Obstacle Race Magazine Issue 26

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ISSUE #26 2018 £5.95

LE AND ADVENTURE RACERS

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Building

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MARMITE LOVE IT OR HATE IT

EUROPE’S TOUGHEST MUDDER

in pictures

ADVENTURES

OPEN WATER SWIMMING

“Looking ahead and prepared for the coming season...” ~ Conor Hancock, top 10 OCR World Championships

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My vision for ORM has always been to help everyone, from seasoned racers right through to people preparing for their first ever challenge.

This is why each issue contains such a wide spread of content to suit a range of skill and confidence levels.

The adventure inside section in this issue has been one I’ve particularly loved putting together, because my passion outside of OCR is open water swimming. I find it’s a fantastic way to break away from any stresses and strains you’re feeling from daily life.

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We’ve all got to start somewhere. This was me at my starting point (above). A Spartan Race set on a army tank training course, this was where i got my first fix of obstacles and adventure. It was a real reality check for me, the running pushed me and the hills punished me.

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Contents FEATURE

10

OCR MARMITE Love it or hate it, we all have our opinion.

ISSUE #26 2018

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18

SPARTAN UPDATE A Spartan 2018 season update. Bringing you up to scratch with what’s been taking place in the mud.

54

INOV-8 DECENT A brand new event that will test your grip and nerves to the max. Gravity is on hand to help with this one.

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WOLF RUN The pack has found new territory at Pippingford park.

46

NEPTUNE STEPS The freezing canals of Glasgow and obstacles,

ROPE TRAVERSE

whats not to like.

If you struggle to traverse

50

ropes then this is the perfect article for you.

NUCLEAR RUSH 11,000 racers enjoying the sunshine with lashings of mud and obstacles.

KIT TESTING

30

SALMING TESTING We put the new Salming Elements and the OT comp through their paces. How will they handle the mud.

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Obstacle Race Magazine

REVIEW

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14

EUROPE’S TOUGHEST MUDDER IN PICTURES

40

ADVENTURE

A NEW CHALLENGE This issue we learn a little more about Openwater Swimming.

42

TRAINING FOR A CHALLENGE A little more about the training involved for Openwater Swimming.

44

KIT FOR A CHALLENGE The Kit you’ll need for your Openwater Swimming adventures.

46

NEPTUNE STEPS The freezing canals of Glasgow with obstacles, whats not to like.

40

REGULARS

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26

SHOULDERS If you want healthy strong shoulders, this is the training for you.

32

HEALTH HACKS We share all the latest nutritional hacks.

35

RECIPE PAGE Turbo charge your menu with these mouth watering and tasty recipes.

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78

80

A place to share your favourite

Each issue we pose

A place for all your OCR

All your races listed for the

muddy race day pictures.

a different question to

needs. From Kit shops to

coming months of OCR.

the ORM community.

Training centres.

MUDTREST PAGE

THE POLLS

OCR DIRECTORY

EVENTS DIARY

Obstacle Race Magazine

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FEATURE

M

R C O I M T E R A

10 Obstacle Race Magazine

What’s the difference between Tough Mudder and Marmite?

Not a lot, writes Sam Snelling in this article on the biggest OCR event series in the world.

I recently finished a run through one of my local forest routes in Harlow, Essex , covered in mud, scratches and who knows what else. As I started my ‘out of breath’ walk back to the car, shouldering my obligatory DryRobe and trying to update Strava with my cold wet fingers, I was stopped by two road runners in their shiny, clean running gear without a spot of mud to be seen. We started the polite, but slightly awkward, chat about the weather, and how it would affect the running conditions (road runners generally do not like the rain apparently). Engrossed in running related chit-chat, I was quizzed on my interesting (Shrek-like) appearance, to which I replied, “I really love running in the mud and the forest; most weekends, I actually pay to run through fields and over obstacles.”

Impressed, one of the runners replied, “Oh yeah, I’ve heard of those. Are they like Tough Mudder?”. That got me thinking….

I am certainly not an ‘expert’, or the best athlete in the country, but I have taken part in a fair few OCRs, including Tough Mudder, Europe’s Toughest Mudder, Tough Guy,

Nuclear Races, Judgement Day, Dirty Dozen, Ram Run and Survival of the Fittest. All of the above means I have experienced a few different races and am not loyal to just one race.

Now, I consider us to be quite a close community, with most of us knowing one another at least by sight, or more than likely the standard ‘hand on the bum over the wall’ type way. So why, as a community, does this question make so many of us cringe? The simple whisper of the T and M words seems to send shivers down the length of our spines. But why? Is it muddy? Yes. Are there obstacles? Oh yes. Do people take part in it to have fun and push themselves? Yes, yes, yes! So why the negative reaction?

Tough Mudder is the biggest OCR event series in the world. With races in six countries, it is the ‘poster boy’ for the sport, bridging the gap between ‘normal’ people and us ‘crazies’.

Many people see it as one of the biggest draws to the sport, with it being responsible for the vast majority of new people entering the OCR community. This all sounds fantastic, so what’s the problem? What has happened to cause such a divide?

Obstacle Race Magazine 11

Through my own research carried out across the community, it is clear that the majority of people fall into one of two categories; the ones who love TM and the ones who don’t, with there being very few ‘in the middle’. Tough Mudder is the OCR Marmite. There are those who dislike TM due to historic disagreements with Tough Guy, and the two races’ inception, but for the purpose of this article, I will stay away from those and leave that particular argument for another day, and for those more knowledgeable than I on the subject (think I managed to swerve that one).

It’s fair to say that the TM brand is well marketed, similar to Spartan, appealing to the masses and acting as a gateway to the sport. Which can only be a good thing, right? However, this appears to be one of the major issues. Many people see TM as ‘not a real OCR’. But why? OCR was always seen as a small niche community, with the majority of the marketing being nothing more than word of mouth which worked well for a select few races, including Tough Guy. This allowed these races to organically build up a great reputation and loyal fan base. However, Will Dean broke the OCR mould in 2010 with the first TM in Bear Creek Ski Resort, USA. This race was different. Firstly, it wasn’t a race. It was marketed as a team event, with the famous pledge stating, ‘I put teamwork and camaraderie before my course time’, with some of the obstacles only being possible with others. It wasn’t timed, and you didn’t even get a finisher’s medal!

But yet, it appealed to hundreds and thousands of people across the world, showcasing our amazing sport.

But this showcasing and peacocking doesn’t come cheap, with this being another one of the biggest issues people have with TM. The cost. The ticket price is high compared to some other local races. However, once you start to add in that you have to pay for parking, pay for spectators and pay for the bag drop, it starts to get silly. For example, if you raced TM London North in 2018 and took your family to watch, it would cost you around £150, whereas if you booked Nuclear Rush 2018, it would cost you around £80 for a similar event. Many people see TM as a money-making machine that sucks the fun and accessibility out of the sport for the OCR community. The argument for this is that TM have some of the biggest obstacles such as ‘King of the Swingers’, ‘Hang Tough’ and ‘Blockness Monster’. They also have some of the biggest and most well-organised event villages. It seems there is a careful balance to be struck in retaining the ‘proper OCR crowd’ and attracting the newbies.

TM is now an international brand, just like Spartan, Wolf Run or Warrior Dash.

Like with anything, there will always be brand loyalty. Whether it’s buying a new pair of running shoes or upgrading to your next mobile phone, we all have our favourites and that is great! Different approaches, perspectives and opinions make the sport fun, providing a variety of options on distance, type of obstacles and locations, allowing us seasoned runners the chance to try new races and providing people coming in to the sport a number of different opportunities to try OCR for the first time.

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FEATURE

T

aking all this in to account, are the races themselves to blame? Do they want us to have to ‘choose’ between events? Do you bleed orange or are you a Spartan? Is it Arooo or is it Oooorah? Of course, competition breeds improvement and means us racers get new obstacles and bigger challenges, but it shouldn’t come at the detriment of the sport we all love.

There have been a number of marketing campaigns from different races ‘poking a stick’ at the others, whether it be joking about burpees, or not receiving a finisher’s medal, and while it might make us smile, it doesn’t help bridge the divide.

But really, does it actually matter? Isn’t the important thing that we are out there doing what we love? Well yes, this is partly true, but in a sport that has seen so many well-loved races shut down in the last two years, shouldn’t the goliaths of the OCR world be pulling together to keep the number of new entrants and OCR veterans as high as they can? Yes, the sport has been saturated and some people have tried to capitalise on this by putting on low-quality races but isn’t there room for the big races and the smaller alike?

Over 250,000 people roll around in mud and climb over things each year in more than 150 events across the UK. The sport is still growing and I for one believe we should all be doing what we can to help it grow.

Maybe, if we all spent less time and effort in talking down other races and segregating ourselves, the question of whether an event is like Tough Mudder might not provoke such a reaction.

I am aware however that I may be coming across as a bit of a ‘let’s all love one another’ type person, but my passion is OCR and fitness, not about stroking anyone’s ego or making sure I do not upset people or the apple cart for that matter. I love this sport and want nothing more than for it to continue to succeed and an increasing steady stream of new people coming in, and the muddy veterans to carry on lining up in a field every weekend.

