch outside – whilst your body is cooling Fitness and down rapidly you don’t want to be stood around training editor outside. Once you finish your run, step inside to do any stretches you usually do. Lucy Clay

The first unofficial officialOCR World ChampionshipsLast month OCR as a sport took a huge international federations with any powersleap forward with the first obstacle course to regulate and define the sport. Mostracing world championships which was countries don't have any nationalheld at the site of the Mud, Guts and Glory federations, and those who have one, wellobstacle course in Ohio, USA. they still have little or no effect in regulating the sport.This event gathered the best athletes fromall corners of the globe to run, climb, jump So even though this event is actually theand slide through the 13km rough course first independent unofficial official worldso that one female and one male could be championships took OCR and gave it acrowned as the OCR champions of 2014. major push forwards.We have previously seen race organisers Next year hopefully the Internationalhost world championships under the Obstacle Racing Federation (IORF) whichumbrella of their own brand such as the was founded this summer will have gottenSpartan World Championships and Warrior a sturdier foot hold and will recognise andDash World Championships, this event regulate this event as the worldhowever was the first independent world championships, while also helping nationalchampionships. federations to be established in ”BIG-OCR” countries.So whats so special with this event? The next step from there could beThe sport of OCR on a global scale lacks establishing the OCR Olympic committee?any types of governing bodies or Publisher Cai Denny

EXCLUSIVEINTERVIEWMeet Siri Englund from Sweden, she is 23 years old and a student at theUniversity of Umeå in Sweden where she is studying her masters inengineering physics, she has even proven to be a master in obstaclecourse racing when crossing the finish line at the 2014 OCR WorldChampionship as number 1 and crowned the female champion ofobstacle racing.

ATHLETE PROFILE: SIRI ENGLUND - OCR WC CHAMPIONTell us a bit about yourself; How many races have you done and whatMy name is Siri Englund and I'm 23 years old results did you get?from Sweden. I´m currently studying at the Umeå I’ve done 4 races before the WorldUniversity for my Masters of Science in championship and my results were 3:rd, 4:th,engineering physics. 1:st and 1:st.Whats your fitness background? What has been your most memorable OCRI think I have tried every sport there is and I’m moment?very all-around because of it. Right now I’m Going to the US and winning the WC!playing Bandy on ice in the winter (in the highestdivision in Sweden with my team Söråker IF) and Whats your thoughts about the OCRI do Crossfit and some running during summers. community and sport?How did you get into OCR and how was I’m new to the sport but the community I’veyour first OCR experience? experienced so far is amazing! It’s like a bigI heard there was going to be a “Toughest”-race OCR-family that help and support each other.in my home town in May 2014, Umeå, and I’vealways wanted to run an OCR so I signed up How do you prepare for the OCR WC?and placed 3:rd. I ran some races here in Sweden called toughest to qualify but did not decide to go until a week before the OCR World Championship.

ATHLETE PROFILE: SIRI ENGLUND - OCR WC CHAMPIONHow did you experience the course and Do you think your win and the otherobstacles at the OCR WC? achievements of team Sweden during the OCRThe running was really hard, I mean 1000 WC will boost the OCR trend back home?\"höjdmeter\" in 14 km that’s tough! The obstacles Yeah the sport only gets bigger and bigger and ouron the other hand were no problem they were results in the WC will hopefully inspire people to try iteasy in comparison. out.Which obstacle was the most challenging at What are your tips for the first-timers,the OCR WC and why? beginners?I really love all obstacles and I did not have a problem Girls need definetly to build a lot of upper-bodywith any of them. The funniest obstacle on the other strength to manage the obstacles, maybe dohand has to be the 30m slide in to a pool with mud some climbing to gain grip strength. A lot ofand water. people can run but not everyone can do the obstacles.What was your biggest motivation duringthe race to keep you going? What are your OCR goals for theWhen I came out in the lead after a obstacle remaining of 2014 and 2015?most girls had trouble with I just thought \"cool I I hope I can attend some more races here inhave been in the lead in a World Championship\", Sweden but I have not signed up for any yet inbut I was certain the other girls would catch up. 2014. Next year I really looking forward to theThe biggest motivation was definitely the Toughest series and the 24h.volunteers, they cheered me on and gave me alot of energy.

TEAM SWEDENThe recent success of Team Sweden at the - Ludvig WerkmästerOCR World Champions with several - Siri Englundpodium placings including a win in the - Peter Autiowomen elite division placed Sweden on the - Linda Holmströmmap as strong competitive country within - Adam EgerblomOCR. - Cimmie Wignell - Maria WelingWe asked the team manager Homan - Charloota LingerElfström a few questions about TeamSweden and its OCR WC experience. Q. What was the most memorable moment for team Sweden during OCR WC?Q. OCR is a relative new sport in Swedenand as in many other countries there is no A. We had a meeting just a couple of daysnational OCR federation, do you think the ago, and the two big things they all keptsuccess of Team Sweden will raise the mentioning was the new friendships withinawareness for a governing body in the team and the fantastic and demandingSweden? track! Many of them didn’t know each other that well beside phone meetings and onlineA. Probably, but this kind of things takes a chat. They quickly became a small family!lot of time and energy. The reunion at Superiorrace Sprint inActually me and my colleague Stefan Gothenburg is going to be epic.Stagliano have been investigating thissubject. But my opinion is that we should Q. What did the individual team memberswait for this “new Sport” to mature. When think was the most challenge part of theits mature enough it will be easier to course and why?organize the work around a Governingbody, maybe even a European A. Anna-lee: To me the Running is alwaysorganization… the hardest. I enjoyed the extremely challenging terrain though. Anything thatQ. Who are the members of Team will slow down the fast runners and could ISweden? decide there would be twice as many obstacles, and preferably ones like the Rig,A. The team consists of 9 athletes and 2 the Different Traverses, the Tip of the Spear team managers; and the Sternum Check: anything that really challenges the normal runner.- Homan Elfström - Coach/ Team Manager- Jessica Hellström- Coach/ Team Manager Siri Englund: The running, crazy hills- Anne-Lee Markstedt O´Dwyr

