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!

Sportswear and What I'll be Wearing for Hell and Back Apollo

Hey!

Just noticed it's been 2 weeks since my last blog post and I'm shocked and appalled! College work and a slight injury is the culprit (and that festival I went to where I drank for three days but we'll ignore that...). But anyway, I'm fighting fit and I'm back on track training wise!

I was thinking today about running gear because I walked past a sports shop yesterday and my stomach flipped with excitement when I set my eyes on something but it took every ounce of my being to not storm in there, try everything on, think of ALL the workouts I'll do in them, realise I can't afford them and cry. In my opinion, what you wear is pretty important to how your workouts go; to feeling comfortable, to ensuring you don't get too hot or too cold and to prevent chaffing. I admit it, I'm a bit of a sportswear fanatic! It's a bit of a necessary evil though if you're running all the time because if you only have one or two bits you end up having to constantly wash them. Unless you like stewing in your own stank then I think we all like the feeling of fresh gear before we head out for a run or a trip to the gym! So this gave me the inspiration for this post where I'll outline some things that I feel are essential and I'll go into what is the best gear to wear for the Hell and Back Apollo race! Everyone's different when it comes to what they're comfortable in and what they want to wear so this is just my personal opinion so wear whatever the hell ya like :) Also, this is possibly a semi one sided post as obviously I only know what gear I like for women, but I'm sure it's not all that different for men!

Shorts

Here are the exact Under Armour
pair I have

I have about 4 pairs of running shorts and my favourite are by far a simple pair I got from Dunnes! It shows that you don't need to splash the cash to have a decent pair of shorts! I have a pair from Nike and the other two pairs are from TK Maxx. The Nike ones have to be my least favourite because the leg is just too baggy and rides up when I run so I have to make the least sexiest manoeuvre in the world to de-lodge them from my ass. One of the pairs I got from TK Maxx are the Under Armour compression shorts. They are fantastic! I heard a lot about them before I purchased them and I managed to find them for super cheap compared to what they normally retail for. They're great for popping under your other shorts but the real benefit is the snug fit that supposedly keeps your muscles warm to prevent injuries and fatigue! I'm honestly not entirely persuaded on the benefits of compression wear but I know a lot of people swear by them. I would only wear mine the odd time and yes, while they're super comfortable, I don't feel I run any better with or without them. I think they just add that extra layer of warmth and comfort while preventing rashes and chaffing. 

Capris and Long Tights 

Adidas Capris

I tend to wear the 3/4 length capris when I'm going to the gym and I keep the long tights for when I'm running outside for warmth! I have 4 pairs of the long tights and 2 pairs of the capris and I really wish it were the other way around because I wear the capris far more often than I do the long tights. My favourite pair of capris are a pair from Adidas! I've had them for at least 2 years and they're in the wash every week and they still look good as new! My favourite long tights are a pair by Body Logic Run, a brand available at Elvery's I believe. They fit so well and unlike other pairs they don't fall down when I run! The most important thing with getting bottoms in general is to try them on, I'm pretty sure everyone does that anyway but I know with me it's only now that I know what to look for when I try a pair on. I look for a good waist band and preferably, lace ties so I can tighten and loosen them, I make sure they're not too long and I ensure the thickness of the fabric is right for whatever weather I plan on taking them out in.