I truly understand there is loyalty, and that everyone has their own reasons for loving, and for hating, just like Marmite, but rather than aiming that dislike at a particular race, maybe we could channel that energy into the passion we already have for the sport.

So, when someone next asks you, “Is it like Tough Mudder?”, why not reply with, “Yes it is. Fancy coming and trying it with me?”.

WRIITEN BY: Sam Snelling runs for the Mudda Fudders and Harlow’s Old Men Running Club #OMRC, which runs regularly around the forests and trails of Essex. Always muddy, always smiling and partial to a jar of Marmite.

Obstacle Race Magazine 13

REVIEW

EUROPE’S TOUGHEST MUDDER IN PICTURES Toughest Mudder is an 8 hour obstacle course that takes teamwork, stamina and mental grit to the extreme—all between the hours of 11:59PM Saturday night and 8AM Sunday morning.

With multiple regions, geographies and hardcore contenders from across the globe, Toughest Mudder is the ultimate challenge for Mudders insane enough to push themselves beyond anything they’ve ever experienced.

For those that want to take it one step further, the event series will act as a qualifier to make it into the Contender Category at World’s Toughest Mudder.

Cash prizes up for grabs for both men and women were: 1st -$5,000 2nd -$2,000 3rd -$1,000 4th -$500 5th -$250

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REVIEW

Lashings of neoprene were called for to keep racers from succumbing to hypothermia as temperatures dropped through the night.

Only the main events area and obstacles were flood lit, which meant the racers relied on their headtorches to light up the rest of the terrain.

Many racers faced numerous fears whilst racing through the night. A plunge into freezing muddy waters at 2am is enough to make anyone question their sanity.

Obstacle Race Magazine 15

REVIEW

What would ordinarily be simple obstacles start to become a real challenge for the body and mind after 8 hours of racing in the cold and dark of night.

Although this was a competitive event with prize money up for grabs there was never a shortage of racers showing that the Tough Mudder pledge meant more than money.

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REVIEW

The sun rise was a welcome sight. Giving the racers the signal that the end of the eight-hour challenge was drawing close.

Tough Mudder events include:

Daylight gave many racers a second wind.

The warmth of the sun’s rays had runners jumping for joy even after 8 hours of TM laps.

WORDS BY: CARL WIBBERLEY PHOTOGRAPHY BY: Pics 2 Go - Epic Action Imagery

Tough Mudder 5k Tough Mudder Half (5 miles) Tough Mudder (10 miles) Tougher Mudder (Timed Wave) Toughest Mudder (8hrs) Worlds Toughest Mudder (24hrs) More information can be found at WWW.TOUGHMUDDER.COM

Obstacle Race Magazine 17

FEATURE

SPARTAN RACE 2018 SEASON

UPDATE

With the Spartan Race UK & Ireland Series having kicked off at St Clere on the 7th of April, 2018 is set to be another ground-breaking year. Not only will there be the new 2018 finishers medals but for the first time all finishers will receive tech t-shirts!

The South East event at St Clere was a well received extravaganza of mud and hills to start the season off.

Following the popularity of our first event at the venue last season, this was an eagerly anticipated return. Offering a Super distance race on the Saturday and the inaugural Sprint event in the new UK and Ireland Regional Series on the Sunday.

The UK and Ireland Regional Series offers Elite and Age Group competitors the chance to progress directly to the Spartan European Championship and also the Spartan World Championship. However, competitors in Elite and Age Group heats outside of our 5 Regional Series events will only have the opportunity to qualify for the European Championship. They will then have to qualify at this event in order to earn a place at the World Championships.

Not only was qualification and glory at stake in this first Regional Series event but prize money too! As well as offering prize money for the first three placed Elite Males and Elite Females at each of the Regional Series events, there is also a prize pot available for the overall series top 3 in each of the Men’s and Women’s Elite categories.

So, the season kicked off at 8am on a gloomy and grey Saturday morning with the Men’s Elite Super, shortly followed by the Women’s Elite.

Both consisted of very strong fields despite a few noticeable absentees who were saving themselves for the World Championship Qualifier the next day.

The Men’s Elite Super was an exciting race with only 5 minutes separating the first 7 men across the line. Jason Brunnock came home to take first place in a little over an hour and a half with Kristopher Scott in second and Luke De-Benedictis in third, both crossing the line less than 3 minutes after Jason.

The Women’s Elite was equally as exciting with Christine Holmes taking first place in a very fast 1:41:43 ahead of Ida Steensgaard, competing in her first Spartan Race, just over 6 minutes later!

Spartan Team GB 2017-member Jade Skillen crossed the line to claim 3rd place close behind.

The Age Group racers were all on course and running well when the Open Heats began and the sun started burning through the clouds, turning the gloom of the morning into a welcoming afternoon of sunshine with a warm breeze. By the time the last runners came into the festival area in the afternoon the day had been heralded as a huge success with many commenting that the course had been one of the hardest they’d run but also one of the most enjoyable.

Day one finished and all eyes turned to the weather ahead of the inaugural UK and Ireland Regional Series race the following day where Championship qualification and prize money were at stake!

After a night of constant rainfall and thousands of runners the day before, the course was a completely different monster on day two! The steep hills became a slippery quagmire and obstacles such as the Atlas Carry and Twister became a different challenge altogether.

As the Elites lined up it was interesting to note how many new faces we had, the enticement of prize money drawing athletes from non-OCR backgrounds.

Some noticeable additions in the Elite category were from CrossFit, Fell Running and Triathlon backgrounds.

With more than 20 countries represented with some of the missing faces from the opening day back to compete in the Regional Series race for prize money and qualification places, the competition was even stronger than the day before, the atmosphere on the start line was electric and the tension palpable.

The start line brief was given, the rules reiterated and the new marshalling and video judging explained.

Spartan Phil gave his rousing speech and then they were off!

The excitement in the festival area was tangible and the support for those in the Elite and Age Group waves was fantastic as family and friends cheered on those battling for glory.

The Men’s Elite wave was another close-run battle, with only 5 minutes separating the top 7 athletes.

Eventual winner Tristan Steed (Finishing in a time of 44:26), a regular atop the Spartan podium, commented that up until the Spear Throw he thought he was to be beaten! Tom Tweddell crossed the line in second place with another 2017 Spartan Team GB member, Scott Barker, claiming the final podium place.

The Women’s Elite too proved a battle of will, with less than 5 minutes separating the first five athletes across the line.

Ida Steensgaard, appearing fresh and confident off the back of her first Spartan Race the day before, claimed the title of inaugural winner of our Women’s Elite UK and Ireland Regional Series race in a time of 55:11. With Jade Skillen taking second and Andrea Berquez third within one and a half minutes of Ida. The competition in the Age Group races was just as fierce and huge congratulations should go out to all who took part in our Championship Qualifying heats. The weather, the hills and the competition for places seeping every ounce of effort out of all who took to the course on a rain fuelled Sunday at St Clere.

As the day continued the open heat finishers appeared progressively muddier and more tired as they conquered the last obstacles and made their way over the Fire Jump, across the finish line to collect their coveted finishers medals.

One thing did remain consistent throughout the weekend, whatever heat you competed in and whatever your goal was – there were smiles all round as finishers were greeted by cheers, hugs and high fives.

The first race of the season was over, now eyes turn to the Emerald Isle ahead of Spartan’s Irish debut and the second race in the UK and Ireland Regional Series – the Ireland Super at Punchestown on 27th May! Who will place on the podium there? How will it affect the overall standings in the Regional Series table?

Watch this space to find out, or better yet, come along and compete for glory and the prize money that it brings!

This year will see more venues and events than ever before, a continuation of and expansion on last season’s new endurance disciplines, refreshed obstacles and will see Spartan host two races in Ireland for the very first time.

The venture into the Irish OCR market shows Spartan Race’s dedication to continually expanding its horizons and that of the sport of OCR. 2018 will see them travel to the Emerald Isle and host both a Sprint and a Super at Irelands most famous racecourse, Punchestown.

Near the county town of Naas: the ‘Meeting Place of the Kings’ will for one day only, will be transformed into the Meeting Place of the Spartans!

Obstacle Race Magazine 19

Another exciting addition to the 2018 calendar is a change of venue for Spartan Race’s Scottish event – the “Fair City” of Perth will host a Trifecta Weekend and will see the race start held in a city centre for the first time. One of each of their standard distances will be on offer as well the newly rebranded Ultra.

The Ultra is an exciting new format for the pinnacle of their UK races; 50km+ of unique course elements and 60+ challenging obstacles to test every fibre of your being! With the excitement of a city centre start we expect to see excited supporters and intrigued passers-by lining the streets to set people on their way.

Whilst only adding one additional venue for this coming season Spartan have actually raised the number of races across the UK and Ireland from 10 to 15. By adding a Super distance race at every venue and including two Trifecta Weekends to the calendar there is more opportunity than ever to join that elusive Trifecta Tribe by completing one of each distance in a calendar year.