IPhoto galleryPeter Autio: I think the terrain was more mean 99% of us participating in OCR doeschallenging then the actual obstacles but if I it because its so fun!had to choose an obstacle it would be the”Ten Foot Wall” which I didn´t managed to Q. Which place did all the team membersclimb on race day. receive on the OCR WC?Ludvig: The hills killed me, if there would be Siri 1st Elitea law against hills. I would hunt them all Cimmie 4th Elitedown and throw them in to jail! Anna-Lee 10th Elite Maria 11th EliteQ. The podium placements that Team Peter 1st Age groupSweden got really placed Sweden on the Linda 1st Age groupmap as a competitive country within OCR, Charlotta 2nd Age group how do you think this will affect the OCR Ludde 4th Age groupcommunity in Sweden and do you think this Adam 8:a Age groupwill boost the OCR trend in Sweden nextyear? Q. Does the team have any more planned races for the remaining of this year?A. I’m absolutely positive that this inspiresother “elite” athletes to participate in the A. The team will compete at the Superiorfuture. I also think that this attracts athletes OCR event in Gothenburg on Nov 30th.from other sports in to OCR. I hope this willattract the typical “Swede” to the sport! I

SUBSCRIBE Get the next issue emailed to you!

Follow us on Facebook for the latestEuropean obstacle racing news andupdates!

LETTER FROM THE FRENCH SPARTAN ABOUT HIS OCR WC EXPERIENCEThe time has come. After months and months of discussion and preparation, some of the world’s best OCRathletes will finally be able to compete in the first independent Obstacle Course Racing World Championships.“Is that… a Swedish flag they’re carrying? Oh here is a Canadian one! Hey I know these guys, they’re fromAustralia! I can’t find my French teammate… maybe I’ll ask those 10 Dutchmen over there if they have seenher, or these guys from England, or those from Mexico, if my Spanish skills are not too rusty…”Make no mistake, having such an international field of athletes is not common here in the US. While racing asThe French Spartan, I am usually surprised to see a fellow European share a bit of our mud, but not this time.With contingents coming from around 15 countries, these first OCR World Championships have already donetheir job: unite OCR athletes across races and across borders.Now the question everybody has in their mind on this Saturday morning is: can they live up to all the hype?Because it is said they have enough money to be out there for the next couple of years without a doubt and thatis great, but absolutely meaningless if racers do not find the world-class event they are looking for.So what would it take for the first OCRWC to be a success? First, they need top level racers. You cannotpretend to be a decent World Championships event if none of the best racers in the sport is showing up.Second, they need a memorable course. Ideally, any racer should feel like this was the best OCR they haveever done, they should have nightmares remembering how tough it was and giggles remembering how fun itwas. Basically, on Monday October 27, they should already be dying to come back in 2015. Third, they need aWorld Championships vibe.It has to feel and look professional. This is not a Sunday mud run for people to simply get off their couch andhope to finish while being allowed to skip obstacles they don’t like. This event is for athletes not onlypassionate about the sport but also serious about their performance. Racers coming here willing to give their100% and expecting from other racers and the event staff exactly the same thing: that they give their 100%.And well, as you’ve probably heard it by now, they absolutely rocked it!As far as top racers are concerned, it was loaded. The two winners and runner-ups from the Spartan WC inSeptember were all present (Jon Albon and Ryan Atkins for the men, Claude Godbout and Corinna Coffin forthe women) as well as former WTM winners Junyong Pak and Deanna Blegg and the man referred to as “thelegend of OCR”: Hobie Call. Behind them, dozens of incredibly fit athletes whose strength is only equaled by their speed, in the Elite division as well as in the Age Group ones. As a side note for those not familiar with the OCR scene in the US, you need to know that while almost every race series out there united behind the OCRWC, the biggest one (Spartan Race) not only decided to not recognize the event but even tried to directly compete with it by creating at the last minute their “Triple Crown Championship”, which was simply a smokescreen designed to take away as many serious athletes as possible from the OCRWC by organizing two other events on the same weekend.

