Europe's Toughest Mudder - My Race

Upon my arrival at Broughton Hall, the location of this year's Yorkshire Tough Mudder and Europe's toughest Mudder, at around 3pm, I was taken aback by the sight of the car park filled with spaces left by those who had participated in the morning and disappeared. I managed to secure a prime spot less than 100m from the entrance to the event village, setting a positive tone for the day ahead.

Being an hour early for registration, I was eager to secure a good spot in the queue and swiftly complete the registration process to secure a favourable Pit Spot. Familiar faces were already present, including Louise Ferriman who had clearly tuned in to my podcast, positioning herself at the front of the line. The next hour was filled with warm greetings and excitement before registration officially commenced at 4pm sharp.

After a swift registration process, I made my way to the Pit area to secure a quality spot. Similar to the previous year, a Tough Mudder representative was assigning spots, and I was delighted to secure a spot at the front, nestled between Dasos Gonella and Russell Walsh, with Louise just one spot away. Setting up my Berghaus Dome Shelter with the assistance of Russell, I organized my gear in preparation for the challenge ahead.

Opting to tackle this year's event unaided, without a Pit crew, I relied solely on my own planning and abilities. As the Pit area gradually filled with fellow runners, I took a stroll around to familiarize myself with the surroundings. The complimentary tent offering hot drinks for runners was centrally located, but upon closer inspection, I noticed a significant difference in the layout of the Pit area compared to previous years.

Unlike previous editions, runners were not required to pass through the Pit during the race. Instead, upon crossing the finish line, participants were directed to turn left towards the Pit area before retracing their steps to return to the course. This alteration added a new dynamic to the event, promising a unique and challenging experience for all participants.

At approximately 7pm, I began preparing for my run by getting into my running gear. However, I encountered my first dilemma when I realized that the temperature was over 20 degrees, making it uncomfortable to wear neoprene. As a result, I made an executive decision to start the race without wearing neoprene, adapting my original plan to the current weather conditions. By 7:30 pm, all participants had gathered in the start pen, where a brief safety overview was provided. Following this, there was a 20-minute warm-up session before we collectively took the pledge. Despite the warm-up opportunity, I opted to only engage in some stretching exercises, as I believed that a full warm-up would be unnecessary and could potentially waste energy.

As the clock struck 8:00, the race began and I found myself starting from the back of the pack. Quickly overtaking slower runners, I began to question if I had set off too fast. Glancing at my watch, I noticed that I was maintaining a 9-minute mile pace, which reassured me. The initial ¾ mile of the race was relatively flat, taking us through grassy and stony tracks in a wooded area. Although the narrow path caused me to get stuck behind slower runners, I managed to pick up the pace as we exited the woods. Passing the first obstacle, Hero Walls, marked the beginning of a gradual hill. Despite some participants opting to walk the hill, I pushed on and continued overtaking others.

The hill featured a few steep sections and lasted for approximately a mile, during which we encountered obstacles such as Devils Beard, Chunky Monkey, Cage Crawl, Hanging Tough, Twinkle Toes, and Lumberjacked. Following the uphill section, we began a downhill descent, interspersed with some minor uphill segments. This part of the race included obstacles like Shocks on the Rocks, Walk this way, Mud Mile, Hold your wood, and concluded at the bottom of the hill with Aqua phobia. Despite the challenging terrain, I managed to maintain my pace and overtake other runners.

Having completed the uphill and downhill sections without slowing down, I found myself gaining more positions. At 3.5 miles into the race, I was maintaining a pace of almost 9 minutes per mile. The final 1.5 miles of the race were mostly flat, with a few small undulations. Along this stretch, Challenges such as Blockness, Everest, Stair to Heaven, Kiss of Mud, Pyramid Scheme, Arctic Enema, Mudderhorn, and Electroshock therapy awaited me before I could reach the finish line, making the last 1.5 miles seem deceptively simple on paper. However, as I progressed in the race, it became the battleground where I faced my toughest struggles.

Crossing the finish line in less than 50 minutes was a moment of triumph, yet the temptation to continue running lingered. Reminding myself to stick to the plan, I made my way to the pit for my first scheduled stop.

Each pit stop was meticulously planned, following a routine that included consuming 75ml of Mountain Fuel Energy Drink, taking 2 electrolyte/salt tablets, changing the batteries in my head torch, and grabbing a Chia Charge bar for sustenance while running back on course.

The first pit stop went smoothly, taking less than 2 minutes before I was back on the course. Despite knowing I wouldn't reach the cage crawl by 9pm when it opened, I aimed to surpass the hero walls before the designated time, successfully achieving my goal.

Lap 2 was feeling good, I was Running up the hills and I maintained a steady pace, only walking for a short section of the steepest part. Even when getting wet in Cage Crawl and Hydrophobia, I felt surprisingly warm without the need for neoprene.

Then I got a wake up call, approaching Kiss of Mud, a misstep caused me to roll my ankle, but recalling Paula's advice to expect pain at some point, I pushed through the discomfort. With the help of painkillers from a fellow racer in the pit area, I continued with determination, following my routine and swiftly returning to the course for my third lap.

Despite the lingering pain, I tackled the obstacles efficiently on lap 3, until facing the challenge of Twinkle Toes. I commenced the race wearing Inov8 Trail flys, but I encountered a lack of grip as I attempted to ascend onto twinkle toes. After three unsuccessful attempts, I decided to take the penalty, which involved placing my head on a broom, spinning around 25 times, and then walking a 10m loop. Despite the seemingly simple nature of the penalty, I felt nauseous while circling the broom handle and just wanted to throw up. Realizing the need for a change, I made the conscious decision to switch shoes for my next lap. Additionally, my ankle began to ease into a steady ache, and I noticed a significant drop in temperature as I exited Hydrophobia, prompting me to consider wearing neoprene or just a vest for the next half mile. Ultimately, I opted for a rash vest as I entered the darkness and emerged on the other side. At Everest, I struggled to find grip and had to take the penalty, solidifying my decision to change into my VJ XTRM shoes. Despite a slower last lap, I was pleased to have completed three laps in under 4 hours.