This year there will be 5 races in a dedicated Spartan UK and Ireland Series. The 5 UK and Ireland Series races will allow for direct qualification to the Regional Spartan Championships and World Championship. It will see prize money allocated to the top 3 Male and Female racers at each of these races and also overall across the series, with a pot of £12,000 up for grabs this is sure to increase the competition and entice Elite athletes from other sporting disciplines to enter.

All other races will only allow qualification to the Regional (European) Championships and racers must then use this to qualify for the Spartan World Championship.

This is all part of Spartan’s dedication to ensuring the legitimacy of the sport of OCR and their goal of making it an Olympic Sport!

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This year will also see the world’s first ever Trifecta World Championship, for those qualifying from the UK they will have the opportunity to compete in this inaugural event to be held in modern day Sparta in November.

One change to this year’s racing format is the way that Spartan’s Elite and Age Group heats work; as well as adding course referees and video review procedures to ensure that the rules are adhered to and standards are consistent across the globe.

FEATURE The Age Group heats are themselves a new edition replacing the Competitive heat, a series of heats placed immediately after the Elite category. Age Group racers will follow the same rules and standards as the Elite racers.

The heats will be officiated by on-course referees, video review, and feature an Age Group points series with podium awards and athlete rankings.

2018 sees the continuation of Spartan Endurance disciplines. Launched in the UK for the first time during the 2017 season these eagerly awaited events provided new ways for Spartans to push themselves even further and create bonds of friendship and camaraderie that last a lifetime.

The Hurricane Heat (HH) is the first step in Spartan endurance, a team-based event designed to push racers to greater personal distances, you quickly learn the value and true meaning of having mutual objectives through teamwork. You also see the connection between teamwork and success, one driving the other, on both a personal level and as a member of something greater than yourself.

Run within the boundaries of a Spartan Race venue, you’ll be led by a Spartan Krypteia (Leader) through sections of the course and areas of the course usually not seen, completing challenges capable only by the success of the team.

The Krypteia will open the door for a new era of learning for your own capabilities, understanding and potential. Complete this and you may be ready to take on the Hurricane Heat 12 Hour (HH12HR), designed to expand on the teamwork principles but will also test you on an individual level.

Add in the rebranded Spartan Kids events at each venue, which now sees ‘competitive heats take place on Sundays as well as Kids Trifecta and Season Passes available, improved festival facilities and activities, camping options available onsite and you have an event for the whole family to enjoy.

With more ways than ever to Spartan Up in 2018, it is the most exciting time to take that next step, whether it’s joining us for your first Spartan Sprint, raising your game to the next level with a Super or Beast, or taking on the challenge of one of our UK endurance events – there’s NO EXCUSE!

Want even more Spartan action this season, visit www.spartanrace.uk to purchase a Season Pass or Trifecta Pass and join the Trifecta Tribe in 2018.

Obstacle Race Magazine 21

WOLF RUN NEW TERRITORY

I think my hands have just about regained sensation, so I’m taking the opportunity to document my experience of the Spring Wolf Run that hundreds of people completed this grey and cold morning. Even more exciting was the fact it’s a brand new race location for the Wolf Run team.

This was my first Wolf Run, and indeed only my second OCR race after a (typical) Tough Mudder a couple of years ago when it was all the rage. My strength and conditioning training buddy (and business partner) Ed Gamester, of the infamous Ghost Squad, rekindled my interest in OCR as a sport. He persuaded me to give it a proper go based on my running capabilities (I run ultramarathons), coupled with super strength for my size (his words not mine – blushing!). So, I was really looking forward to Wolf Run and it definitely didn’t disappoint. Let’s get to it…!

Directions, Parking, Arrival and Registration We found the venue easily using the address provided, which is always great considering the ever increasing frequency of sat-navs going haywire when doing their one job of navigating from A to B. We paid our £5 parking fee and were greeted by a very enthusiastic and lovely attendant. Parking was easy, as was the three minute stroll into the event arena. Once there we headed for the registration tent. There was a bit of a queue but the DJ was providing great tunes, and the tent was warm. Once that was all sorted, we

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dropped our things at the bag drop.

I was pleasantly surprised that this was a free cloakroom, as all too often you’re charged to keep your valuables safe. So then we were ready!

The Race Once we’d completed the warm up, in which they certainly made us get used to being dirty (“drop to the floor!”), we were on the start-line and counting down to GO! From there on out we had 10km of beautiful and varied park terrain for the free running element, and an assortment of interesting obstacles along the way. For someone who is a keen runner, the running trails of Pippingford Park were an absolute dream. We experienced such a variety of views and terrain – from big open fields to densely packed woodland, from light and airy elemental landscapes to hip-depth mud pits buried in the forest. I loved the running side of things more than I ever imagined.

Lots of participants found it pretty tough (especially some of the epic climbs), so there were definitely more people walking it than running it. The good thing was, though, if you wanted to really go for it you could because there was plenty of room to pass along side others.

REVIEW

Obstacle Race Magazine 23

REVIEW

Onto the obstacles. From what I recall, we encountered: some tyres to run across, a couple of high walls to get over, several streams to wade across, and some monkey bars to swing through. My favourite (but definitely most challenging) obstacles were the water based ones of which there were three main ones – two deep lake swims and one chest height river crossing.

There were at least five other stream crossings in between with water coming up between knee and chest height.

It was the slide into the water at around 5km that totally shocked my body. Up until then the course had felt like a very pleasant Saturday morning run. Then we climbed up a wall and threw ourselves down a slippery slide to be plunged into what I can only describe as an arctic lake.

This was definitely one of those “if you know, you know” moments where I genuinely thought I might pass-out from cold exposure.

24 Obstacle Race Magazine

My vision went blurry, my breathing increased to hyperventilation and my muscles totally seized up.

Reassuringly, there were several marshals on canoes for anyone who needed rescuing, but if you were happy to brave it, you had a 50m lake swim ahead of you.

That was the turning point of the race for me. I still enjoyed it so much for the second 5km, but man it was so much harder. With your muscles seized from the freezing water, your shoes 3kg heavier with mini lakes at the bottom, everything just seems a little bit more brutal.

Not to mention the pain in your hands as each little joint just refuses to stop cramping. Needless to say monkey bars on frozen lake hands is not ideal.

I have to confess, halfway across the second (and longer, perhaps 75m) ice lake swim, I did have a sudden thought about how glorious it would have felt to be doing that on one of the beautiful warm Spring days that we occasionally get. I feel like it would have changed the game for us.

The icy lake would have been a blessing! Alas, we were racing Wolf Run on a rainy, overcast and cold day…so be it.

Just when I thought they couldn’t keep throwing water-based obstacles at us, sure enough there would be another plunge. It was as much a psychological game as a physical one!

There comes a point where your survival instincts tell you to stop throwing yourself into single digit lakes in the middle of 10km trail runs! Once you do it though, and you stumble out the other side, you’re blessed with that lovely tingly vasodilation sensation where your body slowly tries to warm up and everything feels a little warm and fuzzy just for a second. Again, if you know, you know.

Support, Marshalls and Finishing

Huge credit to the Wolf Run marshals, who were totally supportive throughout the race. Some were funny, and some were wonderfully kind – but all were a credit to the organisers. It was especially reassuring to have marshals on kayaks in the lakes. Big thank you to all of the support.

The finish line was good and we received water and our finisher packs – in which are very nice turquoise t-shirts. I love how they are sport materials shirts and not plain cotton, which makes me far more likely to wear them in the gym/when running.

We collected our bag and didn’t stay much longer, but I did see the showers.

I tried to regain my sanity in the “hot box” which was alarmingly cold and underwhelming – everyone was a bit

confused as it was meant to be a place to heat up, but it was a bit of a fail. So we stumbled back to the car to get changed.

Overall Overall, I would highly recommend Wolf Run. It was tough, but rewarding. The free running was epic, and for someone who isn’t hellbent on an obstacle-heavy race, it was a perfect balance of running and obstacles. The staff were helpful and supportive. There were no queues at the entrance, at obstacles, or at the loos which made for a more enjoyable day too.

Thanks for having us Wolf Run! Hopefully see you at the Next Wolf Run !

Lara Cochrane is an adventure lover, ultra-runner and personal fitness trainer based in a private training facility near Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire.

When she isn’t training her clients, crushing races and running exclusive fitness retreats, you can find her on beautiful countryside runs or watching the sun rise.

You can follow her adventures, read her health and fitness articles, and get in touch at resetfitness.co.uk or at @reset.fitnesspt on Instagram.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: PEACHY SNAPS Obstacle Race Magazine 25

REGULARS

BUILDING STRONG

SHOULDERS

INTRO This can come from racing as you pull your tired body over a wall, Your shoulder as a joint is often quite unstable. How many times have you heard about shoulder injuries and dislocations or swinging from monkey bars or rings. The repetitive use comes in with a lot of overhead work, like shoulder presses and pull ups. in a race?

When this happens there is inflammation in the muscle which can take a long time to settle down.

