Monster Race 2015: My First Mud Run!

I've been running consistently for a few years now and when it has come to events I have always stuck to very traditional road races. On 18th April this all changed, when I took on The Monster Race.

The Monster Race is an obstacle event which takes place in April and October and offers a 5km and 10km course, promising to test all elements of your fitness whilst having fun getting muddy and wet. I entered for the 10km course in early January with a group of friends I work with. As it came closer, I realised that this was actually 6 days post-Paris Marathon! Despite my knee troubles, the stubborn side of me refused to pull out though and wanted to go along and experience the event.

The actual day of the event was freezing. The wind was pretty chilly and I can't deny that I was having second thoughts. Race registration was very straightforward, with a timing chip attached to your shoe and your number written on your head with permanent marker.

A warmup was held about 10 minutes before our start time of 10am. It was a bit cringy. We had to partner up and do strange things like jump on each other's back, but it definitely got us moving, so mission accomplished I guess?!

Cornbury Park near Whitney hosts the April race, and is the same place that holds Cornbury Festival. It is on a massive estate and provides plenty of hilly fields, rivers and trails; perfect for an obstacle race! The first few kilometres are fairly obstacle free, which I believe is to avoid bunching and queueing. This worked pretty well, but we did have to wait a few minutes at times.

The obstacles were massively varied. We were faced with:

• 'Monster Slushies' (skips filled with icy water!) to swim through
• Climbing frames 
• Walls
• Rivers to cross
• Monkey bars
• 'Walk the plank'
• Tyre walls
• Streams
• Muddy bogs
• Barbed wire crawls

and many others! 

The obstacles weren't as challenging as some I have seen in Tough Mudder and other events like this and I made it through most of them unaided. Each obstacle had an official volunteer on hand to help out and make sure everyone was ok. We did a 5km loop twice and therefore had to face each one twice, so I was pleased that they weren't as bad as I had imagined they could be!

The water was almost icy which was probably my lowlight of the day. We had to swim underneath barrels at one point and the cold made me go into a bit of a panic. My chest tightened and my breathing was uncontrollable. After a minute I was able to calm myself, but it was pretty scary! If there's any obstacle you don't want to take on you are free to skip it. If you are hesitant about entering a race like this, don't be! It's all about pushing yourself to your own limits and there's no pressure to do anything you don't want to. 

The Little Photo Company had quite a number of photographers around the course and took a ton of photos. All credit for the photos posted If you fancy looking at the carnage that went on you can see them all in the galleries here.

    

The monkey bars over the river were my absolute favourite. I pretty much lived on the monkey bars as a kid, so it was a bit of a flashback to being 5. Another highlight was the huge water slide at the end of the course. It was probably 25 metres long and positioned at just the right angle to launch yourself down and gain some serious speed. The water at the bottom was filthy and stank from everyone's mud by the time we got there. Fresh water would have made me feel a lot cleaner!

For a first obstacle run this was great fun. The obstacles were at just the right level of difficulty and I really enjoyed it. As long as I'm running marathons I think I'll avoid another one due to the injury risk, but it's definitely something I'd recommend. The October race may be even better if the water is a little warmer too!

Quick Hits

The Good Bits

• A medal at the finish (not always the norm for mud runs)
• Great obstacles
• Decent race village with lots of food 

The Not So Good Bits

• The water was freezing!
• Expensive entry 
• No race t-shirt (however the organisers had explained that this is to invest more in obstacle construction). 

Have you ever tried or been tempted to try a obstacle run? What did you think? 

Paris Marathon 2015: Going Back For More!

For anyone who has run 26.2 miles, you will know that one marathon is never enough. 

In April 2014, I took on my first ever marathon in Paris. At the time I thought that although it was one of the greatest experiences of my life, I had ticked it off the bucket list and that was that. However, two weeks post-marathon, my Mum got itchy feet again and told me she wanted to enter for 2015. Just like the previous year, my response was "Well, I'm not going to Paris to watch.. I'll do it too!" and just like that we were signed up to run the streets of Paris again. Oops!!