If they did not fool anyone nor managed to hide their real intentions, they were still able to keep their Pro Teammembers away from the event. Big deal? Not that much, since probably none of them would have been able toget on the podium anyway… A podium that confirmed the domination of Jon Albon (UK, 1st) and Ryan Atkins(Canada, 2nd) on mid- to long-distance races and that allowed Hobie Call (USA, 3rd) to prove to the world thathe was still on top of his game at 37-year young. On the women’s side, Sweden’s Siri Englund took a solid 1stplace ahead of Cassidy Watton (USA, 2nd) and Amy Pajcic (USA, 3rd).Now for the course, “absolutely brilliant” comes to mind, although it might not make it justice… The 600+racers who were present pretty much unanimously agreed on the course being the most intense OCR they hadever done. Of course, the diabolical slopes of Killington, VT, make every year the Spartan Race WC held therethe longest one in terms of pace and completion time. But in terms of quality, intensity and intelligence of thedesign, no Spartan Race ever came close to the jewel offered by Adrian Bijanada, the OCRWC founder, andhis team. From A to Z, the course was absolutely amazing.From the countless steep climbs and descents to the longest water slide ever seen in OCR; from the muddy/rocky/watery terrain to the V-shaped monkey bars; from extremely challenging obstacles (a tricky setup of thenow famous Platinum Rig) to the good old-fashioned sandbag or bucket carries and barbed wire crawls…everything was here to excite and challenge even the most seasoned obstacle racers out there, especially with amandatory obstacle completion policy (no burpees or time penalties allowed if you want to get on thepodium…). Add to this dozens of huge ditches, rocks and tree trunks barring your way and you get quitesimply the best representation of what the ideal Obstacle Course Race should be. It seems only one race will beable to provide a better course next year: OCRWC 2015…Finally, did this OCRWC actually look world-class professional? Yes it did. Especially when compared to itsmost credibly alternative: despite its 4 years of existence, Spartan Race was still unable to provide a decent setof rules and athlete guide for their WC event less than 3 days before the event, while official rules and event-specific information were made available for all OCRWC competitors 2 weeks ahead of time, allowing forquestions to be asked and answered if necessary. For the individual and the team competition (Saturday andSunday, respectively), everything on-site felt serious and professional, with staff and volunteers knowingexactly what they were doing.The race payouts were great with $10,000/$5,000/$1,000 for the elite divisions and $1,000/$500/$100 for eachage group. And the mandatory completion rule that required completing every obstacle was also a greatinitiative, allowing to get rid of all the usual issues regarding burpees and/or time penalties. Now the flip sideof this great idea is the difficulty to find the exact line separating “challenging” obstacles from “toochallenging” ones. Specifically, the setup of the Platinum Rig on Saturday revealed devastating in both themen’s and women’s rankings. Only 50% of men made it across while only 15% of women were able to makeit.While the male ratio is already steep, it could be considered valid for a World Championships event. Now onthe women’s side however, only two age groups had a full podium with three official finishers, which isenough to show that unfortunately, this obstacle revealed to be on the wrong side of the line. Practice makesperfect though, and it is reasonable to think that no such thing will happen next year, in an event with obstaclesotherwise perfectly crafted to level the field between faster athletes and their stronger counterparts.Overall, if this was not clear enough, the first OCRWC were a tremendous success that left both racers andspectators absolutely ecstatic. Based on this success, next year’s event (set up in Ohio again, on October 17-18,2015) is most likely going to sell out in a record time, with the pre-registrations already open on the OCRWCwebsite… Now don’t forget, this is not a tourist attraction, you will have to qualify for it first, because to getyour spot in an OCR event of this quality, you have to earn itRegards/ GCaelictthktloeHtkeEnRpoEwrotfiTolhereeoaFf drMeonaucrtrhineSxPpcealrurrstieaivrne! The French Spartan - Martin Perrier

Charity Challenges of 2014“As it’s nearing the end of the year we wanted to see whatinspiring charity challenges were undertaken this year byobstacle racers. We asked you for your stories and wereoverwhelmed with the response! Amazing work by all themen and women involved, and we look forward to seeingwhat everyone gets up to in 2015 and all the funds the OCRcommunity can raise for charity ! Lucy”

Sarah Click here toNewey read our athlete profile interview with Sarah NeweyWhich charity do you run for and why? incredible! If I had any breath left it wouldI'm running to raise money for Cancer have been taken away!Research UK. I'm doing this after losing mygrandmother and my mum to cancer last What have you found hardest?year both within a couple of months of each It's a toss-up between the Pain and Sufferingother. It was my way of keeping my mind Triple and Man Vs Mountain. P&S wasbusy and doing something positive. exhausting! 3 races in 2 days up and down hills really was hard. Man vs Mountain wasWhat is your charity challenge? brutal but beautiful! 23 miles of mountain! My challenge is to run 1000 miles of obstaclecourse races! It works out at least one race What is the next instalment of yourevery weekend! A lot of the time two races! challenge?Exhausting  I have around 8 more races to go. My last race is in December. Into the last 100 milesWhat has been your most enjoyable now! Once they are done it will be a couple ofmoment so far? months rest and re-cooperation before I startI raced Man Vs Mountain a few weeks ago looking again ... Marathon des Sables isand after a lung bursting climb, coming appealing! through the clouds to a clear summit was www.justgiving.com/sarahnewey 

Mark Pittam and theAchy Breaky BearsWhich charity do you run for and why? Legends events have been extremelyThe Achy Breaky Bears run for Great Ormond enjoyable as well. All in all every single eventStreet Children’s Hospital. Team founder has been enjoyable and amazing due to themember Mark Pittam’s son has been under fantastic team members we have runningtheir care for the past 3 years so wanted to with us.start raising money to help but wanted to dosomething a little different to the usual What have you found hardest?marathon or runs. The hardest part was going from initial charity idea up to the 1st event. We were not whatWhat is your charity challenge? you would even have called an average levelThe challenge is basically to compete in as of fitness when we started the journey and amany OCRs as possible between the team. lot of weight was lost as a group.What has been your most enjoyable What is the next instalment of yourmoment so far? challenge?Completing our first event (Tough Mudder 2015 we start on Feb 1st with Tough Guy andKettering 2013) was a massive moment for then any events thereafter.the team as was completing 10 of them tocollect 10x headbands. Pain & Suffering www.justgiving.com/theachybreakybears