As I picked up my obstacle avoidance band and set off, I deliberated on where to use it. The Mud mile on the last lap proved to be challenging, with a cargo net placed over the deep mud, causing my feet to get stuck as I descended. I debated whether to save the band for twinkle toes, but ultimately used it at Mud mile. Surprisingly, my fourth lap was shaping up to be an obstacle-free lap until I reached Everest, where I struggled to ascend even with my XTRM shoes. During the final mile, my mind began to wander, pondering my performance, life choices, and the absence of proper food. However, my thoughts were interrupted by the challenging Kiss of mud, which turned out to be even more treacherous than Mud mile due to the trenches filled with water. This was followed by the pyramid scheme obstacle. Despite the presence of a rope, the mud covering my hands and feet made the task of climbing up it quite unpleasant. In that moment, I made a firm decision that during the next lap, my band would face the kiss of mud obstacle. It seemed too risky to attempt the pyramid scheme and then tackle the Mudderhorn while being completely caked in mud.

As I finally crossed the finish line, a sense of accomplishment washed over me. Wil Chung, who met me at my pit while I was going through my post-race routine, kindly offered to help. When he asked if I needed anything, my immediate response was "food". The thought of food had been lingering in my mind, and Wil quickly managed to procure a tuna sweetcorn sandwich for me from someone nearby.

I expressed my immense gratitude to Wil for his gesture, as the simple act of getting me that sandwich meant a lot after completing such a challenging lap.

Upon embarking on lap 5, my stomach was full, and despite the persistent ache in my ankle, I was in high spirits. However, the initial optimism was short-lived as this lap turned into a mental battle for me.

Throughout the lap, I found myself running alone, with only my thoughts for company. Concerns about the pyramid scheme obstacle loomed in my mind, making me apprehensive about tackling the mud mile.

Lap 4 had been quite slow, and as I reflected on my progress, I realized that I had spent over 6 hours completing four laps. This realization left me wondering where I had lost precious time.

As I approached the hill, fatigue set in, and I found myself walking more frequently than running. Despite my attempts to push through, my motivation began to dwindle.

My initial goal of finishing 4 laps in under 6 hours seemed unattainable, casting doubt on my ability to complete 8 laps. I struggled to calculate the pace needed to achieve my target.

The lap passed in a blur as I navigated the course in a haze of confusion. Upon reaching the Kiss of Mud obstacle I used my obstacle avoidance band, only to discover that the pyramid scheme had been closed due to safety concerns, adding to my mental turmoil.

By the time I reached Mudderhorn, my focus had waned, leading to a reckless attempt at conquering the obstacle. The misstep resulted in a painful collision with the wooden structure, causing a sharp pain in my chest and rendering my right arm immobile.

Fearing that my race was over, I summoned the last of my strength to overcome the obstacle and cross the finish line, despite the excruciating pain.

In the depths of uncertainty, the darkness enveloping me, the pain throbbing in my chest, arm, and ankle, I contemplated calling it a day. However, after a moment of respite, sipping a drink and munching on a Voom bar, I reached for my phone to inform Paula of my decision. To my surprise, a message she had sent to me a few hours ago awaited me, “Remember my darling, nobody Puts muddy Duck in a corner, you belong on that podium babe, so go get it!!!xx”. Motivated by her words, I resolved to soldier on, making necessary adjustments before embarking on a 6th lap.

Amidst the flurry of preparations, I realized I had forgotten my obstacle avoidance band, yet I felt a newfound sense of purpose and determination as I ventured out once more. Encountering obstacles like the Hero walls, I received assistance from Matt Rigby, propelling me forward. Encouragement from fellow participants spurred me on, and the revelation of leading my Age group at Hydrophobia fuelled my determination. Conversations with individuals like Bill Weir at Stairway to Heaven infused me with an electrifying energy, propelling me towards the finish line.

With the goal of achieving 8 laps firmly in mind, I pushed myself beyond limits, lending a helping hand to others along the way. Crossing the finish line in 9 hours and 15 minutes, a sense of accomplishment washed over me. Reinvigorated and focused, I realized that I was indeed back on track, poised to conquer the challenge of completing 8 laps.

Upon reaching the pit, I followed my usual routine before grabbing my band, but a mistake caught my attention as I glanced at the results for the first time that day. Surprisingly, I had completed 6 laps while my closest competitor had only finished 4.

Despite the initial thought that victory was already secured, my mind urged me to continue. The realization that no one could complete 3 laps in under 3 hours made me question the necessity of pushing for more laps. However, I ignored this notion and decided to embark on my 7th lap with determination.

During that final lap, my focus shifted towards acknowledging every obstacle and expressing gratitude to each volunteer along the way. I made sure to thank them as I navigated through the course, staying true to my intention.

Despite facing physical challenges such as a torn shoulder muscle and a sprained ankle, I pushed through and completed the 7th lap. I had done it,  I emerged as the winner in my age group, solidifying the decision to persevere and finish the race.

 

Reflecting on my race experience, I believed I had a solid strategy in place and I carried it out to the best of my capabilities, resulting in some success. However, I also realized that my achievements were only possible due to the unwavering support of the OCR community, as well as the encouragement from my friends and partner.

 

When considering whether to participate in ETM, the answer is straightforward - a resounding yes. This event is truly exceptional and offers a unique and thrilling experience that is not to be missed.