I wrote a pretty detailed review of what went down last year here, but I thought I would spend a little time writing about my second time round as this was quite a different experience.

As expected, the morning of April 12th 2015 was stunning. It had been forecast to be a nice day in the run up, with temperatures reaching highs of 20 degrees celsius which I know people were feeling anxious about. Someone told me last year and it still holds true- it never rains on race day. 

My Mum, Dad, boyfriend Pete and I all stayed in an apartment near Gare du Nord, nice and accessible to the start line via a 20 minutes Metro ride. For some reason, we were a lot more relaxed with time than last year and didn't end up reaching L'Arc de Triomphe, where the race begins until almost 9am.

We had a great time posing in front of L'Arc, which is the perfect photo opportunity as it's the one occasion when the roundabout is closed to traffic. 

 

By about 9.10am we had decided it was about time to get into our starting pens and Mum and I left our dedicated support crew. Finding our way to the pink section (4 hour 30 corral) was easy enough, with volunteers checking numbers and only letting race entrants in. 

Once in the start area, we queued for a portaloo. In our pen there were just 6 portaloos, dotted 3 on each side. Considering there were probably 10,000 runners assigned to our corral, this was absurd. By the time we joined the queue for one, it was already the width of the pen and beginning to snake round. We still had an hour before we started, so I wasn't too worried.

At about 9.50am the pen was packed and we had only managed to inch forward in the queue for the toilet. We were probably 10 people from the front when suddenly everyone in the pen started moving. Our section was being walked forward to the start line to begin the race! I won't take our toilet troubles into too much detail, but I can tell you that the lack of facilities did mean that we both bit the bullet and lost our dignity on the Champs Elysees. Both covered up with plastic ponchos like ladies of course.. Now that's something I didn't think I'd be writing! I found our reaction to the whole situation pretty funny and you can check it out on my vlog down the bottom of this post. 

Anyway...

After a rather stressful 10 minutes, Mum and I found ourselves a place in the crowd and loosened up to the music. Before we knew it, the countdown had gone and we were crossing the start line! 

The first mile of the marathon is one of my favourites, with the downhill incline of the Champs Elysees letting you see all of the runners ahead spread out across the wide Parisian road. It's this sight that hits home to me that I am actually about to take on a crazy 26 mile journey and it's going to be awesome.

As expected, the course was just as beautiful as I had remembered, with varied scenery from the Eiffel Tower to the beautiful Chateau de Vincennes. The streets are plenty wide enough and it's a great atmosphere with plenty of support at most points.

I decided not to try and follow a pacer, as there tends to be a high volume of runners around them and didn't enjoy my pacer experience last year. This year I was armed with my Garmin Forerunner 220, (which I absolutely LOVE) and was confident that I could pace myself to 10 minute miles to break my 4 hour 30 minute goal.

I really struggled with my knee during the race, with my IT Band giving me pain from the beginning. By mile 17 I even broke my stride to walk/run for about a kilometre, which is unheard of from me as I tend to be pretty stubborn and get on with it! I got hold of some neurofen near the Eiffel Tower at 30km (top support crew!) and was back on my way. Although I had broken my pace, I spent a minute calculating how quickly I needed to run the last 12km to still reach my 4 hour 30 target. Once I realised it was possible a new determination came over me and I was off.

During the race I met two lovely ladies who follow me on Instagram and spotted my very bright compression socks from my 'What I'm Wearing - Paris Marathon' video. It was the best thing ever to have friends on the course and they really helped me at difficult stages. We all ran very similar times and ended up finishing within minutes of each other so managed to catch up and congratulate each other - such a cool experience!

I managed to push through and crossed the line in 4 hours 25 minutes 26 seconds, which I was over the moon with. It was under the 4 hour 30 barrier that I desperately wanted to break and over 25 minutes faster than my 2014 time. I think you can see my excitement in the picture below!

My post-marathon celebrations were pretty low key, but I did manage to sneak some Champagne in there ;)

Even though this was round two, I can truly say that 2015 was every bit as good as 2014. It has it's little flaws, but Paris Marathon is such a great race and I'm totally in love with it. YES, I will be back next year, as I managed to get myself a free place through a competition, so.. I'll see you there?!