Team Hero Carry has become known, has completed each course and collected aMathew Talbot, Lee Francis, Chris James, Ben Kirkup, finisher’s headband, although at oneSonya Goodwin, Jim Davenport event an injured teammate, Lee Francis, took his place on the stretcher andWhich charity do you run for and why? did the course on the General’s behalf. HeA group of us, whp have now become a also made a lot more fuss!team of sorts, have been participating in all What has been your most enjoyableUK Tough Mudder events for the last couple moment so far?of years. People asked us why we did It’s hard to pinpoint a specific moment thatmultiple laps at all the events and why we was the most enjoyable but I think it was thewere not doing it for charity. As a result we general support, positive comments ofdecided to up the stakes for 2014 and chose encouragement and pats on the back fromto run for Help for Heroes. It’s a great cause passing participants that each and every timeand part of any Tough Mudder as H4H is the gave us that little extra boost. It was alsoofficial charity, but we also have team great when people would offer to take a turnmembers who have been helped by the and join in for a while and take the challengecharity. of walking with 65kg (yes - he was even heavier when wet) on your back or holding the stretcher for a while to give someone a break. I guess a single moment of celebration was when we finished the first and wettest course at Henley as it took 7+ hours.What is your charity challenge? What have you found hardest?Multiple World’s Toughest Mudder veteran, No doubt the first Tough Mudder was theendurance athlete, obstacle racer, team hardest as we had no idea what we had letspokesperson and probably our leader Ben ourselves in for. There were only 6 of usKirkup came up with the challenge which was and we had no stretcher so we had toinitially going to be a fridge full of beer. Then carry the General fireman style or betweenhe mentioned he had managed to acquire a two people. The course was also brutal‘rescue training dummy’ which weighs in at due to the weather and although we gelaround 60kg when dry. The challenge was to and work seamlessly as a team, we had tocarry the dummy to represent a wounded wing-it at most of the obstacles andhero and get ‘him’ around each course in the experiment to see what would work.UK at least once this year. The dummy had toget over, round and through each obstacle What is the next instalment of yourone way or another. General Payne, as he challenge? We will carry the General again until he has his 10x Tough Mudder headband, after that, who knows? But we will carry on raising money for Help for Heroes, whatever the next challenge happens to be. www.bmycharity.com/herocarry

Gareth andFITBeing FamilyWhich charity do you run for and why? work harder to beat that time? (I have sinceThe charity we entered Rock Solid Race halved the time for completing, most likely(Exeter) to raise money for was Leukaemia & because I ran my own race these past times).Lymphoma Research as a member of ourteam’s family member is suffering from this What have you found hardest?disease (3rd time in remission). When training for the first event, getting up in the bone-numbing cold on a SaturdayWhat is your charity challenge? morning to do an outside boot camp sessionCompleting Rock Solid Race - none of us which included running through a freezinghad entered an OCR race before! We are also cold stream. Oh and no longer loathing araising substantially more money than the burpee! It’s now a squat jump …original set target. What is the next instalment of yourWhat has been your most enjoyable challenge?moment so far? A couple of members of our team haveSeeing all 25 entrants getting over the line, it entered the London Marathon and arewas a really steep learning curve for all of us. running this for Spinal Research (this again isBut we decided to do it as a team and get because a member of the original team haveround together with some of the team really been in direct contact with spinal injuries). Forcombatting fears and physical challenges of those of us that aren’t doing this I am certaintheir own. that we will be entering an OCR again (maybePersonally, the sense of achievement in Rock Solid once more, to beat the previousgetting round and then after washing off the time) to raise money for this. I am going to bedirt, enjoying a beer while admiring the doing Wolf Run with some co-workers formedal, and going through that thought charity as well.process of “would I do another?” Of coursethe answer is yes! Also thinking how can I www.justgiving.com/teams/FITBeing-Family

Lea Pilgrim & co. What have you found hardest? The hardest time during this challenge was when I decided to do my first double lap at the Yorkshire event, IWhich charity do you run for and why? wasn’t totally ready for it physically, butI run for the Aaron Lewis Foundation, Local was going to go for it anyway. It was a slowcharity based in Essex. The Aaron Lewis and painful lap and to be honest, I didn’tFoundation is a charity set up in memory of really enjoy it. The run the next day was alsoLieutenant Aaron Lewis and is committed to a slow and painful experience but completedsupporting local and military charities through none the less.sporting & social endeavours.Two years after his death, the Aaron LewisFoundation was established by  family andfriends to continue to make a difference in hisname. With unity and teamwork at its heart,Aaron’s family,  friends and former servicecolleague’s work together to raise funds forcauses close to Aaron’s heart, providingaccess to sport and wellbeing for all, while atthe same time furthering his legacy..What is your charity challenge? What is the next instalment of yourMy challenge was to complete all 8 UK Tough challenge?Mudder events on both days, which has now My challenge ended the weekend on thebeen completed. I surpassed this challenge 25th-26th October with the London Southand double lapped a few events taking the event in Winchester with the “Gun Run”. I’mtotal laps up to 19 in total. not sure what my challenge will be next year, except for becoming a 1st time father. WorkWhat has been your most enjoyable has already started within the Aaron Lewismoment so far? Foundation to gather a big team for next yearThere were so many enjoyable parts of this and hopefully the return of the “Gun Run”challenge, from helping out the “ Hero Carry” I’ll be continuing to support the Foundationteam, to being one of the first over the start by wearing my Sponsored full face crashline at the first ever Tough Mudder in Ireland. helmet some of you might have seen daubeBut if I had to pick one, it was meeting new Winchester, at any event I do next year, sofriends. Before I started this, I was running please keep an eye out for me. Rock Solidwith one other guy, by the end there was a once more, to beat the previous time) to raiseteam of 35+ of us coming together for the money for this. I am going to be doing WolfAaron Lewis Foundation “Gun Run”, in which Run with some co-workers for charity as well.we pulled a mock full size artillery gun aroundthe final lap at Winchester. www.justgiving.com/Lea-PilgrimAs many of you know ToughMudder is not atimed event, it’s all about the teamwork andcomradery not racing, this was so evident inthe people I had met along the way and allwilling to lend a hand and share their stories.