I know I have been a culprit to this and have spent the last year focusing on strengthening my shoulders so I’m fitter and A tear to the muscle can either be minor or severe depending on stronger for racing this year. how deep the tear has gone into the muscle. Pain isn’t always a good guideline if the injury is severe as even the smallest of The instability in your shoulder comes from the fact it is so inflammations can be very painful and take a long time to settle moveable. It is a ball and socket joint (the same as your hip) down, especially as it is hard to not use your arms in day to day but the joint cavity itself is very shallow and therefore your life and training. humerus (the bone of your upper arm) although has a lot of movement can dislocate easily. This can be a more regular Whilst there are a lot of muscles in your chest, back and arms that occurrence if the muscles surrounding and supporting the attach in and around your shoulders, the exercises I’m going to bones of your shoulder are weaker. show you to add into your training will focus on your rotator cuff The most common shoulder injuries that occur are either impingement or tears. muscles. These are the smaller and deeper muscles within your shoulder that play an important role in joint stability and An impingement happens from a trauma or from repetitive use. movement of your arm and shoulders.

26 Obstacle Race Magazine

90 Degrees External Rotation Hold a Resistance Band in your hand with enough tension in to challenge you. You want to anchor the band so it is across your body. Bend your arm at 90 degrees and rest your elbow at your side. Slowly rotate your arm out to the side, hold and return back to the middle. The resistance will come as you pull the band across your body and out to the side.

90 Degrees Internal Rotation Hold a Resistance Band in your hand with enough tension in to challenge you. You’ll want to anchor the band so it is on the same side of your body. Bend your arm at 90 degrees and rest your elbow at your side, slowly rotate your arm out to the side. The resistance will come as you bring your hand to the middle of your body.

Obstacle Race Magazine 27

REGULARS

High to Low Rows Attach the resistance Band to something above shoulder height. Bend down on one knee. Keep your back straight and squeeze your shoulder blade as you pull your hand down to your middle.

Reverse Flye Use a light weight in each hand. Bend over so your back is straight and parallel with the floor. Raise your arms out to the side with a small bend at your elbow, as you do squeeze your shoulder blades together.

Upright RowHold a weight in front of you with your arms relaxed and a close grip with your hands.

Slowly raise the weight towards your chin, keeping your elbows out wide. Raise as high as you can, ideally until your elbows are level with your shoulders.

WORDS &

PHOTO

GRAPHY BY: GEM h at www MA SPAC .fundamen KMAN talsportsan dfitness.co .uk

Head coac

28 Obstacle Race Magazine

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TOM 07773302935 WWW.BRISTOL-ASSAULT.CO.UK

WEST COUNTRY WATER PARK, THE LAKE. TRENCH LANE, WINTERBOURN, BRISTOL

KIT TESTING

esh M t h g i e Light w = age n i a r d wa t e r e m e r Ext

RocShield

Michelin

Te c h n i c a l soles

7mm Lugs

W i d e To e b o x

SALMING OT COMP

EDITORS THOUGHTS:

The most recent addition to the Salming trail range, the OT Comp is a light weight off road racing shoe that doesn’t scrimp on durability to get its weight down.

The model name stands for “Off Trail Competition”.

The shoe is made in partnership with none other than rubber experts Michelin, and every bit of grip you’d expect from that collaboration is there.

The lug design is inspired by Michelin’s grippiest mountain bike and motorbike tyres and feature’s a self-cleaning design to help shed mud. Designed with excellent traction in mind for Obstacle racers, Swim runners and Orienteers’ alike. The rubber used in the OT Comp outsole is Michelins OCX - Extreme Outdoor Compound - which features an extreme adherence on wet slippery surfaces due to its special sticky compound. The upper construction has a lightweight mesh body allowing excellent water drainage and breath-ability. But also offers foot protection with its Rocshield at both the front and back.

TECH SPEC WEIGHT - 265 g DROP - 7mm RRP - £125 www. - SALMING.COM

REVIEWERS THOUGHTS: A shoe that we can use to run from our front door to our local trail is a perfect racing and training shoe in many racers eyes. This is exactly what Salming have created with the OT Comp. Although it has 7mm lugs this doesn’t hamper its ability to deal with harder Surfaces. Due to the design of the lugs they still offer really great stability on any harder packed ground and even tarmac that you may encounter on the way to your favourite muddy trails. Then when you hit the trail you’re in for a treat in the form of masses of comfort and plenty of grip to take on the most rugged and swamp like terrain. Although they have a really nice lightweight feel, they don’t skimp on comfort and have a

30 Obstacle Race Magazine

great level of flexibility. A nice wide mid foot and protected toe box is also a nice bonus for wider foot hobbits.

KIT TESTING

RocShield

RocShield

Ti g h t m e s h ut o t i r g s p e e k

ber Durable rub compound

SALMING ELEMENTS

EDITORS THOUGHTS:

The Elements was the first model from Salming designed for the off-trail shoe market. We’ve reviewed the Element’s previous version and it was a big hit back then. So we’re expecting big things from its new and improved predecessor.

Although it’s their first model its certainly beginning to build a reputation that many more established off trail brands would be jealous of.

The shoe has so far been a huge hit especially in the off-trail and OCR communities, with it also being picked up by many Swimrunners too. Boasting a comfortable wide fit.

It’s tightly woven mesh upper allows for excellent water drainage but also screens out dirt. The RocShield around the front and back of the shoe offers great protection from the most rugged of terrain, especially when coupled with the 8mm lugs that provide exceptional grip.

This shoe gives you the confidence and comfort to run hard over anything a course can throw at you.

8mm Lugs

REVIEWERS THOUGHTS:

TECH SPEC WEIGHT - 288 g DROP - 8mm RRP - £120 www. - SALMING.COM

The Salming Elements have made a real name for themselves in the OCR scene over the last 18 months. The first version of the Elements model was known for having fantastic grip and extreme durability, the new version not only lives up to that but also builds on it. Dare I say that these are probably one of the best shoes I’ve ever tested in terms of build quality, the finish and durability of materials is fantastic. For someone who has wider feet the extra room in the toe box and mid foot is very welcome. The rubber is a nice soft compound meaning it can handle solid obstacles and wet wood and rocks, giving you the confidence to run a little harder. As for mud and water, these shoes are designed to take them both in its stride. I can see why a lot of Swimrun competitors have adopted these as their new race shoe with their fantastic drainage. In short if you are looking for new race shoe options then both these and the OT Comps should be high on your list.

REGULARS

HEAL+H

HACKS Each issue we’ll bring you snippets of new and exciting products from all around the fitness and nutrition industry. Hoping to help you find your next health hack.

WASH BUDDY - SMART SPONGE These are a highly effective and environmentally friendly way to get cleaned up fast using just a splash of water.

You don’t need soap or a towel. Just rub in the fragrance-free foam and it air-dries in moments, leaving you looking and feeling clean and fresh.

The water foams the sponge up and expands it, for a thorough all-over wash, cleaning your skin and hair.

The foam air-dries so there’s no need for a towel, and unlike wet wipes there’s no sticky residue, Just fresh, clean skin.

RRP:

£6.49

FROM: Amazon.co.uk

BRAINZYME Another way to get a mental head start is to use supplements called Nootropics. These food supplements are designed to help you think clearer, concentrate longer and just generally get the most out of your brain. Taking these is a little like having the power to flick a switch in your brain to have it working at full capacity all the time and without any crash you’d get from things like Redbull.

BrainZyme have hit the UK market with a nootropic which is really making waves in the sporting and professional circles. A healthy list of athletes ranging from the British indoor 800m champion Guy Learmonth to Britain’s best Badminton player Kirsty Gilmour are already raving about the benefits of these brain boosting supplements. BrainZyme have three levels of nootropics available. More information can be found on their

RRP: 32 Obstacle Race Magazine

£9.95

FROM: www.brainzyme.com

REGULARS

EXCILOR NAIL TREATMENT

RRP: £19.99 FROM: Amazon, Boots, Superdrug Maurten is a relatively new energy drink from Sweden, it stands apart from the competition and has built a huge pedigree in running in a very short space of time.

Fueling the Sub2 Marathon project with Kenenisa Bekele, the Adidas Sub2 project with Wilson Kipsang, and the Breaking 2 Nike project with Eliud Kipchoge The use of hydrogel technology, which allows the body to ingest large amounts of carbohydrates – without any GI stress, the technology is patent pending and makes Maurten very unique.

In a nutshell , the carbs become encapsulated when they hit the stomach due the ingredients, pectin and sodium alginate, that band round the carbs when they hit acidic environment of the stomach. This means the carbs don’t come into contact with the stomach lining, fooling the stomach and passing swiftly through (the gastric emptying is pretty quick) to the small intestines where the encapsulation breaks down (due to the ph difference between this and the stomach) so the carbs can be absorbed. Geeks fest.

Science shows our bodies can ingest up to 80-90 grams of carbs per hour. Just one Drink Mix 320 sachet contains 80 grams of carbs per serving (500ml of water) which can be drank per hour, no other drink on the market comes close to this.

It’s 100% natural, there are just 5 ingredients (there is no flavour, or added flavour, as you don’t need flavour to enhance your performance), it’s fully batch tested and has a near on 2 year shelf life with no preservatives or junk.