Relive the day with me and check out my Vlog! 

Event Review | Brighton Half Marathon 2015

Brighton. 

What do you think of? 

Sea. Sunshine. Fun fair. Pebble beach. 

Running?!

I'll admit, running was never something that I would immediately associate with Brighton. Before November I had no clue that Brighton even held an annual half and full marathon. I did know however that it was a place that I would love to visit, so when I found out that the Brighton Half Marathon falls in February - perfect timing when training for an April Marathon - I had to get involved.

When I attempted to enter in November, all of the standard entries were full, with only a limited number of charity places available. 2015 marks the 25th anniversary of the event, so it was set to be pretty special and a lot of people knew that! Although frustrating, this made me want to conquer Brighton even more. I eventually made the decision to run as part of Team Shelter and pledged £200 for the charity to guarantee myself a place. This decision was largely weighted by the fact that the company I work for support Shelter in a big way and will match the first £100 of any money raised for the charity.

Accommodation for the weekend was readily available when I first looked, but prices were rising fast and rooms filling up. I found that many places hiked the prices to take advantage of the influx of visitors, so decided on the Seafront Travelodge. I'm sure there were plenty of great hotels around, but I figured that you know what to expect with a Travelodge and this one was less than a mile from the start line for under £100.

My training for the event basically consisted of my Paris Marathon training plan, with a bit more concentration on speed to peak for the race. Had I not been racing my long run would have been a half marathon distance anyway, so it made sense to pop to Brighton and get a medal for it!

The long range forecast predicted the weather to be dreary for race day, with heavy rain and high winds, but in true race day miracle fashion, the morning of Sunday 22nd February was glorious! Although slightly windy (totally acceptable in a seaside town), the sun was shining and the rain stayed away. 

I made it to the start line for just after 8am. The path to the race village narrowed significantly which meant for a big build up of competitors and spectators and very little signposting as to where the pens were for each wave. This was a little confusing, but everyone sorted themselves out eventually.

The race overall was truly stunning. Having grown up near the beach (in New Zealand) it was refreshing to take on 13.1 miles (almost) entirely along the seafront. There were 12,500 runners entered, but the streets were wide enough and the marshalling for the course really great which makes a big difference to your race experience. I barely ever felt like I was trying to dodge through people to keep my pace, which made for a really enjoyable run.

My initial pace was quick, with the first few miles averaging approx. 8mins 15secs. I was a little worried that I had headed off too fast, but the adrenaline was pumping and I really felt great, so I just went with it. Team Shelter were positioned at mile 7 (which was also mile 12) and it was the best feeling to run past wearing their vest and having them cheer me on. Running for charity can feel so rewarding and makes the day that extra bit special. 

As the course loops back on itself, we were able to see the elite runners coming through towards the finish. These runners are absolutely incredible and I have so much respect for them. Paul Martelletti crossed the finish line first (and may I just mention he also has an awesome beard- check it out!).

I loved every minute of the run and finished in 1 hour 46 minutes and 36 seconds - a personal best for me by over 10 minutes! I'm still in shock at how much I smashed it by.

After the race Shelter offered their runners massages and refreshments in their charity tent, which was perfection! It made such a difference to have my muscles looked after and I felt pretty fresh the next day for it.

Overall, this race was my favourite half marathon to date. It was so well organised with water stations well set up, marshals being really helpful, great weather, a beautiful setting and a really cool medal (yep, that makes a difference!). Brighton was a great host for the weekend and I can't wait to go back.. maybe even for the full marathon next year?!

If you would like to check out my VLOG of my weekend in Brighton (including race footage!) then take a look below. I'm planning to vlog all of my upcoming races (Paris Marathon, Hackney Half, London 10000 to name a few), so pop over to my YouTube page www.youtube.com/themarathonharry and click subscribe to come along with me!

Finally, I would like to send a big THANK YOU to Shelter for all of the support on race day and all of the work that you do. It was a real honour to run for such a great charity and so much fun too! 

