Hell and Back Apollo Race Review

Pain. All consuming pain. 

It has been two days since I competed in the Hell and Back Apollo race in Belmont estate and the nightmare experience is still fresh and constantly replaying in my head... and my muscles. A few hours after the race, as I was consuming as much beer and pizza as humanly possible, I was feeling pretty damn good, smug even, that I didn't have one ache or pain and could walk or even run with ease. Oh, how wrong and ignorant I was. I currently resemble an arthritic 80 year old trying to lumber out of bed and going up or down stairs is simply out of the question! I look like I've been in a pretty tumultuous fight with all my cuts and bruises and the camomile lotion slathered all over my legs to calm the grass and nettle induced itching makes me look a bit disease-ridden. All in the name of fun eh?!

Richard, Dean, Stephen and Me. Team Above Average Fitness after we finished!

My first thoughts while getting the convenient shuttle bus from the car park to the site was man I don't remember it being this far away last time, until my friend pointed out it was on a completely different farm than the race in January. I'm not so astute. Mid-way through the journey the friendly driver halted the bus and unexpectedly hopped out to buy some strawberries from a vendor at the side of the road. It gave the whole bus a good chuckle and created the positive and friendly atmosphere that was present throughout the entire day. The first thing I was surprised at was just how organised and clean everything was. I was running at 1:15pm in the orange wave so was expecting the place to be packed with people by the time I arrived. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the walled garden area was big enough to hold everyone comfortably without feeling crowded and yet small enough to establish a certain level of intimacy between competitors. It felt like a festival arena with the stage and happy people lying in the sun, except instead of drinking cans of dutch gold, energy drinks and power bars were the fuel of preference. Everything was within easy reach and all the buildings were clearly signposted to avoid any confusion. The changing rooms were absolutely fantastic, the space was huge and dry and those door flap things at the entrance were clearly the invention of a genius. They were in stark contrast to the small, stoney and drafty buildings we had to get changed in in January! It was just black plastic covering the opening to the changing rooms and they would just flap wildly in the wind for all to sneek a peek at your nips! The showers were another fabulous addition that weren't available when I ran in January, they were colder than the ice baths but no complaints here! The lines went quickly and it was nice to just wash off the bulk of the mud before changing into warm clothes.

I have a somewhat intense fascination with watching people, like yesterday morning for example, at 8am as I was trudging down Grafton street in the rain with my kit bag slung over my shoulder and my stylish Dunnes Stores bag filled with my rank kit from the race the day before. My mind was completely taken off the fact that every step I took made the bags feel heavier on my already obliterated muscles because I was too busy watching people. Everyone was looking in the one direction and carried very disinterested expressions on their faces. A very normal way to feel and appear on a dreary wet Monday morning commute. Whereas, my head was going in every direction, like a puppy you keep teasing with a ball, left right left right, all so I could watch as many people as possible. With this little hobby of mine I tend to take in a lot of details about the people around me and my surroundings so when I was confronted with the amount of people in the walled garden my poor eyes barely had time to focus on anything because they were in a frenzy! While gorging on this visual feast my eyes landed on a group of army men not so far away. One was smoking a cigarette, which I always find so odd because it seems so counter-intuitive to have one just before a race! My brother was quick to chime in that these guys do this type of training every week and they're essentially hard as f**k so it'll be a walk in the park for them. I knew from looking at them that they were a great bunch of lads, all sitting on the grass laughing and talking. My suspicions were true when the whole way throughout the course there was a helping hand extended to me at various obstacles and on the other end was a smiling man happy to help in his army gear! They stayed around the obstacles that they knew people would need a hand with, like getting out of the river and getting over the walls. They were true gentlemen and possessed team spirit in abundance!

Found a picture of the Army lads in question,
just look at em, great bunch!

I would literally have to be blind to not see all the men who were walking around topless. I would like to say thank you on behalf of my eyes and I think I had to pop them back into their sockets a few times but kudos to you guys, I really, really liked what I saw. The stewards that were dotted about the course were also a great source of entertainment, encouragement and help! I would like to be friends with the girl who was shouting "THIS ISN'T THE WOMEN'S MINI-MARATHON!" at the very beginning. A huge thanks to the steward who gave me a boost on one of the obstacles at the end because there was no one else about to help, he got his hands filthy from my runners and had to deal with my muddy ass in his face, a real prince! As I was making my way through the slithering little forest trails where every tentative foot you placed on the slippy ground had the potential of landing you on your face, there was one woman in purple who was shouting encouragement at everyone. Didn't matter who you were she was gonna encourage you! It's these people who embody what events like this are all about, camaraderie. It's this feeling of alliance that make people feel a part of something, where everyone is connected and it creates a sense of belonging. If everyone was out to get the best possible time and were trying to undermine and overtake people constantly, it wouldn't be the same and these events wouldn't be as popular as they are. I doubt you'd strip bare ass naked and start wiping the mud out of every orifice if you were put in a shed a week ago with a few hundred women and men you didn't know but share the same experience like running a gruelling 12km obstacle course and we're all best naked friends.

