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Fancy a lash at one of these type things this year. I've done The Major (run by BMF) before and really enjoyed it but fancy something a bit more self-abusive and hardcore this year.
Anybody down to do one or done one and recommend/advise to avoid? They all seem bloody pricey! 😡
My wife did born survivor at the end of September. Seemed to be 3 hours of queuing to get over various obsticles with a 10k walk. Thank god it was unseasonably warm or they'd have all got hypothermia.
Seems to be populated by teams from Miltery Fitness classes.
Not my cup of tea but I've got a few mates who love them.
I've signed you up for the 18 Hour Girdle
Wife does 'Brutal 10k' events. They are a bit more basic, 10k cross country run, usually on a tank training ground of similar so some daft steep hills and deep mud/river crossings but no silly electric shock type nonsense.
Watching them end up neck deep in muddy water last Boxing Day at Longmoor when it was below zero was quite funny. For me, in my big down coat, anyway!
Fell Races: basically the same, but with a smaller advertising budget.
(Reflected in the 4quid entry fee)
Fell Races: basically the same, but with a smaller advertising budget.(Reflected in the 4quid entry fee)
Sportive/Audax
Whats the one that all the estate agents from Clapham do again?
CaptainFlashheart - MemberSportive/Audax
Quite Possibly, yes.
(Although fell races are actual races, with winners, results, series, etc.)
Hardest one I've done was the original Tough Guy in winter. After doing a couple of others, they are nothing.
Agree that it's nothing like a hard fell race...just a bit different.
I refuse to pay the entry fee for Tough Mudder. Doing the Suffering 10 mile in March then I've got the Suffering Legend in July which is 5k & 10k on Saturday then 10 mile on Sunday. Distances are advertised as minimum and are usually a fair bit more, at Rockingham Castle and i'll also be doing the winter Wolf run.
I've done Total Warrior at Shap a few times.
Always well organised, seems to get a little harder each year.
My son did Tough Guy, I went to watch, could not believe people do that for fun, need to be seriously hard core to finish
I've done Tough Mudder, never again, not really that hard, loads of folks walking, seem to rip you off at every opportunity, the electric shock thing doesn't make sense to me, it's just sore.
Much prefer The Mighty Deerstalker, really tough and cold, very cold, great craic too.
I was tempted to have a go but someone at work who did one said you had a load of wannabe-Army people thinking it was some kind of training for the SAS.
Mrs90 did RM Commando Challenge last year. More of a 10k cross country run with some crawling through wet/muddy tunnels. At least you feel the entry fee (and sponsorship) are going to a good cause rather than the more 'corporate' events.
Not interested in something like the Fan Dance? Ignoring all the SAS marketing bollocks, it's a decent event, and quiet challenging in winter. No obstacles though.
It sort of depends on the type of thing that you're looking for as the different companies run slightly different styles of events. I've done Total Warrior Shap twice, Total Warrior North Berwick, Rat Race Mighty Deerstalker, Rat Race Dirty Weekend, Original Tough Guy, and am signed up to do others this year and next. I do them with a group of between three and eight (three of whom happen to be ex army) depending on who is available. We always camp to make an entertaining weekend out of each one.
Tough Guy (a couple of weeks ago) was the hardest just in terms of distance, cold (particularly in the water), and layout. It was pretty much a tough 8ish mile cross country run followed by 2ish miles of constant, large energy sapping obstacles that kept doubling back on themselves! All the money has always gone to the horse sanctuary which it is based at. Deerstalker (which I'm doing again in March) was next hardest for reasons mentioned in a post above. Last year was the only time at one of these events that I've actually been slightly concerned for my health at the end. Also it has the best afterparty that I've been to. 🙂 Dirty Weekend is 20 miles with 200 obstacles so is tiring, and was a bit of a pain in terms of queuing for certain obstacles but was good fun. being a decent runner helps a lot.
The Total Warrior events are clearly an evolution of the concept with the aim of being more mass market. They tend to be close enough 10k with very much moveable obstacles (the same ones largely move between the three venues) placed at regular intervals throughout the distance. Having said that they are well organised and probably the most fun to do while you're actually on the course and are within walkable distance of pubs & eateries if that's important!!
The Wolf run series seems to have a good reputation for it's courses although I've never done one myself.
I'd say pick one that seems interesting (Gopro film of most of them can be found on youtube) throw yourself in and get the beers in afterwards!!
lucky7500, thanks very much for taking the time to write that. I'll have a look into all those.
mol,
Not interested in something like the Fan Dance?