Tops

Nike Hi-Vis Long
Sleeved top with
thumb holes -swoon-

I recently got the Nike long sleeved hi-vis top and it's something I definitely recommend getting if you run on the roads regularly! It means you don't have to wear any hi-vis arm bands or a hi-vis over your other gear. It's so ridiculously comfortable and keeps me warm if it's chilly out! It's so stretchy that if I get too hot I can roll the sleeves up too. Also, I'm absolutely obsessed with thumb holes and it has them. I don't know why I'm obsessed with them so much, maybe it's a repressed childhood memory bubbling to the surface but if pretty much anything has thumb holes I want it. I love long sleeved tops and I have about four I think, two from Nike, one from Body Logic Run and another from H&M who do a great sportswear range! I have countless t-shirts and my favourite is actually the Hell and Back Trojan t-shirt from last year cos it's the perfect size and it's long at the back and shorter at the front. It's also fun to wear to the gym cos it's a good talking point! I've seen a few people wearing it about too and I like to strike up a conversation with them if I can! I tend to go for any ole t-shirt once it's not made of cotton! My other favourites are some Dry-Fit ones I got from a Nike outlet about a year ago and I haven't been able to find them since. They look and feel like normal t-shirts but are 100% polyester which blew my mind because they look and feel like cotton. I did a part of the Camino de Santiago, a walk through Spain, last summer and they were a god send because I could look like I was wearing normal clothes without the horrible sweating, uncomfortableness and chaffing that happens when wearing cotton in the heat. I've picked up tops here and there and I usually tend to buy all my tops in sales because the sales for women in sports shops are usually amazing because there isn't a huge demand for them. I highly recommend TK Maxx for sports gear, the prices are so reasonable and they have some good quality stuff. 

Sports Bras (Sorry lads...)

Unfortunately, I'm not blessed in that department (sigggh) but I have friends who can't run up the stairs without pain if they don't wear one!  My favourite one is from Nike (there's a surprise) cos it's purple and yellow and I love crazy colours when it comes to sports gear. Saying that, I can afford this luxury as I don't need a whole of support so for the more well endowed women I know the sports bras don't be as pretty but go for the best one you can to keep those puppies in place! For small to medium sized boobs there's great ones from Nike, Forvever 21, H&M and Penneys! For bigger boobs I know that Marks and Spencer have an amazing range, there's plenty for smaller boobs too though, but you pay the price!

Gear for Hell and Back

I'm pretty happy with what I wore last time but I think I would make a few changes this time round! For the Trojan race I wore long tights and a 3/4 sleeved top. I regret the long tights because I was in and out of so much freezing cold water that I felt very weighed down by them and they just kept my legs colder than necessary because I felt they absorbed all the water and were clinging to my legs. Saying that, I feel they protected my legs when I had to climb over and under everything, especially when doing the barbed wire crawl where there was a lot of rocks under the mud. With all this in mind though, I think I'm going to go with shorts for this race because I think I'll feel lighter and hopefully I won't feel as cold because there won't be wet fabric clinging to me the whole time. I'll definitely be going with the compression pair though because I don't want to be jumping into a pool of water and coming to the realisation that my shorts are no where on my body. Compression wear tends to be waterproof so there's also that advantage. With regards to the top I think the 3/4 sleeved top was a good call, you transition from hot to cold very quick so it's a good in between top! I think a long sleeved top would be too warm and you can suffer the same problem with the long tights that when its wet it clings and weighs you down, while making you freezing. So I'll probably opt for that or alternatively just a t-shirt. It's best not to keep your clothes complicated or expensive for that matter because at the end of the day it's an obstacle course and you're going to cross the finish line covered in mud and who knows what else. I know runners are a huge, if not the most crucial, element of sports gear but I mentioned them in a post before and I think I'm going to give them their very own post soon enough!

Hey hey hey hey Sarah? What did you do the last two weeks training wise HUH?  I managed to slam a full suitcase down on my foot just before heading to the festival so a few days after, it was still quite tender so I didn't risk doing too much on it! But I  managed to get in two runs and two sessions at the gym. This week I ran 15km and had one session at the gym. I'm planning on heading out today for a 5km if I can too! Not much but once again I was cursed by the life of a student the last two weeks and had some assignments due so was focusing on them. The only free time I had was for showering and eating because although I've been on this planet for 22 years, I still haven't quite mastered the skill of doing something well in advance and end up doing everything at the last minute. Pretty proud of that 15km though! I'm planning on doing a half-marathon at the end of the summer so I'm going to try to run one 15km every week for the next 2 or 3 weeks and then up the distance again if I can. Time will tell! I do enjoy the long runs because I love listening to slow tempo music as opposed to the fast-paced stuff I listen to when I'm doing a quick 5km!

That's all for now, hope you all have a lovely weekend! 

A slow week, sore legs and a festival. Hell and Back training update!

Oh hey there! 

I wrote a whole blog post up just before I went to the gym and decided to finish it off when I got back and it's amazing what a good trip to the gym can do for raising your spirits so I've scrapped half of it cos I was clearly a negative Nelly earlier. So... you're welcome that I didn't bum you out! This will now be the first tip of this blog post: If you have a decision to make, workout and decide afterwards. 

