Race Review - Water Wipeout 29th June 2013

Rocked up on site an hour before the gun for our wave, and went through the usual signing of waivers, toilet stop and checking out the course. We then started the briefing and warm up. I must have done too many X-Runner races as the warm up guy now recognizes me and gives me grief! Maybe its time to shave the beard and resume anonymity. The warm up was fantastic, and was both motivating and great for getting prepared for the race.

From the gun JP and I pushed to get into the top 10 to ensure a clear run at the hay bail pyramid, which was a nice warm up to the obstacles. The next obstacle is the open water swim. Swimming has never been my thing, I can't do breast stroke at all and my front crawl is 'un-orthodox' at best. once I had waded out of my depth I put my shoulders and arms to work. To my great surprise my swimming was strong enough to maintain my spot in the top 10, and because my lack of co-ordination means it was all upper body, my legs felt rested after the 150 meter swim, and I could push up into the top 5. After a few minor obstacles we were in the woods on a great trail run, I managed to lose an energy gel I had stuffed in my shorts which was a pain but easily forgotten about.

Through the trails I managed to push up to the lead of our wave and was feeling comfortable. A bit water slide and short swim broke up the trail run and was great fun. A few cargo nets, balance beams and duck and vault obstacles and yet another dunking. As I approached the final km of the first lap there was a cargo net climb, this was the first bottle neck I had hit i was force to wait and queue, this was frustrating and allowed runners to catch up and over take as i was stuck behind a runner struggling getting over the top.

It was now a race to cross more water and get onto the 2nd lap in under 2 minutes to avoid being behind the wave due to start shortly. But the gun went whilst I was in the water meaning the start of the 2nd lap would be littered with runners. I was 2 minutes behind the wave and the hay bales were clear as I reached them, but the open water swim looked more like beach on a hot sunny day with free money floating in the water. After my lap 1 success in the water I took a wide path and swam hard. I must have overtaken 50 to a 100 people in the water, mainly due to lots of people in buoyancy aids doggy paddling.

There was still a lot of back markers to run through once out of the water, my mate JP was wearing bright orange and an easy target to spot and try and chase down. at the next water obstacle, which was a 6 meter pond to wade through. I knew it was waist deep after a meter or so, so i took a huge running leap, making it half way across before getting wet. this worked a treat and managed to pass a dozen people as I flew through the air. I couldn't gain any time on JP and he was always 100 to 200 meters ahead. He kept this lead all the way to the finish and over it. I finished about 45 seconds after my rival and mate.

After a quick home made shower and dry off, I caught up with an old friend and then went to watch Steve Cram start his race.

with the preliminary results in I was 37th and Steve Cram 281st

So for the only time I will ever get to beat Steve Cram in race, I am absolutely stoked!

http://www.x-runner.co.uk

Summary: A great race, with lots of swimming, and a very slick organisation team.

Race Review - The Pain and Suffering - 23rd June 2013

I arrived an hour early and joined the queue for toilets, if I've learnt nothing else from events, its to go tot loo as early as possible, to avoid the queues and the rapid degradation of the toilet's condition. With that out the way its off to join the back of the queue for my race pack. I pin my number on and attach my timing chip and  start my pre race prep. I wonder over with about 20 minutes to go, drop off my key and get ready for some stretching and warm ups. "10, 9, 8...". What? the first wave is starting? I thought I had 15 minutes to stretch and warm up? "3,2..." fair enough, I'll just forego my warm up. "Go". Not a fan of starting right at the back of 150 runners, but it didn't take long to get up to the leading group.

The pace was fairly steady and course was pretty flat a tire leap was the first 'obstacle', and after about half a mile the runners had spread out to single file. the 2nd obstacle of an under tarpaulin crawl was sandwiched with 10 press ups either side of the tarp. This was good fun but I did have my doubts to the numeracy skills of some of my fellow runners! More running and a few large, fallen, tree trucks to run along the top off, this again was great fun and a fun alternative to just leaping over them.

The course was clearly going to be lots of running with a sparse amount of horse fence style obstacles. Not really up to claims of "pain and suffering". But soon enough came a great obstacle, we had to carry 2 large heavy water containers around, down and then back up a small quarry / bomb hole. This slowed everyone down to a walk, and was a great challenge. it was then back onto the running. but after running to the other side of a small valley another water container carry was in store. There was a little confusion with the marshals whether we should have 1 or 2 containers, but we settled on one. this time the containers had to be carried around a similar small quarry but with added 1/2 meter boxes to climb over and tarpaulins to crawl under. Again great fun and a fresh approach to obstacle racing. It was now time for another long run around farmers fields.

Obsticles blur into each other at this point as there were very few noteworthy ones. The more memorable zone was a zig-zag route up and down a very steep hill side with a marshal enforcing press ups and site ups at the top of each leg. this was an energy sapping zone and worthy or the pain and suffering title. after more bland running, there was a great tire carry up the bank to the castle walls its self. but with no marker to tell you when to turn and head back to the tire pile it seemed a little confusing. A few more miles of running, horse jumps, and a barbed wire crawl and I was back insight of the car park. The final 1/2 mile of the course was great, a muddy trench to navigate, followed by a wall, monkey bars, wall, monkey bars, wall. the walls got higher with each phase, and I was greatly impressed to see marshals giving press up forfeits to those that couldn't manage the obstacles. I luckily had enough energy and upper body strength to complete the monkey bars and walls, only need a helping hand on the final highest wall.

http://www.thesufferingrace.co.uk/

In summary: A good 10 mile cross country run, but only a very average obstacle race, with only a couple of obstacles of any note, and all three of them being 'carry' obstacles.