Thought I'd missed it, but notice they do a Summer one in July so may well have a look at that.
I did Hellrunner at Delamere a couple of years ago which was pretty good... no artificial obstacles, more a half-marathon length cross country run with lots of mud... some hills... some muddy hills... some bogs... a lake crossing... and did I mention some mud?
I think they do them at different locations up and down the country and would recommend them if you don't fancy the electric shocks, nettle bashing and the like of some of the others.
Also loved the Notorious night runs that Rat Race used to do around Sherwood Pines... even managed to convince my other half to do one after one year there were queues at all the obstacles so you could easily get your breath back. Obviously, the next year they had changed things slightly and there were hardly any queues at all!!
Tough mudders are more fun and team based. I've done a couple now and I'm a bit of a lard arse but willing to have a go and muck in. Certainly designed to be team obstacles and stuff so try and get at least 4 of you together.
Tough guy is mental, some of my friends staff it and have had a go, need to be off your rocker to do the winter one.
My concern with some of the lower end cheaper obstacle races would be the design and build won't be as well invested as tough mudder meaning it is more likely to hurt you.
Not interested in something like the Fan Dance? Ignoring all the SAS marketing bollocks, it's a decent event, and quiet challenging in winter. No obstacles though.
Been considering that as an organised event as me and friends have done it a couple of times for 'fun' would be good to hear if any on here did it?
you are down Bristol way arent you? How about the Mendip Muddle?
Normally held in October and starts at Charter House, up and over trig point, over to Dolebury Warren etc.
Only done tough mudder and echo above that I wouldn't recommend it. Very few obstacles that were all straight forward. Basically a half marathon in the mud. Had a good time due to the group I was with though.
Plenty of other less marketing driven events noted above that would be worth doing instead.
5 Winter Tough Guys. To quote Terry Pratcett, "The most fun you can have with your clothes in". If your going to do one of these, TG is still regarded as the Daddy by folk who travel the world doing Obstacle Course Races.
The Mighty Deerstalker is just a hoot. The course is challenging, with great little surprises around the course. And the party is great fun. Lots of dancing, crowd surfing and Alestalker beer, brewed specifically for the event.
Have tried a couple of others, but they really don't measure up to these two.
Ahwiles+1 load of marketing B*******
If they still run it consider The Grizzly
All the names of these things I do find amusing.
It is almost as though they can charge more, the more extreme the name is.
+ 1 for fell running
If they still run it consider The Grizzly
+1 and it's a brilliant event, have done it twice although this was in the good ol' days when the holiday camp existed.
would be good to hear if any on here did it?
I did it a few years ago, unladen, in the snow. It was small scale, well organised, the competitors were down to earth fell runner types rather than pumped up gym bunnies.
I'm the worst runner ever, I had never run that far in my life, never mind over a mountain, and I still came top third! I think a lot of fast runners got very lost in the poor visibility, cos there were people flying past me at three times my speed near the end.
The same people do a few more events now too, including a muti day thing in the Élan Valley.
I'm currently taking deposits for entry to the Ultra Extreme Death Panther Mountain Killzone event.
£50 entry gets you a pleasant stroll around the loch at Strathclyde Park, a go on the climbing frame and a push on the swings.
Finishers get an ice cream from the van and a voucher for the crazy golf.
go here
http://www.mudrunner.co.uk/events/classic/
and I can lend you a hose for afterwards.
as well as b&b and pub.
No mudrunner events in 2016!
*goes off to find next well marketed event*
the Grizzly?
Whats the one that all the estate agents from Clapham do again?
Spartan isn't it? So you can wear make-up, and show off your gym-honed body and tribal tatts.
Not interested in something like the Fan Dance? Ignoring all the SAS marketing bollocks, it's a decent event, and quiet challenging in winter. No obstacles though.
Pen-y-Fan is quite a large obstacle. 🙂
I think the lack of obstacles may even make it harder. There's nothing to break up the plod, other than knowing once you've got down the other side you need to turn round and do it again. If the weather's shite it's bloody hideous there too.
No mudrunner events in 2016!
Oh, didnt know that.
Im playing basketball with the Mud Runner organiser tomorrow night, I'll ask him if he has anything else planned instead.
Im playing basketball
Always got picked last for that at school. 🙂
You can join in tonight if you like?
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Nah, I don't really enjoy playing stuff with big awkward people.