We put our bodies through hell on the courses we run, that includes our nails.

Excilor® Treatment for Fungal Nail Infection is one of the leading products on the market for successfully treating fungal nail infections safely and effectively.

The technical term for a fungal infection of the nail is Onychomycosis, and usually starts at the rim of the nail which eventually turns whitish-yellow. The fungus then grows into the nail, causing the nail plate to thicken, become brittle and may separate from the nail bed which can be extremely painful. Nail fungus is problematic because it resides inside the nail and if not treated properly can result in the complete loss of the nail!

Excilor®’s unique TransActive Technology is clinically proven to deeply penetrate the nail bed within minutes, the technology uses Acetic Acid which rapidly reduces the nail’s pH and in return changes the nail’s environment making it more hostile for fungi to grow. Excilor® is also enriched with nail lipids and biotine for supportive nail care during treatment, helping to rebuild damaged nail structure which also provides a long lasting barrier against future fungal infections.

MAURTEN FUEL

RRP: £35.00 FROM: Maurten.com Obstacle Race Magazine 33

REFUEL RECIPES

Forget about food being the way to a man’s stomach, food is the sure-fire way to any person who trains hards stomach. Motivation can come in many forms and finishing a tough session knowing you can refuel without guilt is a perfect motivator.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE MEATBALLS:

FOR THE SAUCE:

1/4 cup milk 1/4 cup breadcrumbs 700 grams ground chicken 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger 2 Tablespoons minced scallions 2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste 3/4 cup orange marmalade 1/4 cup hoisin sauce

METHOD Make the meatballs:

Preheat the oven to 160ÂşC. Spray a mini-muffin pan or baking dish with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, stir together the milk and breadcrumbs and let sit for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, garlic, ginger, scallions, soy sauce, salt, pepper and soaked breadcrumbs. Use your hands to thoroughly combine the meat mixture and then shape it into balls using 2 to 3 tablespoons of meat per meatball.

Place the shaped meatballs into the prepared pan and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the meatballs are fully cooked. While the meatballs are baking, prepare the sauce.

Make the sauce:

Add the sesame oil and olive oil to a small saucepot over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes until golden brown.

Add the red pepper flakes, orange marmalade and hoisin sauce, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.

Remove the meatballs from the oven and transfer them into a large bowl. Pour the sauce on top and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

CHICKEN MEATBALLS

PREP:10 MINS COOK:15 MINS YIELD: 24 BALLS

82 Calories 5g Protein 8g Carbs 3g Fat

REGULARS PREP:20 MINS COOK:10 MINS YIELD: 2 SERVINGS Thin slices of flank steak, minced fresh garlic and ginger, dark brown sugar and soy sauce. Toss it all together and 30 minutes later you’ll be chowing down on a DIY take out, instead of waiting for the delivery guy.

MONGOLIAN BEEF

The key to mastering classic Chinese food flavor at home is a technique known as velveting, which is essentially an egg white, cornstarch and sherry marinade that preserves the moisture of the meat. This recipe includes an abridged version of velveting that still delivers tender slices of steak bathed in a rich reduction of soy sauce and brown sugar.

INGREDIENTS Vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce 1/2 cup water 2/3 cup dark brown sugar 450 grams flank steak 1/4 cup cornstarch 3 spring onions sliced into 1-inch pieces (green parts only)

METHOD Heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a small saucepot over medium-low heat. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce and water, stirring to combine.

Stir in the brown sugar and increase the heat to medium. Bring the sauce to a boil for 3 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside.

Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4-inch pieces, then toss it with the cornstarch. Place the coated pieces of steak in a sieve and shake off any excess cornstarch. Allow the steak to sit 10 for minutes.

Place a large sauté pan or wok over medium-high heat and add 1/2 cup vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), add the beef to the pan and sauté for 2 minutes until it is seared on all sides but barely cooked in the center.

Remove the steak from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer it onto a paper towel-lined plate. Pour any excess oil out of the wok.

695 Calories 94g Carbs 11g Fat 52g Protein

Place the sauté pan back over medium heat. Add the prepared sauce to the hot pan (it should come to a boil almost immediately), then add the reserved steak and cook at a boil, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Add the sliced scallions, stirring to combine.

Transfer steak and scallions with a slotted spoon to a plate and serve with rice.

Obstacle Race Magazine 35

REGULARS

MUDtrest WALL

36 Obstacle Race Magazine

REGULARS

Fancy getting featured on the MUDtrest WALL Simply send your picture to us at: carl@obstacleracemagazine.com Obstacle Race Magazine 37

ADVENTURE INSIDE

ADVEN INSIDE 38 Obstacle Race Magazine

ADVENTURE INSIDE

NTURE

ADVENTURE INSIDE

A NEW CHALLENGE

OPEN WATER SWIMMING

40 Obstacle Race Magazine

ADVENTURE INSIDE

INTRODUCTION Open water swimming is one of just a handful of activities you can now do and be truly alone with your thoughts. A little bit of moving meditation is hard to come by in a world where a mobile phone is glued to most peoples hands 24/7. Getting out into the lakes, rivers, canals, ponds, reservoirs or even the sea can be like a little slice of heaven for the mind and body. Once you get yourself prepared, choose a safe spot and come to terms with the weeds or the odd fish you may come across, then the rest is easy.

Your first real decision will come in the form of skins or wetsuit. This is a subject that can divide a room full of open water swimmers faster than you can say duck poo. A wet suit is probably your quickest way to get a decent amount of time in the water when you first start out. Most triathletes wont venture into the water until it reaches around 16-18 C. This temperature is a sweet spot where time in the water starts to get a little more fun over freezing.

A wetsuit works by trapping a little bit of water between you and the neoprene to insulate you nicely.

The hardest part about wetsuits is probably finding the right one for you.

The fit of the different brands of wetsuits available are pretty much like finding the right shoes for your feet, they all fit differently but once you find the perfect one it all just feels right.

Skins is the most invigorating way to experience open water but it does take a little getting used to. You’ll have to allow time for your body to acclimatise especially in winter or while temperatures are creeping up in spring-summer. Your body temperature can drop up to 40 times faster without a wetsuit to insulate it. This drop in core temperature can cause all sorts of strange things to happen like your muscles will start to seize and breathing can get very difficult, this is obviously not ideal in a large body of water.

Once you get the skins and wetsuit decision over with then it’s time to find your first swim. Now our advice would be to find your nearest open water swimming club and get a good handful of swims in with them before self supporting any. An organised club will have spotters, a course marked with buoys and safety boats in the water in case you get in trouble. Once you’ve got a few sessions under your belt then you can use websites such as outdoorswimmingsociety.com and Wildswim.com to get great advice and to choose where your next adventure in the water will be.

Obstacle Race Magazine 41

ADVENTURE INSIDE

TRAINING FOR A CHALLENGE

OPEN WATER SWIMMING

42 Obstacle Race Magazine

ADVENTURE INSIDE

THE TRAINING

Instead of the usual training plan that we’d share in this section, this issue the training section is going to be a little different. Instead we’ll be helping to prepare you for your first open water or wild swim. Getting you ready for your first swimming adventure.

Preparing for open water swimming in a warm, comfortable pool is a good stepping stone to the real thing. But there are certainly a few things you need to be aware of before plunging into open water, after all diving into a large body of water for the first time can be a bit of a shock. So, we’ve compiled some top tips you can use to prepare in the pool.

STROKES It is vital to be comfortable with your stroke in open water. Most open water swimmers choose front crawl, so start by making sure yours is in good shape in the pool.

Try to get competent in your second stroke also. You may need to recover in open water and breaststroke uses less energy than front crawl, so it’s a great one to fall back on.

Open water swimming events is no splash and dash. At an organised event they will usually be at least 500 meters in length.

Use your pool time to ensure you can confidently swim further than the event you are entering without having to put your feet down.

SIGHTING In the open water there are no lane lines to simply follow. Once in open water you’ll need to practice looking ahead during your swim to find a marker in the distance to follow and guide your course.

Looking up is a simple thing to practice in the pool. Try perfecting it so you don’t disrupt your rhythm once you’re in open water.

Practise swimming in a straight line. Close your eyes while swimming and see whether you veer left or right (most people do). Try tweaking your stroke to straighten your natural line.

TREADING WATER There is no wall to hold or kick off from in open water. Use pool time to get used to treading water in the deep end. You could spend a lot of time treading water in open water, especially as you begin to build your endurance and cold water acclimatise.

TURNING Most lakes and events will involve turning around a marker buoy, often four or five times.

If you have space in the pool and a willing practice-mate, swim up to and round your friend without touching the walls or bottom of the pool.

Bi LATERAL BREATHING Bi Lateral Breathing is the art of breathing on alternative sides whilst using the front crawl technique. This is an especially good skill to have in open water due to the unpredictable waves in the sea and the swimmers around you in group open water swims. It may not feel natural at first but focus on your technique in the pool and it will become more comfortable over time.

You can find some fantastic videos on YouTube showing you proper technique to help you crack this.

Let your head and spine join the rotation of your shoulders, inhale sharply then turn your face smoothly back in time with your shoulder rotation.