I'm not going to re-hash all the obstacles as I'm pretty sure we all remember them in all too graphic detail! The obstacles were so well thought out, devilishly evil and meticulously planned and executed. I can only imagine how long it took to create them! I don't know if you have ever watched or read the Hunger Games trilogy but it felt like I was taking part in one. It seemed like I was never running for too long before I came to a new obstacle, be it a small log you had to climb over or a steep hill you had to abseil down with a rope. It was such a creative use of land where you were constantly interacting with it in ways in which I doubt any of us have done since childhood. The most fun I had was sliding down the pipe face first into mud and jumping into the river and swimming across, screw the ropes, I'm well hard. The ones I wasn't too mad on was the snipers and the electrical shocks which I'm sure is fairly self explanatory. I think they gave a great edge to the race but I don't think they were totally necessary, I think getting shot at once or twice was fine but the third and fourth rounds really did hurt and no matter how fast you ran you were still shot because the shooters were stationary and aiming the gun at the path that you had to run on. I don't mind pain, but I'd rather it be self inflicted by my clumsy self than by someone shooting at me! I don't think I will ever forget the electric shocks, I was shocked three times and they were horrible, all my muscles tensed up and whenever I was shocked I ended up paralysed on the spot which brought the onslaught of "RUN! JUST RUN!". People might not have minded this too much but I hated it, I have always hated shocks, like I said in a post before, I won't even go on a trampoline on a hot day for fear I get a tiny one and I won't close car doors by the edge, only the glass, in case I get a shock. I was tempted to say I had a plate in my hip or something to get out of it but I am no pussy. Speaking of pussies, I did witness some cheating throughout the course, at one point, I saw three people skip the entire uphill section at the bottom of the sugar loaf, they just went under the tape, skipping a good 2-3km. This was definitely the hardest part of the course in my opinion and seeing them skip it made me slightly mad, you won't get anywhere in life by skipping the hard parts. If you're going to enter into the an event called Hell and Back you should know what you're signing up for and skipping parts is pretty disrespectful to the thousands of others who sucked it up and did it, but more importantly you're just letting yourself down. On a more positive note, I think the slide that you slid down in order to finish was brilliant, I love slides and I can't think of a better way to end a race! I did grate the arse off myself on the mat at the bottom but I didn't mind! The course was a perfect mix of torture and fun, I don't think anything was too impossible and it felt like a huge awesome playground that we all got to explore for the very first time.

These events create an environment in which it is okay to let loose, get dirty and not give one flying f**k about what you look like, being by far one of the most liberating things I think you can do. I think doing events like these really bring people together and more importantly gives you something to talk about and be proud of. No Mary, we don't care about how your baby can now suck its own toes and sorry Paul, but we're sick of hearing that your engine light has been on for 2 months and you.have.no.idea.why. Getting out there, challenging yourself, experiencing new things and meeting new people are essential in this nine to five way of life that comes with being a responsible adult. It keeps life interesting and breaks the dreary routine people can find themselves in! I know I'm not quite a responsible adult just yet but I hope no matter how old I get or how invested I get in my job, that I will always take the time out to partake in amazing events such as the Hell and Back. As my team mate said:  "You would spend the same if not more on a night out and have less fun than we did, plus you feel great after it (apart from the pains) mentally knowing it was good for you." All in all, this event was the most exhilarating fun I have had in a very long time, yes it was tough, but I enjoyed the challenge. Everything was planned with precision and nothing was overlooked, making the process of getting to and partaking in the race effortless for the participants, apart from actually doing the race obviously! All our needs were taken into account, from the parking facilities, the shuttle bus, the woman giving out pins, to the changing rooms and the showers! I thought the venue was extremely well planned out and it was a huge contributing factor to the positive atmosphere of the event. All the staff were really friendly and helpful and I cannot commend them enough for their supportive and encouraging attitudes. They're really onto something here, those Hell and Back folk, I have a feeling this is only going to get bigger, better and more hellish and I plan on hopefully being a part of every single one!