Will Cattermole &The Muddy BuddiesWhich charity do you run for and why? What have you found hardest?Teenage cancer Trust, due to the fact they Apart from dealing with several injuries overhelped me through a sixth month stint in the year, the hardest part about this challengehospital when I had Testicular Cancer. I was was our final event. We took on the final17 at the time and they really made this Tough Mudder of the year, three times in aperiod of my life easier. row. 37.5 Miles in total.What is your charity challenge? What is the next instalment of yourMy team and I originally decided to walk 125 challenge?Miles for TCT, this plan fell through. After Our challenge has finished for this year, butdoing one Tough Mudder earlier in the year, I as a team we plan on raising money for TCTdecided we should do ten of these for the annually. Mostly by doing Tough Muddercharity. events but we will venture out into the OCR field. We have our eyes on a coast to coastWhat has been your most enjoyable challenge in Scotland for 2015.moment so far?There hasn’t really been one moment that www.justgiving.com/TMCforTCTstands out. But being with friends, tacklingOCRs and raising money for a charity that’sclose to my heart have definitely been themost enjoyable factors about this challenge.

ChrisLambWhich charity do you run for and why? What have you found hardest?I like to choose a different charity each year. The very first challenge back in January,This year I've split my fundraising 50/50 Tough Guy, was the toughest OCR I'vebetween NSPCC, because I love doing one done & completing 80 miles in 24 hours in aof their biggest events, the Gherkin relentless thunderstorm at Endure 24 inchallenge, & Help for Heroes because June took everything I had to give.fighting to defend our country is a far bigger What is the next instalment of yourchallenge than anything I've done.  challenge? I've just returned from what was anWhat is your charity challenge? unexpected addition to the year, competingI've selected as many tough & testing in the OCR world championships inchallenges throughout the whole year as I America & now have a few more OCRs & acould find to test myself both physically & half marathon PB attempt to end anmentally. amazing year before my new baby son is due on New Year's Day and I have anotherWhat has been your most enjoyable crack at winter Tough Guy to get 2015moment so far? going.Achieving so much personally along theway as well as raising the funds. Rather www.justgiving.com/chrislambthan just completing the events I've tried topush as hard as I could in all of them sothat people take more notice and donatemore.

HILL TRAININGWITHOUT HILLS There are very few obstacle races you can find that are totally flat! So it makes sense to include hill training in your plan – but what happens if you live somewhere that’s pretty flat? Over Europe the terrain varies hugely, and for some of us that means rolling hills or mountains, and for some that means flat farm land. However, even though some people are geographically disadvantaged when it comes to hill training, that doesn’t mean they should just forget training for those climbs during races. Here I’ll explain how, even without hills, you can speed up those hills and not have short climbs looking like Everest during your races! So why is it even important to train for hills and not just run? Well, running up and down hills isn’t physiologically the same as running on the flat. When you run uphill, your quads are needed much more heavily than flat running, for powerful extension of the knees. Downhill isn’t as easy as it would seem either – with the focus still heavily on your quads, but also with a large emphasis on overall stability, core strength, and ankle strength (see issue 1 for articles on these!). So, since it’s obvious that we need to train for the hills we encounter in OCR, what do we do if we live somewhere with not a hill in sight? Here are some tips and ideas to add into your training to help you prep for those hills, without actually using hills!

Treadmill with an inclineAs obvious as this sounds – set a treadmill on an incline and this is pretty much anartificial hill. Some treadmills also have settings that change the incline for you tosimulate rolling hills. However, there are a huge amount of runners who don’t geton with treadmills so this might not be realistic for many.CyclingCycling, even on the flat, is great work for your quads, and if you have an exercisebike you can crank up the resistance to really make them burn. Add this into yourtraining as a bit of cross training and give your legs a different workout to a regularrun.Steps/stairsEven if you live somewhere with no hills, it’s very rare to live somewhere with nostairs. Run up, and carefully run down, and you’ll be getting about as close to ahill (without having a hill) as you can. Add some short steps, and some boundingup, to get variety and see what works best for you. Even a quick march up stepsand back down will help, for those less used to this training.Weighted step up and oversMost gyms have a step, otherwise find something else stable. Step up onto thestep, and down the other side off it. Turn around and repeat. Addeither a weight vest or hold dumbbells.Dragging a tyreTo get that lovely burning feeling we all know so well fromrunning up hills during races, take a tyre along with you duringyour next run! Best way to attach this is by a chestattachment (a harness) rather than a weight belt around yourhips as the pressure is better distributed. Make sure you don’tgo for a tractor or monster truck tyre straight away – keep theweight something you can manage, but just for a shortdistance (hills aren’t usually 10 miles long).Bridge repeatsYou might live in a very flat area, but it’s also worth checking out if you have anypedestrianised bridges around that provide a reasonable gradient for ‘hill’ training.Run up and over the bridge, then turn around and head back.Putting these bridge repeats into your training runs can add upto some reasonable cumulative elevation!These are some ideas to mix into your training to get that hill Fitness andtraining in when running on hills isn’t possible. I do not training editorrecommend putting all of this exercises into every workout,though you’d definitely have legs like jelly by the end! Lucy Clay



ATHLETEPROFILEMartin Perrier, also known as Spartin - The French Spartan, is a frenchelite obstacle course racer and ultra runner living in the US. He isprobably one of the most active Frenchmen in the world of obstacleracing with over 40 completed races since mid 2013 including 2 SpartanUltra Beasts, 2 Spartan Championships and the 2013 World´s ToughestMudder!