GROUP SWIMMING Lots of people swimming together can come as a bit of a shock the first time you swim in an open water event. Practise group swimming with four or five of your friends in one lane of the pool to help get used to the washing machine effect.

Obstacle Race Magazine 43

ADVENTURE INSIDE

KI T FO R A CH AL LE NG E

OPEN WATER SWIMMING 1

4

3 5

44 Obstacle Race Magazine

ADVENTURE INSIDE 1 WET SUIT

2

Getting your first wetsuit can be a bit of a minefield. Different brands have different fits. Alpkit have a fantastic range designed specifically for open water swimming in all seasons.

RRP: £145 www.alpkit.com

2

2

SHORTS / COSTUME

3

GOGGLES

4

SWIM CAP

5

SWIM BUOY

6

KIT BAG

7

EXTRAS

If you do decide skins swimming is the way you want to go then you won’t go far wrong with the quality of Speedos range of costumes and shorts.

RRP: £25+ www.Speedo.com Another huge personal choice would be the type of goggles you choose. The ones pictured are part of the biofuse range from Speedo. A pair that are tinted is advisable due to the suns glare.

RRP: £20+ www.Speedo.com

7 7

A bright swim cap is advisable. The brighter the better especially if you’re sharing the water with boats. It also helps your spotter to track you in the water.

RRP: £10+ www.Speedo.com

7

7 6

A swim Buoy can be just a float that is attached to you by a cord at the waste or it can be an inflatable dry bag like the one pictured. If you’re alone in the water it means you can keep your valuables with you or even a little nutrition.

RRP: £24.99 www.amazon.com You can’t go wrong with a Kit Brix for your kit. It’ll keep your warm clothes safe and dry no matter where you sit it down.

RRP: £40.00 www.kitbrix.com Here are a few pieces of kit you’ll need to think about investing in.

Neoprene pieces to protect your hands, feet and head are a great call as Winter draws in. Also a good chafe stick is also advisable for around your neck if using a wet suit.

RRP: £8.00+ www.amazon.com

l l u B d Re E STEPS N U T P E N

Imagine sitting in a hot tub drinking a nice chilled can of Red Bull. Sounds pretty nice doesn’t it? I don’t know about you, but to me it conjures images of a nice summers day with the sun blazing down. But these were in fact the scenes next to a Glasgow lock in what was still winter time and just a snippet of how the red carpet was really rolled out for competitors at this years Red Bull Neptune steps, but this is only half the story.

Now imagine sitting in a hot tub but the water is a funky shade of brown.

That same water isn’t really ‘hot’ and the can of Red Bull you’re drinking you can’t even make touch your lips because you’re shivering so uncontrollably. That’s a little bit closer to the scene at the finish line next to its Glasgow canal venue. Oh and while you’re trying to imagine it, don’t forget the lashing of neoprene covering competitors from head to toe to top it off.

46 Obstacle Race Magazine

Redbull Neptune steps is known throughout the open water industry as one of the toughest events in the world of it’s kind. Not because its long, oh no its far from long at only 450 meters.

So what makes it so tough if it’s not an endurance based event. Well imagine swimming 450 meters ‘uphill’ against a lock fed current, all while negotiation tough obstacles both at water level and built up and over the locks of this Glaswegian canal.

The torrents of water that are escaping from each lock hit you in the face and snatch away any sort of hope of gathering your breath while negotiating obstacles. Now the scenes you should be imagining are much more ‘torture techniques’ than ‘hot summers day’.

But that’s enough of the scene setting, let us allow one competitors daughter tell you more about how events unfolded from the perspective of a spectator.

ADVENTURE INSIDE Dipping your toes into freezing cold water at this time of year is enough of a taste of winter time swimming for anyone. But the competitors lining this canal have signed up for more of a taste of the freezing winter waters of Glasgow than most sane people would ever consider rational.

While walking the canal looking for the best spots for me to follow my mum from, I could see spread across the course several different variations of lock and water-based obstacles.

These ranged from small lock climbs to the hardest climb by far; a 4M cargo net that looked like it was located in nothing short of a waterfall setting.

Despite the weather having been awful on the run up to the event with more than just a sprinkling of snow coming down in the weeks prior to the event, competitors seemed in good spirits. Maybe it was just a caffeine and sugar rush induced smile. All this snow ensured ground and water temperatures were set to be freezing. This obviously meant it would be a very challenging swim for the competitors.

As the first heats of the day set off one of the overwhelming things I noticed was the support each competitor offered to their fellow racers both in and out of the canal. I think they all knew just what a challenge it was no matter what the fitness levels of the racer. From the moment they plunged into the water to right until they dragged themselves on to the final finishing ramp.

The energy was high, but it was plain to see a few nerves in people expressions.

Watching the previous heats of both the men’s and women’s races you could tell this was going to be a tough race.

Obstacle Race Magazine 47

On the finish line something that stood out a mile was that regardless of where the racers placed when they got out the water, they all came out with endorphins rushing and smiles beaming. You could tell after all the nerves that they were so proud of what they had just accomplished. Everyone who participated should be filled with pride after what they achieved that day in such brutal conditions.

48 Obstacle Race Magazine

The event took place over Mothers Day weekend. It was a different yet entertaining way to spend time with my mum to say the least. My mum, Justine Ridgway, was in the 3rd women’s heat of the day, she was nervous yet excited all day leading up to the event.

Having trained for a swimming event that’s happening later in the year, she was ready to face the 3 degrees water with full force and give this course everything she had.

ADVENTURE INSIDE They started off by acclimatising to the water, dipping in and swimming about before getting ready for the race to begin – before I knew it they were off.

The race started with a 190 meter swim up to the first and probably the most difficult of climbs - the 4M cargo net. There were many swimmers at the bottom of the net by the time my mum reached it, it was a battle against the current and the other swimmers to grasp the net before beginning the climb. After managing to secure her grasp on the net, mum began her climb. Reaching the top it was time to dive back in and continuing with the next 40 meter swim section.

Once again, massive amounts of water falling onto the racer, and by this point my mum was starting to lose the feeling in her hands due to the cold water, even with thick neoprene gloves on.

Mum had to resort to using her elbows to help climb this obstacle.

next year with even more determination to complete this race.

She is my inspiration and my motivation through many aspects of life, and she continuously proves that if you put your mind to something you can achieve greatness.

After climbing over the 4th lock, time was called on my mums wave.

Although mum was so determined to finish this course and had made sure she had prepared for the conditions, she was just unable to this year because of the time limit set by the organisers due to the temperature of the water.

The tall wooden ladders were the next obstacle to tackle. With massive amounts of water pouring down onto the competitors, it was an equally a difficult climb to negotiate. With another short swim to the first smaller rope climb, is wasn’t long before my mum came to the 3 meter rope climb.

Nevertheless, I have never been so proud of my mum. The strength of her as well as all the other swimmers was inspirational.

Just being there watching the event take place was so uplifting. I could tell my mum enjoyed every moment of that race, saying it was also the hardest race she’s done to date. But as soon as she got out (and warmed up!) she was already talking about coming back

Neptune Steps - you are many people’s nemesis who have attempted to complete you over the last few years.

Many will return next year with revenge in mind, ready to jump back into your freezing waters and ready to complete your climbs to defeat you. The pure determination from everyone this year has even inspired me to give you a go.

So Neptune Steps 2019, I hope you’re ready - because this mother daughter duo is coming for you, and we’ll be ready to take you down.

REVIEWED BY: RHIANN BULL PHOTOGRAPHY BY: REDBULL CONTENT POOL

Obstacle Race Magazine 49

NUCLEAR RACES RUSH I

had been wanting to take part in a Nuclear Races event for a while now and to see just how good this multi-award winning race really was. And, well, they sure didn’t disappoint. Based at their permanent location in Brentwood, England, on a lovely sunny Saturday (May 19th) it was Nuclear Races Rush 12km that I would be taking part in.

R

ight from the get go everything just felt right. Well marked road signs, shown in plenty of time, would lead you to the free car park area. Plenty of marshals at several points to direct you where to park your car. Then a short walk from car park you have to cross a main road to the event village, but again marshals and temporary placed traffic lights were in place to get you across safely. A bit of a queue for registering, but to be expected when you have the sheer volume of people participating that Nuclear has (11,000).

But it was a very painless and quick process. Having no race numbers to put on your top was a great simple thought also. And that’s the thing I found refreshing and great from the start at Nuclear; this is one well oiled machine. Everything has been thought of. And not just what people require at an event, but also right down to how the event village and race should flow.

50 Obstacle Race Magazine

Even the event email I received around 2 weeks prior was the most detailed information email I’ve ever had from a race. I really could go on at nauseam as to how well this race was organised.

So to the race itself. Once I dropped my bag off at bag drop, I made my way towards the start area, again clearly signed, in an area where spectators can both see and support. Handing over a little band you got from registration showing you are in correct wave, you enter the start pit. Short and entertaining (and very clear) announcements, and short warm up, leading to a 10 second count down, and we were off. And very quickly you are already scrambling over your first of many ditches. Despite a few scrambles and a wall, the first couple of kilometres is a great trail run, which was good for opening up the pack.