I want to say a big thank you to everyone who has been reading about my Hell and Back journey so far and to Kieran Ryan, from Alive Outside, for giving me the opportunity to bring my blog to a wider audience. In my next post I'll go over my results, how I feel I did and what I would improve on training wise!

Follow me on the Twittersphere at https://twitter.com/AboveAvFitness!

Hell and Back Apollo Race tips and Final Chance Workout!

TWO DAYS UNTIL THE RACE. In case you forgot.

So race day is looming and anxiety is high! This post will hopefully calm your nerves if you're worrying about the race! I've been receiving a few emails from people who are worried their training isn't sufficient and they're worried about whether or not they will be able to complete the course. These feelings are completely normal, as with any event that is based upon our physical prowess, it is human nature to doubt ourselves when we have to prove ourselves. I mean when has anyone ever went into an exam and thought "wow I am actually over-prepared for this!". It simply doesn't happen!

Some comic relief from the serious tone of this blog post

There comes a certain point, as with everything you do, that you have to accept the effort you've put into it and work with what you got. It's easy to say "I should have done this and that more" but that negativity won't get you through the race. I always doubt myself before, during and after a race. This process of thinking doesn't do me any favours and can completely ruin the experience. It's only when I look back that I think okay I actually did pretty good and I can appreciate my efforts. This race will be different and although, yes, I do wish I had done more, I won't let myself think negatively and I am going to try and do my best with the training and hard work that I have put in so far. I want you to do the same! As cliché as it sounds, just believe in yourself and trust that the effort and training that you have put in thus far will get you through the race.

Hell and Back is just as much a metal feat as it is a physical one. There is a reason we don't know what the obstacles are going to be! It's all a mind-fuck. It would ruin the magic if we knew exactly what we're in for, even though it's all we want right now! Half the fun is running up to an obstacle and figuring out what the hell you have to do! What I found when I did the Hell and Back Trojan in January was that the hardest obstacles were not physically difficult, but mentally difficult. Yeah, it's tough hauling yourself over bales of hay and trudging yourself through mud on your elbows and knees but the toughest things were mentally preparing myself to plunge my whole body under water and summing up the courage to run through electrified rags. So, if you're worried about the physical element of the race, don't waste your energy! Yeah, it's going to be tough obviously, but it is designed to be completed and every level of fitness can accomplish it!

Race Tips

1. Calm your tits. Worrying won't help you complete the race, just relax and do your best.
2. Fairly obvious, but arrive early. It's nice to soak in the atmosphere and get your bearings.
3. Get a good nights sleep the night before.
4. Wear appropriate clothing. Here's my blog post on what clothing I recommend to wear.
5. Drink lots of water the day before and on the day.
6. Run slowly at the start.
7. Be nice and help people! See someone struggling with an obstacle? Give em a hand! You'll appreciate all the help you can get when you're stuck! Someone in front moving too slow? Suck it up!
8. Bring a towel and lots of warm clothes. You're more than likely gonna feel like your skin is gonna shake off you're that cold so make sure you have a dry set of clothes to throw on you straight after you run.
9. ENJOY YOURSELF. There's no point in getting caught up in times and being competitive, just embrace the experience and try not to take anything too seriously!
10. Get really drunk afterwards cos you deserve it damn it.

Last Chance Workout

Yep, I just used a Biggest Loser phrase and I don't care. This week I tried to make up for my past sins and I ran one 5km, one 7km and I did a 3km sprinting session. I was going to do a 10/15km run but I figured that might be too much if I was to do a 12km at the end of the week so just went with some short fast runs instead. I did two weight sessions on top of this and currently can't lift my arms above my head without wincing. It was plank, mountain climbers, pushups and situps galore this week! I was going to go to the gym again today but my knee is twinging so I decided to leave it! I have pretty dodgy knees and if I overdo it even slightly I can be out of training for weeks! This is how I've learned to listen to my body the hard way! In my last blog post I discussed how my love of running has decreased because I've been finding it difficult to actually run lately. I went to the doctor the other day with a different issue but mentioned how I was finding my breathing rather laboured and it turns out I have exercise induced asthma. I've had asthma all my life and it is very manageable but in the last few weeks I have found it is present much more often and it is what has been making my runs so difficult. It is kind of a kick in the face but it won't stop me and it just means I need to take my inhaler along with me on runs and that the beginning of my runs and workouts are going to be a bit more difficult until the asthma lifts, which is usually after 15-20 minutes. It is a relief to actually know why I've been finding running so difficult lately, I just figured I was having normal breathlessness after exertion because I was losing my fitness or something which in hindsight is pretty ridiculous. Silly Sarah head. So that is the training conclusion for Hell and Back! I really hope I inspired or helped anyone who has been reading my training as I've went along! 