Event Review | Great Birmingham Run

One year ago I ran my first half marathon and my first official race. Little did I know, this would be the event to spark a fire. That race was the Great Birmingham Run and this year I took it on again.

Sunday 19th October came around and (I'm sure to everyone's delight) was a bright and fresh morning. My final long training run two weeks beforehand took place on a digustingly grey day in torrential rain so to be able to wear shorts was a great surprise!

Race Day Gear

Just like last year, the atmosphere in the city centre when we arrived was buzzing.  The great thing about this event is that there are also 'Mini' (1.3km) and 'Junior' (2.5km) events for 3-8 and 9-16 year olds respectively. Not only is this an exciting opportunity for these younger athletes to get involved in a large-scale event, but it also sets the scene for the arriving half marathoners. It's the little'ies and their massive smiles who remind me that no matter the time on the clock as you cross the finish line, these events are about having a good time and getting involved.

My aim for my second half marathon was to break the 2 hour barrier. Last year I ran 2 hours 6 minutes and 22 seconds, but with a lot of cross training and more running experience over the past year, I knew I was in much better shape to take on the challenge second time around.

After taking part in a quick warm up, it didn't take long to get to the start line. The first couple of miles are a steady downhill through some fairly narrow streets which makes for a quick start. It's important to make sure that you don't get caught up in the crowd and go off too quickly, but it definitely takes a wee while to find a comfortable spot and get on pace.

The course overall passes some cool landmarks, with Cadbury's World, Edgbaston Stadium and Canon Hill Park (my favourite bit) all on the list. The downside to all this is a little something which  Great Birmingham Run participants refer to as 'The Hill'. Just after the 11 mile marker comes a right hand turn, which hides around it a monster of an incline. As you can see from the the elevation profile below, it just keeps going. I felt much better knowing it was coming this year.. and that there are nice volunteers at the top with tubs of jelly babies!!

Credit: Great Run

The 1km straight stretch to the finish is a joy, lined with lots of supporters and music pumping. The road also flares out and become wide enough for a sprint finish without any interference. It's got to be said, it's the highlight of an overall tough course.

I found it hard work this year and found it a little difficult to get myself going. By mile 5 I had finally kicked the 'this is impossible' attitude, found my stride and started enjoying the race. Birmingham is a great event in terms of supporters, with university students and families lining the streets for the majority of the course. You're never alone and that makes a big difference.

I came in at 1 hour 56 minutes and 49 seconds- a time I could have only dreamed of a year ago! I beat last year's time by 10 minutes and was over the moon. Will I run it again next year..? We'll have to see! If you're interested in taking part entries are now open here. It's a great race for people of all experience levels.

Did anyone else run Birmingham? I'd love to hear about your day!

Quick Hits

The Good Bits

- Supporters are awesome and there are no 'quiet bits' on the course

- A fun atmosphere and good race for first timers

- Lots of hydration available around the course (Lucozade and water)

The Not So Good Bits

- Streets can be narrow 

- The Hill!

- Not a particularly flat course overall (it's a challenge!)

After receiving my official time- "I just ran a PB eeeek!"

Post-run with Mum

Event Review: Paris Marathon 2014

In September 2013 I made the crazy decision to take on the Paris Marathon on April 6th 2014. A marathon has always been on the top of my bucket list, but I never thought I would be ticking it off so early in my life.

The morning of April 6th could not have been more glorious. A 7am start meant that there was a cool spring chill to the air, but the cloudless sky held promise of a brilliant day. There had been rain and even thunderstorms forecast for race day earlier in the week, but the online forum posts I had been reading seemed to be true: "It never rains on race day".

Paris is one of the largest marathons in the world, with almost 40,000 competitors at the start line. We arrived at the Arc de Triomphe at about 8am, after battling our way through the crowds on the Metro. The entire Champs Elyssee and surrounding roads were closed for the event, which meant that there were photo opportunities in front of the Arc de Triomphe, which I hear is very much a tradition for many returning runners. After taking a few snaps, we left the support crew to head off to their first spectator point and Mum and I made our way into the start pens.