But what they cram in to the next 10/11.5 km (the race was definitely longer than the advertised 12km) is insanity; but what joyous insanity it is. Obstacle after obstacle, even now I get little flashes of another obstacle that I had forgotten about, there was always something interesting to tackle. Everywhere there could be an obstacle there generally was one. This kept things fresh and exciting.

At every obstacle there was always someone there blowing a whistle to grab your attention and I have to give mega props to the marshals, they were the most upbeat, fun marshals I have ever come across.

I was smiling all the way round the course, and a large part of that had to do with the amazing marshals. Full of banter, chat and encouragement, they certainly helped to keep you going… especially when I ended up running with one shoe!

REVIEW

Obstacle Race Magazine 51

REVIEW Whether it was natural obstacles or man-made constructions, the obstacles flowed together beautifully. Often you found yourself transitioning from one obstacle to another without hesitation.

Like strategically working your way through the MQ Rings, straight on to a climbing wall, then a few metres later on to a side traverse wall, then straight on to balancing beams swinging from chains.

You really got a sense of originality and thought put in to every obstacle, no matter how big or small. For instance one of the trickier obstacles was probably one the most simple. Named ‘Minions’, it consisted of ropes hanging from a rig, with large yellow floating balls in water below to step on, simple but effective. Originality was in an obstacle just after the atlas ball carry, where you climb a frame and have to control you your slide down the other side on these large angled poles or face a cold water mud bath at the bottom. Again, simple, but original.

The Gorilla Bars were a fun task. At 119m long, they are one seriously long set of monkey bars. You had the choice the flying monkey bars, or have a serious go at completing the world’s longest monkey bars. In fact there were plenty of technically challenging obstacles to test the upper body strength and endurance, from the good old ninja rings, to the tough low hanging rig,

to the narrow monkeys bars and rings in the forest, there was always a challenge for all levels. A great little touch was having buckets of sawdust to dry your hands with, at each of the technically challenging obstacles (such as swinging over a pond of water on tiny gym rings).

This saved the hopeless search for long grass to dry your hands and clear off the mud and really helped have confidence in your grip.

The ‘Death Slide’ was definitely an exhilarating beast of a water slide.

However, hands down the most fun to be had was at can be only described as the Nuclear Races water park; The Lake Zone.

Starting off by grabbing a body board, you swam out to a buoy and back. Then a jog round to a huge platform (Mutts Nuts) to jump in to the lake. A swim along, with two full submersions under some floating piping, you are then handed some rope for the zip line. Then swimming to the shore and off round to the amazing zip line; which if you get your legs tucked up, you can get some awesome speed on.

alcolm Smith Reviewed by: M raphy team lear Races Photog Images by: Nuc

52 Obstacle Race Magazine

And immediately after that you come to the famous ‘Death Slide’. What a “rush” it was.

Kicking you high in to the air, I couldn’t help but let out a huge “Whoop”, before hitting the water hard, but laughing all the way to shore.

The ‘Death Slide’ was definitely an exhilarating beast of a water slide.

Just when you think you don’t have far to go, and they can’t throw anything more at you, Nuclear cram in more and more obstacles as you start to approach the event village and finish line. Sea Sore, Rollos, Ridge of Revenge, to name but a few were all in the last kilometre.

Each obstacle as interesting and as challenging as all the others over the last 12km. The home straight itself being a surprisingly fast and soapy water slide over the finish line. And this brings me back to organisation and just how simple planning and small details can make for a brilliant event and experience.

As soon as you cross the line you are greeted with your medal, a smile and clip off your timing chip tags. Then a ‘#lovemud’ photo, straight through a WARM shower and over to bag collection. And directly across from there was the changing area; all within 100m of crossing the line. The flow was brilliant, and I was changed and warm and enjoying the rest of the day within 10 mins of finishing. It was just so well planned and painless.

The event village was huge, with two massive screens, for spectators to either watch runners scream their way down the ‘Death Slide’ on one or watch the Royal Wedding on the other. With a not too shabby live band and plenty of stalls for eating, drinking, massage and merchandise, and loads of bouncy castles for the kids, you really could spend all day there.

I really don’t think I can convey eloquently enough just how much of a great time I had a Nuclear Races Rush 2018. My shoe completely fell apart with 3km left to go, and with one shoe I still ran the rest of the race with a smile on my face.

The race and obstacle quality are second to none that I have experienced. You would think some of the obstacles would suffer due to the sheer volume they have, but all are well made and original. The organisation of the event, like I have mentioned several times, was just superb, with everyone, particularly the marshals, so helpful and enthusiastic.

It really sparked a fire back in to me for Obstacle Racing and it truly was a race that brought out the big kid in me. And that for me, is enough to make this my new annual event.

Obstacle Race Magazine 53

FEATURE

KITZBÜHEL

INOV-8 have launched a downhill running race on the world’s toughest ski slope. For the first time ever, runners are being given the opportunity to race down the world’s toughest ski slope.

Featuring blind drops, daredevil jumps and an insanely steep gradient of 80%, the legendary Streif, on the Hahnenkamm mountain in Kitzbühel, Austria, is regarded as the ultimate challenge for downhill skiers on the world cup circuit.

The fastest 30 runners in both the men’s and women’s categories will qualify for the final run where, as in skiing, finalists will start in reverse order at one-minute intervals. The fastest will be crowned downhill champions.

The inov-8 Descent Race will take place in October this year and see runners set off at 30 seconds intervals from the iconic ski start-house at the top of the Hahnenkamm mountain.

Ahead of entries opening on Sunday (April 1st), inov-8 product and marketing director Michael Price said: “inov-8 was forged in the Lake District fells of Great Britain 15 years ago and we have always loved the thrill of running fearlessly down steep fells. Now we’re bringing a taste of British fell running to the Austrian Alps with the pioneering inov-8 Descent Race.

Ski gates will guide the way for runners, who will weave down the 350m route before entering the finish area.

“We’re hoping that runners from across the world will come to Kitzbühel and join us in experiencing what will be the ultimate downhill running thrill.”

Now, in a sporting world-first, running brand inov-8 is to stage a downhill footrace for 180 brave competitors on the Streif.

54 Obstacle Race Magazine

This event is one of two world-firsts for inov-8 in 2018, with the other being the highly-anticipated launch of graphene-enhanced running shoes in June.

Price added: “The new G-SERIES shoes will give runners the world’s toughest grip. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate that launch than with a running race down the world’s toughest downhill.

Bring it on!”

KIT

ZBĂœ

HE

L

The inov-8 Descent Race will take place on Saturday, October 6th, 2018.

Entries open on Sunday, April 1st.

For all the details go to www.inov-8.com/descent Obstacle Race Magazine 55

FEATURE

E

T R AV E R S

The rope traverse can be a obstacle that many racers struggle with, especially the first time they come across it on a course. A Rope traverse is a long length of rope which will usually be found suspended over water and can be set at varying lengths. Successfully making your way across the rope without losing a few layers of skin is going to be mainly down to learning a good technique.

The whole idea behind the rope traverse obstacle, is that you make your way across the rope without touching the ground or water.

Difficulty of this obstacle will depend on the length of the rope and where it is situated in a race.

Here are two techniques that will help you traverse your first rope.

56 Obstacle Race Magazine

UNDERHANG TECHNIQUE

1

Use the heel as a hook (not your calf)

2

Move contra laterally e.g your right hand is in sync with your left foot (your arm moves first & then the leg)

3

The arms act as hooks. All the power comes from your legs so as you move, keep your arms straight & extended to conserve forearm strength.

4 Tense your abs as this will prevent your lower back from drooping.

This will help you feel lighter rather than hanging heavy.

NOTE:

Avoid sliding your feet as this will cause friction and ankle burns.

BIGGEST mistakes racers make on the UNDERHANG technique: •They don’t keep their arms straight which means their forearms burn out.

•They don’t hook their heel, so they use their calfs which causes friction and ankle burns.

•They let their back ‘droop’ when they’re traversing which means they become a heavier weight.

RECOMMENDED EXERCISES: 1. Bear Crawls – do 1-3 sets of 30 - 60 seconds.

2. Dead Hangs – Build up to 1 minute and then keep adding 10 seconds every time you do it after that, this will help improve grip strength.

3. Plank – do 1-3 sets of 60 seconds.

Side Plank and Thread -

place your Basic Version - Lay on your side and be level with forearm on the floor, you want this to OVER THE TOP TECHNIQUE on the floor your shoulder. You’ll keep your knees your torso and and lift yourself up, you want to keep the air to hold hips vertical and raise your top arm in 1. Lean forwards and get your chest on the position. the rope slowly Progression - Stay on your knees and ad it thre move your top arm in front of you and k to the underneath your body and bring it bac to control your start. You’ll need to brace your core balance. place your Full Version - Lay on your side and be level with forearm on the floor, you want this to raise up to your shoulder, straighten your legs and other) your balance on your feet (one on top of the raise your torso and hips need to be vertical and you can then top arm in the air to hold the position, underneath bring that arm forwards and thread it n. Again do your body and back to the start positio you stay this in a controlled manner to make sure balanced.