ATHLETE PROFILE: SIRI ENGLUND - OCR WC CHAMPION How did you get into OCR and what was your first OCR experience? A friend of mine in my MBA program talked a group of us into a Tough Mudder in April 2013, cleverly naming our team the “Most Bad Ass”. I was injured coming to the race so I didn’t enjoy it fully but definitely loved the concept. I signed up for a Spartan Super the following July, bought a pair of trail shoes and that was my real first OCR experience. I got definitively hooked before I even passed the start line… How many races have you done and what results did you get? In the 15-month span since then, I have done around 40 races, most of them being Spartan Races, and gathered 8 Trifectas, two Ultra Beast medals (both times having run the Spartan World Championships Beast the day before), a 50-mile bib at World’s Toughest Mudder (55 miles total) and a win in the Spartan Beast Elite in Hawaii.Meet Martin: ”You can spot me easilyI am Martin Perrier, elite obstacle racer who in OCR events all aroundexists online or on the course as Spartin, TheFrench Spartan. “Spartin” is a pun on my first the world wearingname and “The French Spartan” is simply proudly the colors of thebecause, well, I’m French, and there aren’tthat many of us running in the US on a French flag on myregular basis. compression outfit”What is your fitness background? Which event and obstacle has been theI grew up playing soccer and all types of most challenging?racket sports (Tennis, squash, badminton, Norm Koch, the evil genius behind thetable tennis) but started running only a Vermont Spartan Beast, made History incouple of years ago when I spent six months 2013 with an insanely hard sandbag carryin the French Army. I started road running in but he managed to come up with an even2011 and did a bunch of half and full harder one in 2014! Elite males had to carrymarathons before I discovered OCR. two 50# bags on a quarter mile at 25% incline! So, being a small guy, I spent 20% of my race time on 3% of the race distance

ATHLETE PROFILE: MARTIN PERRIER - SPARTIN, THE FRENCH SPARTANThe Tarzan swing is also a very difficult barbed wire, skipping both their obstaclesobstacle, not much because of the technique and their burpees, pretending to not hear usand strength needed to swing from rope to calling them out. At this very moment, downrope but because when you reach the in the cold and nasty mud under the treesobstacle, you have already lost all your grip and the dark night, I felt so incredibly proudstrength swimming in the frigid water! to be part of this exemplary display ofIn terms of event, WTM is naturally the most integrity while so-called “Spartans” weredemanding race time wise, the VT Beast and blatantly cheating under our eyes. We allUltra Beast offer the roughest terrain out have our Ultra Beast 2014 belt buckle now,there and BattleFrog is already known for but out of the last 40 people who got onetheir impressive number of obstacles (up to that day, only 7 or 8 of us can hold our head50 obstacles over 9 miles in New Jersey!). high and look at ourselves in the mirror and say: “I AM A SPARTAN”.What has been yourmost memorable OCR Photo gallerymoment?Obviously, my win in the What are your thoughts about the OCRHawaii Beast this community and sport?summer was absolutely The OCR community is plain awesome! Weincredible, but the last are talking about a bunch of people who arecouple of miles of the willing to do anything and cover any distanceUltra Beast 2014 will be every weekend simply to get some moreforever engraved in my mud, physical abuse, fun, challenge,mind… I had raced excitement, friendships and free beer (somealmost 20 hours over the say it’s only for the free beer…) and whereweekend, overcoming you tell them they are crazy, their only answeralmost 50 miles of crazy is “aaawwww thanks!”terrain, 80+ obstacles As a sport, I’m excited to see where OCR isand 400+ burpees.It was pitch black when Iarrived to a muddy 200-yard barbed wire crawlwith my friend the PaintedWarrior and a handful of other “UltraBeasters”. Despite seeing no racers orvolunteers around, we proceeded to gothrough the obstacle and spent the next15-20 minutes crawling in the mud,submerging fully in water and doing 30burpees for a failed obstacle right after thewire. No matter how late it was, how tired wewere and how unsure we were to finish therace, this seemed to be the right thing to do,the only thing to do. However, it probablywasn’t the case for the next 30 to 50 UltraBeast racers who simply walked along the