I digress! Last week's training didn't exactly go to plan which isn't surprising because anything I plan rarely works out as expected! I underestimated the stress I would be under as I had to do final year assignments and it was my last ever week as an undergraduate student so the pints were a flowin'! So I won't lie and pretend I did 5 days training when it actuality I did.... two. But two runs is better than none!  I don't know about you though but if I work out really hard for a few weeks the odd time I just think you know what nope I'm not doing anything this week and when I take a few days off I feel recuperated and my muscles are fully rested and I run better and faster than I ever did so the few days off probably didn't do me any harm. (I'm really good at making up excuses to make myself feel better...) 

What I did last week 

I ran both runs on the road and the first one was 10/11km and the other was 6/7km with speed intervals on a pitch. My legs are still sore from the speed intervals I did on the pitch which is strange! I think it's because my legs aren't used to running at that speed on that terrain so it's probably a great thing for the Hell and Back because I'm assuming most of the ground will be grass! My legs hurting just goes to show that the muscles that are sore aren't being used so it's time to get them to work! I think from now on I'm going to try to do speed intervals on a grassy area at least once a week. I genuinely think this will save my life when doing the Hell and Back because one of the hardest parts of the course is running on the rough grassy terrain! 

So, tip number two! (That I'm pretty sure I said in the last post but I'm too lazy to check) : Do speed intervals on grass. 

What I did this week

Yesterday I hit the gym but my legs were still too sore to run so I did 6km on the cross trainer and I tried a quick one kilometre on the treadmill to see how the legs were! They weren't having any of it so I just hit the weights and did some arm work! I've taken advantage of the glorious weather the last few days too and actually went on walks which is unlike me! Today myself and some friends did a few laps of our local park and then spent a good half hour playing in the playground. They described me as a desperate 8 year old begging for people to play with, I just really really like playgrounds. So I was climbing up walls, hanging off monkey bars, climbing ropes and doing weird backward flips I haven't done in years so I count all that as training for the Hell and Back! 

Afterwards, I hit the gym and did a 10min warm up on the cross trainer and then a 5km run on the treadmill, my legs were sore but they managed!! I then did some plank work, legs raises, push ups, skipping, arm work and core work! I plan on hitting the gym in the morning again to try and squeeze in one last workout before the weekend! I'll probably do some leg work like squats and lunges mixed with maybe some interval training if my legs can take it!

Here I am having a whale of a time at Vantastival
last year

I'm heading to a festival on Friday in Louth, where I'm from, called Vantastival. It's almost a tradition amongst my group of friends at this stage to go every year and I've been looking forward to it for the last few months! Literally everything will go out the window, food, drink and exercise wise but sure I'll be on the right path come next week again and all should be grand hopefully! I find it's easy for me to get caught up in training and eating right to the point where I almost don't want to do things that might interfere with my hard work, for fear I end up unravelling it in some way but I realise this is a bit irrational and you have to let go of the runners and let your hair down once in while! I still plan on getting in 4 really good workouts this week and I'm even going to try and get a run in Friday morning before the festival! That one really is wishful thinking but sure I'll try my best! So this leads me to tip number 3! : It's okay to let your hair down every now and again, it won't unravel everything you've done.

That's all for now folks! Hope training is going well and that you all get out in the glorious weather for a nice walk or run! Don't forget you can follow me on twitter here.

Hell and Back Apollo, update and training plan.

So it's 8 weeks until the big day! That is plenty of time to plan and put in the time and effort that'll be needed to make it through the course! The best thing to do is to realistically assess where you are fitness wise. I think a lot of people actually underestimate their fitness and tend to remain in a pretty stagnant fitness routine as a result. I am definitely a culprit of this! Pushing yourself to the limits is pretty uncomfortable and it's much more enjoyable running at a comfortable pace than at say, a race pace. This is something I've been trying to be conscious of recently and hopefully the added bit of effort will pay off dividends!