I want to wish everyone the best of luck in the Apollo Race this weekend and I know everyone will do amazing! I guarantee you will surprise yourself and don't forget to dig deep when you're feeling the burn! I will be running the race on Sunday in the orange wave so look out for me if you're running then too! I will hopefully have my summary of the race up at the beginning of next week! 

All the best and good luck! 

Here is how pained I look when I'm asked to pose for a picture
minutes after completing the Hell and Back race in January, such a babe

Course map and training update!

Hello Hello!

Hell and Back have put up the course map today on their Facebook to let us see what they have in store for us! Let's have a gander shall we! 

The first thing that immediately hit me was the fact that it is actually 12km, and not 10km like the previous race! I don't know whether this was kept secret intentionally or what but I think that extra 2km will definitely throw a few people! I wouldn't worry about it too much though, end of the day if you can run/walk 10km, you can do 12km! 

We have some of the same obstacles as the Hell and Back Trojan such as the Hurdles of Hell, the Barbed Wire Crawl, Ten Foot Tessie and the Shock of Horrors! That's a very small percentage overall and everything else seems to be new! A lot of them are very ambiguously named so I guess we'll just have to wait till the day to see what terror they bring forth! I'm most excited for the Ski Jump, I'm assuming it will entail ropes of some kind, climbing and from the looks of the little diagram sliding, wee! Although that's probably a little man screaming for dear life while he falls to his death, but I shall remain optimistic! I am dreading the ice baths, christ, that is pretty much my worst nightmare. But like I said in my last post, I hope to wear a lot less clothes so maybe this time round I won't feel as cold cos my clothes won't stick to me as much! Being drenched in cold water makes running really, really hard.

I noticed a bit of controversy on the Hell and Back Facebook page when the picture to the right was put up! Apparently there will be 50 rats in the "Rat Tunnel"! Now, at first I didn't really believe it, and thought it was a very clever scare tactic but now I'm not so sure. People are having hissy fits over the welfare of the rats and so on, which I understand. I really like rats, my friend has three in her room, she's kind of weird though. Anyway, I hope people would understand that the organisers know what they're doing and the last thing they'd want is an animal welfare crisis on their hands so if there are rats, I would imagine they'll actually be enclosed in cages or something and we're merely brushing by them. I guarantee that they won't be roaming free, that's just not gonna happen, I will eat my hat if I'm wrong! I am never wrong, I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken. 

Quick update on my training! Honestly, with college ending, trying to complete my final year assignments and having to move out of my apartment in Dublin and move home, routine has definitely not been in my life in the past few months and it took a big toll on my fitness routine. I'm now stuck in the limbo that is being a graduate straight out of college and I have absolutely no clue what to do next. But hey, if you have a job you might wanna give me please do not hesitate to get in touch! I'm real good at everything, I swear.

Me and my pal, bike, out on an adventure today

I was supposed to run the women's mini-marathon (it's not a mini-marathon, it's a 10km, this really bugs me... but that's another story for another day...) this week but unfortunately my knees weren't great and I didn't want to risk further injury before this race coming up so I chose to not run it. Also, the idea of being surrounded by upwards of 50,000 women is not high up on my list of things I want to do. Thankfully the knees feel better but I'm still a bit wary, went out with the intention of doing a 10km last week and it honestly felt like I was on the 90th kilometre of a 100km. Was.Not.Good. I feel I've lost my love of running lately which is sad because I am so passionate about it. It's been hard work lately and I'm not feeling the way I used to before, during or after a run and I have no idea why. My legs feel heavy all the time and it's just a lot more effort than I remember. But, with all this considering, I've still kept up running and I've been trying to get in as many weight sessions as I can! I've joined a new gym at home and I have been going for the last week. I haven't trained as well as I would have liked to up to this point but there's still a bit of time left! The weather has been so unreal lately so I've been going out on long 30km plus cycles which has been great! I've been doing some 5kms here and there and plan on a 15km at the weekend which will more than likely be my last long run before the race itself! 

I hope you're all training hard and that your nerves are wrecked with all the suspense of not knowing what to expect!