ATHLETE PROFILE: MARTIN PERRIER - SPARTIN, THE FRENCH SPARTANgoing. I believe the separation between OCR workouts to get used to run with your heartas a sport for competitors and “mud runs” as beating really fast, some functionala fun activity for anyone is inevitable. The bodyweight lifting (pushups, pullups, etc…)competitive side of me makes me lean and some grip training. Personally, gripstrongly towards OCR and, within this strength is my weakness, especially whencategory, the upcoming changes in the my hands get cold. Also, because yourindustry will be thrilling to experience. whole body is involved in a pretty intense activity, risks of injury cannot be ignored; they can be reduced though, by adding stretching and/or yoga to your weekly training, which I started doing and, trust me, I needed it!What are your tips for the first-timers, What are your OCR goals for thebeginners in OCR? remaining of 2014 and 2015?Get used to discomfort! OCR is not as I am heading to the OCR Worldsmooth as road running and much tougher Championships in Ohio in a few days where Ithan most team sports. Unless you want to am competing in the 18-24 age group (forwalk the course and simply have fun with the last year since I’m 24) and for which Iyour friends, Obstacle Course “Racing” cannot really set a goal since it is hard tomeans that your heart will be pumping really assess the competition in this new event.fast on every obstacle and that you will have Then I am heading back to World’s Toughestbasically no time to rest in between since you Mudder mid-November in Vegas with a clearhave to run. And be warned: after your first goal of 75 miles over the 24 hours of theOCR, you will have scratches everywhere, event!your whole body will be sore and, no matterhow well you think you cleaned yourself, you What is your motivation to keep onwill still have mud in your ears! But despite all going and overcome obstacles, duringthat, the only question in your mind will be: races and life?when’s the next one?? I tend to accept immediately whatever comes my way. The earlier you accept an obstacle, the faster you can overcome it. Of course, life isn’t always fair and neither are the races; but while you spend time complaining about it, life keeps rushing and your competitors too. So whatever comes to me, I smile at it, stay happy and find a way to get over it as soon as possible.How do you prepare for an OCR event?In terms of training, I use and wouldrecommend some high intensity sprint

250,000 Burpees for Movember Join the movement today and do your share of burpees! Click HERE to go to our website for more info, leaderboard and statistics.

TheRGea-rDAYGuide Series Winter Gear The “R-Day Gear Guide” is a series of articles to help obstacle racers select the right gear for obstacle racing.

Winter running - Insulating/ middle layerWith the winter and cold just round the This is the 2nd layer which is needed whencorner for most of us some of you will prefer the temperature drops even more and shouldto run inside on a treadmill when the be made of insulation fabrics such as fleece.temperatures starts to drop. But if that's not The layer must be able to wick moisturean option or you simply prefer running away from the base layer while also keepingoutdoors, here are some good tips and rules; you warm, it should have the perfect balance of trapping air to keep you warm, yet releaseLayering the right way enough vapour and heat to avoid overheatingEven with the best gear, the failure toproperly layer could leave you to cold or - Wind- and/or water-proof Outermore the likely, too hot. The good rule of layerwinter running is to be sure to feel cold whenyour first begin your run, the temporary This layer is what will protect you againstdiscomfort will pass as your body exerts wind, rain and snow, but will at the samemore energy and generates heat, you will time allow both heat and moisture to besoon be at a comfortable degree of warmth. escaped through the fabric to prevent overheating and chilling.The 10 degree Celsius rule Related online R-Day Gear Guide articles;Dress for 10 degrees celsius warmer than thethermometer says. If you feel a bit chilly for - About Synthetic Performance Fabricsthe first 1-2 miles, you'll probably be - Does compression gear improve athleticcomfortable during most of your run. performance?The 3-climate layering system Good for the street,The key to winter training and for staying Not so good for the runcomfortable during a cold run is layering,rather than just wearing one heavy layer. Notonly does layering trap body heat but alsoaids in keeping your core warm by drawingmoisture away from your body into the outerlayers where it evaporates avoiding bothoverheating and chilling.- Base layerThe layer closest to your body should bemade from synthetic performance fabrics,these are man-made technical fabrics thatdraws moisture away from your body to thesurface of the garment where it evaporatesor is absorbed by a mid layer garment. Unlikecotton, SP fabrics absorbs very little watermaking these fabrics extremely quick dryingwhich helps regulate the bodies coretemperature while running in the cold.

The Winter Training Gear GuideHead and Neck Too extreme?On cold days, you'll lose a reported 10% ofyour heat from your head, so it's importantto keep it covered. You also want toprotect your skin from the cold and wind,and also prevent frostbite and chapping.Here's what you'll need for your head andneck: Thermal hat or Balaclava A fleece or wool hat is perfect for keeping your head and ears warm during winter runs. The balaclava is a type of headgear that covers your whole head, exposing only your face or part of it, and sometimes only your eyes. They are a necessity when it gets really cold. Neck Gaiter A neck gaiter can be extremely valuable on a cold,windy day to protect your neck and face. You can pull these up over your mouth to warm the air you're breathing in, which is especially helpful the beginning of your run. Vaseline Protect your lips from chapping with Vaseline. You can also use the Vaseline on your face such as the nose and cheeks to prevent windburn and chapping.

WINTER GEAR GUIDE Upper Body The key to winter running especially for your upper body is layering. At the beginning of this section we covered the importance of layering and the purpose of each layer and the reason why proper layering could either break or make your run. Here's what you'll need for your upper body: Gloves You can lose great deal of your body heat through your extremities, so it's important to cover those hands. On cold days, wear gloves that wick away moisture.Fitted or compression Base Insulating Layer/ Wind- and Water-proofLayer Middle layer LayerThis layer is the closest to your The second layer is needed This layer protects youbody and should have contact for colder runs (usually below against the wind, rain andwith your skin, this layer should 10 degrees celsius) and is show but at the same timeONLY consist of a synthetic made of an insulation fabric allows both heat andwicking fabric and not cotton! such as fleece. This layer moisture to escape to(this rule actually goes for has the perfect balance of prevent both overheatingeverything that you wear!). trapping air to keep you and chilling. warm while releasing enoughThe purpose of this layer is to vapour to avoid overheatingpull moisture away from your and chills.skin with the help of thecapillary effect to the surface of Be safe andthe fabric for easier evaporation run happy!or absorption of anothergarment layer, keeping yourbody dry and warm.Saftey tip: Choose a color with high visibility that will let traffic and pedestrians see you when running in the winter darkness