On a completely hypocritical note, I haven't been able to do a whole lot this week due to my final year college assignments being due in soon and well... a hangover. I'm not one to usually drink midweek but it happend and I paid the price! What I like to do before I go on a night out is get a good run in beforehand so I feel pretty good the whole night and the temptation to eat my face off with greasy burgers and chips is decreased!

This Weeks Tips

Runners

My absolute essential tip this week is to buy a decent pair of runners! I can't stress this enough, it really is a crucial element to running comfortably and reducing your risk of injury. I bought a brilliant pair of Asics last summer and they really have had their day! They're even ripped at the sides and they're causing some rather unpleasant side effects because of their wear and tear! I need runners with a support so I'll be looking for a pair specifically for my foot type. I recommend heading to an Elverys or any other running store to get a gait analysis done, it's maybe not for everyone but it was a life saver for me! I kept getting persistent blisters on my right foot and it was due to the wrong runners with not enough support, when I got a pair that was suited to my foot all my problems went away instantly. So with all this in mind I'll be popping into the city centre tomorrow on a mission to get a new pair. I want a pair of Nike ones I think, one because they do excellent running shoes and two because they're damn nice looking! Asics are pretty hideous in my opinion, kinda like having an ugly kid but loving it anyway.

Interval Training

Interval training might be the magic ingredient to push you over that Hell and Back finish line with a time you never imagined seeing! I love it because it's an amazing way to improve strength and performance and it gets your body used to working at a very high rate. Yes, it's difficult but because it's usually in 400-600 metres bursts it's not unbearable. Interval training is good preparation for racing as it tests the same mental and physical barriers that you inevitably face while racing! I could go on and on about interval training but here's an excellent article by the Irish Times all about it and how you can incorporate it into your routine! Do it, you won't regret it! On the treadmill it's easy enough to do this as you can track your pace and distance but what I do when I'm on the roads is I pick a point in the distance like a bus stop or a tree and I run as fast as I can to it and then go back down to my normal pace. Do this 4-5 times when you're running and you'll be flying!

Training Plan

I'm not one for sticking to a specific training plan and kinda prefer to stick with telling myself that I'll work out and run a certain amount of times a week instead. So that way if I'm not in the mood or still feeling the effects of the previous workout I can always have a rest day without deviating from a set plan! I'm the type of person who gets annoyed at myself if I say I'll do something and then don't so it's best to keep it this way! Here's what I usually do in a week! :

Main objective is usually run 4 times a week and strength train 3 times a week.

Beginning of week (Sunday or Monday) -

• Run 10km on road.

Midweek (Monday and/or Tuesday and/or Wednesday) - 2 days

• Run 6-7km on treadmill and weight session.
• Interval training for 5km on treadmill (hill and speed work), weight session.

End of week (Thursday or Friday or Saturday)

• 5km at race pace on treadmill and weight session.

I'm hoping to increase the 10km to 15km soon enough and would like to increase the 5kms to 6-7kms. I'll see how things go! Every time before I workout I assess how I feel, if my arms or legs are sore, if I'm feeling tired or any number of things that can make working out hard pretty difficult. Like I said in my last post it's important to listen to your body and sculpt your workout to your needs so you don't over do it. But when everything is working in harmony it's time to push yourself! My main woman and fellow Hell and Back blogger Jen Conroy explains her very own 8 week training plan in her blog post here! Check it out!

What I Did This Week

Monday

• 10km on road

Thursday  

• 10 mins warm up on cross trainer
• 5km at race pace (12km/13km) 
• 3 sets of 12 squats with 12.5kg bar
• 3 sets of 20 push ups
• 3 sets of 10 tricep dips on bench
• 3 sets of 30 mountain climbers ((legs to chestx2, legs to opposite sidex2, legs to elbowsx2)x5)
• 3 sets of 20 lunges
• Various core work

Friday

• 10 mins warm up on cross trainer
• 5km on treadmill
• 10km on bike
• Assisted tricep dips and chins 
• Various dumbbell exercises
• Core work

I'll hopefully get a workout in on Saturday and Sunday too but time will tell!

That's all for now folks! Any questions or comments write them down below and I'll get back to you! Or ask them on twitter here, don't forget to follow me! 

