GETTING OVER IT! Local obstacle racers Leah Jennings and Nick Crowson talk about getting the extreme running bug, battling hypothermia and camaraderie
How did you get into extreme events?
Leah: I’m a runner at heart but periodically fall in and out of love with it. Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) seemed a good way to spice my running up. I had seen the inaugural Rat Race at Burghley Park and I decided there and then that I had to complete the 20-mile, 200-obstacle course the following year in 2014. Nick: Leah hoodwinked me into it in January 2014 one night in the pub. Her argument was that, “if Active publisher Chris Meadows can do it, so can we”. I drunkenly agreed and then regretted it the next morning.
How hard did you find them at first and how much training are you doing for them now?
Nick: The Rat Race was brutal. 20 miles is a long way, but it’s the cold water in the lakes near Wittering that really messes you up. Both of us had the first stages of hypothermia at this point (shivering, loss of co-ordination and concentration). After
that the others didn’t seem as soul destroying. Leah: Training-wise, I run with Stamford Striders when I can, have a personal training session with Emma Brewster once a week and do classes at the gym. The beauty of OCRs is that any type of training is good training.
What events did you do in 2015 and what were your highs and lows?
Leah: In 2015 we did the Rat Race (Burghley Park), Pain & Suffering (Rockingham Castle), Iron Run (Kettering), Tough Mudder (Boughton House) and Bear Grylls Ultimate Survivor (London). Nick: The Suffering was our favourite – tougher than expected, good fun and great value for money. The obstacles made good use of the natural terrain. Leah: All my highs come from crossing the finishing line and feeling like a warrior. My lows are all the cold water obstacles. I love water, but not when it’s freezing. Nick: I agree with the hypothermia. My
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