#ocrracing

I completed the first ever Europe’s Toughest Mudder in Nottingham in May 2017. I was unsure what to expect in the build up to the race despite having seen the World’s Toughest Mudder documentary series they put out and reading as much as possible. I knew it was going to be hard, but I didn’t realise how much fun it would be.

I managed to hit my 30 mile target (6 laps) with 4 minutes to spare before the 8.30 cut off point, coming 61st out of nearly 900 Mudders. The majority of Mudder’s who dropped out after 2/3 laps did so because of poor equipment and getting too cold (and possibly a lack of training). However, if you get the kit right, and follow the below advice you will be fine.

What gear you need for Europe’s Toughest Mudder?

Wetsuit:

This is an absolute must if you want to be out on the course for 8 hours. On the first lap, which is a sprint lap, I did start to get a little hot, but I was able to unzip the suit at the front to cool off. After the first lap the wetsuit really came into it’s own. I originally was going to go with a full length surfer wetsuit, but after speaking to the staff at Ocean Leisure in London (who I would highly recommend going to speak to), they recommended a ‘Swim Run’ suit as they thought in a full length suit, I might overheat and be restricted movement wise.

The Orca Men's SwimRun Core Wetsuit 2017 will set you back £160 but it’s well worth it if you can stretch that far, and it compares well against other wetsuits price wise. It has different panels of varying thickness of neoprene in the wetsuit to allow you to run and not be restricted, but at the same time keeping you warm.

If you’ve never run in a wetsuit try going for a run in it before the race. I did a 30 mile run two weeks before, which was a little too intense but at least it gave me the peace of mind that I could run 30 miles in a wetsuit. However, I’d say you only need to do 15 miles in it to get used to it and discover where it might rub/chaf.

Trainers

For those of you who have done obstacle racing before you’ll know it’s all about grip. Don’t bother with you standard road running shoes, you need something with some serious grip for those muddy and wet obstacles, and for running on the uneven terrain at Tough Mudders. The Reebok All Terrain Super 3.0 (£64.95) are perfect. The blue ones are cheaper than the orange ones which are the same spec.  

These trainers were incredible. They had the grip of football boots, I’ve never had so much grip. Climbing up the muddy banks was made so much easier and I saw plenty of other runners slipping and sliding all over the place. Like the wetsuit I did one long run in them beforehand to get used to them. They aren’t the comfiest for road running but they are perfect for obstacle course racing.

Gloves:

These gloves were a life saver. Your grip and hands can get torn up after one lap. If they get cold, you’ll struggle on the obstacles and it can be debilitating. The 2017 Gill 3mm Neoprene Winter Gloves (£35.10) are meant for sailing and handling heavy duty ropes on boats. They made easy work of dragging myself through mud, gripping ropes and the monkey bars. My hands didn’t get cold once. 

Hat and socks:

These were two last minute purchases, but I’m so glad I bought them.  The TWF 3mm Socks - Black, (£4.99) from Amazon kept my feet warm and added a bit of padding to my trainers when running. I’m a size 7 and bought a small, an extra small would have been even better, but small still did a job.

The Beanie hat 3mm neoprene stretchy very warm / waterproof (North Coast Wetsuits (Cornwall)) from amazon (£11.99) was another great last minute buy. You lose the most heat from your head and after Artic Enema this was a blessing. I ditched it for my last lap but was grateful for it for the rest of the race.

Under layers:

The only layer I wore under my suit was a pair of Nike cycling shorts to prevent any chaffing. You won’t need a top layer, just the running vest they give you when you check in.

I also wore a pair of Nike anti blister running socks underneath the neoprene socks and came away with no blisters.

Headtorch

I was slightly worried if these would be waterproof or not, but by wrapping them in sandwich bags and cable tying them at each end keeps them watertight. I’d recommend buying two in case one breaks as they won’t let you run without them.

Waterproof Headlamp GRDE® Light Weight Comfortable LED Head Torch, High Brightness for walking/ fishing/ cycling/ working Light (Grey) £10.99

LED Headlamp, IDEAPRO Adjustable Waterproof Super Bright Head Flashlight Torch for Cycling, Running, Mountain Climbing, Camping, Reading, Hiking, Nigh (£6.79) 

You will also need a strobe. I was going to just go with glow sticks, but these were brilliant. You get two in a pack with batteries and it lasted the entire night.

iGadgitz Xtra Lumin Safe Reflective Hi Vis Waterproof Adjustable Wearable Silicone Armband Strap with LED Flashing Light for Running, Cycling, Walking (£5.79)

Other: Casio watch - £10 from Argos and good so you can keep track of your lap pace.

What Food and supplies should I take?

I took 8 lots of the below which was more than enough. In reality I only consumed about 4/5 of each item.

Bottle of water

Lucozade

Bananas

Tinned Peach slices

Flapjacks

Protein bars

Snickers

Warm Chicken Soup or Porridge

After each lap, I would have half a protein bar, flapjack, half a Lucozade and a 500ml bottle of water. Because of the wetsuit you need to stay hydrated so you don’t get cramp and keep you salt and sugar levels up. After 3 laps, I cracked open the peach slices which are the greatest thing once you’re bored of dry protein bars and some something with a different texture, but still high in sugar.

Make sure you drink 500ml of water each lap. You want to be consuming 500cals a lap to keep your energy levels up.

Race strategy

You’re allowed two pit crew members and these guys will be such a help. After a few hours of running it’s nice to have someone handing you food and keeping you motivated.

I came in after each lap for a maximum of 5 minutes (apart from lap 2 where I had a poop break which was more like 10 minutes). You will get cold quickly grab some food, have a chat and then start walking with your food and drink. It will take a you a mile or so to get warm and get rid of any stiffness.

With the hills after the 2nd lap I had to start walking up them and running down them, your legs will need a rest.

If you can get out by 7.45 they start closing the obstacles towards the end so you will be able to complete the lap no problem.

Toughest Mudder Workout Plan

Tough Mudder released World Toughest Mudder training plans which is what I based my training on. I made sure I ticked off all the running distances, but I added a 30 miler, 3 weeks before the race so I knew I could run that distance. I did that run from 8pm to 2am to try and replicate race conditions. I was running around 10 minute miles in training and on race day I was doing more like 12 minute miles. On your runs if you can, try and throw in some pull ups, squats or burpees at each mile to replicate race conditions it’s beneficial.

For your strength/gym training, your big focus doesn’t need to be on lifting big, it’s about being able to lift and control your own body weight and endurance. Prior to beginning training, I was doing 3x 15 rep sets on medium weight usually to failure. I then started the Toughest Mudder Training plan and followed it loosely. I would do two of their workouts a week and then my ‘100s’ work out.

The ‘100s’ workout is all about mental determination and continuing after you don’t think you can do anymore. These seem like big numbers but you just need to break them down into small chunks and take your time. E.g. on pull ups we would start with 15, then 12, then 10s, before going down to 5s and then 1s until we hit 100. The goal is to not leave until you hit the number. For the first few sessions get a work out mate to help you or use the assisted machine.

100 x pull ups

300 x squats

200 x press ups

100 x sit ups

Recovery is crucial. I would use a foam roller after every run for 15-20mins and stretch for at least 10mins after each run. I would also recommend using it on your shoulders and back to ensure you keep that range of movement and can continue training without aching.

Toughest Mudder Nutrition Plan

Maxi Muscle Protein shake after every run and gym session. High protein diet during training.

1 week before the race I carb loaded by increasing my carb intake by 50-70%

Omelette for breakfast, Pasta and chicken/fish for lunch and then veg, chicken/fish and sweet potatoes for dinner.