Training Tips for Hell and Back Apollo

Hi there! That's me on the left, looking at you looking at me. This was taken mere minutes before I took part in the first Hell and Back Trojan race in January! You can see my lovely sinister devil fork that I got painted on my face! That did not last long, I assure you!

I had such an amazing time at the first race that I knew the second they announced the Hell and Back Apollo that will take place on the 15th and 16th of June, I just had to partake! If you click here you will see my original post all about my experience of the race and some tips I gave for the event! Here's a link to Hell and Back's official Facebook page and here's a link to their website that contains all the details about the race!


When deciding to run in an event I make sure I train adequately for it and although I'm not psychic I try to prepare myself for all scenarios! I'm not a fan of surprises but the very nature of Hell and Back Apollo is just that! Although we won't be sure what exactly the course entails we can prepare ourselves for all eventualities through training hard and no matter what is thrown at us we'll be prepared and ready to conquer it! When facing a seemingly daunting challenge like the Hell and Back Apollo it is important to understand exactly what your body is required to do and train accordingly. Planning is key! So throughout the next few weeks I will be structuring my training around completing the Hell and Back Apollo course by using my experience and the lessons I learned when I completed the Hell and Back Trojan course back in January! I will be keeping you all up to date with the training I do every week and I will let you in on all the training tips you'll need to help you complete the Hell and Back Apollo! Click here to read the post I wrote on my training for the first Hell and Back! For now, here's a quick synopsis of what you should include in your training:

RUN

This is fairly self explanatory, if you want to run a 10km course you gotta be able to run 10km! I would suggest running at least 3 times a week if you can, be it on the roads or in the gym. What I found with the last race was that because there are so many obstacles you are constantly stopping and starting so the actual running part wasn't too intense because you sort of get a break to breath before you get stuck into an obstacle. So if you're not up to 10km I wouldn't worry too much about it as it's more like running in intervals but ultimately the more you can run the easier it will be!

HILL RUNNING/INCLINE RUNNING

During the first Hell and Back, I realised that when I was running on the muck trails and on the steep grassy hills that I was completely unprepared for that terrain. I had attempted to run on grassy trails for some training before it but I didn't do enough of it at all. So this time round I will be hitting the fields around my house and doing laps on the hills to really get my legs used to it! If you have a field or a local park around you with a grassy hill I suggest running and sprinting up it a few times at least once a week! Failing that, if you're a member of a gym I suggest putting up the incline on the treadmill and doing some interval training! When your legs are burning you know you're doing it right!

ARM AND LEG STRENGTH

I cannot stress enough how important your arm and leg strength will be for this race! If you haven't done any strength or weight training yet I suggest you get on it! You will be dragging yourself through, over and under many an obstacle and without sufficient arm and leg strength it'll prove very difficult! Great exercises for this would be the simple push-up and squat! Got a half an hour in the evening? Do a few sets of push-ups and squats! Push-ups are great for over-all arm strength, as well as serving as an all-purpose body workout! So what are you waiting for, drop and gimme 20! Squats are one of the best functional exercises that you can ever do! Here is an article I wrote about why they are so important and how you can do them properly! They should be a part of your training routine if they aren't already, they will help tone and strengthen the legs making you laugh in the face of any obstacle that comes your way!

If you're a member of a gym start hitting the free weights or some strength machines. What I've been doing recently is assisted pull-ups and tricep dips which are amazing for upper body strength. These are compound exercises that will work every muscle in your upper body. There's also the leg extension and leg curl machines for leg strength! I go into detail about these machines in my post about my training for the Hell and Back Trojan, here.

WHAT I DID THIS WEEK

Saturday: I ran the Bray 10km Cliff Run last Saturday so I was very sore on Sunday! I should have stretched and done a short recovery session on a cross trainer but I didn't! Here's my synopsis of the event!

Monday: Legs were still too sore to run so I didn't run.

30 mins on cross trainer. 

20 mins on spin bike.

Free weights (dumbbell press, dumbbell curl, single arm row, tricep dumbbell curl)

Assisted pull ups and tricep dips.

10mins stretch.

Tuesday: 

5km road run.

Thursday:

20mins on cross trainer.

7km on treadmill.

10 mins on spin bike.

Core work 

Friday:

20 mins on cross trainer.

Weights session. 

Core work.