WINTER GEAR GUIDELower BodyYour legs generate a lot more heat then the restof the body while running and therefor you won'tneed as many layers on your lower body.Choose a shoe that preferably has a breathable Studs are mostly banned from OCRwaterproof lining and aggressive sole, metal events, but they are perfect for thestuds are perfect for winter runs! winter runsHere's what you'll need for your lower body: Tights Your legs as mentioned above generate more heat which means that you usually wont need to layer them as much as the upper body, for most runs you will be fine with a pair of thermal tights. If it's below 10 degrees Celsius you may want to consider adding an additional layer on your lower body: a wicking layer of tights, and wind-proof track pants as an outer layer.Shoes PublisherYour feet also have the tendency to keep warm and there Cai Dennyare shoes with breathable waterproof lining to helpprotect your feet from natural elements. Choose shoeswith aggressive sole for best grip, for added tractionthere are shoes with metal studs, remember howeverthat these type of shoes are mostly banned on mostOCR events but do offer superior grip when running onsnow and ice. Socks Never ever wear cotton socks when running because they won't wick away the moisture, leaving your feet wet and prone to blisters. Instead, be sure to wear a good pair of wicking socks made of synthetic wicking fabrics for winter runs.

Country: UK Parking: 4Organizer: The Suffering The parking was really good.Distance: 5km, 10km, 16km At £2 it was cheaper thanVenue: Rockingham Castle, other races I have taken partLeicestershire, UK in. The ground was churnedDate: 2014/11/08-9 up badly with the weather and the amount of traffic, but theRaceReview attendants were on hand to by our Suffering competition winner: John Robson push anyone in need! If you are looking for a tough challenge then I would   definitely recommend trying to become a Suffering Legend! Check In: 5 The 2 races on the Saturday just beat you up enough so Absolutely perfect! I turned that youre willing to come back Sunday for the final race. up at 0815 on the Saturday Then on the Sunday, the final race picks you up, smacks ready for my first race at you around, dumps you on the floor and gives you a kick 1000, check-in took minutes for good measure! I can honestly say that I have never and I got all 3 chips, race been sapped of all energy like I was at the end of this numbers, cable ties and weekend. ‘Pain and Suffering’ is exactly what I was feeling; safety pins for all of my races these guys know exactly what to do to push you to your over the weekend. The staff limits. were all very smiley and full of encouragement. Being able to show the staff my check-in details on my phone made the whole process very easy. Bag Check: 1 Unfortunately, there was no bag drop available. There was a key drop, which was advertised as ‘first come, first served’. Start: 4 The guys on the Mic getting everybody warmed up and ready to race were great! I felt really pumped up and ready to go as the smoke blew over us and we all set off. On the 2nd day, due to a car accident at the event entrance, the start was delayed but the staff coped well and condensed the 3 waves into 2 with no problems as far as I noticed.

Marked Path: 3 are made to do bodyweight cry/laugh and generally haveThe courses were marked exercises at just about every a good time before and afterout with coloured string obstacle, press-ups, racing. There was a heater,which was adequate but burpees, squats, sit-ups etc. changing rooms, snacks,could be quite hard to see, If you want to ‘suffer’ this is merchandise and the tentat times, until you were the race series for you! kept everyone dry! This wasalmost running into it. There   also the first time we havewas also a mix up during the Water Stations: 2 taken our dog, Bali, to a race5k which caused some of There just weren’t enough and he had an absolutelythe front runners to head off water stops. Especially the great time! A first classthe wrong way and having to final race, which you are told Festival area!turn around and come back, is ‘at least 10 miles’. Therelosing them several race were just 2 stops during this ReviewSummarypositions. The Marshalls or race and the 1st one seemed‘Reapers’ as they are called a long way into the race. Parking 4/5here are great at their jobs, Saying this, the stops Check-in 5/5unfortunately there just themselves were good and Bag check 1/5wasn’t enough of them the 2nd one with the energyaround the course. drink and bananas on offer Start 4/5 was a morale boost to say Marked Path 3/5Course: 4 the least!I absolutely loved the   Course 4/5majority of the course. I love Finish Line: 4 Obstacles 5/5running through natural It was great to finally cross Water Stations 2/5terrain, so the bogs, fields, that finish line, grab your Finish Line 4/5woodland and natural medal and swag and know Medal/ Swag 3/5obstacles such as trees, logs that your car was mere Spectator Friendly 5/5etc were great. Rockingham footsteps away!Castle is also set in a ReviewScorelocation with plenty of hills Medal \ Swag: 3which are used to the fullest. After finishing all 3 distances, 3,6/ 5My only slight complaint I thought the medals maywould be that maybe the hills differ or be marked in Click here for moreare over-used! I actually different ways. Each medal race reviewsenjoy the challenge of hills is identical and doesn’t havebut the amount of times you anything to say whichhad to travel up and down distance it is for. The T-the same hill got a bit Shirts are really good andtedious, especially for those these did show the differentof us doing all 3 races. races completed, there was  even one to show off myObstacles: 5 ‘Legend’ status forA good mixture of natural completing all 3 races.and man-made obstaclesthroughout the course. Festival \Family Friendly: 5What makes the obstacles The festival area was greathurt just that bit extra, is the and really allowed everyoneReapers manning them! You to come together to chat/