A few of my friends had done some of these type of events and raved about them. My mate Rosie had done a few and I went along to watch him compete in one with some of his old University mates. They were taking part in the Wolf Run, based in Warwickshire. I was amazed at how popular it was. Thousands of people were there to take part in a 10k course involving woodland trail running and multiple obstacles, getting caked in mud along the way. It looked like a lot of fun and definitely something a bit different.
In 2013, during my niggling injury year, I decided to try one out. Rosie and I opted for the Tough Guy event in Wolverhampton. This is a 10.5k obstacle course run that is designed to test people and get them out of their comfort zone. With over 350 obstacles it is jam packed with challenges. I’d done some obstacle courses before during school and scouts, but nothing on this scale. It looked like it was going to be something completely new for me to get my teeth in to which is what I was looking for.
Rosie and I turned up to the venue on the day to register. We put our number transfers on our arms and faces for comedy value. We looked like proper numpties. There was very much a social atmosphere to it, people were dressed up in all kinds of different costumes from the customary military style outfits to blokes in tutus. I was quite nervous about some of it. Electric fences and burning hay bales were part of the course along with a number of other tricky elements. I wasn’t particularly enthused by the idea of being electrocuted or set on fire, but when in Rome…
The weather on the day itself was dry, which was a bit of a bonus given it was in early April. I don’t suppose it would have really mattered if the weather was terrible but given that we were going to be in and out of water multiple times I didn’t fancy getting any more frozen on the way round.
The start was on a hill which you then ran down to get to the first set of obstacles. These were a series of climbing nets and other structures you had to navigate your way over. You followed your way around the course meeting all kinds of different challenges along the way. There was a section that wound its way through a wood where you had to go under netting or over wooden barriers. Most of these involved getting caked in mud or wading through water. After that there was a hilly section where you zig zagged up and down the slopes. This was pretty energy sapping. The course marshals made sure you didn’t miss any of the sections, sending you back again if you happened to leave any out in the style of a very tame version of Full Metal Jacket.
I think the worst section was one that involved a series of water pools. You had to traverse from one side to the other, and the only way you could do this was to jump in to the water which was freezing cold. I can’t remember exactly how many times you had to do this but it must have been at least ten. The sides were getting increasingly muddy and slippery so it wasn’t easy climbing out the other side. I think it was at this stage that I was starting to get a bit obstacle weary and I hadn’t even made it to the electric fence and hay bale section.
The course seemed to take forever to complete. I just wanted to finish it as fast as possible.
As I made my way to the final section, the obstacles got ever more challenging. One involved a quite imposing structure involving netting, narrow walkways, rope climbs and various other things to navigate. The course designer must have been some sadistic maniac. It was all perfectly safe but it was clearly designed to get you out of your comfort zone.
By the time I made it to the finish and had come out of my umpteenth dip in freezing water I’d had enough. It was great to get over the line but I felt a strange feeling of being underwhelmed by the whole experience. It had definitely been challenging but the fact that there was no time element to it made it feel quite odd to me. I guess I’m used to taking part in sports that you are able to quantify your finishing position. With this type of event it is just about completing it. At the end of the race I was expecting to receive a time but instead you got a medal and an offer of a cup of tea. There’s something weirdly English about that.
I’m glad I did it. Rosie and I had a good laugh, but this didn’t fulfil my need for being in a competitive event. I doubt I will do another one even though they seem to be growing in popularity.
Learnings for Ironman? Well I don’t expect to get electrocuted or set on fire during the race, so I don’t think that’s it. So, maybe…Sometimes it isn’t about a time, sometimes it’s just about completing something, trying your best and having fun along the way? Or some other gubbins like that. On that philosophical note, let’s move on.