It's very important to listen to your body and know when you can step it up or down a notch with training. The last thing you want is an injury that will lead to not being able to partake! Running is just as much a mental game as it is a fitness one, especially when you enter obstacles into the equation! Try to find the right balance in training where you are doing some form of cardio at least 3 times a week and incorporate some strength training! Quality consistent training is key! It's definitely not easy, but when you cross the finish line it will all be worth it! Thanks for reading!

Do you have any questions about training or the race? Write me a comment down below and I'll get right back to you! Or alternatively, ask me on twitter here: https://twitter.com/AboveAvFitness.

Sarah's Vegan Adventure!

I have embarked on a rather unusual food journey in the last few weeks which has resulted in my decision to try to go vegan for a month. I know what you're thinking, here she goes, ranting on about how we're all evil meat eating monsters but that's not what this is about at all. It's about finding what's best for me and eating in a way that makes me feel good and benefits my overall health. I'm not going to preach, I just want to share the experience and the knowledge that I have acquired about it over the last few weeks.

I have known all my life that dairy and me don't get on, I'm allergic to the casein that is present in cow's milk. I have had eczema since I was a baby and I'm always being told by my Mam that whenever dairy was cut out of my diet, it went away. In the last year or so the eczema on my hands and arms has grown worse and it really started pissing me off to be quite honest. I've never had an issue with it really, it could be worse and I consider myself very lucky health wise so I found it easy to overlook it. Looking back, I don't remember a time in the last 4 or 5 years where I have been truly eczema free. I can see now that I was just making excuses and in the last few months as its gotten progressively worse the stares and comments have been getting to me a little. Well more like a lot but when you feel powerless in a situation it's easier to just not think about it, believe it is out of your control and cover up the issue. The incessant itch and long nights I've spent awake scratching are just not worth it if something as simple as giving up dairy can prevent it. So, I decided to take proactive action and give up dairy to see if it makes a difference.

So Sarah, you're going off dairy for your skin because you want to get rid of your eczema, we understand, but why go off meat? Good question! I have had for as long as I can remember a very contentious relationship with meat. I've just never really been in to it. I've never liked pork, lamb or even chicken all that much. Eating meat is convenient and cheap and when you've eaten it all your life with every meal it's hard to know where to even start when you stop eating it. I was a vegetarian for about 6 months about two years ago. I didn't find it hard at all and really enjoyed it. The reason I stopped was because college was over for that term and I had to move home where my father cooks all the food and when I went back to college I didn't commit to it again fully. A poor excuse, I know. But my father loves cooking and really expresses himself through it and it's honestly insulting to him if you don't want to eat it. It's hard to see someone you love put so much care and attention into preparing a meal and then saying no to it. And ultimately I was lazy and wasn't arsed having to prepare my own food all the time. So I started eating meat again. It's been something that always remained on my mind though and I regularly go weeks in college without buying or eating meat without noticing. I've always wanted to return, you need to be in the right mind set though and when I decided two weeks ago to stop eating it again I was very much in the perfect one. Yeah I've craved meat and yeah I've wanted to eat a cheeseburger after a few drinks in the pub but these will fade eventually and they're perfectly normal. So when deciding to go fully off dairy, the desire to stop eating meat was present also so it just made sense to try vegan for a while and see how I feel!

I'm currently a week into my vegan month and it's going pretty well. My energy levels are unfortunately not great so I'm remedying that my introducing much more protein and iron into my diet. Have I noticed a difference in my skin? I'm not sure. Right now the redness, inflammation and the burning desire to itch is gone. Whether that is due to my diet I don't know. I've had many periods in my life over the last few years where I've been nearly eczema free and still on dairy so it's a hard one to determine really. Saying that, I don't want to admit too early that it might be helping and for it to come back with a vengeance later. So for now, yes, I am seeing quite a drastic improvement but it's early days. Will I continue after the month is up? I don't know. It's going to be a long process and honestly, I'm learning as I go along. I've been watching a lot of documentaries on the topic and I've been reading up a lot about it too. The more I read and research the better I understand why this is a good decision for my health and for wider ethical reasons. I won't get into any of that now because I know I'm going to be met by a lot of criticism so for now I'm going to focus on doing my month, reading as much about it as I can and hopefully improving my eczema! I've been keeping tabs of my shopping lists, prices and the food I am preparing and will hopefully have regular posts about what I'm eating and how I'm meeting all my nutritional needs through plant-based means! Wish me luck!

