Feel good while ya running and even better when you finish

Well Lactic fallout is just another event in my 2013 calender. ..wow what an event it was!

I am still carrying a small niggle in my right leg left since the legendary Blackout cramp so at 10.30am I set off cautiously. Very quickly although Fallout was not the toughest race this year it definately tooks gold for the coldest and by far the muddiest.

The course was different from my previous Nuclear race events (rush and blackout).  My old friend the monkey bars were still there but im a seasoned pro at getting across these now so was happy to see them again;) The rest of the course took some new twists and turns but still felt like familiar ground.

The weather on the lead up to race day was wet...damn wet! This resulted in some of the thickest mud ive crawled through this year. After a few hundred people had finished climbing out of the ditches etc the banks became seriously slippery. Nuclear races do love their river crossings and watery ditches and Fallout didnt dissapoint ; ) The water was so cold that for a few minutes after you could barely feel your legs. Being this wet combined with the wind chill meant you really felt it to your bones.

During the lead up Nuclear races had posted some pictures of some new obstacles. One adversary I hadn't faced yet was the dreaded wall! A simple obstacle but think about the additional challenge this presented. Most people launch themselves up and drag themselves over the top on their stomachs. Not so easy with a stoma! As it turned out they had deployed 2 of these 8ft(ish) walls to traverse. With boots covered in mud and soaking wet this made these walls challenging.

I had been running with Simon Fowler. I met Simon at Blackout and we had struck up quite a friendship on facebook after the event. As we approached the first wall I looked at Simon and said 'Im not sure Im gonna make this obstacle' Every race so far I had never missed a single obstacle but as I approached the wall I feared this obstacle mayve been too much.. I owe Simon, he just looked at me and offered to give me a boost. Adding 'step on my shoulder if you need to'. With his help I found myself sitting on top of the first wall with some ease. God it felt good! Getting down wasnt as easy as you may think but returning to the muddy ground gave me a real sense of achievement. I stepped back around the obstacle and returned the favour to Simon (wearing the yellow top in the pic below)and a few other runners.



Thats what I really love about these events. everyone is there to have fun and if anyone struggles with an obstacle it isnt long until a helping hand is there to boost, pull or push you.

The first few miles dissapeared fairly quickly as did the obstacles but for some reason the last 3 seemed to go on forever! Its not until I actually review the pictures posted by others that I remember all of them. I really do need to invest in that waterproof head cam.

Xmas present hint ; )

We emerged from the forest to see the finish line and the final obstacle. A narrow crawl through mud that was incredibly snug. Seriously tight and muddy!!

These runs are starting to become easier. Guess that means ive got to think a bit madder for 2014? Well ive finalised my place in The Thunder Run...ill update you all soon. ; )

Overall another fun Nuclear race