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Tough Mudder North West 2017 with @Forgoodnessshks

Back in June I was given the task of putting together a dedicated team of Mudders to take on one of the North West’s most prestigious event. Tough Mudder! For Goodness Shakes as one of the main sponsors for Tough Mudder 2017 asked me as one of the North West Dad Blogging community and wannabe adventurer to form a team and get them ready for the Cholmondeley Castle event in Cheshire. When I had been asked, it’d been a month completion of the Coast to Coast challenge with my amateurish adventurers and I was in need of another. So perfect timing really. 11 weeks to get in shape. Putting together a team, I asked Joe, Jamie and Mark who all immediately said yes and we put together work out plans coupled with some shakes from For Goodness Shakes for recovery post workouts. Steps for preparation included:

  • Clothing – Luckily I had a number of base layers but some lightweight shorts and socks were a must. Heavy duty long distance ones were great for 100 miles in boots.
  • Trainers – Having tried on a few, I was amazed at the choice. Different treads, arch supports and of course, hi glow colours. Mine were no different and I got a pair that were like slippers with laces. They also have the D2 stuff for impact support.
  • Tracking App – Having used apps as a way of monitoring performance, I was amazed at the use of Strava and how it gives you competition as well as support. A total must for runners and cyclists too.
  • Diet Plan – Working with Rory previously, I had his balanced lifestyle plan at hand. I must admit my first challenge was to reduce my eating. Going from healthy to excess to give me enough power to finish the coast to coast had thrown me off.
  • Routine – Running schedules, ways of training, off days and communication with the team was important to me. Asking around online was excellent for guidance and support.
I’d never been a runner so that was first on the agenda and Mark was quick to take me for a training session. Luckily for yourselves, I wasn’t sick on camera but it was so close! Jamie had been amazing too giving me some excellent running partnership around the beautiful lakes of Wigan. Unfortunately he was way too quick but it gave me something to aim for. In life you can plan and prepare for everything but if it isn’t meant to be, it really isn’t meant to be.   At the start of the training process I had injured my shoulder camping and through my usual massage session was told that it would be a few weeks to repair. I’m not sure if the shoulder injury coupled with new pressures being put on my joints but sciatica returned on my left hand side. Reduced training for a few weeks and massages helped reduce the sciatica but my shoulder was not healing. Stresses from life and parenting weren’t giving me the respite I needed to relax and driving hundreds of miles a week also didn’t help.
was a tough decision to pull out of the team, of which I’d formed, but I knew that when you’re up against it the weakest link is the difference between success and failure. Tough Mudder as you’ll see is an extreme event to push you to the limits. I couldn’t raise my arms above my head let alone carry and lift my team mates over huge walls. Thankfully they all understood but disaster struck another member and Joe also had to pull out. Luckily Alex and Ashley were on hand to support their friend Mark. Surprises were never too far off with this and on the morning Ashley pulled out through sickness. What stupid person would take on the task of doing Tough Mudder without any training, a few hours before the start time? Yes Sara! A good friend decided to make the team a four and join Jamie, Mark and Alex in the course. What a champion! I was absolutely gutted that I couldn’t be there with them side by side but I sure wasn’t going to be missing out on the day. So packing up for wet weather, I joined the team with my camera and enthusiasm to give them something to remember it by. Before I show you the video let me show you some of the obstacles: [gallery size="large" layout="slider" ids="13717,13718,13719,13720,13722,13723"] As you can imagine they’re brutal and to be fair it’s only just a few of the ones from the day! Absolute carnage! [gallery size="large" layout="slider" ids="13725,13726,13727,13728,13729,13730,13731,13732,13733,13734,13735,13736,13737,13738,13739,13740,13741,13742"] What an amazing achievement by this incredible team. Gutted I couldn’t be there with them competing and getting covered in mud but you know what, next year really isn’t that far away. Special thanks to For Goodness Shake for making it possible! Enjoy the video and take part yourself next year. ]]>

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