Bray 10km Cliff Run 2013

There I am at the back in black, probably
wiping snot off my face.
No one said running
was glamorous.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable and challenging race! It was a lot harder than I expected and it really pushed me to my limits. It was organised and executed with excellent efficiency and all the staff and volunteers were proficient, encouraging and helpful! The multi-terrain experience and the breathtaking scenery gave this race an edge that you can rarely find these days!

The day started on a rather unpleasant note as I had to get a troublesome root canal retreated. To make matters worse, my appointment was in Newry, Co.Down and I completely underestimated the amount of pain I would be in following the procedure so I spent the entirety of my bus journey back to Dublin trying not to get sick from the pain in my face. Life is cruel sometimes! But, four counties and a lot of painkillers later, I wasn’t feeling too bad! It was a beautiful sunny day so it was hard to be in a bad mood as I made my way into the city centre to meet my brother. We met at Pearse station and got the Dart out to Bray, the scenery was breathtaking as we meandered around the coast. We noted how the picturesque views didn’t quite add up to Ireland as it felt like we were looking at a different country.

When we reached Bray we made our way to the Martello Hotel on the Bray promenade to register and drop our stuff off. The registration was very quick and efficient and we were on our way back to the train station to get the Dart to Greystones within half an hour. It would have been quicker if I had wore my running gear in the first place but I had to get changed at the hotel. While registering you had to state whether you can do a 10km in under 50 minutes or over, if under you were put into the first wave and if over you were in the second. When running the race I realised why it made a lot of sense as the paths along the cliffs are very narrow and at some points can only be run in single file. I was in the second wave so I started at 7pm, whereas the first wave started 10 minutes earlier at 6:50pm.

I hate the wait before a race, I’m always filled with a lot of nervous energy, anticipation, excitement and worry! It was pretty windy and cold having to wait for the second wave to begin so it was hard to warm up and I felt pretty ill prepared. No point in dwelling on it I thought and when the siren rang, off I went! The start line was on the beach so you had to run for about 700-800m on sand before we hit road which was definitely challenging! The only way I can describe is it like running with two invisible cement blocks attached to my feet. You're constantly trying to displace the sand to make your footing but the sand is so soft and constantly shifting so there’s a constant drag on your feet. Just had a cheeky google of sand running and apparently it requires 1.6 times the energy that running on a hard surface requires. It definitely felt like an exercise in futility but I got there in the end and I’ve never been happier to see road before in my life.

After the shore, came the cliff path. This beautiful scenic track which is roughly 7km follows the train line along the cliffs of Bray Head. As I ran along its steep cliffs I was in awe of the stunning and impressive views, which was only intensified by the uncharacteristic beautiful weather. The uninterrupted views helped keep my mind off of the burning in my legs and chest as I was trying to overtake as many people as I could. Not that easy on a narrow track that at most can hold two runners abreast! The first few kilometres went gently uphill for the majority of the time and at other times, not so gently! There was a few steep inclines involving steps and there was a lot of rocks to navigate. The terrain on the cliff path is a bit dangerous if you weren’t careful, I saw one poor guy nearly buckle himself but he quickly found his balance! At the beginning of the cliff path I found it pretty hard to breath and I felt like my asthma was at me which has never happened before. I think there was a lot of pollen in the air that was the potential culprit but at about the 5km mark I started to feel a bit better and I picked up a good bit more speed. There was a water stop at the 5km mark which was rather glorious, the water was ice cold and it was just what I needed! I was going pretty much head to head with a girl the entire race, she had managed to stay ahead of me for the first 5km but then I decided to overtake her and we spent the next 4km leapfrogging each other until I finally took the lead on the downhill stretch into bray village. Man, I really flew down that hill, I love running downhill so I just let loose on it and decided to go as quick as I possibly could.