We were at the pens by about 8.15am, which left plenty of time for nervous-weeing and all of the other necessary bits that never take place before a training run. Each pen had 4 portaloos and urinals for the boys. Although we joined the queue as soon as we entered the pen, it was at least 20 minutes before we were able to go.

A warm-up was taken by some very energetic French men and by 8.45am when the wheelchair and elite racers crossed the start line I was rearing to go. Unfortunately it wasn't just a case of getting on with it, as we had opted for the last wave (4 hours 30) and didn't get to cross the start line until 9.45am. This wasn't a massive issue, but it was a little annoying being on our feet for hours before we actually had to do any running!

The course itself was incredible and everything was very well organised. It passes by some of the most breath-taking sights of Paris, including the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Louvre and many more. The great thing about running 26.2 miles around the city is that you come across places that you would probably never go to. The park area near Chateau de Vincennes at mile 7 is something I'd never heard of before, but it is absolutely breathtaking.

Every 5km water was provided by Vittel and there were also feed stations at various points throughout the course. These provided orange segments, bananas, dried fruit, sugar cubes and other snacks. Although these feed stations are great, it's very easy to over do it and feel as if you are carrying too much food in your belly. I had to be particularly careful and didn't take anything until the last two feed stations when I really needed the boost. Practicing with similar foods out on training runs is probably your best bet to make sure it doesn't upset your stomach.

As you can imagine, feed and water stations became rather dangerous by the time I made it to them. It was the first time I've ever been able to understand how one can slip on a banana skin! Being careful around these areas was definitely a must.

I entered in September with the intention of running 4 hours and 30 minutes. Unfortunately, commitments to university exams and a knee injury meant I missed some of my longer runs in the training plan and ultimately was not on track for that time. Sub 5 was what I had decided I would be happy with. As with many races these days, Paris has pace makers, or hares as they are called here. There are four hares for each time (4 hours, 4 hours 15, 4 hours 30 etc) and they all make themselves very obvious with massive flags attached to their backs. I began by running with the 4 hour 30 hare and stuck just in front of him. I was really pushing myself in the heat and ran a 2 hour 13 minute half marathon. Although I was keeping a steady pace, the hare would fluctuate his pace, running faster to get to a feed station and stop to walk once getting there. I couldn't keep up with this and found myself frustrated by being passed by the hare and then passing him myself minutes later. He was yelling in French to the group of people around him periodically (motivating them or letting them know his race tactic maybe?), but unfortunately my simple French knowledge didn't pick up on what he was saying. I eventually lost him just after the half marathon stage and felt much happier once I did. From that point I really took in everything around me and enjoyed where I was and what I was doing rather than worrying about the whereabouts of Mr Hare.

The final 5 miles of the marathon are run in Bois de Boulogne and are pretty lonely. Being fairly inaccessible by Metro, it wasn't possible to see our support crew in these final stages and the cobbled roads really hurt. The closer the finish line got, the better it got however, with wine on offer from local vineyards and bands set up along the way to help keep one foot in front of the other.

I sprinted to the finish at 4 hours and 51 minutes, breaking the 5 hour target I had set myself as the race unfolded. For a first marathon it's something I'm pleased with, but I have to hunger to go further and better it. As I made my way through the finishing pen, proudly collected my medal, finishers top and bright green rain jacket I was feeling pretty emotional. This was something that I had set my heart on more than six months ago and I had achieved it. Finishers are offered a massage in the Tiger Balm tent, however the queue was massive, so I gave it a miss and went to find the support crew for a sausage baguette and some champagne!

Quick Hits: 
The Good Bits:

• Plenty of water and food stations that are well stocked
• Beautiful course 
• Lots of spectator support 
• Nice wide Parisian roads
• Great finishers area with powerade, more food and massages

The Not So Good Bits:

• Waiting around at the start line 
• Slippery food stations 
• Hares weren't so good in my experience 

Overall, if you're thinking about doing it.. DO IT. Commit to it completely and you won't regret it one bit. 

H x