Bib: 11408
Start: 09:00
Finish: 12:45
Time: 3hrs 45min
Obstacles: 19
Distance: 20km
Steps: 37,254
Weather: Overcast
After yesterday's run, and feeling as sore as I did last night when I went to bed, I was a little unsure if I would actually be able to run the event today. But when I woke up, I was feeling slightly better than last night. My left hip flexor had relaxed just a tiny bit, and wasn't screaming out in agony, which was a good start.
The day started off the same as yesterday. An early rise, quick breakfast of avo on toast (the best), got ready and left the beach house with the boys.
The boys, my running mates for today, are my housemate Tristan and our mate Craig. This will be Tristan's 3rd Tough Mudder event, and Craig's first. Craig was extremely nervous about the event, not knowing what to expect, and whether he'll be able to overcome all the obstacles. I was also a little nervous, for the same reasons as Craig, but because of my soreness from yesterday.
We arrived at the Grand Prix track at about 8:30, and realised the two idiots had left their tickets at home. After standing in line not believing me for ten minutes that they needed them, we finally got to the front of the queue, and found I was right. So for the next 15 minutes, they had to manually search for their names on the computers the volunteers had. Good start to the day boys!
Start: 09:00
Finish: 12:45
Time: 3hrs 45min
Obstacles: 19
Distance: 20km
Steps: 37,254
Weather: Overcast
After yesterday's run, and feeling as sore as I did last night when I went to bed, I was a little unsure if I would actually be able to run the event today. But when I woke up, I was feeling slightly better than last night. My left hip flexor had relaxed just a tiny bit, and wasn't screaming out in agony, which was a good start.
The day started off the same as yesterday. An early rise, quick breakfast of avo on toast (the best), got ready and left the beach house with the boys.
The boys, my running mates for today, are my housemate Tristan and our mate Craig. This will be Tristan's 3rd Tough Mudder event, and Craig's first. Craig was extremely nervous about the event, not knowing what to expect, and whether he'll be able to overcome all the obstacles. I was also a little nervous, for the same reasons as Craig, but because of my soreness from yesterday.
We arrived at the Grand Prix track at about 8:30, and realised the two idiots had left their tickets at home. After standing in line not believing me for ten minutes that they needed them, we finally got to the front of the queue, and found I was right. So for the next 15 minutes, they had to manually search for their names on the computers the volunteers had. Good start to the day boys!
Even though the boys (I think) had a 10:00 start time (as I hold a season pass, I can jump in any start time), we all just jumped in the first wave of the day; the 9:00 start time. After the usual pump up speech and Tough Mudder pledge, we counted down, and began the event.
Now, after the 10 minute speech and pledge, which included the lines "I put teamwork and camaraderie before my course time”, you'd think that the 3 of us would run together throughout the entire 20 km, as was the plan. No. This did not happen. After 100 metres the guys both charged ahead of me, without a word. Granted I was not running fast as the Flash, and was hindered by the lower half of my body's soreness, but not 30 seconds earlier we had all shouted out about not leaving a man behind. At the time, I was not too annoyed by this, thinking that they would beat me by at least an hour or more to the finish-line, but when I found out they finished less than 15 minutes before me, that really ticked me off. Advice for a first time Mudder? Find someone that you can rely on to run with you no matter what.
Aside from all that, the day was a success. I surprised myself by running the first 3 km, then jogging the next 10 km, but at this point, with approximately 7 km left in the event, my body just couldn't take it much more, and I had to walk the rest of the way, with a few jogging bursts. My calves were as tight as possible, but my left hip flexor seemed to loosen up a little bit about three quarters through the course, which was a relief. Having walked so far today, and being as sore as I was, I thought that I would take an hour or more to finish the course compared to yesterday. This turned out to be not true, and amazingly, it only took me an extra 10 minutes to finish today. I was flabbergasted when I found this out!
Once again, while crossing the finish-line, nothing could wipe the dumb smile off my face. My 4th orange head-band got placed around my head, and I slowly limped out of the finish gates. After refusing the free beer that all finishers get (to the stunned faces of the volunteers, thinking a guy not taking a free beer?), I walked over to the massage tables, and got a 'sander massage' down my legs and lower back. Talk about absolute bliss! After a few minutes of this, I went from barely being able to walk, to running up and down the steps over the race track, the same steps that gave me such grief not 24 hours ago.
Unfortunately, the volunteers didn't have any of the yellow 4-6x head-bands left, and told me I would get mine sent out to me soon. Hopefully I receive it before New Zealand Mudder in a month's time, but I have an inkling that I may have to chase this up myself though...
Now, after the 10 minute speech and pledge, which included the lines "I put teamwork and camaraderie before my course time”, you'd think that the 3 of us would run together throughout the entire 20 km, as was the plan. No. This did not happen. After 100 metres the guys both charged ahead of me, without a word. Granted I was not running fast as the Flash, and was hindered by the lower half of my body's soreness, but not 30 seconds earlier we had all shouted out about not leaving a man behind. At the time, I was not too annoyed by this, thinking that they would beat me by at least an hour or more to the finish-line, but when I found out they finished less than 15 minutes before me, that really ticked me off. Advice for a first time Mudder? Find someone that you can rely on to run with you no matter what.
