Nuts!

So you've signed up for a mud obstacle race. Congratulations, you're nuts! 

I'm pretty used to non-running, non-trapeze flying, pool-only swimming friends saying I'm mad. They just can't see how exherting yourself to a sweaty (sometimes bruised and teary) mess is fun. Many times I've tried to explain the many reasons behind my chosen hobbies but somehow I come out looking even crazier. For once though, when 'warming up' for a training session at the Nuts Challenge course in freezing hail, I knew I'd have a hard time even convincing myself this was a good idea! Luckily, I was there with Commando Active who are expert ass-kickers and soon got us jumping literally in at the deep end.

What are obstacle courses without a splash and slide of mud?! After the torrential rain I travelled through to get to the site in Dorking, there was certainly plenty. There was no shying away from it, though. As we were presented with our first obstacle – what looked like a human mangle made of tyres – we very quickly learned that commitment was key. Attempt to tentatively climb through and you become the filling of a tyre sandwich. Dive towards it with purpose and you slide straight through. 

Simple.

Only, when faced with a lake of mud you're meant to leap across or a giant wooden wall you're told to climb over, 'simple' doesn't really come to mind. But then that's exactly what this session was for – to work out how on earth we approach these challenges and gain the confidence needed to throw yourself at them. Our instructors, Jon, Stuart and Rick, went through how to tackle each obstacle before we attempted them ourselves. As a mix of new mudders and experienced obstaclers we were given two demonstrations per challenge: 1) how to tackle each properly and safely; 2) how to tackle each as fast as possible.

Each and every completed tyre wall, net climb, mud wade, commando crawl and fireman pole slide made me feel like heroic. I was unstoppable and loved it! That is until the cold took hold and banished my ability to grip anything. Commando Active had more tricks up their muddied sleeves, though. My numb fingers and uncontrollable shivering, was treated with a slab of millionaire shortbread and a sip of hot tea. I think this sugary delight literally saved my life! It also gave me the boost I needed to climb back into the freezing, muddy river and clamber towards our base.

I've never been so cold that I couldn't untie my shoes or do up my bra! But after a warming cup of tea next to a cosy log burner, all was forgiven. And I decided that, actually, doing a mud obstacle course wasn't that nuts after all. Sign me up...in Summer!

Find out how to book an obstacle course training session with Commando Active here.