2. Straddle the rope with each leg (be careful with the old private parts here!)

3. Let one foot dangle down and use the other as a foot lock. Your lower leg will help you to balance.

4. Bring your upper leg towards your bum. Then push with your top leg and pull with your hands at the same time.

5. Keep the lower leg as dead as possible.

WORDS &P Head coa HOTOGRAPHY B Y: GEMM ch at www A .fundame ntalsportsa SPACKMAN ndfitness.c o.uk

58 Obstacle Race Magazine

FEATURE

BIGGEST mistakes racers make on the over the top technique: •They don’t ‘push & pull’ hard enough •They don’t keep their dangling leg low down and dead, which causes loss of balance.

•They lack the strength & endurance to complete the cycle enough times to complete the rope length.

RECOMMENDED EXERCISES: 1. Seated Cable Rows – do 1-3 sets of 8-12 reps 2. Squats – do 1-3 sets of 8-12 reps 3. Rope pulleys – do 1-3 sets of 60-90 seconds For more energy saving tips, techniques & tutorial videos on how to clear obstacles first time round then visit: WWW.OCRVIRGIN.COM/clear-obstacles-first-obstacle-course-race/

Obstacle Race Magazine 59

THE Each issue we’ll be asking the Obstacle Race Magazine community for their opinions in the form of polls.

This issue we asked them : “What has been your favourite medal you’ve managed to earn from an OCR ? “ Below are the TOP 10 but across you can see the TOP 5 in all their glory.

1. Suffering Legends 2. Mudnificent 7 3. Nuclear Races Oblivion 4. Mud Monsters Triple Dipped 5. Rocket Race 6. Man Vs Moutain 7. Airfield Anarchy Plane collection 8. Nuts Challenge Bottle opener 9. Spartan Trifecta 10. Spatan Ultra Beast

2

MUDNIFICENT

7

A truely unique event which involves seven race organisations working together to put on one massive fun OCR event.

MUD7.com 60 Obstacle Race Magazine

1 THE SUFFERING LEGENDS

Their medal collection topped our poll by a massive margin. Unfortunately these medals that were notoriously hard to earn can no longer be added to any other racers collections due to The Suffering Races series no longer putting on events.

REGULARS

3

NUCLEAR RACES OBLIVION

Restricted to 100 entrants each event. Eight and a half hours of running 12km laps, each taking on 90+ obstacles. This event is not for the faint hearted.

www.nuclear-races.co.uk

These 4 medals represent: 2 days 3 races 27.7 miles & 62,000 steps

5

ROCKET RACE Each event with its own truely unique medal the Rocket Race team out do themselves every time.

These border on being pieces of art rather than medals.

A gem of the south west that all racers should earn their medal at.

ROCKETRACE.CO.UK

4

MUD MONSTERS Triple Dipped

35kms on one of the muddiest courses in the UK. 5k, 10k & 20k distances make up this special medal.

mudmonstersrun.co.uk Obstacle Race Magazine 61

REGULARS

OCR DIRECTORY OUTDOOR TRAINING CENTRES CLIFF LAKES OCR

BOOTCAMP STYLE TRAINING BRITISH MILITARY FITNESS

Tamworth, Midlands, B78 2DL 07725 544667 www.clifflakes.org Facebook: @ClifflakesOCR

Outdoor Sessions In 140 Parks nationwide www.britmilfit.com Facebook: @britishmilitaryfitness

THE OBSTACLE GYM

MK FITNESS

FORTITUDE FITNESS CENTRE

IMMORTAL FITNESS

Lutterworth, Midlands 07426912988 www.reaperevents.co.uk Facebook: @theobstaclegym

Cambridge, CB23 7NX 07876635134 www.fortitudefitnesscentre.co.uk Facebook: @fortitude-fitness-centre

Larbert, falkirk 07783157685 www.mkfitness.org.uk Facebook: @M.K.FITNESS

Marlow / Hambleded / Henley 07792881255 www.immortalfitness.co.uk Facebook: @immortalfit

FIT 4 OCR OCR Hertfordshire 07720882611 www.fit4ocr.com Facebook: @fit4ocr

OCR Play Park

Redhill, Surrey, RH15QL 07802 754624 www.obstacleplaypark.com Facebook: @ocrplaypark

INDOOR TRAINING CENTRES SDR FITNESS CENTRE Stockport, SK3 0SB 07914052345 www.sdrcheshire.co.uk Facebook: @sdrfitnesscentre

62 Obstacle Race Magazine

OCR KIT RETAILERS

MUDDY KIT

www.muddykit.co.uk 01245 262876 David@muddykit.co.uk Facebook: @muddykit

EE FR

S ES M TAC A NSP TE INUG IS CAO ISR

DND FU DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES

TO BE A PART OF THE MUDNIFICENT SEVEN? HEART PARK

MERIDEN

1 2 A U G U11TH S T 22018 017 AUGUST www.mud7.com

SEVEN

THEMED ZONES OF OBSTACLES

Call 0121HEAT 612 5125 emailFOR FREE JOIN A CHARITY - ANDorRACE

EMAIL FOR MORE INFORMATION: KEVIN@OBSTACLERACEMAGAZINE.COM kim.izzard@actionforchildren.org.uk for further details

Events Diary JUNE - 2018

For a more comprehensive events listing go to: www.obstacleracemagazine.com/events

22nd June Spartan Race West From £54 West Sussex www.spartanrace.uk

23rd June Total Warrior From £59.95 Leeds www.totalwarrior.co.uk

23rd June Runfearless From £55 Castle Donington www.runfearless.co.uk

24th June

Spartan Race Marston Lodge From £54 Market Harborough www.spartanrace.uk

14th July The Gauntlet Games From £53.05 Brighton www.naomihouse.org.uk

14th July Uventure From £45 Kettering www.uventurerun.co.uk

15th July

4th Aug The Lanrick Challenge From £35 Perthshire www.lanrickchallenge.com

4th Aug Total Warrior From £59.95 Lake District www.totalwarrior.co.uk

4th Aug Beach Ballistic From £40 Scotland www.beachballistic.com

11th Aug Mudnificent 7 OCR & Expo

Pukka Race World War Run

Muscle Acre Summer

From £44

From £36.50

Coventry, Midlands

Dorking Surrey

Surrey

www.mud7.com

www.pukkaraces.co.uk

www.muscleacre.com

7th July

21st July

From £35

18th Aug Rough Runner

The Little Welly

The Gauntlet Games

From £38

From £19.50

From £32.47

Scotland

Hertfordshire

Location

www.roughrunner.com

www.thelittlewelly.co.uk

www.naomihouse.org.uk

7th July XRunner Water Wipeout

21st July Rough Runner From £34

From £49

Durham

Nottingham

www.roughrunner.com

www.xrunner.co.uk 64

13th July

Obstacle Race Magazine

1st+2nd Sept Wolf Run -Autumn From £45 Warwickshire www.thewolfrun.com

REGULARS

2nd Sept Severn Mud Run From £20 Chepstow www.severnmudrun.co.uk

8th Sept The Grail Quest

22nd Sept The Little Welly From £19.50 Kent www.thelittlewelly.co.uk

From £31.50

29th Sept

Edinburgh

Reign of Terror

www.grailquestrace.co.uk

£40 Lilkenny, Ireland

8th Sept

www.reignofterror.ie

Nuclear Races Blast(day)

29th Sept

From £61

Uventure

Essex

From £52

www.nuclear-races.co.uk

Kettering

8th Sept

www.uventurerun.co.uk

Nuclear Races Blackout(night) From £61 Essex

29+30th Sept Wolf Run From £45

www.nuclear-races.co.uk

Sessex

15th Sept

6th Oct

www.thewolfrun.com

Zombie Evacuation

Holy Grit

From £20

From £40

Norfolk

Newquay

www.zombieevacuation.com

www.holygrit.co.uk

16th Sept

6th Oct

Splat Quack Go

Spartan Race Windsor

From £41.95

From £64

Suffolk

Berkshire

www.splatquack.com

www.spartanrace.uk

22th Sept

13th Oct

XRunner From £47 Midlands www.xrunner.co.uk

Newcastle Stampede From £37 Newcastle Upon Tyne www.newcastlestampede.com

13th Oct Rough Runner From £37 Bristol www.roughrunner.com

13th Oct Hell Runner From £27.50 Cheshire www.hellrunner.co.uk

28th Oct Rocket Race From £40 Somerset www.rocketrace.co.uk

3rd Nov Nuclear Races - Fallout From £69 Essex www.nuclear-races.co.uk

3rd Nov Wolf Run - Winter From £45 Leicestershire www.thewolfrun.com

4th Nov The Muscle Acre From £36.50 Surrey www.muscleacre.com

24th Nov Hell Runner From £30 Hampshire www.hellrunner.co.uk

SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGES THAT’LL HAVE YOU JUMPING FOR JOY

MORE INFORMATION AT: WWW.OBSTACLERACEMAGAZINE.COM

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