Aside from all that, the day was a success. I surprised myself by running the first 3 km, then jogging the next 10 km, but at this point, with approximately 7 km left in the event, my body just couldn't take it much more, and I had to walk the rest of the way, with a few jogging bursts. My calves were as tight as possible, but my left hip flexor seemed to loosen up a little bit about three quarters through the course, which was a relief. Having walked so far today, and being as sore as I was, I thought that I would take an hour or more to finish the course compared to yesterday. This turned out to be not true, and amazingly, it only took me an extra 10 minutes to finish today. I was flabbergasted when I found this out!
Once again, while crossing the finish-line, nothing could wipe the dumb smile off my face. My 4th orange head-band got placed around my head, and I slowly limped out of the finish gates. After refusing the free beer that all finishers get (to the stunned faces of the volunteers, thinking a guy not taking a free beer?), I walked over to the massage tables, and got a 'sander massage' down my legs and lower back. Talk about absolute bliss! After a few minutes of this, I went from barely being able to walk, to running up and down the steps over the race track, the same steps that gave me such grief not 24 hours ago.
Unfortunately, the volunteers didn't have any of the yellow 4-6x head-bands left, and told me I would get mine sent out to me soon. Hopefully I receive it before New Zealand Mudder in a month's time, but I have an inkling that I may have to chase this up myself though...
Afterwards
After my short run to the car, and the car ride back to the beach house, my body had cooled down significantly, and it was a struggle to get out of the car at all. At this point it was about an hour after I finished the event, and I was certainly feeling it. Walking up the steps was slow, but easy enough. But walking down stairs was next to impossible. My left leg wouldn't work properly going down the steps, due to my hip flexor.
I grabbed a Gatorade, threw down a protein recovery drink, packed up, cleaned up, and left the beach house mid-afternoon, for the hour and a half journey back home to Melbourne. After arriving, I took the longest shower of my life, trying to clean all the mud off my body, which was a struggle. The washing machine is currently on, washing my clothes for the 3rd cycle, and I am falling asleep writing this. I am buggered after this weekend. 10 more minutes and I'm done, I keep telling myself!
Things I learnt from Melbourne Tough Mudder
For my next event (New Zealand 26th and 27th of next month) I will incorporate some gloves and find some better socks to run in, as I have a huge blister underneath my left big toe currently. Also, better running shows would be a good idea, although these bad boys I wore this weekend held up alright. Better meal planning is needed, and more recovery in between runs. I think more stretching on Saturday night is a must.
So that just about wraps up my weekend Mudder experience. Back into training soon for the next mudder in a month's time. New Zealand, here I come! I will update again in the next couple of days, to let you know how I'm going post Mudder weekend.
#TMTour2014
After my short run to the car, and the car ride back to the beach house, my body had cooled down significantly, and it was a struggle to get out of the car at all. At this point it was about an hour after I finished the event, and I was certainly feeling it. Walking up the steps was slow, but easy enough. But walking down stairs was next to impossible. My left leg wouldn't work properly going down the steps, due to my hip flexor.
I grabbed a Gatorade, threw down a protein recovery drink, packed up, cleaned up, and left the beach house mid-afternoon, for the hour and a half journey back home to Melbourne. After arriving, I took the longest shower of my life, trying to clean all the mud off my body, which was a struggle. The washing machine is currently on, washing my clothes for the 3rd cycle, and I am falling asleep writing this. I am buggered after this weekend. 10 more minutes and I'm done, I keep telling myself!
Things I learnt from Melbourne Tough Mudder
- One thing I found that helped me over the weekend, was running along the grass next to the rocky/bitumen roads. I am sure this saved my feet quite a bit of pain, as the grass was much softer than the roads.
- Overcast and rain are much better weather to run in, compared to blistering hot sun. No sunburn this year!
- A parma at the pub the night before a race is not a good idea, no matter how much the fella's say it is. A proper carb dinner the night before will aid me much better in the upcoming Mudders. Also, not that it affects me, but beer is not a good idea the night before. Beer carb-loading is not a real thing. The carbs that a pint of beer has is equivalent to half a slice of bread, AND these carbs are stored as fat, so basically its fat-loading. Plus they make you dehydrated.
- I found myself subconsciously holding my right arm up to my chest when approaching certain obstacles that I wouldn't be attempting, so that people would see that I was injured, and not assume I was a wuss. Obviously, even subconsciously, I don't want people thinking less of me.
For my next event (New Zealand 26th and 27th of next month) I will incorporate some gloves and find some better socks to run in, as I have a huge blister underneath my left big toe currently. Also, better running shows would be a good idea, although these bad boys I wore this weekend held up alright. Better meal planning is needed, and more recovery in between runs. I think more stretching on Saturday night is a must.
So that just about wraps up my weekend Mudder experience. Back into training soon for the next mudder in a month's time. New Zealand, here I come! I will update again in the next couple of days, to let you know how I'm going post Mudder weekend.
#TMTour2014