The final part of the race is something I don’t think I will ever forget in a hurry. In fact, I think it will be a recurring nightmare for years to come. I’ve went through a 60m barbed wire crawl face deep in mud, an electric shock pit and I’ve been plunged in freezing cold water and all of that was a cakewalk compared to the last kilometre of this course! The last part of the run was along the beachfront in Bray but the beach wasn’t sandy, it was rocky. Thousands and thousands of devil rocks. If I thought running in the sand felt like cement blocks tied to my feet, this was the equivalent of having two dead bodies strapped on there. Who were obese... and had eaten some cement blocks. I got halfway down the beach and I’m desperately trying to think about anything but the fact that I’m running, I have my ipod in my hand frantically trying to find a song that is metal enough to forget the pain. I refuse to look up and remind myself how much further I have to run so I fix my eyes on the ground straight in front of me. I chance a look up and I see it, a beacon of hope in an otherwise hopeless world. The finish line! I think cool it’s only there, I can do that no problem! So I get the inspiration I need to increase my speed and all is going well until I realise that people are running PAST the finish line and further up the beach. As I get closer I realise we have to run to the bottom of the beach, and then run back on the footpath to the finish line. It was a merciless realisation that made my heart sink into my runners. What else is there to do but run though! I was about 100m away from the finish line, my legs and lungs were burning with the fire of a thousand suns and I didn’t think I could go much further, until.... I saw the girl I overtook edge her way into my peripheral vision. I’m pretty sure I shouted “Oh hell no!” but I had earphones in so I have no idea how audible it was. Nevertheless, I mustered whatever energy I had left from the fiery depths of my burning body and I sprinted to the finish line and beat her. I meant to go up to her afterwards and thank her for a good race but I swiftly collapsed in a heap on the grass and died for a few minutes. So, on the off chance she sees this, thanks! I honestly thought I was one of the last people to come in and that it had taken me an age but I ran the race in 53.22 and I am absolutely delighted! I ranked 206th out of 341 which I’m very happy about! I ranked 23rd out 110 women, putting me in the top 20%. All in all, I am happy with my performance considering my horrible morning and dodgy chest! This hopefully means I should do a sub 50 minute 10km for my next race which will more than likely be the Flora Women’s Mini Marathon.

Here's a picture of my nice bloody sock
afterwards that I thought you might enjoy.

2 Half-Marathons and a 10km Cliff Run.

I think there's a huge anti-climax after you've finished a race. You've spent months training hard and working towards your goal of completing a race, and then it's all over in a flash. A really painful sweaty flash. You never stop feeling proud about the feat and the sense of accomplishment never leaves but I find it hard to know where to start afterwards. I felt like my head was up my arse after the Hell and Back because even though I love running, I like to run towards something. Preferably not a pole. So, with this on board, I decided I needed to set my sights on a new goal. This will be either the stupidest or the most rewarding thing I'll ever do but I'm going to run a half-marathon in a month. Then another one a month after.... and a 10km cliff run in between. Myself and my brother are going to do all the races together which is going to be brilliant, it's always nice to have someone to talk about your training with, especially if you're aiming for the same goal! 

So I basically have a month to train for this. Is it enough time? Probably not. That's not the point though. Whether I cross the finish line in 2 hours or 5 hours it doesn't matter. It's about doing your best, putting the work in and seeing a result, no matter how you compare to others. The first half-marathon will be the Carlingford Half-Marathon and I'll be doing it mostly to get the feel for the race and get acquainted with the distance, I won't be doing it for time whatsoever I would imagine. The Bray 10km cliff run is in the middle of the two races and it just sounds awesome so why the hell not! It'll be a nice day out and good training for the second half-marathon. The second one will be the Cooley Legends Half-Marathon which is also in Carlingford, I should hopefully do a bit better on this race and it would be nice to see an improvement, if any. I know I can do it but it's going to be very hard, it's going to take time and sacrifice but what's the point of doing something if it's not a challenge. This will be great for me, I'm back in college full time next week and having a running/weight/eating routine will help me have some form of structure and keep me on the straight and narrow! That's all I have for now really, I'm going to spend today working out a running routine for the next month. I've never done this before so it'll be good to have a set routine that I can't stray from. Wish me luck I guess, I'm going to most definitely need it!

Here's a link to the April 6th Bray 10km Cliff Run, cos it looks just that cool.